Basic nuclear data for nuclear waste transmutation and radioactive nuclear beam production

Abstract

Spallation reactions are considered as an optimum neutron source for nuclear waste transmutation in accelerator driven systems (ADS). They are also used to produce intense radioactive nuclear beams in ISOL facilities. A common problem to both applications is the characterisation of these reactions in terms of neutron and residual nuclei production. In this paper we review the most outstanding experimental programs recently undertaken to investigate spallation reactions and their implications in the production of radioactive nuclear beams.