563 research outputs found
First results of the new n_TOF spallation target commissioning
The Neutron Time of Flight facility n_TOF located at CERN started to take data in 2001 . Due to an increase of radioactivity released in the cooling water the experiment was stopped by end of 2004 . In 2008 a new spallation target has been installed . In 2009 the collaboration has performed the full commissioning of the facility, consisting in the determination of the fluence, the beam profile, and the energy resolution of the neutron beam. After a brief description of the new target assembly, very preliminary results concerning the shape of the neutron fluence and its absolute value will be given. Measurements of the neutron beam profile will also be shown.Postprint (published version
Neutron beam imaging with micromegas detectors in combination with neutron time-of-flight at the n_tof facility at CERN
A bulk micromegas detector with the anode segmented in 2 orthogonal directions and equipped with a neutron/charged particle converter is employed at the neutron time-of-light (nTOF) facility at CERN to determine the incident neutron beam profile and beam interception factor as a function of the neutron energy determined by the time of flight. Discrepancies between experimental results and simulations in the values of the beam interception factor range up to 12 % and are to be ascribed to a defect in the mesh of the bulk. Nevertheless the detector proved to be really useful for checking the alignment of the neutron beam optics of the facility. Measurements with a new pixelized bulk detector for the determination of the beam interception factor are forseen before the end of 2012Postprint (published version
Design study for a new spallation target of the n_TOF facility at CERN
The n_TOF facility is a time of flight spectrometer dedicated to measuring neutron capture and fission cross sections. The neutron source consists on a lead target bombarded by a high energetic proton beam. After finishing a successful period of data taking by the end of 2004, it has been decided to upgrade the neutron spallation source with a cladded target. In this study, Monte Carlo simulations are reported for the assessment and comparison of the neutron and gamma fluxes from different target configurations. In addition, the plans for a second vertical measuring station with a flight path of 20 m above the spallation target have been considered in the simulations as well. Results for the energy deposition and the target heating are also presented
Measurement of the 242Pu(n,f) cross section at n_TOF
Knowledge of neutron cross sections of various plutonium isotopes and other minor actinides is crucial for the design of advanced nuclear systems. The 242Pu(n,f) cross sections were measured at the CERN n-TOF facility, taking advantage of the wide energy range (from thermal to GeV) and the high instantaneous flux of the neutron beam. In this work, preliminary results are presented along with a theoretical cross section calculation performed with the EMPIRE code. © Owned by the authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2014
New pathway to bypass the 15O waiting point
We propose the sequential reaction process
O(,)O as a new pathway to bypass of the
O waiting point. This exotic reaction is found to have a surprisingly
high cross section, approximately 10 times higher than the
O(,)O. These cross sections were calculated after
precise measurements of energies and widths of the proton-unbound F low
lying states, obtained using the H(O,p)O reaction. The large
cross section can be understood to arise from the more
efficient feeding of the low energy wing of the ground state resonance by the
gamma decay. The implications of the new reaction in novae explosions and X-ray
bursts are discussed.Comment: submitte
Study of the photon strength function of 152SM in resonance neutron capture at n-TOF
The Photon Strength Function of 152Sm has been investigated at nTOF by studying the ¿-ray spectra from resonance neutron capture of 151Sm. The experimental apparatus consisted of two C6D6 liquid scintillator detectors. The measured spectra were compared with the predictions of the DICEBOX code, for different assumptions on the Photon Stregth Functions and on the Nuclear Level Density. For a meaningful comparison, the model calculations were filtered through a detailed software replica of the experimental apparatus, performed by means of three different Monte Carlo simulations. Preliminary results indicate that a reasonable reproduction of the experimental ¿-ray spectrum is obtained by postulating the presence of a Scissors Resonance. Some hints on the most suitable models, developed in the most recent studies of the Photon Strength Functions and Nuclear Level Density, are also obtained. © 2007 Sissa Medialab Srl. All rights reserved.Postprint (published version
Probing Nuclear forces beyond the drip-line using the mirror nuclei N and F
Radioactive beams of O and O were used to populate the resonant
states 1/2, 5/2 and in the unbound F and F
nuclei respectively by means of proton elastic scattering reactions in inverse
kinematics. Based on their large proton spectroscopic factor values, the
resonant states in F can be viewed as a core of O plus a proton
in the 2s or 1d shell and a neutron in 1p. Experimental
energies were used to derive the strength of the 2s-1p and
1d-1p proton-neutron interactions. It is found that the former
changes by 40% compared with the mirror nucleus N, and the second by
10%. This apparent symmetry breaking of the nuclear force between mirror nuclei
finds explanation in the role of the large coupling to the continuum for the
states built on an proton configuration.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, 2 tables, accepted for publication as a regular
article in Physical Review
Indirect study of 19Ne states near the 18F+p threshold
The early E < 511 keV gamma-ray emission from novae depends critically on the
18F(p,a)15O reaction. Unfortunately the reaction rate of the 18F(p,a)15O
reaction is still largely uncertain due to the unknown strengths of low-lying
proton resonances near the 18F+p threshold which play an important role in the
nova temperature regime. We report here our last results concerning the study
of the d(18F,p)19F(alpha)15N transfer reaction. We show in particular that
these two low-lying resonances cannot be neglected. These results are then used
to perform a careful study of the remaining uncertainties associated to the
18F(p,a)15O and 18F(p,g)19Ne reaction rates.Comment: 18 pages, 8 figures. Accepted in Nuclear Physics
The CERN n_TOF facility: a unique tool for nuclear data measurement
The study of the resonant structures in neutron-nucleus cross-sections, and therefore of the compoundnucleus
reaction mechanism, requires spectroscopic measurements to determine with high accuracy the energy of
the neutron interacting with the material under study. To this purpose, the neutron time-of-flight facility n_TOF has
been operating since 2001 at CERN. Its characteristics, such as the high intensity instantaneous neutron flux, the
wide energy range from thermal to few GeV, and the very good energy resolution, are perfectly suited to perform highquality
measurements of neutron-induced reaction cross sections. The precise and accurate knowledge of these cross
sections plays a fundamental role in nuclear technologies, nuclear astrophysics and nuclear physics. Two different
measuring stations are available at the n_TOF facility, called EAR1 and EAR2, with different characteristics of intensity
of the neutron flux and energy resolution. These experimental areas, combined with advanced detection systems lead
to a great flexibility in performing challenging measurement of high precision and accuracy, and allow the investigation
isotopes with very low cross sections, or available only in small quantities, or with very high specific activity. The
characteristics and performances of the two experimental areas of the n_TOF facility will be presented, together with
the most important measurements performed to date and their physics case. In addition, the significant upcoming
measurements will be introduced.Postprint (published version
Measurement of the neutron capture cross section of the s-only isotope 204Pb from 1 eV to 440 keV
The neutron capture cross section of 204Pb has been measured at the CERN
n_TOF installation with high resolution in the energy range from 1 eV to 440
keV. An R-matrix analysis of the resolved resonance region, between 1 eV and
100 keV, was carried out using the SAMMY code. In the interval between 100 keV
and 440 keV we report the average capture cross section. The background in the
entire neutron energy range could be reliably determined from the measurement
of a 208Pb sample. Other systematic effects in this measurement could be
investigated and precisely corrected by means of detailed Monte Carlo
simulations. We obtain a Maxwellian average capture cross section for 204Pb at
kT=30 keV of 79(3) mb, in agreement with previous experiments. However our
cross section at kT=5 keV is about 35% larger than the values reported so far.
The implications of the new cross section for the s-process abundance
contributions in the Pb/Bi region are discussed.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, article submitted to Phys. Rev.
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