Measurement of Differential Compton Scattering Cross Section of 661.6 keV γ-Rays from Compounds Containing Hydrogen, Carbon and Oxygen

Abstract

Compton scattering cross sections of 661.6 keV γ rays of 137Cs from Al and 12 compounds containing hydrogen and carbon or hydrogen, carbon and oxygen have been measured at three different scattering angles of 60°, 90° and 115°. Differential Compton scattering cross section values for Al have been obtained theoretically by means of incoherent scattering function calculation. Comparing the experimental data with the theoretical cross section values for Al, an experimental arrangement has been calibrated for each scattering angle. So, differential Compton scattering cross sections for the 12 compounds at three scattering angles have been obtained. The corresponding theoretical differential cross sections were calculated by means of incoherent scattering functions. A comparison between the experimentally determined results and the theoretically calculated values shows good agreement. Also, a linear relation has been obtained between the differential Compton scattering cross sections and the hydrogen weight fraction for H–C compounds but not for H–C–O compounds. The absolute electron densities of these compounds have been estimated.