Data evaluation methods and improvements to the neutron-capture {gamma}-ray spectrum

Journal Article · Tue Jun 28 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3583162· OSTI ID:21513477

Hurst, A M; Firestone, R B; Basunia, M S ^[1]; Summers, N C; Sleaford, B W; Escher, J E ^[2]; Revay, Zs; Belgya, T; Szentmiklosi, L ^[3]; Krticka, M ^[4]; Capote, R; Nichols, A ^[5]; Choi, H ^[6]; Dashdorj, D ^[2]

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1. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley California 94720 (United States)
2. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94551 (United States)
3. Institute of Isotope and Surface Chemistry, H-1525, Budapest (Hungary)
4. Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, CZ-180 00 Prague 8 (Czech Republic)
5. NAPC-Nuclear Data Section, International Atomic Energy Agency, A-1400 Vienna (Austria)
6. Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of)

Improved neutron-capture {gamma}-ray spectra, not only of interest to the nuclear structure and reactions communities, are needed in a variety of applied and non-proliferation programs. This requires an evaluation of the existing experimental capture-{gamma} data. Elemental neutron-capture data taken from direct measurements at the Budapest Reactor have been used to collate the Evaluated Gamma-ray Activation File, a database of capture {gamma}-ray cross sections. These cross sections are then compared to Monte Carlo simulations of {gamma}-ray emission following the thermal neutron-capture process using the statistical-decay code DICEBOX. The aim of this procedure is to obtain the total radiative neutron-capture cross section and confidently increase the number of levels and {gamma} rays that can be assigned to a given isotope in the neutron data libraries. To achieve these goals and provide as complete information as possible in the neutron data libraries, it is also necessary to remain current with recent advances in nuclear structure physics and ensure that the latest data in the Evaluated Nuclear Structure Data File has been taken into consideration. This way an optimal level scheme can be derived by comparison with simulations and available experimental data. New information derived from this study can then be used to improve the nuclear structure and reactions databases with more-complete level schemes, and indeed, provide reliable and accurate input to a variety of applications which require this information. Recent results from neutron capture on the stable tungsten isotopes {sup 182,183,184,186}W are presented to illustrate the evaluation process.

• OSTI ID: 21513477
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1342, Issue 1; Conference: 2. international Ulaanbaatar conference on nuclear physics and applications, Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia), 26-30 Jul 2010; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3583162; (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
CAPTURE
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
CROSS SECTIONS
EMISSION
ENERGY LEVELS
GAMMA RADIATION
GAMMA SPECTRA
MONTE CARLO METHOD
NEUTRON REACTIONS
NEUTRON SOURCES
NUCLEAR DATA COLLECTIONS
NUCLEAR DECAY
NUCLEAR STRUCTURE
PROLIFERATION
THERMAL NEUTRONS
TUNGSTEN 182
TUNGSTEN 183
TUNGSTEN 184
TUNGSTEN 186
BARYON REACTIONS
BARYONS
CALCULATION METHODS
DECAY
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
EVALUATION
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FERMIONS
HADRON REACTIONS
HADRONS
HEAVY NUCLEI
IONIZING RADIATIONS
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
NEUTRONS
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
NUCLEI
NUCLEON REACTIONS
NUCLEONS
PARTICLE SOURCES
RADIATION SOURCES
RADIATIONS
RADIOISOTOPES
SECONDS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
SIMULATION
SPECTRA
STABLE ISOTOPES
TUNGSTEN ISOTOPES