RIPL – Reference Input Parameter Library for Calculation of Nuclear Reactions and Nuclear Data Evaluations

▪ Abstract The experimental extraction of detailed barrier distributions has brought a significant advance in the study of the fusion of heavy nuclei, and indeed in the entire heavy-ion reaction process. A quantitative understanding of the entrance-channel effects induced by target and projectile structure has emerged, based on recent high-precision measurements of fusion excitation functions. These distributions show clearly whether the experimental data are good enough to give the information required. They are also the functions best suited to the theoretical interpretation of the reaction dynamics—often presenting an unambiguous “fingerprint” of the target and projectile structure. We are now at the stage where we can start to exploit the insights gained in order to understand properties of the compound nucleus created: its spin distribution and evaporation residues, perhaps its possible shapes, and, in the case of heavy systems, its subsequent fission.

Measuring barriers to fusion

Langevin description of fusion, deep-inelastic collisions and heavy-ion-induced fission

Quasi-fission — The mass-drift mode in heavy-ion reactions

A level density formula that takes into account the smoothed volume, surface and curvature dependence of the single particle level density at the Fermi surface using the results of Balian and Bloch, is shown to be compatible with the level spacings found in neutron resonance data if complemented by a simple Ansatz for shell effects (due to Ignatyuk) and pairing effects. The three parameters involved, a scaling parameter, a shell damping energy and a pairing energy shift are compatible, respectively, with known nuclear radii, microscopic level density calculations and odd-even mass fluctuations. At excitation energies on the order of the neutron binding energy no evidence for an absolute level density problem or a different behaviour of level densities (collective contributions) for deformed nuclei as opposed to spherical nuclei is found. The proposed level density formula allows to calculate a priori macroscopic ratios of level densities, e.g. at the groundstate and at the saddle point, removing this important parameter from the analysis of fissionability data. As a first application, the fissionability of a number of actinide nuclei at excitation energies a few MeV above the fission barrier is analysed.

John R. Huizenga

Papers

Nuclear Fission