Template for estimating uncertainties of measured neutron-induced fission cross-sections

Journal Article · 13 November 2018 · EPJ Nuclear Sciences and Technologies

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/epjn/2018026 · OSTI ID:1489948

Neudecker, Denise  ^[1]; Hejnal, Brooke Ellen ^[1]; Tovesson, Fredrik  ^[1]; White, Morgan Curtis  ^[1]; Smith, Donald L. ^[2]; Vaughan, Diane Elizabeth ^[1]; Capote, R. ^[3]

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1. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
2. Argonne National Laboratory, Coronado, CA (United States)
3. International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria)

A template for estimating uncertainties (unc.) of measured neutron-induced fission, (n,f), cross-sections (cs) is presented. This preliminary template not only lists all expected unc. sources but also supplies ranges of unc., estimates for correlations between unc. of the same and different experiments which can be used if the information is nonexistent. If this template is applied systematically when estimating experimental covariances for an evaluation, it may help in pinpointing missing unc. for individual datasets, identifying unreasonably low unc., and estimating correlations between different experimental datasets. Thus, a detailed unc. estimate – usually, a time-intensive procedure – can be undertaken more consistently and efficiently. As an example, it is shown that unc. and correlations of ²³⁹Pu(n,f) by Merla et al. [Proceedings of the Conference on Nuclear Data for Science and Technology 1991 Jülich (Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1992) pp. 510–513], which are questionably low in the GMA database underlying the neutron cs standards evaluations, are distinctly larger at 14.7 MeV and more strongly correlated if this template is used for reestimating the associated covariances.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
• Grant/Contract Number: 89233218CNA000001; AC52-06NA25396
• OSTI ID: 1489948
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 22789432
• Report Number(s): LA-UR--17-29963
• Journal Information: EPJ Nuclear Sciences and Technologies, Journal Name: EPJ Nuclear Sciences and Technologies Vol. 4; ISSN 2491-9292
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English