Shedding light on the 239Pu fission source term with new high-precision experiments and advanced fission modeling

Neudecker, D.; Lovell, A. E.; Kelly, K. J.; Marini, P.; Snyder, L.; White, M. C.; Talou, P.; Devlin, M.; Taieb, J.; Chadwick, M. B.

doi:10.3389/fphy.2022.1056324

Title: Shedding light on the 239Pu fission source term with new high-precision experiments and advanced fission modeling

Journal Article · Fri Jan 06 00:00:00 EST 2023 · Frontiers in Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.3389/fphy.2022.1056324· OSTI ID:1908273

Neudecker, D.; Lovell, A. E.; Kelly, K. J.; Marini, P.; Snyder, L.; White, M. C.; Talou, P.; Devlin, M.; Taieb, J.; Chadwick, M. B.

In the last decade, there has been a renaissance of fission research resulting in new high-precision experiments and advanced fission modeling. For instance, the Chi-Nu and CEA teams supplied, for the first time, the ²³⁹Pu prompt fission neutron spectrum (PFNS) for broad ranges of incident and outgoing neutron energies. The CEA team also measured ²³⁹Pu average prompt neutron multiplicities, $$\bar{v}_p$$, with lower statistical uncertainties and a technique significantly different than the one used in the past. The NIFFTE collaboration provided ²³⁹Pu(n,f)/²³⁵U(n,f) cross section shape ratios with uncertainties below 1% utilizing a novel detector type. Advanced fission event generators were developed, among them CGMF, FIFRELIN, FREYA, and GEF, which calculate post-scission fission observables in a correlated manner. These new experimental data and more consistent fission models change the evaluated PFNS, $$\bar{v}_p$$, and (n,f) cross sections, some only modestly, compared to ENDF/B-VIII.0. In turn, the individual new nuclear data distinctly change simulated effective neutron multiplication factors of fast critical assemblies, but their combined impact is small, while affecting the prediction of LLNL pulsed sphere neutron leakage spectra and reaction rates only within experimental uncertainties. Also, the parameters obtained from fitting to $$\bar{v}_p$$ reproduce various post-scission fission observables within the uncertainties of experimental data. This indicates that new differential experiments and consistent fission modeling reduce compensating errors present in ENDF/B-VIII.0.

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Research Organization:: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP); USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program

Grant/Contract Number:: 89233218CNA000001; AC52-07NA27344

OSTI ID:: 1908273

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1898397; OSTI ID: 1909558; OSTI ID: 1990113; OSTI ID: 2007271

Report Number(s):: LA-UR-22-28832; LA-UR-22-26245; LLNL-JRNL-855183; 1056324

Journal Information:: Frontiers in Physics, Journal Name: Frontiers in Physics Vol. 10; ISSN 2296-424X

Publisher:: Frontiers Media SACopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: Switzerland

Language:: English

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Title: Shedding light on the 239Pu fission source term with new high-precision experiments and advanced fission modeling

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