Improved Neutron Capture Gamma-Ray Data and Evaluation
Abstract
The neutron-capture reaction is of fundamental use in identifying and analyzing the gamma-ray spectrum from an unknown object as it gives a fingerprint of which isotopes are present. Many isotopes have capture gamma lines from 5-10 MeV potentially making them easier to detect against background lines. There are data gaps in the Evaluated Nuclear Data File (ENDF) libraries used by modeling codes (the actinides have no lines for example) and we are filling these with the Evaluated Gamma-ray Activation File (EGAF), using an IAEA atlas of reactor measured lines and cross sections for over 260 isotopes. For medium to heavy nuclei, the unresolved part of the gamma cascades is not measured and are modeled using the statistical nuclear structure code Dicebox [1,2]. ENDF libraries require cross sections for neutron energies up to 20 MeV and we plan to continue this approach through the resolved resonance region. The neutron-capture reaction is of fundamental use in identifying and analyzing the gamma-ray spectrum from an unknown object as it gives a fingerprint of which isotopes are present. Many isotopes have capture gamma lines from 5-10 MeV potentially making them easier to detect against background lines. There are data gaps in the Evaluated Nuclear Data File (ENDF) libraries used by modeling codes (the actinides have no lines for example) and we are filling these with the Evaluated Gamma-ray Activation File (EGAF), using an IAEA atlas of reactor measured lines and cross sections for over 260 isotopes. For medium to heavy nuclei, the unresolved part of the gamma cascades is not measured and are modeled using the statistical nuclear structure code Dicebox [1,2]. ENDF libraries require cross sections for neutron energies up to 20 MeV and we plan to continue this approach through the resolved resonance region.
This work is performed in part under the auspices of the USDoE by LLNL under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.- Publication:
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APS Division of Nuclear Physics Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- September 2014
- Bibcode:
- 2014APS..DNP.KH009S