Experimental Prompt Fission Neutron Spectra Comparisons for the 235,238U(n, f) and 239Pu(n, f) Reactions

Abstract

The Chi-Nu project to measure prompt fission neutron energy spectra for the major actinides has now completed two measurements, for neutron-induced fission of 239Pu and 235U for incident neutron energies from 1 to 20 MeV, and has almost completed the prompt fission neutron spectrum measurement for 238U. In addition, similar data have been taken for spontaneous fission in some other isotopes, and a measurement of fission neutron spectra from 240Pu(n, f ) is in progress. These measurements are done at the same facility, with the same equipment and analyzed in a similar way. A useful way to look at such data is to examine ratios of the prompt fission neutron spectra among actinides, as some of the experimental uncertainties involved in these data are the same from isotope to isotope, making the ratios of fission neutron spectra less dependent on the experimental and analysis details. We discuss here the ratios of prompt fission neutron spectra between 239Pu(n, f ) and 235U(n, f ) , as well as the evolution of the mean fission neutron energy for 239Pu(n, f ) and 235,238U(n, f ) with increasing incident neutron energy.