Advanced nuclear data for radiation-damage calculations

Accurate calculations of atomic displacement damage in materials exposed to neutrons require detailed spectra for primary recoil nuclei. Such data are not available from direct experimental measurements. Moreover, they cannot always be computed accurately starting from evaluated nuclear data libraries such as ENDF/B-V that were developed primarily for neutron transport applications, because these libraries lack detailed energy-and-angle distributions for outgoing charged particles. Fortunately, a new generation of nuclear model codes is now available that can be used to fill in the missing spectra. One example is the preequilibrium statistical-model code GNASH. For heating and damage applications, a supplementary code called RECOIL has been developed. RECOIL uses detailed reaction data from GNASH, together with angular distributions based on Kalbach-Mann systematics to compute the energy and angle distributions of recoil nuclei. The energy-angle distributions for recoil nuclei and outgoing particles are written out in the new ENDF/B File 6 format. The result is a complete set of nuclear data that can be used to calculate displacement-energy production, heat production, gas production, transmutation, and activation. Sample results for iron are given and compared to the results of conventional damage models such as those used in NJOY

Average neutronic properties of prompt fission products

Calculations of the average neutronic properties of the ensemble of fission products producted by fast-neutron fission of /sup 235/U and /sup 239/Pu, where the properties are determined before the first beta decay of any of the fragments, are described. For each case we approximate the ensemble by a weighted average over 10 selected nuclides, whose properties we calculate using nuclear-model parameters deduced from the systematic properties of other isotopes of the same elements as the fission fragments. The calculations were performed primarily with the COMNUC and GNASH statistical-model codes. The results, available in ENDF/B format, include cross sections, angular distributions of neutrons, and spectra of neutrons and photons, for incident-neutron energies between 10/sup -5/ eV and 20 MeV. Over most of this energy range, we find that the capture cross section of /sup 239/Pu fission fragments is systematically a factor of two to five greater than for /sup 235/U fission fragments

The decision to opt for abortion

Key message points - Most women reach a decision to have an abortion rapidly. - Most women have reached their decision before the consultation with the abortion provider. - Certain women who have risk factors for post-abortion psychological reactions should be targeted and offered counselling. - Pregnancy options counselling should not be mandatory. - 'Cooling-off' periods lead to abortions at later gestation