The 235u Prompt Fission Neutron Spectrum Measured By The Chi Nu Project At Lansce

The Chi-Nu experiment aims to accurately measure the prompt fission neutron spectrum (PFNS) for the major actinides. At the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE), fission can be induced using the white neutron source. Using a two arm time of flight (T.O.F) technique; Chi-Nu presents a preliminary result of the low energy component of the 235U PFNS measured using an array of 22-Lithium glass scintillators.

The aim and scope of the conference and book were to bring world leaders in the areas of fission, structure of neutron-rich nuclei, superheavy elements, astrophysics and new facilities for these research areas to present the latest developments in both theory and experiment to serve as benchmarks for future research.World leaders describe the latest research including development of new facilities under construction to point out the latest and future direction in research. These proceedings are published following the conferences every four to five years since 1997.

Methods used to obtain the evaluated prompt fisson neutron spectrum N(E) and the average prompt neutron multiplicity anti .nu./sub p/ are reviewed. The relative influence of experimental data; interpolated, extrapolated, and fitted experimental data; systematics; and nuclear theory are considered for the cases where (a) abundant experimental data exist, (b) some experimental data exist, and (c) no experimental data exist. The Maxwellian and Watt distributions, and the determination of the parameters of these distributions by data fitting, are described and compared to recent new theoretical work on the calculation of N(E). Similarly, various expressions for anti .gamma./sub p/ that have been obtained by data fitting and systematics are described and compared to recent new theoretical work. Complications in the evaluation of N(E) and anti .gamma./sub p/ due to the onset of multiple-chance fission and the interrelationships between N(E), anti .gamma delta./sub p/ and the multiple-chance fission cross section are discussed using the example of the fission of 235U. Some statistics and comments are given on the evaluations of N(E) and anti .gamma./sub p/ contained in ENDF/B-V, and a number of concluding recommendations are made for future evaluation work.

Three tropics have been considered in the refinement and improvement of our original calculations of prompt fission neutron spectra. These are an improved calculation of the prompt fission neutron spectrum N(E) from the spontaneous fission of 252Cf, a complete calculation of the prompt fission neutron spectrum matrix N(E, E/sub n/) from the neutron-induced fission of 235U, at incident neutron energies ranging from 0 to 15 MeV, and an assessment of the scission neutron component of the prompt fission neutron spectrum. Preliminary results will be presented and compared with experimental measurements and an evaluation. A suggestion has been made for new integral cross-section measurements.

Prompt-fission-neutron multiplicities were measured at a 'white' neutron source for the fission of 238U and 235U up to 200 MeV. The data are of great importance in the connection of accelerator-coupled nuclear reactor systems incinerating actinides, with uranium considered as a prototype actinide. We report that the fission induced by 200 MeV neutrons produces (almost equal to)10 more prompt neutrons than the fission induced by reactor neutrons. In conclusion, new data on {bar {nu}}{sub p} are reported with errors {

The spectrum of neutrons emitted promptly after 239Pu(n, f)--a so-called prompt fission neutron spectrum (PFNS)--is a quantity of high interest, for instance, for reactor physics and global security. However, there are only few experimental data sets available that are suitable for evaluations. In addition, some of those data sets differ by more than their 1-[sigma] uncertainty boundaries. We present the results of MCNP studies indicating that these differences are partly caused by underestimated multiple scattering contributions, over-corrected background, and inconsistent deconvolution methods. A detailed uncertainty quantification for suitable experimental data was undertaken including these effects, and test-evaluations were performed with the improved uncertainty information. The test-evaluations illustrate that the inadequately estimated effects and detailed uncertainty quantification have an impact on the evaluated PFNS and associated uncertainties as well as the neutron multiplicity of selected critical assemblies. A summary of data and documentation needs to improve the quality of the experimental database is provided based on the results of simulations and test-evaluations. Furthermore, given the possibly substantial distortion of the PFNS by multiple scattering and background effects, special care should be taken to reduce these effects in future measurements, e.g., by measuring the 239Pu PFNS as a ratio to either the 235U or 252Cf PFNS.