Influence of the shell effects on fission fragment angular anisotropies

The influence of the damping shell corrections with increasing excitation energy on the fission fragment angular anisotropies is considered. In the framework of the statistical approach to nuclear fission, experimental data on fission fragment angular anisotropies obtained in the ⁴He + ²³⁸U reaction is analyzed. Information about the energy dependence of the shell corrections is obtained from this analysis.     

Fission fragment angular distribution in alpha-particle-induced fission of actinide elements

Using Lexan polycarbonate plastic as the fission fragment track detectors, the fragment angular distributions have been measured in the cases of fission of²³²Th and²³⁸U induced by alpha particles of various energies ranging from 40 to 70MeV obtained from the 88″ variable energy cyclotron at Calcutta. The center-of-mass angular distributions have been calculated and fitted by a series of Legendre polynomials. TheW(10°)/W(90°) ratios (defined as anisotropy) were measured at several energies for both the targets. These data are utilized in calculation of the energy dependence ofK ₀ ² , the standard deviation of the distribution in the angular momentum projection on the nuclear symmetry axis at the saddle point. Values of Γ _f /Γ _η , i.e. the ratio of the fission width to neutron emission width have been determined for²³²Th and²³⁸U nuclei. The integral cross-section for alpha induced fission in each target was determined by numerical integration of the respective center-of-mass angular differential cross-sections. The results were compared with similar data available in the literature which served to resolve some of the discrepancies observed in earlier measurements. The results were also compared with theoretical cross-sections.     

Influence of pre-fission neutron emission on fission fragment angular distribution for the system209Bi +16O

The data of fission fragment anisotropies measured for the system¹⁶O +²⁰⁹Bi in the centre of mass energy region of 73 to 95 MeV have been compared with the saddle point statistical model calculations. The corrections to the nuclear temperature and the spin distribution arising due to pre-fission neutron emission have been made. While the resultant calculations reproduce very well the data in the near- and sub-barrier energy regions, they deviate from the data at higher energies. This observation is similar to what was already reported for¹⁶O +²⁰⁸Pb system.     

Left-right asymmetry of the angular distribution of prompt neutrons from 235U fission induced by polarized thermal neutrons

Left-right asymmetry of the angular distribution of prompt neutrons from ²³⁵U fission induced by polarized thermal neutrons was measured. This asymmetry is caused by the interference of the s and p waves in the input reaction channel and was found to be equal to b=(?5.8±1.4)×10^?5.     

Single-particle spin effect on fission fragment angular momentum

Independent isomeric yield ratios (IYR) of ¹²⁸Sb, ¹³⁰Sb, ¹³²Sb, ¹³¹Te, ¹³³Te, ¹³²I, ¹³⁴I, ¹³⁶I, ¹³⁵Xe, and ¹³⁸Cs have been determined in the fast neutron-induced fission of ²⁴³Am using the radiochemical and γ-ray spectrometric technique. From the IYR, fragment angular momenta (J _rms) have been deduced using the spin-dependent statistical model analysis. From the J _rms-values and experimental kinetic energy data deformation parameters (β) have been deduced using the pre-scission bending mode oscillation model and the statistical model. The J _rms- and β-values of fission fragments from the present and earlier work in the odd-Z fissioning systems ( ²³⁸Np ^* , ²⁴²Am ^* and ²⁴⁴Am ^* ) are compared with the literature data in the even-Z fissioning systems ( ^{230, 233}Th ^* , ^{233, 234, 236, 239}U ^* , ^{239, 240, 241, 242}Pu ^* , ²⁴⁴Cm(SF), ^{245, 246}Cm ^* , ²⁵⁰Cf ^* and ²⁵²Cf(SF)) to examine the role of single-particle (proton) spin effect. It was observed that i) in all the fissioning systems J _rms- and β-values of the fragments with spherical 82n shell and even-Z products are lower than the fragments away from the spherical neutron shell and odd-Z products, which indicate the effect of nuclear structure. ii) For both even-Z and odd-Z fission products J _rms-values increase with Z _F ²/A _F due to increase in Coulomb torque. iii) The J _rms- and β-values of even-Z fission products are comparable in all the fissioning systems. However, for odd-Z fission products they are slightly higher in the odd-Z fissioning systems compared to their adjacent even-Z fissioning systems. This is possible due to the contribution of the extra single-particle (proton) spin of the odd-Z fissioning systems to their odd-Z fragments. iv) The yield-weighted fragment angular momentum and elemental yields profile shows an anti-correlation in even-Z fissioning systems but not in the odd-Z fissioning systems.     

Dynamical model of fission fragment angular distributions

A dynamical model of fission fragment angular distributions is developed. The experimental data on the angular anisotropy of fission fragments is analyzed for the ¹⁶O + ²⁰⁸Pb, ²³²Th, ²³⁸U, and ²⁴⁸Cm reactions at energies of the incident ¹⁶O ions ranging from 90 to 160 MeV. This analysis allows us to extract the relaxation time for the tilting mode. It was also demonstrated that the angular distributions are sensitive to the deformation dependence of the nuclear friction.

     

Analysis of angular momentum dependence of fission fragment mass-energy distribution within Langevin dynamics

Dependence of fission fragment mass-energy distribution on the angular momentum is studied within Langevin dynamics. The calculations are performed in the framework of the generalized temperature-dependent finite-range liquid drop model. The analysis is done for five compound nuclear systems representing heavy fissioning nuclei, medium fissioning nuclei, and a light fissioning one with the angular momentum varied in a wide range from l = 0 to 70?. The coefficients d〈E _K 〉/dl ² and $d\sigma _{{\rm E}_{\rm K} }^2 /dl^2 $ are extracted. Previous analysis of the dσ _M ² /dl ² coefficient is generalized. Excitation energy dependence of the fission fragment mass-energy distribution is also found. The qualitative comparison of the extracted values with the experimental data reveals good agreement for all the cases. The calculated values of the coefficients dσ _M ² /dl ² and $d\sigma _{{\rm E}_{\rm K} }^2 /dl^2 $ are functions of the angular momentum, in contrast to the experimental estimations.     

Application of pulse shape discrimination in Si detector for fission fragment angular distribution measurements

Pulse shape discrimination (PSD) with totally depleted transmission type Si surface barrier detector in reverse mount has been investigated to identify fission fragments in the presence of elastic background in heavy ion-induced fission reactions by both numerical simulation and experimental studies. The PSD method is compared with the other conventional methods adopted to identify fission fragments with solid-state detectors such as ΔE–E telescope and single thin ΔE detector and the data for the¹⁰B +²³²Th fission reaction are presented. Results demonstrate the usefulness of a single transmission-type surface barrier detector for the identification of fission fragments and projectiles like heavy ions     

Scattering of fast neutrons on238U,average energy and angular distributions of fission neutrons

Angular distributions of neutrons elastically and inelastically scattered from²³⁸U have been measured with a time-of-flight spectrometer at seven incident neutron energies between 1.5 and 5.5 MeV. Inelastic angular distributions for groups of unresolved levels are given for incoming neutron energies of 1.5, 1.9 and 2.3 MeV. The corresponding neutron cross-sections were obtained relative to then-p scattering cross-sections. The average energies and angular distributions of the fission neutrons were extracted from the measured fission neutron spectra at 1.5,1.9 and 2.3 MeV. Cross-section calculations based on a spherical optical model have shown to be inadequate to describe the neutron-nucleus interaction in case of strong nuclear deformation. The experimental reality may be better approached, instead, if the calculations are made using a potential which takes into account the deformation of the target nucleus. Some of the present measurements are interpreted in this theoretical perspective.     

On the left-right asymmetry of the angular distribution of α particles from ternary nuclear fission by polarized neutrons

Some experimental possibilities of establishing the nature of the recently observed T-odd angular correlation in ternary fission of ²³³U by polarized neutrons are discussed. Specifically, investigation of the neutron energy dependence of the correlation coefficient in the ternary fission of ²³⁹Pu and ²³⁵U could shed light on the problem under discussion. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 70, No. 9, 561–564 (10 November 1999)     

Effect of entrance channel parameters on fission fragment angular momentum in medium energy fission

Independent isomeric yield ratios of¹³²I were radiochemically determined in alpha particle induced fission of²³⁸U in the energy range 25–44 MeV. Fission fragment angular momenta were deduced from the measured isomeric yield ratios using spin dependent statistical model analysis. It was seen that angular momentum of¹³²I increases with increase of excitation energy and angular momentum of the fissioning nucleus. Comparison of the present data on¹³²I in²³⁸U(α,f) with the literature data for the same product in²³⁸U(p, f) and²³⁸U(γ, f) at various excitation energies show that fragment angular momentum strongly depends on the input angular momentum in the range of excitation energy considered. Experimental fragment angular momentum at all excitation energies were seen to be in agreement with the theoretical values calculated based on thermal equilibration of the various collective rotational degrees after considering the occurence of multichance fission. Thus, strong effect of input angular momentum as well as the statistical equilibration among the various collective rotational degrees of freedom in medium energy fission is corroborated.     

The effect of angular momentum coupling on the angular distribution of fission fragments

We examine what information can be obtained from fission angular distributions through precise measurements and an analysis in terms of the simple statistical model of Ericson. We report on the systematics of the decoupling angle and present the role of the angular momentum coupling between the entrance and the exit channel. The results indicate that the directional coupling of the angular momentum in the entrance and the exit channel is always strong for heavy-ion induced fission, and the angular momentum coupling plays a decisive role on the angular distribution of fission fragments. The average channel spins of fission fragments 〈I_f〉 are deduced through the decoupling angles determined experimentally. They agree well with γ-multiplicity measurements.     

Mechanism of the appearance of angular distribution anisotropy for evaporation neutrons in center-of-mass systems emitting their thermalized fission fragments

Anisotropy in the angular distributions of cascade-evaporation neutrons in center-of-mass systems emitting their fission fragments is analyzed in the context of the quantum theory of fission. It is emphasized that such anisotropy is caused not by bending but by wriggling oscillations of the fissioning nucleus in the vicinity of its point of scission; these lead to the appearance of high-value spins of primary fission fragments [(J)\vec]₁\vec J_1 and [(J)\vec]₂\vec J_2 oriented in a plane perpendicular to direction [(n)\vec]₀\vec n_0 of the axis of symmetry of the fissioning nucleus at the instant of scission. This direction coincides with the asymptotic direction of the emission of fission fragments with a high degree of accuracy. The analytical dependences of the anisotropy coefficient on the orbital momentum l and total spin j in angular distributions of cascade-evaporation neutrons are calculated using the methods developed in analyzing angular distributions of cascade-evaporation gamma quanta. The proper spin of a neutron is shown to have almost no effect on the aforesaid anisotropy coefficient due to the weak dependence of the neutron transmission coefficient T _lj ([`(e)]\bar \varepsilon ) on the values of j.     

Systematics on fission fragment mass distribution of neutron induced 235U fission

Based on the neutron induced fission fragment mass distribution data up to     

Systematics on fission fragment mass distribution of neutron induced 235U fission

Based on the neutron induced fission fragment mass distribution data up to neutron energy 20 MeV measured with the double kinetic energy method (KEM) and the radio active method (RAM), the systematics of fission fragment mass distribution was investigated by using 5 Gaussian model and the systematics parameters were obtained by fitting the experimental data. With the systematics, the yields of any mass A and at any energy in the region from 0 to 20 MeV of neutron energy can be calculated. The calculated results could well reproduce the experimental data measured with KEM, but show some systematical deviation from the data measured by RAM, which reflects some systematical deviations between the two kinds of measured data.The error of systematics yield was calculated in an exact error transformation way, including from the error of the experimental yield data to the error of the discrete parameters, then to the systematics parameters,and at last to the yield calculated with systematics.     

Quantum mechanical method of fragment’s angular and energy distribution calculation for binary and ternary fission

In the framework of quantum-mechanical fission theory, the method of calculation for partial fission width amplitudes and asymptotic behavior of the fissile nucleus wave function with strong channel coupling taken into account has been suggested. The method allows one to solve the calculation problem of angular and energy distribution countation for binary and ternary fission. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Odd-even effect in fragment angular momentum in low-energy fission of actinides

Quantitative explanation for the odd-even effect on fragment angular momenta in the low-energy fission of actinides have been provided by taking into account the single particle spin of the odd proton at the fragment’s scission point deformation in the case of odd-Z fragments along with the contribution from the population of angular momentum bearing collective vibrations of the fissioning nucleus at scission point. The calculated fragment angular momenta have been found to be in very good agreement with the experimental data for fragments in the mass number region of 130–140. The odd-even effect observed in the fragment angular momenta in the low-energy fission of actinides has been explained quantitatively for the first time.      

Influence of shell effects on the angular distributions of fission fragments

A dynamical-statistical model is used to analyze the experimental angular distributions of fission fragments in the reactions α + ²³⁸U, ²³⁷Np at E _α = 20–100 MeV, as well as to determine the Am isotope fission probabilities and the shape isomer yields in the reactions d + ^242,240Pu at E _d = 20–30 MeV. Manifestations of shell effects are found in the fission barrier structure up to the excitation energies of 50–60 MeV.     

Search for scission neutrons using specific angular correlations in 235U fission induced by slow polarized neutrons

The experimental data concerning scission (or prescission) neutrons are very contradictory—the relative part of these neutrons in the prompt fission neutrons varies from 1 to 35% owing to arbitrary assumptions made in different analyses. To solve this problem, we have used a new alternative method to search for the scission neutrons. We have found the left-right asymmetry of prompt-fission-neutron (PFN) emission caused by sp-wave interference in the entrance channel of the reaction and the P-odd asymmetry of the PFN emission caused by parity nonconservation at the exit channel of the fission process. Both effects cannot reside in PFN evaporated by excited fission fragments. The scission (or prescission) neutrons are responsible for these effects. The text was submitted by the authors in English.