Employing TALYS to deduce angular momentum rootmean-square values, J(rms), in fission fragments

Fission fragments exhibit large angular momenta J, which constitutes a challenge for fission models to fully explain. Systematic measurements of isomeric yield ratios (IYR) are needed for basic nuclear reaction physics and nuclear applications, especially as a function of mass number and excitation energy. One goal is to improve the current understanding of the angular momentum generation and sharing in the fission process. To do so, one needs to improve the modeling of nuclear de-excitation. In this work, we have used the TALYS nuclear-reaction code to relax excited fission fragments and to extract root-mean-square (rms) values of initial spin distributions, after comparison with experimentally determined IYRs. The method was assessed by a comparative study on Cf-252(sf) and (235)(nth,f). The results show a consistent performance of TALYS, both in comparison to reported literature values and to other fission codes. A few discrepant Jrms values were also found. The discrepant literature values could need a second consideration as they could possibly be caused by outdated models. Our TALYS method will be refined to better comply with contemporary sophisticated models and to reexamine older deduced values in literature

Extraction of angular momenta from isomeric yield ratios : Employing TALYS to de-excite primary fission fragments

The generation of angular momentum in fission is difficult to model, in particular at higher excitation energies where data are scarce. Isomeric yield ratios (IYR) play an important role in deducing angular momentum properties of fission fragments (FF), albeit this requires some assumptions and simplifications. To estimate FF angular momentum, fission codes can be used to calculate IYRs and compare them to experimental data. Such measurements have systematically been performed at the IGISOL facility using novel experimental techniques. In conjunction, a new method has been developed to infer the angular momentum of the primary FF using the nuclear reaction code TALYS. In this work, we evaluate this new method by comparing our TALYS calculations with values found in the literature and with results from the GEF fission code, for a few well-studied reactions. The overall results show a consistent performance of TALYS and GEF, as well as of many reported literature values. However, some deviations were found, possibly pinpointing the need to re-examine some of the reported literature values. A sensitivity analysis was also performed, in which the role of excitation energy, neutron emission, discrete level structure and level density models were studied. Finally, the role of multiple chance fission, of relevance for the reactions studied at IGISOL, is discussed. Some literature data for this reaction were also re-analyzed using TALYS, revealing significant differences

Simulated production rates of exotic nuclei from the ion guide for neutron-induced fission at IGISOL

An investigation of the stopping efficiency of fission products, in the new ion guide designed for ion production through neutron-induced fission at IGISOL in Jyväskylä, Finland, has been conducted. Our simulations take into account the new neutron converter, enabling measurements of neutron-induced fission yields, and thereby provide estimates of the obtained yields as a function of primary proton beam current. Different geometries, targets, and pressures, as well as models for the effective charge of the stopped ions were tested, and optimisations to the setup for higher yields are suggested. The predicted number of ions stopped in the gas lets us estimate the survival probability of the ions reaching the downstream measurements stations

A methodology for the intercomparison of nuclear fission codes using TALYS

Codes for the calculation of fission observables are frequently used to describe experimentally observed phenomena as well as provide predictions in cases where measurements are missing. Assumptions in the models, and tuning of parameters within the codes, often result in a good reproduction of experimental data. In this work we propose a methodology, coded in the newly developed program DELFIN (De-Excitation of FIssion fragmeNts), that can be used to compare some of the assumptions of the various models. Our code makes use of the fission fragments information after scission and processes them in an independent and consistent fashion to obtain measurable fission observables (such as ν(A) distributions and Isomeric Fission Yield ratios). All the available information from the models, such as fragments' excitation energies, spin distributions and yields are provided as input to DELFIN that uses the nuclear reaction code TALYS to handle the de-excitation of the fission fragments. In this way we decouple the fragments relaxation from the actual fission models. We report here the first results of a comparison carried out on the GEF, Point-by-Point and FREYA models for thermal fission of 235U and 239Pu and spontaneous fission of 252Cf

A methodology for the intercomparison of nuclear fission codes using TALYS

Codes for the calculation of fission observables are frequently used to describe experimentally observed phenomena as well as provide predictions in cases where measurements are missing. Assumptions in the models, and tuning of parameters within the codes, often result in a good reproduction of experimental data. In this work we propose a methodology, coded in the newly developed program DELFIN (De-Excitation of FIssion fragmeNts), that can be used to compare some of the assumptions of the various models. Our code makes use of the fission fragments information after scission and processes them in an independent and consistent fashion to obtain measurable fission observables (such as ν(A) distributions and Isomeric Fission Yield ratios). All the available information from the models, such as fragments' excitation energies, spin distributions and yields are provided as input to DELFIN that uses the nuclear reaction code TALYS to handle the de-excitation of the fission fragments. In this way we decouple the fragments relaxation from the actual fission models. We report here the first results of a comparison carried out on the GEF, Point-by-Point and FREYA models for thermal fission of 235U and 239Pu and spontaneous fission of 252Cf

Accurate FissiOn data for Nuclear Safety (AlFONS) : Final Report

AlFON

New design and simulation of the ion guide for neutron-induced fission products at the IGISOL facility

Measurements of independent fission yield distributions in neutron-induced fission at high neutron energies are important for our fundamental understanding of the fission process, and are also relevant for reactor physics applications. So far, measurements of independent fission yields in proton-induced fission have been performed at the IGISOL facility at the University of Jyväskylä, using the Penning trap as a high resolving-power mass-filter. In order to also facilitate measurements of neutron-induced fission, a dedicated ion guide and a proton-to-neutron converter was developed. However, the first measurement indicates that fewer fission products than expected reach the Penning trap. To explore potential reasons and possible improvements, a simulation model was also developed and benchmarked. The benchmark showed that the model is able to reproduce the performance of the ion guide remarkably well and that the main reason for the low yield of fission products is the low collection efficiency of the ion guide. Based on the benchmark, a new ion guide is being designed. In the new design, the positions of the uranium targets and volume of the ion guide have been changed to increase the collection of fission products. This results in a five-fold increase of the yield. However, the collection efficiency of the new ion guide still needs to be improved in order to achieve intensities of the extracted fission products that are large enough to allow for reasonable measurement times. Because the volume of the ion guide is increased significantly, the extraction time of the ions is expected to be longer than that from the previous ion guide. Therefore, an electric field guidance system that consists of a combination of a stationary electric field and an RF-carpet is considered to be deployed. The stationary field, produced from a set of DC-ring electrodes, accelerates the ions towards the RF-carpet at end plate of the ion guide. The RF-carpet consists of a time-dependent field, produced from a radio-frequent structure of concentric rings, with a DC-component that guides the ions towards the exit hole in the center of the end plate. In this paper we present the current status of the simulations and design of the new ion guide