EPJ Web of Conferences 21, 08004 (2012)
https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/20122108004

Analysis of the (n,f) Reaction in the Plutonium Isotopes

¹ Physics Studies Laboratory, CEA, DEN, DER, SPRC, Cadarache, F-13108 Saint-Paul-lez-Durance.
² T-2 Nuclear Theory Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA.

^a e-mail: olivier.bouland@cea.fr

Abstract

This paper describes the modified Hauser-Feshbach formalism used to compute accurately fission cross sections for low-energy neutrons (from a few keV up to 5.5 MeV) in presence of intermediate structure in the second well. Application to the large plutonium isotope family (236 to 244) has been made with in particular reliable predictions of the cross sections of the short-lived nuclides. Special attention is paid to the choice of the model parameters entering in the calculations.