Mean energies of prompt fission neutrons in the neutron-induced fission of <Superscript>235</Superscript>U at primary energies in the range <Emphasis Type="Italic">E</Emphasis><Subscript>n</Subscript> < 20 MeV

The spectra of neutrons accompanying the induced fission of ²³⁵U target nuclei are described theoretically. It is confirmed that a third neutron source must be introduced in order to reproduce the shape of experimental distributions at high energies of primary neutrons (previously, a third source was used in describing the spectra of neutrons emitted in ²³²Th and ²³⁸U fission). On the basis of experimental results and their analysis, the mean energy of fission neutrons is estimated as a function of the bombarding-neutron energy up to E _n = 20 MeV.     

Long-range alpha emission inP-wave neutron induced fission of235U

The yield and energy distribution of long-range alpha-particles (lra) emitted from neutron-induced fission of²³⁵U have been measured at neutron energies; thermal, 125±12, 155±11, 185±10, 210±9, 240±9, 365±50 and 480±45 keV. The long-range alpha-particles were detected in cellulose nitrate track detector foils. Results showed an increase of about 50% in the yield at neutron energies in the region 150 keV≤E _n≤220 keV as compared to that of thermal neutrons. A calculation has been carried out to extract thelra to binary fission ratio forp-wave neutron induced fission.     

Systematics of the mean energy and the mean multiplicity of prompt neutrons originating from 232Th fission

The cross section for the neutron-induced fission of ²³²Th target nuclei, ?? _f (E _n ), was described within statistical theory. The spectra of the mean multiplicity, $\bar v$ (E _n ), and the mean energy, $\bar E$ (E _n ), of secondary neutrons accompanying ²³²Th fission induced by neutrons of energy extending up to E _n = 20 MeV were analyzed on the basis of the chance structure of the cross section.     

Thorium fission by 4.8 and 14 MeV neutrons

The fission of natural Thorium byE _n =4.8 and 14.0 MeV neutrons has been investigated by measuring the kinetic energies of both fragments in surface barrier detectors. The fragments were detected forE _n =14.0 MeV neutron energy at 90 ° to the neutron beam, forE _n =4.8 MeV at 0 ° and 90 °. The results given are the distributions of mass and of energy correlative to the fragment mass, and the correlation between anisotropy and fragment mass atE _n =4.8 MeV. The average total kinetic energy before prompt neutron emission atE _n =4.8 and 14.0 MeV neutron energy has been found to be \(\overline {E_K^* } \) =170.47±0.03 and 168.1 ± 0.05 MeV respectively. Within the limits of statistical error the anisotropy atE _n =4.8 MeV is independent of the fragment mass. The results are analysed in the framework of the Two-Mode-Fission-Hypothesis. It appears, that the behaviour of the kinetic energy is too complicated as to be well described by the Two-Mode-Fission-Hypothesis. Both the Cluster Model of fission and the Fragment Shell Theory are suited to reproduce qualitatively the observed energetics of fission.     

Combined dynamical and statistical approach to describing induced fission of heavy nuclei

A combined dynamical and statistical approach to describing induced fission of heavy nuclei is proposed. This approach takes into account the nuclear-dissipation phenomenon and the double-humped structure of the fission barrier. A method that is intended for calculating the angular distribution of fission fragments and which is applicable over a broad range of excitation energies is discussed. The potential of the approach is demonstrated by addressing the problems of self-consistently describing experimental data on fission probabilities for plutonium and americium isotopes, the yields of shape isomers in the α+²³⁸U reaction at alpha-particle energies in the range E _α = 20–32 MeV and the d+^242,240Pu reactions at deuteron energies in the range E _d = 20–30 MeV, fission times in the α + ²³⁸U reaction at alpha-particle energies in the range E _α = 20–32 MeV, and angular distributions of fission fragments in the α + ²³⁸U, ²³⁷Np reactions at alpha-particle energies in the range E _α = 20–100 MeV.     

Fragment dependence of high energy γ-ray emission in the spontaneous fission of 252Cf

The high energy γ-ray emission accompanying the spontaneous fission of ²⁵²Cf has been measured in coincidence with individual fission fragments selected by discrete γ-ray transitions. The enhancement of the γ-ray emission probability in the energy range E_γ= 3–8 MeV has been observed for the fission fragments in the region of nearly symmetric mass splitting, confirming results reported in previous investigations. The γ-γ coincidence technique employed in the present work clearly demonstrate that the major contribution to this enhancement is caused by the fission channels where one fragment is near to the N= 82 or Z= 50 shell closures. The high energy γ-ray emission probability does not show any significant dependence on the number of neutrons emitted in the fission process, supporting the hypothesis that high energy γ-rays are mainly emitted from the fragments after the neutron evaporation. Received: 22 December 1998     

Empirical relation and establishment of shell effects in (<Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>, 2<Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>) reaction cross-sections at 14 MeV

The experimental data for (n, 2n) reaction cross-sections around 14 MeV neutron energy have been collected from the literature and analysed for the isotopes having 1 ≤ Z ≤ 82. The empirical relations for the reaction cross-sections have been obtained, which show fairly good fits with the experimental values. The shell effects have been established at magic nucleon numbers for (n, 2n) reaction cross-sections around 14 MeV neutron energy. The odd-even effects have also been observed as the cross-sections for odd-mass nuclei are higher than their neighbouring even-even nuclei.      

Mechanisms for the appearance of prescission γ-rays and their related T-odd asymmetries

Conditions for the appearance and observation of prescission γ-rays emitted by a fissioning nucleus before its separation into fission fragments were investigated within the quantum theory of fission. It was demonstrated that these conditions can be fulfilled in the γ-decay of giant electric isovector dipole resonances in a fissioning nucleus that become excited due to the nonadiabaticity of the collective deformation motion of the nucleus at the final stages of its prefission evolution. Angular and energy distributions of prescission γ-rays emitted by unpolarized fissioning nuclei were analyzed. Characteristics of T-odd asymmetries in angular distributions of prescission γ-rays were investigated for fission of unpolarized target nuclei induced by polarized cold neutrons, and these correlations were shown to be similar in nature to the T-odd ROT correlations earlier found for α-particles emitted in ternary nuclear fission.     

Neutron emission from the reaction 232Th(n, xn′f)

The energy distributions of neutrons accompanying the fission of ²³²Th are measured by the time-of-flight technique at the bombarding-neutron energies of E _n=14.6 and 17.7 MeV. The data obtained in this way are compared with the results of previous investigations. An excess of soft neutrons that was observed in the experimental spectra of neutrons from ²³⁸U fission at E _n=13.2, 14.7, 16.0, and 17.7 MeV in relation to the results of the calculations based on the model of two sources is also present in the spectra for ²³²Th. The discrepancy between the results of the calculations and experimental data disappears as soon as one assumes the presence of a third source that is related to neutron emission from nonaccelerated fragments.     

Description of cross sections for photonucleon reactions on tin isotopes at photon energies in the range 2 ≤ <Emphasis Type="Italic">E</Emphasis><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">γ</Emphasis></Subscript> ≤ 140 MeV

A modified model of preequilibrium decay is considered. This model makes it possible to calculate cross sections for multiparticle photonucleon reactions with allowance for the impact of collective isospin effects. Features of the photodisintegration of 101 ≤ A ≤ 135 tin isotopes in the energy range 2 ≤ E _γ ≤ 140 MeV are studied on the basis of this model.     

Induced nuclear fission accompanied by pion emission

Basic features of the nuclear-fission process induced by protons of incident energy in the range 150<E _p<600 MeV and accompanied by pion emission are predicted on the basis of the cascade-evaporation-fission model. Specific calculations are performed for the total cross section; and the angular and double-differential distributions of pions; excitation-energy,mass number, and charge-number distributions of compound nuclei; and the mass-energy distributions of fission fragments. Various lines of possible experimental investigations into this fission channel are discussed, including searches for the pionic channel of nuclear decay induced by protons of energy close to the meson-production threshold, advancements to the energy region E _p<100 MeV in order to study of new mechanisms of pion production in nuclear fission, and an extension of investigations to the case of nuclear fission accompanied by kaon emission.     

Energy calibration of a Δ<Emphasis Type="Italic">E</Emphasis>-<Emphasis Type="Italic">E</Emphasis> scintillation telescope in (α, p) reaction

A procedure for and the results from the energy calibration of a ΔE-E scintillation telescope used in experiments performed at the INR to study the nd-breakup reaction are described. The telescope was calibrated using a beam of α particles with an energy of 30 MeV of the U-120 cyclotron (INP). Secondary protons from the ^10,11B(α, p) reaction were recorded by the ΔE-E telescope at several recording angles and with the application of different absorbing foils. The calibration results from the ΔE-E telescope were obtained over the interval E _p = 10–30 MeV, allowing us to measure the energies of secondary protons in the ndbreakup reaction when the energy of primary neutrons is 20–60 MeV.     

Chemical composition and structural phase changes of Pd sample and properties of novel synthesized structure at dense deuterium gas under irradiation by γ-quanta

Studies have been carried out into the element composition of Pd and brass with associated materials and synthesized novel structure, placed in dense deuterium gas in a deuterium high-pressure chamber (DHPC) under the pressure 3 kbar and irradiated with ??-quanta of energy up to 8.8 MeV. Using the methods of scanning electron microscopy, microelement chemical analysis and X-ray diffraction, it was determined that in the absence in the chamber volume and walls of all HPC-forming materials the synthesized structure is largely composed of alumosilicates and Al and Si oxides with high content of Ti compounds as rutile TiO₂. Pd_1.5D₂. Considerable anomalies in the chemical composition were found both in the surface and at large depth in a Pd specimen. The entire Pd surface turned into a structure comprised of Pd clusters, Cu and Zn compounds, with a notable content of Mg, Al, S, Si, K, Ca, Ti and Fe compounds. Results of evaluative calculations, including computation of the Q-value, are presented for nuclear reactions produced in a saturated with deuterium Pd specimen and dense deuterium gas under the action of ??-quanta, neutrons and protons of energies up to E _n + E _p ?? E _?? ? E _D MeV generated by deuteron fission. The obtained results can be explained by ??collective effects?? as chain reactions caused by deuteron fission induced by protons (E _p > 3.39 MeV) and neutrons (E _n > 2.25 MeV), as well as by thermonuclear synthesis of deuterium atoms elastically scattered by protons of energies up to E _P < E _?? ? E _D MeV.     

A multi NaI(Tl) detector array for medium energyγ-ray spectroscopy

An array of seven hexagonal NaI(Tl) detectors has been set up for measuringγ-ray spectra in the energy region 5 MeV ≤E _γ ≤ 40 MeV with good accuracy. This is in contrast to earlier set ups which mostly used one large sized (about 10 inchesφ × 15 inches long)NaI(Tl) detector. This set up has been made for the study ofγ decay of GDR based on high spin states and ultra-dipole radiations. The array has been provided with the following features: a) TOF discrimination against neutrons, b) pile up detection and elimination, c) active and passive shielding to cut down background and d) an array of trigger counters for multiplicity dependence measurements. The well known program EGS4 has been used to determine the response of the array forγ-rays in the energy region 5–40 MeV and several test measurements have been carried out to confirm the validity of the calculated response functions. Some typicalγ-ray spectra fromα and¹⁶O induced reactions measured at VECC, Calcutta and Pelletron accelerator at TIFR are also shown.     

Elastic, inelastic scattering and fusion of the 14N +59Co system at energies close to the coulomb barrier

Elastic and inelastic scattering differential cross sections were measured in the energy range 30 MeV ≤ E _lab ≤ 55 MeV, for the ¹⁴N +⁵⁹Co system. Ambiguities of the optical potential derived from the analysis of the elastic scattering data were removed by performing calculations at the radius of sensitivity and by comparison with the available fusion cross section data. A simultaneous analysis of the three mechanisms was performed by coupled channel calculations, and a unique energy independent nuclear potential was found to be able to fit the data. Discussions and comparisons concerning the optical model, the threshold anomaly, full and approximated coupled channel calculations are presented. Received: 6 February 1997 / Revised version: 1 August 1997