Neutron transmission and capture cross section measurements for 241Am at the GELINA facility

Abstract

Resonance parameters for neutron-induced reactions on 241Am below 110 eV have been determined. The parameters result from a resonance shape analysis of transmission and capture data measured at the time-of-flight facility GELINA, with the accelerator operating at a 50 Hz repetition rate. The transmission experiments were carried out at a 25 m station using a Li glass scintillator. The capture experiments were performed at a 12.5 m station by applying the total energy detection principle in combination with the pulse height weighting technique using a pair of C6D6 detectors. The normalization of the capture data was determined by a combined least squares adjustment of the transmission and capture data. From the adjusted resonance parameters a capture cross section of 749 ± 35 b for a neutron energy of 0.0253 eV and an average radiation width of 〈Γ γ 〉 = 42.0 meV for s-wave resonances were obtained. A missing-level analysis for s-wave neutron resonances within the statistical model results in compatible values with previous estimates. The neutron widths obtained in this work are approximately 22% larger compared to other experimental data and evaluated data libraries. Also the thermal capture cross section is larger than most of the recommended values. However, the resonance parameter file presented in this work is consistent with results of both integral experiments and of the experimentally determined resonance integrals.