Measurement of fast neutron induced fission cross section of thorium using Lexan plastic track detector

Fission-track registration characteristics of Lexan solid state nuclear track detectors have been used to measure the fast neutron induced fission cross section of²³²Th. The fast neutrons (?14.2MeV) were produced with the help of an AN-400 model Van-de-Graaff accelerator at Banaras Hindu University laboratory using³H(²H,n)⁴He reaction and were used to irradiate the fissile target deposited on the plastic detector. The track densityT, registered on the plastic detector is related to the fission cross sectionσ _f, through the relationT=knσ _føt wheren is the number of fissile atoms per cm² in the deposit, ø is the neutron flux,k is fission track registration efficiency andt is the time of irradiation. The fission cross sectionσ _f of²³²Th, relative to the well measured fission cross section of²³⁸U, was found to be 0.36±0.04 barn.     

Detection efficiency of fission tracks in apatite related to mica external detectors by the spike irradiation technique

Detection efficiency of fission tracks in non-annealed and annealed Durango apatite crystals related to mica external detectors for fission track dating was estimated experimentally using the spike irradiation technique [Suzuki, 2002a. Abstracts of 21st International Conference on Nuclear Tracks in Solids, p. 22]. The relation of the fission track density between apatite samples and mica external detectors is an important parameter for the determination of fission track ages using an absolute approach especially for crystalline minerals. Spike irradiation of uranium-235-induced fission fragments was carried out using a high uranium content glass, GE1497, fixed firmly on the sample surface. Experimental works were carried out for sections parallel and perpendicular to the crystallographic c-axis of apatite. The detection efficiency of fission tracks in non-annealed apatite related to the mica external detectors was estimated to be 0.90 for the prism face and 0.99 for the basal face. The fission track age of Durango apatite averaged for the prism and basal faces was estimated to be 30.6 (±2.5) Ma, which is concordant with reference values reported previously, using the detection efficiency data with a B₀ value of the CN5 monitor glass and a U-238 spontaneous decay constant value of . The results also indicate that the B₀ age calibration method can be used effectively for the absolute evaluation of fission track ages of apatite.     

Fission barrier of 209Bi measured by electron induced fission

For ²⁰⁹Bi an electrofission cross section below 10^?36 cm² was measured by the observation of correlated binary fission tracks in mica detectors. From the cross-section data between 28 and 41 MeV electron energy, a fission barrier of 25.5 ± 1.5 MeV was deduced. The method offers the possibility to measure fission barriers ar low angular momentum and for nuclei not accessible otherwise.     

EFFECTIVE MOMENT OF INERTIA OF MEDIUM MASS NUCLEI AT THE SADDLE POINT

The angular distributions of fission fragments are measured for systems of 120MeV ¹⁴N+¹¹⁸Sn with mica track detectors and gold-surfacebarrier silicon detectors. The measured angular distributions can be fitted by the standard theory of fission angular distributions on the basis of statistical model. The effective moments of inertia of fissioning nuclei at saddle point are derived from angular distribution anisotropies. The shapes of saddle point of fissioning nuclei in the region of Z²/A<30 are discussed.     

Measurement of the fission moment of inertia of medium mass nuclides

Measurements have been made, by means of mica nuclear track detectors, of the distributions in tracklength and the angular distributions with respect to the beam direction for the fission fragments from the systems Ag, Te and Au plus 80-MeV alpha particles. Analysis of the tracklength distributions indicated that, in each case, full momentum transfer from the incident projectile characterized those interactions that led to fission. Angular-momentum dependent statistical model calculations for the decay of the respective compound nuclei then provided information on fission-evaporation competition in the de-excitation processes, and in particular the distribution in nuclear temperature and angular momentum at which the fission events took place. This information was then employed in the analysis of the measured fission fragment angular distributions, and to extractK ₀ ² values. From these, the moments of inertia of the fission saddle point shapes were calculated, and the results are in good agreement with theoretical estimates.     

Search for E2 strength in electrofission of 238U and 232Th

We have measured the cross-section ratio σ^?/σ⁺ for the electron and positron induced fission of uranium and thorium in the energy range 10–40 MeV with detectors at 90° and in a 2π geometry. The observed periodic structure is discussed with respect to E2 admixtures and an anisotropy of the angular distribution, after the onset of each higher chance fission threshold, as well as with respect to the shape of the photofission cross section.     

Neutrino-induced deuteron disintegration in an experiment at the Krasnoyarsk nuclear reactor

The results of studying antineutrino interactions with deuterons (CCD and NCD reactions) and hydrogen (CCP) at the Krasnoyarsk underground reactor with the Deuteron detector are presented. The cross sections for NCD and CCD were measured with a precision of 9%. For CCP, the precision is 3%: σ _expt ^NCD =(3.35±0.31)×10^?44 cm²/fission ²³⁵U, σ _expt ^NCD =(1.08±0.09)×10^?44 cm²/fission ²³⁵U, and σ _expt ^NCD =(6.39±0.19)×10^?43 cm²/fission ²³⁵U. The precision of the experimental results is close to the theoretical one and is in good agreement with other experiments. The limit on the parameters of antineutrino oscillations into the sterile state was obtained: Δm ²≤4.7×10^?2 eV² for sin²(2?)=1.0 (68% C.L.). A comparison of the measured and theoretical cross section gives us the neutron-neutron scattering length of a _nn(S)=?17±6 fm in the approach of zero momentum transfers. The weak neutral current constant is in good agreement with the prediction of the Standard Model: G _A ^NC =G _A ^CC /0.932±0.056.     

Effects of radiations on the characteristics of alpha and fission tracks in CR-39 detectors

Abstract

The effects of neutron, gamma and alpha radiations on the alpha and fission fragment tracks registration and revelation properties of CR-39 detectors (CR-39 and CR-39(DOP) were studied. It was found that the ratio of the bulk etch rate of irradiated to unirradiated (V_G(irr.)/V_G(unirr.) detectors is linearly dependent on dose. An exponential decrease in fission track densities with increase in neutron fluence was observed. The ratio of V_G(irr.)/V_G(unirr.) was found to be high in CR-39 than that in CR-39(DOP) exposed to the same reactor neutron fluence. The decrease in fission track densities with increase in neutron fluence was observed to be faster in CR-39 than in CR-39(DOP). This indicates that doping with dioctyl phthalate improves the radiation resistance of CR-39 detectors. It was observed that in detectors exposed to an alpha flux of the order of 9.36 × 10⁶ / cm², the fission track density was reduced by 11% and thereafter it remained constant. The results also indicate that thermal neutron fluence up to 7.01 ×10¹¹ neutrons/cm² does not affect the alpha and fission track densities. I.R. spectra were also studied to find out the nature of chemical changes produced by these radiations on CR-39.     

Limits on equal energy back-to-backγ-rays in252Cf decay

A search has been made for coincident, equal-energy, 180° correlatedγ-rays from²⁵²Cf fission decay. Theseγ-rays may arise if new neutral particles are produced in fission, and if they decay byγ-emission. The fraction of fissions which give rise to particles at rest with masses between 1.4 and 2.0 MeV, which then decay into twoγ-rays in a time ? 10^?19s, is less than 8 × 10^?7 at the 95% confidence level.     

Excitation of the giant monopole resonance and coulomb excitation of the giant dipole resonance in hadron inelastic scattering from208Pb

It is shown that the charge varianceσ _z ² observed in the low energy fission is consistent with the quantum mechanical zero point motion of an isovector giant dipole resonance. Theσ _z ² is determined at the ‘exit point’, where the neck radius ≈2.4 fm.     

High-resolution infrared spectrum of the ν2 + ν3 band of 14N16O2

The ν₂ + ν₃ band of ¹⁴N¹⁶O₂ has been recorded with resolution of 0.028 cm^?1. Ground state and upper state rotational constants have been obtained. The band center obtained, ν₀ = 2355.1517 ± 0.0011 cm^?1 (error cited is 3σ), has been combined with the band centers recently determined for ν₃ and ν₂ to calculate X₂₃ = ?11.348 ± 0.020 cm^?1 where the uncertainty cited is based on reasonable estimates of the absolute frequency error.     

Mass and energy dependence of pion-induced fission

Data for fission induced by pi meson beams from 80 to 500 MeV are presented for nuclei from Fe through Pu as measured by solid state track detectors. The general trends for binary fission withπ ⁺ are reproduced fairly well by a calculation in the ‘high excitation’ limit with standard level density and fission barrier parameters, butπ ^? data are underpredicted. A universal dependence of the binary fission probabilities with the fissility (Z±1)²/A is found to be valid for both pion beam charges for all beam energies below the delta resonance. Probabilities for observing three fragments withπ ⁺ are not reproduced by a ternary fission application of the model found to work for binary fission.     

The interaction of 538 MeV 56Fe with 238U

Binary coincident fragments from the ⁵⁶Fe+²³⁸U reaction at 538 MeV have been studied. Fragment energies were measured and fragment masses determined by a kinematic method. Three types of event are defined by suitable adjacent limits in the mass versus energy event space. The angular distributions of cross section, energy and mass have determined for each event region and particular attention paid to that part containing possible fissions following complete fusion. The total reaction cross section consists of about 50 % of binary fragmentation channels. The remaining channels correspond to a ternary process of heavy recoil fission.     

Release time calculations for the SPES direct UCx target

A Direct Target for a mid-term RIB ISOL-type facility is being developed at LNL, in the framework of the R&D for the SPES project [1]. Using a 40 MeV proton beam impinging on a UCx thick target of 2.5 g/cm³ density, a production rate of 10¹³ in target fissions per second is expected [2]. The crucial point, when short-lived isotopes are produced in the target, is to build systems (target + ion source) with good release properties and high efficiency. Monte Carlo simulations were performed using the GEANT4 toolkit [3] and the RIBO code [4] in order to optimize our target geometry and to estimate the average release time.     

Density dependence of electron drift velocities in helium and hydrogen at 77.6 K

Electron drift velocities have been measured in helium and hydrogen at 77.6 K and gas density of 6.6×10²¹ cm^?3 (approximately 80 atm). At these high densities the electron drift velocities do not depend only on the ratio of the electric field to gas density (E/N). At constantE/N the electron drift velocity decreases with increasing gas density. In helium a decrease was found down to 6.4% of the value at low density, in hydrogen down to 0.52%. The results are discussed in terms of theories of multiple scattering. Legler's theory fits our data in the lower density range, but at the highest densities predicts too small an effect. The percolation theory by Eggarter and Cohen gives no agreement with the experiment. Up to the highest densities we did not find bubbles; slow negative charge carriers could be identified as oxygen ions.     

The sub-barrier fusion of40Ar with144,148,154Sm

The cross sections for production of evaporation residues (σ _er) and for fusion-fission (σ _ff) have been measured for⁴⁰Ar+^{144, 148, 154}Sm at sub-barrier energies by observation of x-ray emission from radioactive products and by direct,ΔE?E identification of fission fragments, respectively. These isotopes span the transition region from spherical (¹⁴⁴Sm) to strongly deformed (¹⁵⁴Sm) equilibrium shapes. The cross section for fusion,σ _fus=σ _er+σ _ff, is found to vary markedly at low energies with the isotope number and, hence, with the quadrupole collectivity of the target. The thresholds for fusion of¹⁴⁸Sm and¹⁴⁴Sm are, respectively, ～3.5 MeV and ～7 MeV (c.m.) higher than for fusion with¹⁵⁴Sm. These differences and the energy dependence of the fusion cross sections are discussed in terms of the effect of nuclear deformation on heavy-ion fusion. A comparative analysis of results for¹⁶O+Sm and⁴⁰Ar+Sm in terms of static deformation indicates thatσ _fus for the Ar+Sm system at very low energies is enhanced relative to the prediction for a one-dimensional barrier based on a fit toσ _fus for¹⁶O+Sm. This may be an indication that additional degrees of freedom (such as formation of a neck or fragment elongation) may be important for fusion with the larger projectile. At energies above the fusion barrier, values ofσ _fus for^{144, 148}Sm are nearly equal, but are significantly smaller than for¹⁵⁴Sm. This is in contrast to the results of previous experiments with¹⁶O projectiles in whichσ _fus (¹⁶O+¹⁴⁸Sm) andσ _fus (¹⁶O+¹⁵⁴Sm) were nearly equal above the barrier. These differences, observed for^{144, 148}Sm and¹⁵⁴Sm at energies above the barrier may reflect a new mechanism which is not encompassed by a static theory.     

Kinetic energy and angular distributions of instantaneous fission fragments in a classical model

The process of instantaneous fission in deep inelastic collisions is investigated in a classical model. Kinetic energies and angular distributions of the fragments are calculated for the proposed reaction Pb+U atE _cm ^inc =750 MeV; an experimental setup for the separation of the fragments originating from instantaneous fission from the fragments of thermal fission is explained. We also discuss fusion following instantaneous fission as a mechanism for the production of superheavy elements and arrive at rather promising estimates.     

Sub-Coulomb transfer and fission in collisions of129Xe,132Xe and136Xe with238U

Integral cross sections for fission and for one- and two-neutron transfer reactions in the system¹³²Xe+²³⁸U were measured radiochemically in the energy range 0.7≦E/E _Coul≦1. The excitation functions for fission and transfer are found to be essentially parallel below 0.85×E _Coul. Even at the lowest energies the transfer cross sections exceed the fission cross section by more than one order of magnitude. With the other projectiles¹²⁹Xe and¹³⁶Xe different transfer cross sections illustrating their sensitivity for the ground stateQ-values,Q _gg , are observed while the fission cross sections are the same as in the¹³²Xe +²³⁸U reaction. The fission data are interpreted in terms of a continuous transition between Coulomb fission and several transfer-induced fission processes.     

Search for β-delayed fission of the heavy neutron-rich isotope 230Ac

The ²³⁰Ra has been produced via multinucleon transfer reaction and dissipative fragmentation by 60 MeV/u ¹⁸O ion irradiation of ²³²Th targets. The radium was radiochemically separated from the mixture of thorium and reaction products. Thin Ra sources were prepared and exposed to the mica fission track detectors, and measured by a HPGe gamma detector. It is likely that the β-delayed fission of ²³⁰Ac was observed for the first time and the β-delayed fission probability of ²³⁰Ac was tentatively found to be (1.19±0.40)×10^-8. Received: 2 November 2000 / Accepted: 30 January 2001     

Systematics of charge distribution studies in low-energy fission of actinides

Charge distribution studies were carried out in the thermal neutron-induced fission of ²²⁹Th, ²⁴¹Pu and ²⁴⁵Cm as well as in the spontaneous fission of ²⁵²Cf. The width parameter (σ_z/σ_A), the most probable charge/mass (Z_p/A_p) and the charge polarization (ΔZ) as a function of fragment mass were deduced. The slope of charge polarization as a function of fragment mass [δ(ΔZ)/δA′], average charge dispersion parameter (〈σ_z〉) and proton odd-even effect (δ_p) were also obtained for these fissioning systems. These data along with the literature data for even-Z fissioning systems such as ²³³Th¹, ²³³U¹, ²³⁴U¹, ²³⁶U¹, ²³⁹U¹, ²³⁹Pu¹, ²⁴⁰Pu¹ and ²⁵⁰Cf¹ are discussed in terms of nuclear-structure effects and dynamics of descent from saddle point to the point of neck formation and from the formation of the neck to the scission point.