A NEW EMPIRICAL RULE FOR THE PREDICTION OF AROUND 14 MeV NEUTRON REACTION CROSS SECTIONS


O. Horibe

Department of Reactor Engineering, Kinki University, Higashiosaka, 577, Japan

H. Chatani

Research Reactor Institute, Kyoto University, Kumatori-cho, Osaka, 590-04, Japan

A formula with which we can predict the values of the (n,p), (n,α) and (n,2n) reaction cross sections at around 14 MeV is found as an extension of the empirical rule by Horibe for the U-235 fission neutron spectrum averaged cross sections. The grouping of experimental data according to the neutron excess number of target nuclei is essential. Cross sections thus obtained are particularly in good agreement with the experimental ones on light nuclei.

KEYWORDS: 14 MeV neutron, cross section, prediction, empirical formula, neutron excess number