Level Density Inputs in Nuclear Reaction Codes and the Role of the Spin Cutoff Parameter

Abstract

The proton spectrum from the 57Fe(α, p) reaction has been measured and analyzed with the Hauser-Feshbach model of nuclear reactions. Different input level density models have been tested. It was found that the best description is achieved with either Fermi-gas or constant temperature model functions obtained by fitting them to neutron resonance spacings and to discrete levels and using the spin cutoff parameter with much a weaker excitation energy dependence than predicted by the Fermi-gas model.