First results on the neutron-induced fission cross-section of 231Pa for incident neutron energies En > 17 MeV

First results on the neutron-induced fission cross-section of 231Pa for incident neutron energies En > 17 MeV are presented. The experiments were carried out with quasi mono-energetic neutrons produced in the reaction T(d, n)4He. Corrections for low-energy neutron background produced in this reaction at incident deuteron energies Ed > 2 MeV are taken into account and based on experimental data obtained by two different techniques. Despite the relatively large error bars at the higher neutron energies, the new cross-section values meet the accuracy requirements set by the IAEA and will allow to remove the hitherto existing large spread between different previously published data. Recent cross-section calculations describe well the new experimental results, which are in consistency with cross-section values obtained in a particle-transfer reaction at excitation energies corresponding to neutron energies En < 10 MeV.

OBERSTEDT Stephan;  OBERSTEDT Andreas;  BIRGERSSON Evert;  FABRY Imrich;  HAMBSCH Franz-Josef;  KORNILOV Nikolai;  LOEVESTAM Goeran;  TUDORA Anabella; 

2012-06-22

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

JRC50470

0306-4549,   

http://www.elsevier.com/locate/anucene,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC50470,   

10.1016/j.anucene.2011.12.023,