Production of neutrons in thick targets by high-energy protons and nuclei

This article is dedicated to the physics of spallation neutron production by high-energy particles and applications thereof. This field of research is related to the rapidly developing branch of nuclear physics that is high-energy neutron physics. The central part of this article is a review of experimental results obtained in different laboratories of the world during the last more than a quarter of a century. Analysis of the characteristics of multiple neutron production in targets induced by protons and nuclei with energies higher than several hundreds of mega-electronvolts per nucleon is performed. The results of measurements that were carried out at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research with beams of protons, deuterons, and light nuclei are discussed. Natural and artificial sources of spallation neutrons and their role in up-to-date studies are considered.     

Photoproduction of charged π mesons from protons and neutrons in the energy range between 250 and 790 MeV

The differential cross sections for γp→π⁺n from hydrogen and the $\text{π}{}^{\mathrm{?}}\text{π}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$ ratios from deuterium were measured at nine c.m. angles between 30° and 150° for laboratory photon energies between 260 and 800 MeV. A magnetic spectrometer with three layers of scintillation hodoscope was used to detect charged π mesons. The cross section for γn→π^?p was obtained as a product of $\text{d}\text{σ}\text{d}\text{Ω}\text{(γ}\text{p}\text{→π}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{n}\text{)}$ and the $\text{π}{}^{\mathrm{?}}\text{π}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$ ratio. The overall features in the cross sections of the two reactions, γp→π⁺n and γn→π^?p, and in the ratios, $\text{π}{}^{\mathrm{?}}\text{π}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$, agree with predictions by Moorhouse, Oberlack and Rosenfeld, and Metcalf and Walker. An investigation of the possible existence of an isotensor current was made and a negative result was found. In detailed balance comparison with the new results on the inverse reaction π^?p→γn, no apparent violation of time-reversal invariance was observed.     

Excitation of K X-Rays by bombardment of thick solid targets with 150 MeV Xe ions

The yield of K X-radiation arising from the interaction of ¹³⁶₅₄Xe ions with ₄₁Nb, ₄₂Mo, ₄₅Rh, ₄₆Pd, ₄₇Ag, ₄₈Cd, ₄₉In, ₅₀Sn, ₅₇La, ₆₄Gd, ₆₅Tb, ₇₀Yb, ₇₁Lu, ₇₃Ta, ₇₇Ir, ₇₈Pt, ₇₉Au and ₈₃Bi targets was measured using Si(Li) and Ge(Li) detectors. The dependence of the yield on the atomic number of the target material is discussed on the basis of the molecular orbital model.     

Interactions of neutrons with239Pu in the energy range between 1.5 and 5.5 MeV

Neutron scattering angular distributions of²³⁹Pu were measured at seven primary neutron energies between 1.5 and 5.5 MeV. Absolute differential scattering cross-section results are plotted and tabulated. Cross section calculations using a central optical model were made and the results were compared with the experimental values. Moreover, nuclear temperatures of the fission and the inelastic neutron evaporation processes were extracted from the measured spectra.     

Electromagnetic radiation of MeV electrons in thick aligned single crystals

Abstract

Earlier published theoretical models for MeV electrons are generalized in this paper. Different theoretical predictions for planar channeling and accompanying electromagnetic radiation in thick crystals are presented. A comparative analysis of theoretical and experimental spectra of photon radiation is given. Thickness dependences of channeling quantum state populations, radiation line broadening and photon flux intensities are obtained. The existence of planar electron channeling at 54 MeV in a silicon single crystal with a thickness of several millimetres is shown.     

Angular distributions of fragments in the fission of thorium induced by neutrons in the range 12–18 MeV

The angular distributions of fragments from neutron-induced fission of ²³²Th have been measured by means of glass detectors in the range 12.2 MeV ≦ E_n ≦ 18.3 MeV. The behaviour of the angular anisotropy is analysed and the contribution of the (n, 2n′f) process is discussed.     

On the spectroscopy of atomic electrons (positrons)in the energy range of 10 to 50 MeV from heavy-ion collisions at intermediate energies

The feasibility of the spectroscopy of dynamically ionized electrons (positrons) from heavy-ion collisions at intermediate energies, e.g. Pb+Pb at 60 AMeV has been studied. We propose a magnetic toroid spectrometer for lepton spectroscopy in an energy range between 5 and 50 MeV. Special emphasis was laid on large solid angles, on broad-band characteristics and on a good suppression of secondary events. The device is a versatile compact-size instrument for lepton detection in in-beam experiments at a moderate energy resolution of %. Received: 28 December 1999 / Accepted: 29 March 2000     

Disintegration of the deuteron by 4 to 11 MeV electrons

The ratio of photodisintegration to electrodisintegration yields was measured in the 4 to 11 MeV region. The results are in good agreement with a virtual photon calculation.     

Experimental investigation of the characteristic features of bremsstrahlung from high-energy electrons in thin amorphous targets

Radiation from 0–900 MeV electrons in thin amorphous films is investigated experimentally in the photon energy range 20–700 keV. The Landau-Pomeranchuk-Migdal suppression of the soft part of the bremsstrahlung spectrum and the Ter-Mikaélyan density effect are detected. Coherent bremsstrahlung on macroscopic inhomogeneities in the target material is observed. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 65, No. 5, 369–373 (10 March 1997)     

Resonance spectroscopy of44Ti in the excitation energy range 9.05 to 10.28 MeV

The absolute differential cross sections for the⁴⁰Ca(α,α)⁴⁰Ca reaction have been measured in the bombarding energy range from 4.33 to 5.68 MeV at the four laboratory angles 85°, 125°, 141° and 165°. An analysis of the data using multilevelR matrix theory has provided the spin-parities and widths of 29 levels in the compound nucleus⁴⁴Ti. A comparison has been made with the levels deduced from the (α,γ) reaction and existing theoretical calculations of⁴⁴Ti levels.     

Theoretical models for deuteron photodisintegration in the energy range between 250 MeV and 800 MeV

Two theoretical models of γd → pn are developed to study the differential cross-section and'the proton polarization data in a coherent way. The first model is an extension of conventional diagrammatic summations of Born terms and isobar excitation terms. The second model is novel in that the isobar excitation terms are replaced by experimentally determined _γN → N_π helicity amplitudes. The second model allows us to extend to higher energies with the introduction of only one arbitrary parameter. The differential cross-section data are fairly well reproduced in the whole energy range, while the proton polarization data are very far removed from the calculations.     

High-precision measurement of proton momentum by microstrip detectors in energy range from 2 to 70 MeV

The STT particle detection system, comprised of dual-sided microstrip silicon detectors, provides data on detection time and particle track, type, and ionization losses. One technique for calibrating and analyzing the data from the energy channel of the system uses all this information and allows us to limit the error of reconstructing the initial kinetic energy to ～1% for such products of nuclear reactions as protons and deuterons. This technique, which is described in this work, involves an integral comparative analysis of the response of all readout channels. Laboratory measurement data (including the detection of α-emission), data from scientific experiments, and data from simulations are all used. The technique, combined with the track reconstruction method also described below, allows us to determine the vector value of the initial particle momentum that is needed in advanced research on the spin physics of nucleon-nucleon interaction.     

Ionization-Excitation of helium-like ions by high-energy electrons

The differential and total cross sections are calculated for the ionization of helium-like ions that is accompanied by the excitation of residual ions to ns states owing to an electron impact. Nonrelativistic perturbation theory in electron–electron interaction with Coulomb functions used for a zero-order approximation underlies these calculations. The expressions obtained in this way have a universal character. They are applicable at moderate values of the target charge number Z and high energies of incident electrons. A comparison with total cross sections calculated for the helium atom within various theoretical approaches is performed.     

Measurements of the neutron-proton analyzing power in the energy range from 17 to 50 MeV

Measurements of the analyzing power A_y for neutron-proton scattering in the energy range from 17 to 50 MeV are reported. These data improve considerably the precision of the np data base in this energy range. Preliminary phase-shift analyses indicate reduced uncertainties in the np ³P(T = 1) phases and in the ³D(T = 0) phase shifts.     

Production of neutron-rich isotopes in fission of uranium induced by neutrons of 20 MeV average energy

In the context of a parameter study conducted by several laboratories for future European radioactive beam facilities based on fast-neutron induced fission, in particular for the SPIRAL-II project at GANIL, we have measured the yields of neutron-rich isotopes in the mass range of 88 to 144. These nuclei were obtained as fission products of natural uranium bombarded by neutrons of 20 MeV average energy emitted by a thick carbon target irradiated by 50 MeV deuterons. Yields have been measured using on-line mass separation with the ion-guide method. Compared with proton-induced fission at 25 MeV the magnitude of cross-sections, except for the symmetric region, is similar. Z-distributions of isobars have the same width, 0.7 charge units, but their maxima are shifted by about 0.8 charge units, favouring production of the neutron-richer isobars. Our data allow calculations of absolute cross-sections for fission of natural uranium induced by neutrons of about 20 MeV. Received: 10 July 2000 / Accepted: 27 October 2000