Measurement of 232Th (n,γ) cross section at the CSNS Back-n facility in the unresolved resonance region from 4 keV to 100 keV

The neutron capture cross section of ²³²Th was measured at the neutron time-of-flight facility Back-n of China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS) for the first time. The measurement was performed with 4 hydrogen-free deuterated benzene C₆D₆ liquid scintillation detectors, in the ES#2 experiment station on the beam line, at a distance of about 76 m from the neutron-production assembly. The total energy detection principle in combination with the pulse height weighting technique (PHWT) was applied to analyze the measured data. Results of the ²³²Th (n,γ) reaction cross section in the unresolved resonance region from 4 keV to 100 keV were obtained, which shows a good agreement with the existing experimental data from EXFOR, as well as with the evaluated data from the ENDF/B-VIII.0 and CENDL-3.1. In addition, the excitation function of ²³²Th (n,γ)²³³Th reaction in the unresolved resonance region was theoretically calculated by using the code TALYS-1.95. By fitting the experimental cross section and theoretical data, the average parameters in the unresolved resonance region were extracted. The datasets are openly available at http://dx.doi.org/10.11922/sciencedb.j00113.00015.     

A study of the S levels and the analogue levels of P by the P(He, d)S reaction

The ³¹P(³He, d)³²S reaction has been studied with high resolution at 12 MeV bombarding energy. A detailed level scheme for ³²S has been determined up to an excitation energy of 9.5 MeV revealing several previously unobserved states. The l_p values and absolute spectroscopic factors extracted from a DWBA analysis of the experimental deuteron angular distributions have provided information on the wave functions for the T = 0 states as well as for the T = 1 isobaric analogue states of ³²P. A comparison between the present data and those of previous experiments is made, and the results are discussed in terms of existing theoretical work in this mass region. Information on Coulomb displacement and symmetry energies is also extracted.     

一维贫铀/聚乙烯交替系统中D-T中子诱发的~(232)Th(n,γ)反应率的测定与分析

开展了钍样品装置内钍核参数的积分中子学基础研究.参考混合堆概念设计搭建了内部放置了钍样品的一维贫铀/聚乙烯交替系统装置,采用加速器D-T中子源模拟聚变堆芯,利用前期开发的离线伽马测量方法测定了不同位置、不同中子谱情况下的232Th(n,γ)反应率,不确定度约为5%.结果显示,聚乙烯对14.1 MeV中子的慢化作用可有效提升钍俘获率,且贫铀对钍俘获率也有显著提升作用.实验结果与主流核数据库计算结果的对比显示,ENDF/B-VI.6和JENDL-3.3数据库的计算值比实验值平均约大6%,而较新的ENDF/B-VII.0数据库的计算值比实验值平均约大4%.因此,相比于之前数据库的钍核数据,ENDF/B-VII.0的计算值与实验结果匹配得较好,可作为相关概念设计的推荐核数据库.     

Neutron fluences and dose equivalents measured with passive detectors on LDEF

Neutron fluences were measured on LDEF in the low energy (< 1 MeV) and high energy (> 1 MeV) ranges. The low energy detectors used the ⁶Li(n,)T reaction with Gd foil absorbers to separate thermal (< 0.2 eV) and resonance (0.2 eV−1 MeV) neutron response. High energy detectors contained sets of fission foils (¹⁸¹Ta, ²⁰⁹Bi, ²³²Th, ²³⁸U) with different neutron energy thresholds. The measured neutron fluences together with predicted spectral shapes were used to estimate neutron dose equivalents. The detectors were located in the A0015 and P0006 experiments at the west and Earth sides of LDEF under shielding varying from 1 to 19 g/cm².

Dose equivalent rates varied from 0.8 to 3.3 μSv/d for the low energy neutrons and from 160 to 390 μSv/d for the high energy neutrons. This compares with TLD measured absorbed dose rates in the range of 1000–3000 μGy/d near these locations and demonstrates that high energy neutrons contribute a significant fraction of the total dose equivalent in LEO.

Comparisons between measurements and calculations were made for high energy neutrons based on fission fragment tracks generated by fission foils at different shielding depths. A simple 1-D slab geometry was used in the calculations. Agreement between measurements and calculations depended on both shielding depth and threshold energy of the fission foils. Differences increased as both shielding and thereshold energy increased. The modeled proton/neutron spectra appeared deficient at high energies. A 3-D model of the experiments is needed to help resolve the differences.     

Polarization of protons from the Be(d, p)Be reaction

The polarization of protons from the ⁹Be(d, p)¹⁰Be reaction has been measured for deuteron energies between 1 and 6 MeV. Angular distributions of the polarization for the ground state proton group (Q=4.59 MeV) have been measured for laboratory angles 10° and 135° at 2.5, 4.0 and 5.5 MeV. The polarization at a laboratory angle of 30° was measured in 0.2 MeV steps between 1 and 6 MeV. In addition the polarization of protons leaving ¹⁰Be in its first excited state (Q=1.22 MeV) was measured between 10° and 90° for a deuteron bombarding energy of 5.5 MeV. Measurements were made by conventional double-scattering techniques using elastic scattering from helium at 45° as the analyser. The results show a strong energy dependence contrary to what one might expect on the basis of the lack of structure in the cross section. The maximum polarization observed at each energy is about 0.35.     

A study of the Ti(He, t) and Ni(He, t) reactions to isobaric analogue states

The (³He, t) reaction populating 0⁺ and 2⁺ states in ^{58, 60}Cu and ^{46, 48}V which are isobaric analogue states (IAS) of the 0⁺ ground states and 2⁺ first excited states in ^{58, 60}Ni and ^{46, 48}Ti have been studied at an incident ³He energy of 24.6 MeV. Triton spectra were measured for the targets ^46,48Ti, ^natNi and ⁵⁸Ni and angular distributions for the 0⁺ and 2⁺ IAS of ^{46, 48}Ti and ^{58, 60}Ni determined. The data were obtained using a magnetic spectrometer and position-sensitive detectors. The results have been analysed using DWBA theory. The 0⁺ → 0⁺ transitions to analogue states are described quite well using a microscopic form factor derived from a nucleon-nucleon interaction. However, with a Gaussian form, the m.s. radius of this interaction is only limited to the region 0–9 fm². Comparisons with data at other incident energies indicate that the strength of the effective interaction is strongly energy dependent. The Coulomb energies and (³He, t) angular distributions of the states assigned as the 2⁺ analogues in ⁴⁸V and ^58,60Cu are not described well by the models investigated. The ⁴⁶V 2⁺ IAS angular distribution is reproduced by a microscopic calculation, however. The ratios of the 0⁺ → 2⁺ IAS to the 0⁺ → 0⁺ IAS transitions are used to deduce a quadrupole deformation for the valence neutrons. The difference in the quadrupole deformations of the matter and proton distributions, as determined by other means, is found to be correlated with those of the valence neutrons. Several transitions to non-analogue states are also investigated.     

Nucleon-nucleon final-state interactions in the reactions He(p, d)2p, He(p, t)2p and He(p, He)pn

The energy spectra of deuterons, tritons and ³He particles from the reactions ³He(p, d)2p, ⁴He(p, t)2p and ⁴He(p, ³He)pn have been measured at angles between 6° and 60° lab. The ³He(p, d)2p reaction was studied at both 30.5 and 49.5 MeV incident proton energies, while the other two reactions were studied at 49.5 MeV only. The energy spectra are compared with calculations based on the Watson-Migdal model of final-state interactions.     

On some regularities in multinucleon transfer reactions with heavy ions

Multinucleon transfer reactions have been investigated by bombarding ²³²Th and ¹⁹⁷Au targets with 137 MeV ¹⁶O ions. An exponential yield dependence on the Q-values was observed for nucleon exchange reactions.     

Polarization of neutrons from the reaction H(d, n)He

The angular dependence of the polarization of neutrons from the reaction ³H(d, n)⁴He was measured at deuteron energies of 3.35, 4.35 and 5.35 MeV for reaction angles up to 165° lab. Polarization values were derived from the left-right asymmetry in n- scattering.     

Proton induced fission of <Superscript>232</Superscript>Th at intermediate energies

The mass-energy distributions and cross sections of proton-induced fission of ²³²Th have been measured at the proton energies of 7, 10, 13, 20, 40, and 55 MeV. Experiments were carried out at the proton beam of the K-130 cyclotron of the JYFL Accelerator Laboratory of the University of Jyväskylä and U-150m cyclotron of the Institute of Nuclear Physics, Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The yields of fission fragments in the mass range A = 60–170 a.m.u. have been measured up to the level of 10?4%. The three humped shape of the mass distribution up has been observed at higher proton energies. The contribution of the symmetric component grows up with increasing proton incident energy; although even at 55 MeV of proton energy the shoulders in the mass energy distribution clearly indicate the asymmetric fission peaks. Evolution of shell structure was observed in the fission fragment mass distributions even at high excitation energy.     

A study of the level structure in Fe from the (d, p) reaction on Fe

The reaction ⁵⁶Fe(d, p)⁵⁷Fe is investigated at 12 MeV using the Aldermaston multi-channel magnetic spectrograph. The angular distributions of protons leading to various states in ⁵⁷Fe upto an excitation of 6.7 MeV are measured over an angular range 5°–175°. The data are analysed with the distorted wave Born approximation calculations; a satisfactory agreement is found in most cases upto about 100°. Spin, parity and the spectroscopic factors for various states are obtained and the positions of the single-quasiparticle energies determined. The results are compared with those for the isotonic nuclei ⁵⁵Cr and ⁵⁹Ni and with the pairing theory.     

Fission of Th and U in the interaction with negative muons

Muon-induced fission of ²³²Th and ²³⁸U was studied, measuring the time correlation between stopping muons, fission events and electrons.

The measured muon lifetimes are τ_μ(²³²Th) = 77.3±0.3 ns and τ_μ(²³⁸U) = 77.1±0.2 ns. After prompt fission the muon was found to be attached predominantly to the heavy fragment with a lifetime for ²³²Th of 132±7 ns and for ²³⁸U of 134±4 ns. The probability for muon conversion was found to be a few percent per fission event.

Indications were found that the muonic shape isomer is populated in ²³⁸U when the nucleus is excited in a radiationless muonic transition.     

Study of Sc states with proton transfer reactions on Ca

The proton transfer reactions (d, n) and (τ, d) on ⁴²Ca have been studied. The reaction ⁴²Ca(d, n)⁴³Sc has been studied by the time-of-flight method at deuteron energies between 5.0 and 6.05 MeV. The reaction ⁴²Ca(τ, d)43Sc has been studied at 18.0 MeV with a magnetic spectrograph. Altogether 54 levels in ⁴³Sc up to an excitation energy of 6.92 MeV have been identified including states at 4.234 and 6.145 MeV which are analogues of the ground state and the 2.048 MeV state respectively in ⁴³Ca. The l-values and spectroscopic strengths have been determined for 31 transitions. Within the errors of the experiments and the DWBA analyses, the spectroscopic strengths derived from the (d, n) and the (τ, d) experiments are in agreement for both and states, i.e. there are no T-dependent discrepancies. Similar agreement is found in the strengths of the s- and d-hole transitions which reflect the degree of particle-hole impurity in the ⁴²Ca_g,s. wave function. A second state is indicated at 2.657 MeV. It appears a likely candidate for the head of a second band of 6p-3h character as proposed by Johnstone.     

Elastic scattering of polarized deuterons from Al, Si and Ni between 7 and 11 MeV

Polarization parameters have been determined for deuteron elastic scattering from ²⁷Al, Si and ⁶⁰Ni at energies between 7 and 11 MeV and laboratory scattering angles from 30° to 135°. The vector polarization, iT₁₁, and two tensor parameters T₂₀ and T₂₂, were measured by scattering polarized and unpolarized deuterons which were obtained from a tandem accelerator. The largest polarization was |iT₁₁| ≈ 0.3 and |T₂₀| ≈ 0.2 for ²⁷Al at 11 MeV. For ⁶⁰Ni, the observed polarizations were substantially smaller. Angular distributions of the unpolarized cross section were also measured for ²⁷Al and Si. An optical-model analysis of the polarization and cross-section data was performed. The vector polarization was reproduced reasonably well by a vector spin-orbit coupling of similar strength as found for nucleon scattering. A tensor interaction appears to be needed to account for the observed tensor polarizations.     

Natural activities of U, Th and K in some Indian building materials

The activity concentrations of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K have been determined by gamma-ray spectrometry. The measured activity in the selected building materials ranges from (3.2 to 151.7 Bq/kg), 14 to 63.7 Bq/kg and 24.3 to 121.5 Bq/kg for ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K respectively. The activity concentration of ²³⁸U has been determined using fission track technique and the value ranges from 0.11 to 3.85 ppm. The concentrations for these natural radionuclides are compared with the reported data from other countries. Radium-equivalent activities (Ra_eq) are calculated for the measured samples to assess the radiation hazards arising due to the use of these materials in the construction of dwellings. All building materials have shown Ra_eq activities lower than the limit set in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) report (370 Bq/kg), equivalent to external gamma dose of 1.5 mSvyr⁻¹. A good correlation has been observed between ²³⁸U and ²²⁶Ra in these materials.     

Nuclear reactions between oxygen isotopes

Elastic and inelastic cross sections have been measured for the system ¹⁶O + ¹⁷O at c.m. energies from 12.5 to 15.5 MeV, and for ¹⁶O + ¹⁸O at c.m. energies from 12 to 20 MeV, at angles between 60° and 125°. Position-sensitive detectors were employed, using the kinematic coincidence technique. The data have been analyzed with particular attention to the contributions of multiple-exchange processes.     

Direct observation of a rho decay of the D13(1520) baryon resonance

The reaction gammap-->pi(+)pi(0)n has been measured at MAMI for photon energies up to 820 MeV. Invariant mass spectra of the particles in the final state (pi(+)n), (pi(0)n), (pi(+)pi(0)) have been determined for several bins of incident photon energy. Differences in pi(+)pi(0) and simultaneously measured pi(0)pi(0) invariant mass distributions are assigned to a rho branch of the D13(1520) nucleon resonance.     

Particle multiplicities in the fission-like reactions of 340 MeV Si on Th

Pre-scission and post-scission multiplicities of neutrons and alpha particles have been simultaneously measured for the fission-like reactions of 340 MeV ²⁸Si on ²³²Th. Dynamical model calculations using HICOL code predict that about 90% of the observed events are of quasi-fission type while the remaining 10% are from compound nucleus fission decay. Moving source fits were carried out to the observed neutron and alpha particle spectra, measured at different angles with respect to the fragment directions. The pre-scission and post-scission neutron multiplicities are deduced to be 8.7±2.0 and 9.4±2.0, respectively. The corresponding multiplicity values for alpha particles are found to be 0.22±0.08 and 0.1±0.03. From the measured post-scission neutron multiplicity, it is inferred that about 65±20 MeV of the initial excitation energy remains at scission. This may be compared to the value of 85±30 MeV estimated from PACE2 statistical model calculations, adjusted to reproduce the measured pre-scission neutron multiplicity. From a comparison of the Statistical Model predictions with the measured pre-scission neutron multiplicity, the fission delay is estimated to be of 5⁺⁷₋₃×10⁻²⁰ s which overlaps with the average duration of fission-like process from the contact to the scission point (2×10⁻²⁰ s) as determined from HICOL-based dynamical calculations. For the delay time deduced as above, the pre-scission alpha particle multiplicity calculated by the PACE2 code is about a factor two larger than the experimental one, demonstrating the difficulties in modelling the alpha particle emission from highly elongated shapes that characterize the fissioning system from the contact point to scission.