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Title: Monoenergetic photon-induced fission cross-section ratio measurements for U 235 , U 238 , and Pu 239 from 9.0 to 17.0 MeV

Abstract

High-accuracy data are needed to advance microscopic descriptions of the nuclear fission process, to improve the predictive precision of phenomenological models, and for applications in nuclear energy and homeland security. Purpose: In this work, the main goal is to provide high-accuracy cross-section data for photofission of 235U, 238U, and 239Pu in the energy range from the fission threshold to the high-energy tail of the giant dipole resonance. These new data should contribute significantly to the reduction of the systematic uncertainty in evaluated photofission cross-section databases. Method: Cross-section ratios for photofission of the “big three” actinide nuclei were measured using a quasimonoenergetic photon beam and dual-fission chambers. The measurements were performed at the HIγS facility using a photon beam produced from Compton backscattering of free-electron laser light. The dual-fission chamber enabled simultaneous counting of fission events from two targets. This method allows for cross-section ratio measurements with very small systematic errors. The largest source of systematic error in the determination of the cross-section ratios is the uncertainty in the ratio of the target thicknesses. Results: We report photon-induced fission cross-section ratios for σ[235U(γ,f) / 238U(γ,f)] , σ[235U(γ,f) / 239Pu(γ,f)] , and σ[238U(γ,f) / 239Pu(γ,f)] at photon energies from 9.0–17.0 MeV. Moremore » than 20 data points were measured for each ratio, and the systematic uncertainties are less than 2%. Conclusion: The present photofission cross-section ratio data sets are compared to ratios computed from previous measurements, to the corresponding neutron-induced fission cross-section ratios, and to ratios computed from evaluated databases. Finally, the data obtained in this work for σ[235U(γ,f) / 238U(γ,f)] are consistent with the existing data, while for σ[235U(γ,f) / 239Pu(γ,f)] and σ[238U(γ,f) / 239Pu(γ,f)] the present data are systematically lower.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [1]
  1. Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, NC (United States); Duke Univ., Durham, NC (United States)
  2. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Duke Univ., Durham, NC (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Nuclear Physics (NP)
OSTI Identifier:
1557074
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1460133; OSTI ID: 1635791; OSTI ID: 1635792
Report Number(s):
LLNL-JRNL-779856
Journal ID: ISSN 2469-9985; PRVCAN; 973025
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC52-07NA27344; FG02-97ER41033; NA0002793
Resource Type:
Journal Article: Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Physical Review C
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 98; Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 2469-9985
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS

Citation Formats

Krishichayan, ., Finch, S. W., Howell, C. R., Tonchev, A. P., and Tornow, W. Monoenergetic photon-induced fission cross-section ratio measurements for U235 , U238 , and Pu239 from 9.0 to 17.0 MeV. United States: N. p., 2018. Web. doi:10.1103/PhysRevC.98.014608.
Krishichayan, ., Finch, S. W., Howell, C. R., Tonchev, A. P., & Tornow, W. Monoenergetic photon-induced fission cross-section ratio measurements for U235 , U238 , and Pu239 from 9.0 to 17.0 MeV. United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.98.014608
Krishichayan, ., Finch, S. W., Howell, C. R., Tonchev, A. P., and Tornow, W. 2018. "Monoenergetic photon-induced fission cross-section ratio measurements for U235 , U238 , and Pu239 from 9.0 to 17.0 MeV". United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.98.014608. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1557074.
@article{osti_1557074,
title = {Monoenergetic photon-induced fission cross-section ratio measurements for U235 , U238 , and Pu239 from 9.0 to 17.0 MeV},
author = {Krishichayan, . and Finch, S. W. and Howell, C. R. and Tonchev, A. P. and Tornow, W.},
abstractNote = {High-accuracy data are needed to advance microscopic descriptions of the nuclear fission process, to improve the predictive precision of phenomenological models, and for applications in nuclear energy and homeland security. Purpose: In this work, the main goal is to provide high-accuracy cross-section data for photofission of 235U, 238U, and 239Pu in the energy range from the fission threshold to the high-energy tail of the giant dipole resonance. These new data should contribute significantly to the reduction of the systematic uncertainty in evaluated photofission cross-section databases. Method: Cross-section ratios for photofission of the “big three” actinide nuclei were measured using a quasimonoenergetic photon beam and dual-fission chambers. The measurements were performed at the HIγS facility using a photon beam produced from Compton backscattering of free-electron laser light. The dual-fission chamber enabled simultaneous counting of fission events from two targets. This method allows for cross-section ratio measurements with very small systematic errors. The largest source of systematic error in the determination of the cross-section ratios is the uncertainty in the ratio of the target thicknesses. Results: We report photon-induced fission cross-section ratios for σ[235U(γ,f) / 238U(γ,f)] , σ[235U(γ,f) / 239Pu(γ,f)] , and σ[238U(γ,f) / 239Pu(γ,f)] at photon energies from 9.0–17.0 MeV. More than 20 data points were measured for each ratio, and the systematic uncertainties are less than 2%. Conclusion: The present photofission cross-section ratio data sets are compared to ratios computed from previous measurements, to the corresponding neutron-induced fission cross-section ratios, and to ratios computed from evaluated databases. Finally, the data obtained in this work for σ[235U(γ,f) / 238U(γ,f)] are consistent with the existing data, while for σ[235U(γ,f) / 239Pu(γ,f)] and σ[238U(γ,f) / 239Pu(γ,f)] the present data are systematically lower.},
doi = {10.1103/PhysRevC.98.014608},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1557074}, journal = {Physical Review C},
issn = {2469-9985},
number = 1,
volume = 98,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jul 13 00:00:00 EDT 2018},
month = {Fri Jul 13 00:00:00 EDT 2018}
}

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