Event By Event Evaluation Of The Prompt Fission Neutron Spectrum From 239pun F

Employing a recently developed Monte Carlo model, we study the fission of 24°Pu induced by neutrons with energies from thermal to just below the threshold for second chance fission. Current measurements of the mean number of prompt neutrons emitted in fission, together with less accurate measurements of the neutron energy spectra, place remarkably fine constraints on predictions of microscopic calculations. In particular, the total excitation energy of the nascent fragments must be specified to within 1 MeV to avoid disagreement with measurements of the mean neutron multiplicity. The combination of the Monte Carlo fission model with a statistical likelihood analysis also presents a powerful tool for the evaluation of fission neutron data. Of particular importance is the fission spectrum, which plays a key role in determining reactor criticality. We show that our approach can be used to develop an estimate of the fission spectrum with uncertainties several times smaller than current experimental uncertainties for outgoing neutron energies of less than 2 MeV.

Employing a recently developed Monte-Carlo model, we study the fission of 24°Pu induced by neutrons with energies from thermal to just below the threshold for second chance fission. Current measurements of the mean number of prompt neutrons emitted in fission, together with less accurate measurements of the neutron energy spectra, place remarkably fine constraints on predictions of microscopic calculations. In particular, the total excitation energy of the nascent fragments must be specified to within 1MeV to avoid disagreement with measurements of the mean neutron multiplicity. The combination of the Monte-Carlo fission model with a statistical likelihood analysis also presents a powerful tool for the evaluation of fission neutron data. Of particular importance is the fission spectrum, which plays a key role in determining reactor criticality. We show that our approach can be used to develop an estimate of the fission spectrum with uncertainties several times smaller than current experimental uncertainties for outgoing neutron energies of less than 2 MeV.

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.

After a brief introduction concerning nuclear data, prompt fission neutron spectrum (PFNS) evaluations and the limited PFNS covariance data in the ENDF/B-VII library, and the important fact that cross section uncertainties ~ PFNS uncertainties, the author presents background information on the PFNS (experimental data, theoretical models, data evaluation, uncertainty quantification) and discusses the impact on certain well-known critical assemblies with regard to integral quantities, sensitivity analysis, and uncertainty propagation. He sketches recent and ongoing research and concludes with some final thoughts.

The prompt-fission-neutron spectrum resulting from 239Pu fission induced by 0.55 MeV incident neutrons is measured from 1.0 to 10.0 MeV relative to that of 235U fission induced by the same incident-energy neutrons. The measurements employ the time-of-flight technique. Energy-dependent ratios of the two spectra are deduced from the measured values over the energy range 1.0 to 10.0 MeV. The experimentally-derived ratio results are compared with those calculated from ENDF/B-V, revision-2, and with results of recent microscopic measurements. Using the ENDF/B-V 235U Watt parameters for the 235U spectrum, the experimental measurements imply a ratio of average fission-spectrum energies of 239Pu/235U = 1.045 +- 0.003, compared to the value 1.046 calculated from ENDF/B-V, revision 2. 12 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs.

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.