Analysis of209Bi and238U photofission cross section in the quasi-deuteron region of photonuclear absorption

An analysis of the photofission reactions in the quasi-deuteron energy range of photonuclear absorption (30–140 MeV) has been performed for²⁰⁹Bi and²³⁸U nuclei. Experimental cross section data available in the literature have been compared with calculated values obtained from a model in which the incoming photon is assumed to be absorbed by a neutron-proton pair (Levinger's quasi-deuteron photoabsorption), followed by a mechanism of evaporation-fission competition for the excited residual nuclei. The model has been shown to reproduce the main experimental features of²⁰⁹Bi and²³⁸U photofission cross section, although unexplained differences still remain in the case of²³⁸U-fission by 30– 50 MeV incident photons.