Reconciling surrogate-reaction probabilities and neutron-induced cross sections

Abstract

Since its inception, the so-called surrogate-reaction method (SRM) has motivated the development and improvement of theories in connection to direct reactions. This paper reassesses some of the developments carried out in previous decades to deal with the representation of direct reaction probability data. It is believed that the experimental probabilities assimilation in the neutron cross section evaluation process can be better estimated using tools resulting from the efforts made over the years. This paper provides a new perspective on this issue both in terms of fission and $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray emission probabilities. In addition to the ``natural'' assimilation path that considers analyzing probabilities jointly with cross sections to extract nuclei structural properties, this article puts forward a prescription to convert, with a good level of confidence, measured direct-reaction induced probabilities to pseudoexperimental neutron-induced cross sections. This approach is named after the SRM as extended SRM (ESRM).