Significance of Covariance Matrices in Nuclear Data Evaluation

Tritium decontamination using ultra violet (UV) lamp and laser was performed. Simulated co-deposited layer on tungsten substrate was deposited by C₂H₂ or C₂D₂ glow discharge. The co-deposited layer was irradiated to UV lights from a xenon excimer lamp (172 nm) or ArF excimer laser (193 nm) and the in-situ decontamination behavior was evaluated by a mass spectrometer. After the UV irradiation, the hydrogen concentration in the co-deposited layer was evaluated by elastic recoil detection analysis (ERDA) and the depth profile was analyzed by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS).

For the co-deposited layer formed by C₂D₂ glow discharge, it was found that M/e 3 (HD) gas was released mainly during the UV lamp irradiation while both M/e 3 (HD) and M/e 4 (D₂) gases were detected during the UV laser irradiation. Though the co-deposited layer was not removed by UV lamp irradiation, almost all the co-deposited layer was removed by UV laser irradiation within 1 min. The ratio of hydrogen against carbon in the co-deposited layer was estimated to be 0.53 by ERDA and the number of photon needed for removing 1 fim thick co-deposited layer was calculated to be 3.7×10¹⁸ cm^-2 for the UV laser by SIMS measurement. It is concluded that C-H (C-D) bond on the co-deposited layer were dissociated by irradiation of UV lamp while the co-deposited layer itself was removed by the UV laser irradiation.     

New Evaluation of Neutron Nuclear Data for Zinc Isotopes

New evaluation of neutron-induced nuclear data for five stable isotopes of zinc (mass numbers A = 64, 66, 67, 68, and 70) was consistently carried out in the incident neutron energy range from 10^?5 eV up to 20MeV. In the low energy region up to about 100keV, the resonance parameters were evaluated by taking account of the available measured data. In the fast neutron region, the comprehensive calculations with nuclear reaction models, in which compound, preequilibrium, and direct processes are taken into account, were performed to estimate cross sections for various reactions and double differential cross sections of emitted neutrons and γ-rays. The comparisons of the evaluated cross sections with the experimental data and existing evaluated nuclear data libraries are made and show a good agreement with the measurements.     

Neutron Nuclear Data Evaluation for Thorium-232

An evaluation was made on the neutron cross sections, resonance parameters and average neutron yield in fission for ²³²Th in the energy range from thermal energy to 20 MeV. The fission and capture cross sections were evaluated on the basis of the experimental data by converting the relative ratio data into cross section values by making use of recent evaluations for reference cross sections. The total cross section was determined from experimental data in the region from 24 keV to 15 MeV and then extrapolated to lower and higher energies by using the optical model whose parameters had been adjusted as so to reproduce the measured data. The elastic and inelastic scattering, (n, 2n) and (n, 3n) reaction cross sections were calculated by means of the statistical model combined with the optical model. A set of resonance parameters were recommended in the energy range below 3.5 keV and average resonance parameters were deduced in the unresolved resonance region. A value of 7.40 b was chosen for the capture cross section at 0.025 eV, and the picket-fence negative-energy levels were introduced so as to reproduce the non-l/v behavior of the capture cross section in the epithermal region.

The results were incorporated in the Japanese Evaluated Nuclear Data Library, Version 2 (JENDL-2). Comparison was made between the present and other evaluations such as ENDF/B-V and possible reasons for the discrepancy were discussed.     

Evaluation of Neutron Nuclear Data for Sodium-23

Neutron nuclear data of ²³Na have been evaluated in the neutron energy region up to 20 MeV. Evaluated are the elastic and inelastic scattering, capture, (n, 2n), (n, p), (n, α), (n, np), (n, nα) reaction and γ-ray production cross sections, and the angular and energy distributions of neutrons and γ-rays. The evaluation is mainly based on nuclear model calculations. The pre-equilibrium and direct-reaction processes were taken into account in addition to the compound process. The evaluated data have been compiled into the latest version of JENDL, JENDL-3.3.     

Evaluation of Neutron Nuclear Data for Uranium-233

Neutron nuclear data of ²³³U have been evaluated in the energy range from 10-⁵ eV to 20 MeV. Evaluated quantities are the total, fission, capture, elastic and inelastic scattering, (n,2n) and (n,3n) reaction cross sections, and the average numbers of prompt and delayed neutrons emitted per fission. The thermal and resonance cross sections have been evaluated on the basis of the measured data. The resolved resonance parameters are given up to 100 eV and the unresolved resonance parameters between 100 eV and 30keV. The total and fission cross sections have been evaluated in the higher energy region on the basis of the recently measured data, while the theoretical calculation with the optical, statistical and evaporation models has been used for evaluation of the other cross sections. The presently adopted optical potential parameters have reproduced well the experimental total cross section in the entire energy range as well as the measured data of the s-wave strength function. The structure observed in the vp values below 1 MeV is reproduced by the semi-empirical formula based on the fission fragment kinematics. The presently evaluated fission cross section is considerably lower than that of ENDF/B-IV between 10 and 50keV. This low fission cross section is expected to resolve the ^Keff discrepancy pointed out from the benchmark tests in ²³³U critical assemblies.     

Evaluation of Neutron Nuclear Data for Mercury

Neutron nuclear data of stable mercury isotopes (¹⁹⁶Hg, ¹⁹⁸Hg, ¹⁹⁹Hg, ²⁰⁰Hg, ²⁰¹Hg, ²⁰²Hg and ²⁰⁴Hg) have been evaluated in the energy range of 10^?5eV–20MeV. Evaluated quantities are the total, elastic and inelastic scattering, capture, (n, 2n), (n, 3n), (n, p), (n, d), (n, α), (n, np), (n, nα) reaction and γ-ray production cross sections, the resonance parameters, and the angular and energy distributions of emitted neutrons and γ-rays. The evaluation is mainly based on nuclear reaction model calculations. Statistical-model calculation played a significant role in the determination of the reaction cross sections. The evaluated data have been compiled in the ENDF-6 format, and are used for the design study of a mercury target system proposed at the Neutron Science Research Center, Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute.     

A Method Using Nuclear Emulsions for Measuring the Anisotropy of Fast Neutron Fluxes due to Arrangement of Fast Core Cell

Measurements using nuclear emulsions have been made on the neutron spectra and on the fine structure of neutron fluxes in the cell of the I-4 core of the fast critical assembly at the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute. The I-4 core is a graphite-diluted fast core with 3:1 volume ratio of 20% enriched metallic uranium and graphite. The nuclear emulsions were irradiated in two typical patterns of arrangement of the cell (systems with graphite plates (a) bunched and (b) distributed among fuel plates).

For the distributed graphite plate system a marked discrepancy was found between the direct measurements and calculations based on the Monte Carlo method. This is attributed to anisotropy in the incident neutron flux due to the parallel plate arrangement of the simulated materials. It is concluded that Reines' formula requires correction to amount for such anisotropy, even when the emulsions are irradiated at the core center. A simple method for treating this anisotropy is proposed for use in fine structure analysis. The method utilizes, in part, the calculated results.     

Estimate of (n,p) Cross Section for Unstable Nuclide 60Co by Multi-Step Hauser-Feshbach Model with Pre-Equilibrium Correction

Abstract

The cross section of the (n, p) reaction for unstable target nuclide ⁶⁰Co was estimated by a multi-step Hauser-Feshbach model code with pre-equilibrium correction. Parameters used in the model calculations were determined from the fitting of the cross sections to existing experimental data of (n, p), (n, α) and (n, 2n) cross sections and particle emission spectra for the adjacent stable nuclide ⁵⁹Co. The present result for ⁶⁰Co(n, p)⁶⁰Fe was compared with the values estimated from semi-empirical formulae around 14 MeV, The prediction accuracy of the present calculation is considered to satisfy the requirement for the fusion reactor applications. The theoretical model calculations with a reliable parameter set are recommended rather than the semi-empirical formulae for the important activation cross sections of exotic target nuclei including unstable ones.