Charged Particle Spectra and Calculated Kerma from 25 to 60 MeV Neutrons

Abstract

Charged particle proton, deuteron, triton, helium-3, and alpha particle spectra have been measured over a wide angular range for neutron energies of 27.4, 39.7, and 60.7 MeV, incident on Carbon, Nitrogen, and Oxygen. The main purpose of these measurements is to provide data for neutron dosimetry and for tests of nuclear models and their interpolation and extrapolation to other energies, particles, nuclei, etc. Good agreement is found in comparisons with charge symmetric proton-induced energy spectra, such as in (p,d) vs (n,d). Comparisons with models are being carried out. Kerma have been calculated at the three energies for each nucleus including elastic recoil contributions. The contributions from other reaction channels (6Li, etc.) have been estimated using sum rules and, where available, proton induced data. The total Kerma one obtains for C, N, and O appear to be considerably less than recent predictions of several authors.