Measurement of theMo97(n,γ)reaction with the DANCEγcalorimeter array

Abstract

Spectra of $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ rays following the $^{97}\mathrm{Mo}(n,\ensuremath{\gamma})$ reaction were measured as a function of incident neutron energy with the DANCE (Detector for Advanced Neutron Capture Experiments) array of $160 {\mathrm{BaF}}_{2}$ scintillation detectors at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center using an enriched $^{97}\mathrm{Mo}$ target. These spectra were used for the assignment of spins of the $^{97}\mathrm{Mo}$ resonances up to neutron energy ${E}_{n}=1.7$ keV, as well as in the study of photon strength functions (PSFs) in $^{98}\mathrm{Mo}$. Analysis of the spectra with the nuclear statistical model showed that they can be well reproduced with the same PSF models which well described the $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ decay following slow neutron capture in $^{95}\mathrm{Mo}$. On the other hand, the spectra are inconsistent with PSFs describing some other experimental data in $^{98}\mathrm{Mo}$.