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Title: Measurements of {sup 142,144}Nd(n,{gamma}) cross sections at ORELA for astrophysical s-process studies

Conference ·
OSTI ID:379115

We have completed measurements of the {sup 142, 144}Nd(n,{gamma}) cross sections from approximately 20 eV to 200 keV at the Oak Ridge Electron Linear Accelerator (ORELA) using a recently improved C{sub 6}D{sub 6} detector apparatus. {sup 142}Nd is an s-only isotope, i.e. it is only formed during the s-process. It has a closed neutron shell and therefore defines a step in the < {sigma} >N, curve from which the mean s-process neutron exposure can be calculated. In addition, {sup 144}Nd is the normalization point for the neodymium abundances. Also accurate (n,{gamma}) cross sections would help to determine the r- and p-process residuals of these isotopes and will impact the interpretation of the recently discovered isotopic anomalies in silicon carbide grains from the Murchison meteorite. Our new (n, {gamma}) cross sections also show that reaction rate extrapolations for nuclei near closed neutron shells from measured values at 30 keV down to 8 keV can be inaccurate.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Tennessee Univ., Knoxville, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-96OR22464; FG05-87ER40361
OSTI ID:
379115
Report Number(s):
CONF-9606248-2; ON: DE96013775; TRN: 96:025545
Resource Relation:
Conference: 4. nuclei in the cosmos conference, South Bend, IN (United States), 20-27 Jun 1996; Other Information: PBD: 1996
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English