Cross-section measurements for radioactive samples

Conference · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.41211· OSTI ID:6993704

Koehler, P E; O'Brien, H A

The measurement of (n,p), (n,..cap alpha..) and (n,..gamma..) cross sections for radioactive nuclei is of interest to both nuclear physics and astrophysics. For example, using these reactions, properties of levels in nuclei at high excitation energies, which are difficult or impossible to study using other reactions, can be investigated. Also, reaction rates for both big-bang and stellar nucleosynthesis can be obtained from these measurements. In the past, the large background associated with the sample activity limited these types of measurements to radioisotopes with very long half-lives. The advent of the low-energy, high-intensity neutron source at the Los Alamos Neutron Scattering CEnter (LANSCE) has greatly increased the number of nuclei which can be studied. Examples of (n,p) measurements on samples with half lives as short as fifty-three days will be given. The nuclear physics and astrophysics to be learned from these data will be discussed. Additional difficulties are encountered when making (n,..gamma..) rather than (n,p) or (n,..cap alpha..) measurements. However, with a properly-designed detector, and the high peak neutron intensities now available, (n,..gamma..) measurements can be made for nuclei with half lives as short as several months. Progress on the Los Alamos (n,..gamma..) cross-section measurement program for radioactive samples will be discussed. 39 refs., 7 figs.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 6993704
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-88-1526; CONF-880546-2; CONF-880546-; ON: DE88010920
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
ALKALI METAL ISOTOPES
ASTROPHYSICS
BARYON REACTIONS
BARYONS
BERYLLIUM 7 TARGET
CHARGE-EXCHANGE REACTIONS
CHLORINE 36 TARGET
CROSS SECTIONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ENERGY RANGE
ENERGY SPECTRA
EV RANGE
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FAST NEUTRONS
FERMIONS
HADRON REACTIONS
HADRONS
ISOTOPES
KEV RANGE
LIGHT NUCLEI
LITHIUM 7
LITHIUM ISOTOPES
NEON 22
NEON ISOTOPES
NEUTRON FLUX
NEUTRON REACTIONS
NEUTRON SOURCES
NEUTRONS
NUCLEAR PHYSICS
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
NUCLEI
NUCLEON REACTIONS
NUCLEONS
NUCLEOSYNTHESIS
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
PARTICLE SOURCES
PHYSICS
PROTONS
RADIATION FLUX
RADIATION SOURCES
SODIUM 22 TARGET
SPECTRA
STABLE ISOTOPES
SULFUR 36
SULFUR ISOTOPES
SYNTHESIS
TARGETS