Definition
A synthetic radioactive metallic chemical element with atomic number 96 and chemical symbol Cm. Curium is a transuranic element produced artificially in nuclear reactors and is used in aviation as a radioactive source in certain ice-detection and radiographic inspection devices.
Plain English
A man-made radioactive metal used as a small radiation source inside some specialized aircraft instruments and inspection equipment.
Context Anchor
Seen in hazardous cargo, dangerous goods, or radioactive-material shipping discussions.
Derivation
Named after Marie and Pierre Curie, the scientists who pioneered the study of radioactivity. The name signals that this is a radioactive element discovered in the same family of research the Curies began.
Why Pilots Care
Radioactive materials are not treated like ordinary cargo. If curium is listed in shipment information, the pilot or operator must follow the required handling, packaging, and carriage rules for radioactive material.
Example Sentence 1
Some early ice-detection systems used a small curium source to sense ice buildup on the airframe.
Example Sentence 2
Laboratory calibration sources sometimes contain small amounts of curium for detector testing.