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Title: Neutron-neutron angular correlations in spontaneous fission of Cf 252 and Pu 240

Abstract

Background: Angular anisotropy has been observed between prompt neutrons emitted during the fission process. Such an anisotropy arises because the emitted neutrons are boosted along the direction of the parent fragment. Purpose: To measure the neutron-neutron angular correlations from the spontaneous fission of 252Cf and 240Pu oxide samples using a liquid scintillator array capable of pulse-shape discrimination. To compare these correlations to simulations combining the Monte Carlo radiation transport code MCNPX with the fission event generator FREYA. Method: Two different analysis methods were used to study the neutron-neutron correlations with varying energy thresholds. The first is based on setting a light output threshold while the second imposes a time-of-flight cutoff. The second method has the advantage of being truly detector independent. Results: The neutron-neutron correlation modeled by FREYA depends strongly on the sharing of the excitation energy between the two fragments. The measured asymmetry enabled us to adjust the FREYA parameter x in 240Pu , which controls the energy partition between the fragments and is so far inaccessible in other measurements. The 240Pu data in this analysis was the first available to quantify the energy partition for this isotope. The agreement between data and simulation is overall very good formore » 252Cf ( sf ) and 240Pu ( sf ). Conclusions: The asymmetry in the measured neutron-neutron angular distributions can be predicted by FREYA. The shape of the correlation function depends on how the excitation energy is partitioned between the two fission fragments. Lastly, experimental data suggest that the lighter fragment is disproportionately excited.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [2]
  1. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States). Nuclear and Chemical Sciences Division
  2. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States). Nuclear and Chemical Sciences Division; Univ. of California, Davis, CA (United States). Dept. of Physics
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation
OSTI Identifier:
1488798
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1430782
Report Number(s):
LLNL-JRNL-731534
Journal ID: ISSN 2469-9985; PRVCAN; 878683
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC52-07NA27344
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Physical Review C
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 97; Journal Issue: 4; 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

Verbeke, J. M., Nakae, L. F., and Vogt, R. Neutron-neutron angular correlations in spontaneous fission of Cf252 and Pu240. United States: N. p., 2018. Web. doi:10.1103/PhysRevC.97.044601.
Verbeke, J. M., Nakae, L. F., & Vogt, R. Neutron-neutron angular correlations in spontaneous fission of Cf252 and Pu240. United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.97.044601
Verbeke, J. M., Nakae, L. F., and Vogt, R. Sun . "Neutron-neutron angular correlations in spontaneous fission of Cf252 and Pu240". United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.97.044601. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1488798.
@article{osti_1488798,
title = {Neutron-neutron angular correlations in spontaneous fission of Cf252 and Pu240},
author = {Verbeke, J. M. and Nakae, L. F. and Vogt, R.},
abstractNote = {Background: Angular anisotropy has been observed between prompt neutrons emitted during the fission process. Such an anisotropy arises because the emitted neutrons are boosted along the direction of the parent fragment. Purpose: To measure the neutron-neutron angular correlations from the spontaneous fission of 252Cf and 240Pu oxide samples using a liquid scintillator array capable of pulse-shape discrimination. To compare these correlations to simulations combining the Monte Carlo radiation transport code MCNPX with the fission event generator FREYA. Method: Two different analysis methods were used to study the neutron-neutron correlations with varying energy thresholds. The first is based on setting a light output threshold while the second imposes a time-of-flight cutoff. The second method has the advantage of being truly detector independent. Results: The neutron-neutron correlation modeled by FREYA depends strongly on the sharing of the excitation energy between the two fragments. The measured asymmetry enabled us to adjust the FREYA parameter x in 240Pu , which controls the energy partition between the fragments and is so far inaccessible in other measurements. The 240Pu data in this analysis was the first available to quantify the energy partition for this isotope. The agreement between data and simulation is overall very good for 252Cf ( sf ) and 240Pu ( sf ). Conclusions: The asymmetry in the measured neutron-neutron angular distributions can be predicted by FREYA. The shape of the correlation function depends on how the excitation energy is partitioned between the two fission fragments. Lastly, experimental data suggest that the lighter fragment is disproportionately excited.},
doi = {10.1103/PhysRevC.97.044601},
journal = {Physical Review C},
number = 4,
volume = 97,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Apr 01 00:00:00 EDT 2018},
month = {Sun Apr 01 00:00:00 EDT 2018}
}

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