Nuclear reaction cross sections are important for a variety of applications in the areas of astrophysics, nuclear energy, and national security. When these cross sections cannot be measured directly or predicted reliably, it becomes necessary to develop indirect methods for determining the relevant reaction rates. The surrogate nuclear reactions approach is such an indirect method. First used in the 1970s for estimating ðn; fÞ cross sections, the method has recently been recognized as a potentially powerful tool for a wide range of applications that involve compound-nuclear reactions. The method is expected to become an important focus of inverse-kinematics experiments at rareisotope facilities. The present paper reviews the current status of the surrogate approach. Experimental techniques employed and theoretical descriptions of the reaction mechanisms involved are presented and representative cross section measurements are discussed.

Compound-nuclear reaction cross sections from surrogate measurements

In the last two decades, through technological, experimental and theoretical advances, the situation in experimental fission studies has changed dramatically. With the use of advanced production and detection techniques both much more detailed and precise information can now be obtained for the traditional regions of fission research and, crucially, new regions of nuclei have become routinely accessible for fission studies. This work first of all reviews the recent developments in experimental fission techniques, in particular the resurgence of transfer-induced fission reactions with light and heavy ions, the emerging use of inverse-kinematic approaches, both at Coulomb and relativistic energies, and of fission studies with radioactive beams. The emphasis on the fission-fragment mass and charge distributions will be made in this work, though some of the other fission observables, such as prompt neutron and γ-ray emission will also be reviewed. A particular attention will be given to the low-energy fission in the so far scarcely explored nuclei in the very neutron-deficient lead region. They recently became the focus for several complementary experimental studies, such as β-delayed fission with radioactive beams at ISOLDE(CERN), Coulex-induced fission of relativistic secondary beams at FRS(GSI), and several prompt fusion-fission studies. The synergy of these approaches allows a unique insight in the new region of asymmetric fission around 180Hg, recently discovered at ISOLDE. Recent extensive theoretical efforts in this region will also be outlined. The unprecedented high-quality data for fission fragments, completely identified in Z and A, by means of reactions in inverse kinematics at FRS(GSI) and VAMOS(GANIL) will be also reviewed. These experiments explored an extended range of mercury-to-californium elements, spanning from the neutron-deficient to neutron-rich nuclides, and covering both asymmetric, symmetric and transitional fission regions. Some aspects of heavy-ion induced fusion-fission and quasifission reactions will be also discussed, which reveal their dynamical features, such as the fission time scale. The crucial role of the multi-chance fission, probed by means of multinucleon-transfer induced fission reactions, will be highlighted. The review will conclude with the discussion of the new experimental fission facilities which are presently being brought into operation, along with promising 'next-generation' fission approaches, which might become available within the next decade.

/pdf/nuclear-fission-a-review-of-experimental-advances-and-1el0tcg7me.pdf

Nuclear fission: a review of experimental advances and phenomenology.

The validity of the Surrogate Ratio method for determining (n,f) cross sections for actinide nuclei is examined. This method relates the ratio of two compound-nucleus reaction cross sections to a ratio of coincidence events from two measurements in which the same compound nuclei are formed via a direct reaction. With certain assumptions, the method allows one of the cross sections to be inferred if the other is known. We develop a nuclear reaction-model simulation to investigate whether the assumptions underlying the Ratio approach are valid and employ these simulations to assess whether the cross sections obtained indirectly by applying a Ratio analysis agree with the expected results. In particular, we simulate Surrogate experiments that allow us to determine fission cross sections for selected actinide nuclei. The nuclei studied, {sup 233}U and {sup 235}U, are very similar to those considered in recent Surrogate experiments. We find that in favorable cases the Ratio method provides useful estimates of the desired cross sections, and we discuss some of the limitations of the approach.

/pdf/determining-n-f-cross-sections-for-actinide-nuclei-oqmbu2bf3e.pdf

Determining (n,f) cross sections for actinide nuclei indirectly: Examination of the surrogate ratio method

Neutron-induced fission cross sections of short-lived actinides with the surrogate reaction method

Motivated by the renewed interest in the surrogate nuclear reactions approach, an indirect method for determining compound-nuclear reaction cross sections, the prospects for determining ($n,\ensuremath{\gamma}$) cross sections for deformed rare-earth and actinide nuclei are investigated. A nuclear reaction model is employed to simulate physical quantities that are typically measured in surrogate experiments and used to assess the validity of the Weisskopf-Ewing and ratio approximations, which are typically employed in the analysis of surrogate reactions. The expected accuracy of ($n,\ensuremath{\gamma}$) cross sections extracted from typical surrogate measurements is discussed and limitations of the approximate methods are illustrated. Suggestions for moving beyond presently employed approximations are made.

Cross sections for neutron capture from surrogate measurements: An examination of Weisskopf-Ewing and ratio approximations

Determination of the 233 Pa(n, f) reaction cross section from 0.5 to 10 MeV neutron energy using the transfer reaction 232 Th( 3 He, p) 234 Pa

Determination of neutron-capture cross sections of short-lived nuclei is opening the way to understand and clarify the properties of many nuclei of interest for nuclear structure physics, nuclear astrophysics and particularly for transmutation of nuclear wastes. The surrogate approach is well-recognized as a potentially very useful method to extract neutron cross sections for low-energy compound-nuclear reactions and to overcome the difficulties related to the target radioactivity. In this work we will assess where we stand on these neutron-capture cross section measurements and how we can achieve the short-lived Minor Actinides nuclei involved in the nuclear fuel cycle. The CENBG collaboration applied the surrogate method to determine the neutron-capture cross section of 233 Pa (T 1/2 = 27 d). The 233 Pa (n,γ ) cross section is then deduced from the measured gamma decay probability of 234 Pa compound nucleus formed via the surrogate 232 Th (3 He ,p) reaction channel. The obtained cross section data, covering the neutron energy range 0.1 to 1 MeV, have been compared with the predictions of the Hauser-Feshbach statistical model. The importance of establishing benchmarks is stressed for the minor actinides region. However, the lack of desired targets led us to propose recently the 174 Yb (3 He ,pγ ) reaction as a surrogate reaction for the (n,γ ) predetermined benchmark cross section of 175 Lu. An overview of the experimental setup combining gamma ray detectors such as Ge and C6D6 in coincidence with light charged particles Δ E-E Telescopes will be presented and preliminary results will be discussed.

/pdf/neutron-induced-fission-cross-sections-of-short-lived-2a7m3zibuh.pdf

Y. Lecoz

Papers

Determination of the 233 Pa(n, f) reaction cross section from 0.5 to 10 MeV neutron energy using the transfer reaction 232 Th( 3 He, p) 234 Pa

Neutron-induced fission cross sections of short-lived actinides with the surrogate reaction method