Pre-equilibrium emission in neutron induced reactions on54,56Fe

The experimentally well known (n, p), (n, α) and (n, 2n) reaction excitation functions, from threshold to 20 MeV incident energy, and neutron and proton emission spectra at 14.8 MeV from^54,56Fe targets are calculated in the frame of the Geometry-Dependent Hybrid pre-equilibrium emission model, including angular momentum and parity conservation, and the Hauser-Feshbach statistical model. Use of a consistent statistical model parameter set enables the validation of the pre-equilibrium emission model. Moreover, an enhanced pre-equilibrium emission from higher spin composite system states, associated with higher incoming orbital momenta, has been evidenced. Higher orbital momenta involved also in the emergent channels of the process are suggested by calculations of the residual nuclei level populations.