0000000000713215
AUTHOR
O. Aberle
New measurement of the 242Pu(n,γ) cross section at n-TOF-EAR1 for MOX fuels: Preliminary results in the RRR
The spent fuel of current nuclear reactors contains fissile plutonium isotopes that can be combined with 238U to make mixed oxide (MOX) fuel. In this way the Pu from spent fuel is used in a new reactor cycle, contributing to the long-term sustainability of nuclear energy. The use of MOX fuels in thermal and fast reactors requires accurate capture and fission cross sections. For the particular case of 242Pu, the previous neutron capture cross section measurements were made in the 70’s, providing an uncertainty of about 35% in the keV region. In this context, the Nuclear Energy Agency recommends in its “High Priority Request List” and its report WPEC-26 that the capture cross section of 242Pu…
7Be(n,α) and 7Be(n,p) cross-section measurement for the cosmological lithium problem at the n-TOF facility at CERN
One of the most puzzling problems in Nuclear Astrophysics is the “Cosmological Lithium Problem”, i.e the discrepancy between the primordial abundance of \(^{7}\)Li observed in metal poor halo stars (Asplund et al. in Astrophys J 644:229–259, 2006, [1]), and the one predicted by Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN). One of the reactions that could have an impact on the problem is \(^{7}\)Be(n,p)\(^{7}\)Li. Despite of the importance of this reaction in BBN, the cross-section has never been directly measured at the energies of interest for BBN. Taking advantage of the innovative features of the second experimental area at the n\(\_\)TOF facility at CERN (Sabate-Gilarte et al. in Eur Phys J A 53:210,…
The n_TOF facility: Neutron beams for challenging future measurements at CERN
The CERN n TOF neutron beam facility is characterized by a very high instantaneous neutron flux, excellent TOF resolution at the 185 m long flight path (EAR-1), low intrinsic background and coverage of a wide range of neutron energies, from thermal to a few GeV. These characteristics provide a unique possibility to perform high-accuracy measurements of neutron-induced reaction cross-sections and angular distributions of interest for fundamental and applied Nuclear Physics. Since 2001, the n TOF Collaboration has collected a wealth of high quality nuclear data relevant for nuclear astrophysics, nuclear reactor technology, nuclear medicine, etc. The overall efficiency of the experimental prog…
New reaction rates for the destruction of $^7$Be during big bang nucleosynthesis measured at CERN/n_TOF and their implications on the cosmological lithium problem
New measurements of the7Be(n,α)4He and7Be(n,p)7Li reaction cross sections from thermal to keV neutron energies have been recently performed at CERN/n_TOF. Based on the new experimental results, astrophysical reaction rates have been derived for both reactions, including a proper evaluation of their uncertainties in the thermal energy range of interest for big bang nucleosynthesis studies. The new estimate of the7Be destruction rate, based on these new results, yields a decrease of the predicted cosmological7Li abundance insufficient to provide a viable solution to the cosmological lithium problem.
Be7(n,α)He4Reaction and the Cosmological Lithium Problem: Measurement of the Cross Section in a Wide Energy Range at n_TOF at CERN
The energy-dependent cross section of the (7)Bed(n,alpha)He-4 reaction, of interest for the so-called cosmological lithium problem in big bang nucleosynthesis, has been measured for the first time from 10 meV to 10 keV neutron energy. The challenges posed by the short half-life of Be-7 and by the low reaction cross section have been overcome at n_TOF thanks to an unprecedented combination of the extremely high luminosity and good resolution of the neutron beam in the new experimental area (EAR2) of the n_TOF facility at CERN, the availability of a sufficient amount of chemically pure Be-7, and a specifically designed experimental setup. Coincidences between the two alpha particles have been…
The Nuclear astrophysics program at n_TOF (CERN)
An important experimental program on Nuclear Astrophysics is being carried out at the n_TOF since several years, in order to address the still open issues in stellar and primordial nucleosynthesis. Several neutron capture reactions relevant to s-process nucleosynthesis have been measured so far, some of which on important branching point radioisotopes. Furthermore, the construction of a second experimental area has recently opened the way to challenging measurements of (n, charged particle) reactions on isotopes of short half-life. The Nuclear Astrophysics program of the n_TOF Collaboration is here described, with emphasis on recent results relevant for stellar nucleosynthesis, stellar neut…
Recent results in nuclear astrophysics at the n_TOF facility at CERN
The neutron time of flight (n_TOF) facility at CERN is a spallation source characterized by a white neutron spectrum. The innovative features of the facility, in the two experimental areas, (20 m and 185 m), allow for an accurate determination of the neutron cross section for radioactive samples or for isotopes with small neutron capture cross section, of interest for Nuclear Astrophysics. The recent results obtained at n_TOF facility are presented.
The 33S(n,α)30Si cross section measurement at n TOF-EAR2 (CERN): From 0.01 eV to the resonance region
The 33S(n,α)30Si cross section measurement, using 10B(n,α) as reference, at the n TOF Experimental Area 2 (EAR2) facility at CERN is presented. Data from 0.01 eV to 100 keV are provided and, for the first time, the cross section is measured in the range from 0.01 eV to 10 keV. These data may be used for a future evaluation of the cross section because present evaluations exhibit large discrepancies. The 33S(n,α)30Si reaction is of interest in medical physics because of its possible use as a cooperative target to boron in Neutron Capture Therapy (NCT).
Measurement of the Pu-242(n,gamma) cross section from thermal to 500 keV at the Budapest research reactor and CERN n_TOF-EAR1 facilities
The design and operation of innovative nuclear systems requires a better knowledge of the capture and fission cross sections of the Pu isotopes. For the case of capture on 242Pu, a reduction of the uncertainty in the fast region down to 8-12% is required. Moreover, aiming at improving the evaluation of the fast energy range in terms of average parameters, the OECD NEA High Priority Request List (HPRL) requests high-resolution capture measurements with improved accuracy below 2 keV. The current uncertainties also affect the thermal point, where previous experiments deviate from each other by 20%. A fruitful collaboration betwen JGU Mainz and HZ Dresden-Rossendorf within the EC CHANDA project…
Radiative neutron capture on Pu242 in the resonance region at the CERN n_TOF-EAR1 facility
The spent fuel of current nuclear reactors contains fissile plutonium isotopes that can be combined with uranium to make mixed oxide (MOX) fuel. In this way the Pu from spent fuel is used in a new reactor cycle, contributing to the long-term sustainability of nuclear energy. However, an extensive use of MOX fuels, in particular in fast reactors, requires more accurate capture and fission cross sections for some Pu isotopes. In the case of Pu242 there are sizable discrepancies among the existing capture cross-section measurements included in the evaluations (all from the 1970s) resulting in an uncertainty as high as 35% in the fast energy region. Moreover, postirradiation experiments evaluat…
The measurement programme at the neutron time-of-flight facility n_TOF at CERN
Neutron-induced reaction cross sections are important for a wide variety of research fields ranging from the study of nuclear level densities, nucleosynthesis to applications of nuclear technology like design, and criticality and safety assessment of existing and future nuclear reactors, radiation dosimetry, medical applications, nuclear waste transmutation, accelerator-driven systems and fuel cycle investigations. Simulations and calculations of nuclear technology applications largely rely on evaluated nuclear data libraries. The evaluations in these libraries are based both on experimental data and theoretical models. CERN’s neutron time-of-flight facility n TOF has produced a considerabl…
Characterization and First Test of an i-TED Prototype at CERN n_TOF
International audience; Neutron capture cross section measurements are of fundamental importance for the study of the slow process of neutron capture, so called s-process. This mechanism is responsible for the formation of most elements heavier than iron in the Universe. To this aim, installations and detectors have been developed, as total energy radiation C$_{6}$ D$_{6}$ detectors. However, these detectors can not distinguish between true capture gamma rays from the sample under study and neutron induced gamma rays produced in the surroundings of the setup. To improve this situation, we propose (Domingo Pardo in Nucl Instr Meth Phys Res A 825:78–86, 2016, [1]) the use of the Compton princ…
Nuclear data activities at the n_TOF facility at CERN
International audience; Nuclear data in general, and neutron-induced reaction cross sections in particular, are important for a wide variety of research fields. They play a key role in the safety and criticality assessment of nuclear technology, not only for existing power reactors but also for radiation dosimetry, medical applications, the transmutation of nuclear waste, accelerator-driven systems, fuel cycle investigations and future reactor systems as in Generation IV. Applications of nuclear data are also related to research fields as the study of nuclear level densities and stellar nucleosynthesis. Simulations and calculations of nuclear technology applications largely rely on evaluate…