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Improved 242Pu(n,\( \gamma\)) thermal cross section combining activation and prompt gamma analysis

  • Regular Article - Experimental Physics
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Abstract.

A good knowledge of the radiative capture cross section of 242Pu is required for innovative nuclear reactor studies, especially for MoX fuel reactors. However, the experimental data available show discrepancies in the energy regions of interest: the thermal point and the keV region. Previous experimental results of the thermal cross section deviate from each other by 20% and these discrepancies are reflected also in the evaluated libraries, each of them giving more credit to different data sets. A recent measurement by Genreith et al. did not succeed to solve the existing discrepancy due to the large uncertainties and correction factors in the analysis. This work presents a new measurement of the thermal capture cross section of 242Pu carried out in the Budapest Research Reactor using the same thin targets of a previous measurement at n_TOF-EAR1, each containing 30mg of 99.995% pure 242Pu . The combined analysis of the full prompt \( \gamma\)-ray spectrum and the 243Pu decay has led to three compatible values for the thermal cross section. Their average value, 18.9(9)b, has an improved accuracy compared to recent measurements. Leaving aside the activation value of Genreith using an outdated intensity value for the 84 keV decay line of 243Pu , our average result is in very good agreement with the JEFF-3.2 evaluation and all the previous measurements, with the exception of the highest value 22.5(11)b reported by Marie et al., which has a strong influence in the ENDF evaluation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dpto. Física Atómica, Molecular y Nuclear, Universidad de Sevilla, 41012, Seville, Spain

    J. Lerendegui-Marco, C. Guerrero & J. M. Quesada

  2. Centro Nacional de Aceleradores (CNA), Seville, Spain

    C. Guerrero

  3. Nuclear Analysis and Radiography Department, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Konkoly T. u. 29-33, H-1121, Budapest, Hungary

    T. Belgya & B. Maróti

  4. Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz, 55128, Mainz, Germany

    K. Eberhardt, Ch. E. Düllmann, C. Mokry, J. Runke & P. Thörle-Pospiech

  5. Helmholtz Institute Mainz, Mainz, Germany

    K. Eberhardt, Ch. E. Düllmann, C. Mokry & P. Thörle-Pospiech

  6. GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Darmstadt, Germany

    Ch. E. Düllmann & J. Runke

  7. Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, D-01328, Dresden, Germany

    A. R. Junghans

Authors
  1. J. Lerendegui-Marco
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  2. C. Guerrero
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  3. T. Belgya
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  4. B. Maróti
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  5. K. Eberhardt
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  6. Ch. E. Düllmann
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  7. A. R. Junghans
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  8. C. Mokry
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  9. J. M. Quesada
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  10. J. Runke
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  11. P. Thörle-Pospiech
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. Lerendegui-Marco.

Additional information

Communicated by A. Obertelli

Data Availability Statement

This manuscript has no associated data or the data will not be deposited. [Authors’ comment: All data generated during this study are contained in this published article.]

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Lerendegui-Marco, J., Guerrero, C., Belgya, T. et al. Improved 242Pu(n,\( \gamma\)) thermal cross section combining activation and prompt gamma analysis. Eur. Phys. J. A 55, 63 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1140/epja/i2019-12730-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1140/epja/i2019-12730-6

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