Reliable cross sections of partial photoneutron reactions on 188,189Os isotopes free of neutron multiplicity sorting problems

Experimental data on the cross sections of partial photoneutron reactions, obtained for ^188,189Os isotopes using quasimonoenergetic annihilation photon beams and neutron multiplicity sorting method, are analyzed. Using special criteria (transition multiplicity functions F _i = σ(γ, in)/σ(γ, xn), the ratios of the cross section of the corresponding partial reaction to the total neutron yield reaction’s cross section σ(γ, xn) = σ(γ, 1n)+ 2σ(γ, 2n) + 3σ(γ, 3n) free of the problems associated with experimental neutron multiplicity sorting), it is demonstrated that the data contain significant systematic errors. New data are evaluated for cross sections of partial photoneutron reactions (γ, 1n), (γ, 2n), (γ, 3n) and total photoneutron reaction (γ, sn) for ^188,189Os isotopes within an experimental-theoretical approach proposed earlier. It is shown that the significant systematic errors in the experimental cross sections of partial reactions can be attributed to the ambiguity of the relation between the photoneutrons’ multiplicity and their kinetic energy.     

A study of the photoneutron contribution to the giant dipole resonance in doubly even Mo isotopes

By using a variable monochromatic photon beam, the partial photoneutron cross sections σ(γ, n) + σ(γ, pn), σ(γ, 2n) and σ(γ, 3n) are determined in the region of the giant dipole resonance for the doubly even Mo isotopes ⁹²Mo, ⁹⁴Mo, ⁹⁶Mo, ⁹⁸Mo and ¹⁰⁰Mo. Measured integrated photoneutron cross sections are compared with available integrated photoproton cross sections as a function of A. Broadening of the giant dipole resonance as A increases is observed in good agreement with the predictions of the dynamic collective model. A tentative study of some isospin splitting effects is also carried out.     

Cross sections of partial photoneutron reactions for the 115In nucleus and the neutron multiplicity sorting

A joint analysis of the experimental data on cross sections of total and partial photoneutron reactions is performed for the ¹¹⁵In isotope. The data are obtained by using the quasimonoenergetic photons generated upon the annihilation of relativistic positrons. Well-known systematic discrepancies between the results of various experiments are analyzed using objective absolute criteria of data reliability and authenticity. Methods for taking these discrepancies into account are considered. New reliable and authentic evaluations for cross sections of the σ(γ, n), σ(γ2n), and σ(γ, 3n) reactions are obtained using the data on the cross section of the reaction of photoneutron total yields σ(γ,xn) in the context of a new experimental-theoretical approach to evaluating the cross sections of partial reactions. These data are free from the shortcomings of experimental methods for the photoneuron multiplicity sorting.     

Photoneutron cross sections of 121Sb, 123Sb and natSb

The cross sections for the reactions ${}^{121}\text{Sb}\text{(γ,n)}$, ¹²³Sb(γ, χn) and ^natSb(γ, χn) have been measured. The ¹²¹Sb and ¹²³Sb photoneutron reaction cross sections are consistent with collective model predictions for negatively deformed nuclei.     

Photoproton cross section of 34S

Measurements of the ³⁴S(γ, p) and ³⁴S(γ, np) cross sections are reported. The ³⁴S(γ, p) cross section shows two regions of strength, at 17 and 22 MeV, consistent with that seen in the ³⁴S(γ, n) cross section.A particle-hole calculation is made for the dipole absorption cross section in ³⁴S. The photoproton and photoneutron cross sections calculated on the assumption of statistical decay of GDR states under the constraints of isospin selection rules, agree well with those seen experimentally.     

The photonuclear cross sections of 48Ca

The sum of the photoneutron and photoproton cross sections of ⁴⁸Ca (⁴⁸Ca(γ, n + p)), has been deduced from an activation yield curve measurement using bremsstrahlung. In a separate experiment the ⁴⁸Ca(γ, p) and partial photoproton cross sections to the ground and first excited states of ⁴⁷K have been deduced from measured photoproton spectra recorded from the electro-disintegration of ⁴⁸Ca. The ⁴⁸Ca(γ, n) cross section is estimated from these data. A statistical decay model is used to estimate the ⁴⁸Ca(γ, 2n) cross section. These reported cross sections are used to determine the relative strengths and energy distributions of the isospin components of the GDR states, and to compare these with theoretical predictions.     

A study of the photoneutron reactions in 10B and 11B

Absolute (γ, xn) cross sections for ¹⁰B and ¹¹B were measured up to 35 MeV using a quasi-monoenergetic photon beam from positron annihilation in flight. The experimental cross sections were compared with many-particle shell-model calculations and data from previous bremsstrahlung experiments. The ¹¹B photoneutron cross section is discussed with respect to possible isospin splitting. A systematic review of the photoneutron cross sections of the p-shell nuclei integrated up to about 30 MeV seems to show a strong influence of the α-cluster structure of the target nuclei.     

A study of the photoneutron contribution to the giant dipole resonance of nuclei in the 64 ≦ A ≦ 86 mass region

The partial photoneutron cross sections [σ(γ, n) + σ(γ, pn)] and σ(γ, 2n) of ⁶⁴Zn, Ga, ^70,72,74,76Ge, ⁷⁵As and ^76,78,80,82Se were measured with a monochromatic photon beam and a high efficiency neutron detecting system in the photon-energy range 8 ≦ E ≦ 30 Me V. Integrated cross sections are discussed. The evolution of the GDR as observed through the neutron exit channel only, is tentatively interpreted either in terms of isospin splitting or in terms of the dynamic collective model.     

New Data on Photoneutron Reaction Cross Sections for 76,78,80,82Se Nuclei

The problem of reliability of the cross section data obtained for partial photoneutron reactions on ^76,78,80,82Se nuclei in beams of quasimonoenergetic annihilation photons by means of neutron multiplicity sorting is discussed by employing objective physical criteria. It is shown that, because of substantial systematic uncertainties, experimental data on the (γ, 1n) and (γ, 2n) cross sections are unreliable. New data satisfying the reliability criteria are obtained for the partial photoneutron reaction cross sections for ^76,78,82Se nuclei by an experimental—theoretical method for evaluating such cross sections and are compared with experimental data and with data evaluated earlier for the isotope ⁸⁰Se. The evaluated integrated cross sections for the total photoneutron reactions on ^76,78,80,82Se nuclei are compared with the predictions of the Thomas-Reiche-Kuhn classical dipole sum rule.

     

Physical criteria for the reliability of data on the photodisintegration of the <Superscript>89</Superscript>Y nucleus

Experimental photonuclear reaction cross sections obtained in experiments using quasimonoenergetic annihilation, monoenergetic tagged photons, and bremsstrahlung γ-radiation are analyzed using physical criteria for the reliability of data on the ⁸⁹Y nucleus. It is found that the reliability of data on the cross sections of partial reactions (γ, 1n) and (γ, 2n), obtained by means of photoneutron multiplicity sorting, is highly doubtful. Reliable cross sections of reactions (γ, 1n) and (γ, 2n) are obtained using the experimental–theoretical method (ETM) for evaluating using both experimental cross sections of neutron yield reaction σ^exp(γ, xn) that are free of neutron multiplicity problems, and theoretically calculated F _i ^theor ratios of the cross sections of definite (i) partial reactions to cross section σ^theor(γ, xn). It is shown that the evaluated cross sections differ noticeably from the experimental data.     

Evaluation of Reliable Cross Sections of Partial and Total Photoneutron Reactions for the <Superscript>139</Superscript>La Nucleus

Cross sections of partial photoneutron reactions free of the shortcomings of different ways of determining the multiplicity of neutrons used on beams of quasi-monoenergetic annihilation photons are evaluated for ¹³⁹La. The experimental-theoretical method of evaluation of partial reaction cross sections satisfying proposed data reliability criteria is used to obtain new data on the cross sections of reactions (γ, 1n), (γ, 2n), and (γ, 3n). It is shown that noticeable deviations of experimental cross sections from evaluated values are due to the unreliable sorting of neutrons between channels with multiplicities of 1, 2, and 3.     

Electromagnetic dissociation of ultrarelativistic heavy ions and cross sections for photonuclear reactions in the region of a giant resonance

In calculating cross sections for the electromagnetic dissociation of heavy ions by the Weizsäcker-Williams method, use is made of approximations and extrapolations of experimental data on photonuclear reactions. On the basis of the predicted cross sections for the mutual dissociation of nuclei in beams of ultrarelativistic colliders, it is proposed to measure, among other things, the yields of neutrons from such a dissociation in order to monitor the luminosity of accelerators. Considerable discrepancies between the results of different photonuclear experiments impose limitations on the accuracy of the method. The reasons behind these discrepancies are determined on the basis of a systematic analysis of available data on the cross sections for photoneutron reactions, and a method for removing them is proposed. By considering the example where new data on the dissociation of ²⁰⁸Pb nuclei at an energy of 30 GeV per nucleon are compared with the results of calculations, it is shown that the use of evaluated cross sections for partial photoneutron reactions of the (γ, n) and (γ, 2n) types makes it possible to improve the accuracy in calculating cross sections for electromagnetic dissociation.     

The Reliability of Cross Sections of Partial Photoneutron Reactions for <Superscript>98</Superscript>Mo

The cross sections of partial photoneutron reactions for ⁹⁸Mo were evaluated. These cross sections are free from the shortcomings of various methods for neutron multiplicity determination used at the beams of quasimonoenergetic annihilation photons and bremsstrahlung radiation. New data on the cross sections of reactions (γ, 1n), (γ, 2n), and (γ, 3n) were obtained using the experimental–theoretical method for evaluation of cross sections of partial reactions satisfying the introduced physical reliability criteria. It is demonstrated that considerable deviations of the experimental cross sections from the evaluated ones result from an inaccurate sorting of neutrons between channels with a multiplicity of 1, 2, and 3.     

Reliability of the data on the cross sections of the partial photoneutron reaction for <Superscript>63,65</Superscript>Cu and <Superscript>80</Superscript>Se nuclei

The cross sections of partial photoneutron reactions are evaluated for the ^63,65Cu and ⁸⁰Se isotopes. The cross sections are free of systematic uncertainties from shortcomings of the experimental methods for neutron multiplicity sorting based on measurements of neutron energy used in experiments with quasimonoenergetic annihilation photon beams. An experimental-theoretical method is used to evaluate cross sections σ^eval(γ, in)= F_i^theor σ^exp(γ, xn), where ratios F_i^theor = σ^theor(γ, in)/σ^theor(γ, xn) = σ^theor(γ, in)/σ^theor[(γ, 1n) + 2(γ, 2n) + …] are calculated using a combined model of photonuclear reactions, and σ^exp(γ, xn) is the experimental cross section of the neutron yield reaction free from neutron multiplicity sorting problems. The cross sections are evaluated for reactions (γ, 1n) and (γ, 2n) for the ^63,65Cu and ⁸⁰Se isotopes, and for the total photoneutron reaction σ(γ, Sn) = σ[(γ, 1n) + (γ, 2n) + …]. It is shown that noticeable deviations of the experimental cross sections from the evaluated values result from the unreliable sorting of neutrons between the channels with multiplicities 1 and 2.     

Experimental photoneutron cross sections of natural zirconium from 8 MeV to 134 MeV

The inclusive partial photoneutron cross sections and the total photoneutron cross section \(\sigma ^{(1)} (E_\gamma ) = \sum\limits_{i = 1}^{i_{\max } } {\sigma (\gamma ,in...)} \) for natural Zr have been measured from 8 MeV to 134 MeV, with monochromatic photons obtained by in flight annihilation of monoenergetic positrons. The integrated total photoneutron cross section up tillE _γ=140 MeV is (1.59±0.11)σ ₀, whereσ ₀ is the Thomas-Reiche-Kuhn sum-rule. The integrated total photonuclear absorption cross section is evaluated to be (1.73±0.15)σ ₀. The behaviour of the total photoneutron cross section as a function of Eγ, in the 40 MeV <E _γ<140 MeV energy range, is well described by a modified version of the quasideuteron model.     

New data on (γ, n), (γ, 2n), and (γ, 3n) partial photoneutron reactions

Systematic discrepancies between the results of various experiments devoted to determining cross sections for total and partial photoneutron reactions are analyzed by using objective criteria of reliability of data in terms of the transitional photoneutron-multiplicity function F _i = σ(γ, in)/σ(γ, xn), whose values for i = 1, 2, 3, ... cannot exceed by definition 1.00, 0.50, 0.33, ..., respectively. It was found that the majority of experimental data on the cross sections obtained for (γ, n), (γ, 2n), and (γ, 3n) reactions with the aid of methods of photoneutron multiplicity sorting do not meet objective criteria (in particular, F ₂ > 0.50 for a vast body of data). New data on the cross sections for partial reactions on ¹⁸¹Ta and ²⁰⁸Pb nuclei were obtained within a new experimental-theoretical method that was proposed for the evaluation of cross sections for partial reactions and in which the experimental neutron yield cross section σ ^expt(γ, xn) = σ(γ, n) + 2σ(γ, 2n) + 3σ(γ, 3n) + ..., which is free from problems associated with determining neutron multiplicities, is used simultaneously with the functions F _i ^theor calculated within a combined model of photonuclear reactions.     

Special features of the isospin splitting of the giant dipole resonance in the <Superscript>90</Superscript>Zr nucleus

Data on the proton and neutron channels of the ⁹⁰Zr photodisintegration were analyzed in detail, basic parameters of the isospin splitting of the giant dipole resonance in ⁹⁰Zr being determined by the properties of these channels. New data concerning the cross sections for the partial photoneutron reactions ⁹⁰Zr(γ, n)⁸⁹Zr and ⁹⁰Zr(γ, 2n)⁸⁸Zr and resulting from a simultaneous correction of data from experiments performed in Livermore (USA) and Saclay (France) by using beams of quasimonoenergetic annihilation photons were invoked. Use was made of information about the positions on the energy scale of states characterized by different isospin values in the ⁹⁰Zr nucleus and nuclei neighboring it, which are members of the respective isospin multiplet. New data on the parameters of the isospin splitting of the giant dipole resonance in the ⁹⁰Zr nucleus were obtained on the basis of a global analysis of data on the giant-dipole-resonance states of the ⁹⁰Zr nucleus, which are manifested in the respective photoneutron and photoproton cross sections and in their decay channels involving states of different isospin in neighboring nuclei.     

Modern status of photonuclear data

The reliability of experimental cross sections obtained for (γ, 1n), (γ, 2n), and (γ, 3n) partial photoneutron reactions using beams of quasimonoenergetic annihilation photons and bremsstrahlung is analyzed by employing data for a large number of medium-heavy and heavy nuclei, including those of ^63,65Cu, ⁸⁰Se, ^90,91,94Zr, ¹¹⁵In, ^112?124Sn, ¹³³Cs, ¹³⁸Ba, ¹⁵⁹Tb, ¹⁸¹Ta, ^186?192Os, ¹⁹⁷Au, ²⁰⁸Pb, and ²⁰⁹Bi. The ratios of the cross sections of definite partial reactions to the cross section of the neutron-yield reaction, F _i = σ(γ, in)/σ(γ, xn), are used as criteria of experimental-data reliability. By definition, positive values of these ratios should not exceed the upper limits of 1.00, 0.50, 0.33,... for i = 1, 2, 3,..., respectively. For many nuclei, unreliable values of the above ratios were found to correlate clearly in various photon-energy regions F _i with physically forbidden negative values of cross sections of partial reactions. On this basis, one can conclude that correspondent experimental data are unreliable. Significant systematic uncertainties of the methods used to determine photoneutron multiplicity are shown to be the main reason for this. New partial-reaction cross sections that satisfy the above data-reliability criteria were evaluated within an experimental–theoretical method [σ ^eval(γ, in) = F _i ^theor (γ, in) × σ ^expt(γ, xn)] by employing the ratios F _i ^theor (γ, in) calculated on the basis of a combined photonuclear-reaction model. It was obtained that cross sections evaluated in this way deviate substantially from the results of many experiments performed via neutron-multiplicity sorting, but, at the same time, agree with the results of alternative activation experiments. Prospects of employing methods that would provide, without recourse to photoneutron-multiplicity sorting, reliable data on cross sections of partial photoneutron reactions are discussed.     

Photoneutron reactions in astrophysics

Among key problems in nuclear astrophysics, that of obtaining deeper insight into the mechanism of synthesis of chemical elements is of paramount importance. The majority of heavy elements existing in nature are produced in stars via radiative neutron capture in so-called s- and r processes, which are, respectively, slow and fast, in relation to competing β ^?-decay processes. At the same time, we know 35 neutron-deficient so-called bypassed p-nuclei that lie between ⁷⁴Se and ¹⁹⁶Hg and which cannot originate from the aforementioned s- and r-processes. Their production is possible in (γ, n), (γ, p), or (γ, α) photonuclear reactions. In view of this, data on photoneutron reactions play an important role in predicting and describing processes leading to the production of p-nuclei. Interest in determining cross sections for photoneutron reactions in the threshold energy region, which is of particular importance for astrophysics, has grown substantially in recent years. The use of modern sources of quasimonoenergetic photons obtained in processes of inverse Compton laser-radiation scattering on relativistic electronsmakes it possible to reveal rather interesting special features of respective cross sections, manifestations of pygmy E1 and M1 resonances, or the production of nuclei in isomeric states, on one hand, and to revisit the problem of systematic discrepancies between data on reaction cross sections from experiments of different types, on the other hand. Data obtained on the basis of our new experimental-theoretical approach to evaluating cross sections for partial photoneutron reactions are invoked in considering these problems.     

Investigation of giant-dipole-resonance decay in the (<Emphasis Type="Italic">γ, n</Emphasis>) reactions on <Superscript>52</Superscript>Cr and <Superscript>51</Superscript>V nuclei

The cross sections for the emission of fast neutrons (? _n > 3.7 MeV) in the reactions ⁵²Cr(γ, n)⁵¹Cr and ⁵¹V(γ, n)⁵⁰V at incident-photon energies in the range between 16.0 and 25.8 MeV were studied. The neutron energy spectra were measured at the bremsstrahlung-photon endpoint energies of 18.5, 21.0, and 23.0 MeV for the ⁵²Cr and ⁵¹V nuclei and at the bremsstrahlung-photon energy of 25.5 MeV for the ⁵¹V nucleus. Special features of giant-dipole-resonance decay that are associated with the existence of a structure in photoneutron cross sections and spectra are discussed.