Nuclear Reaction Mechanisms of Neutron Induced Fission of 237Np Nucleus

Abstract

At FLNP JINR Dubna new prospects for developing new neutron facilities have already been started, that will replace the IBR-2 neutron pulsed research reactor which shut down in the year 2032. Several agreed projects use the fission processes induced by neutrons on neptunium-based fuels. An investigation of the neutron fission process on the 237Np nucleus was conducted in the present research. Several parameters were analyzed during neutron-induced fission of 237Np including the neutron cross-section, mass distributions, prompt neutron emission, isotope production, and neutron spectra. Evaluations of the above observables were conducted using TALYS – 9.1 Software, with incident neutron energies ranging from 0.4 to 25 MeV. The exact value of cross-section was obtained as 5 – 5.5 MeV in the present work, whereas from literature, it was found up to 10 MeV. Neutron spectra were analyzed and separated contributions from different nuclear reaction mechanisms were obtained. Our investigations have revealed some important yields and isotope production cross-sections that were in good agreement with literature data.