Count-loss effect in determination of prompt neutron decay constant by neutron correlation methods that employ two sets of neutron counting systems

Kitamura, Yasunori*; Fukushima, Masahiro   ; Kitamura, Yasunori*

It has been taken for granted that the neutron correlation methods that employ two sets of neutron counting systems, e.g., the covariance-to-mean and the cross-correlation methods, are free from the count-loss effect for determination of the neutron decay constant. It was however found in the present study that these methods overestimate the neutron decay constant under high counting rate conditions. New formulae of these methods were hence obtained on the basis of a rigorous theoretical approach for treating the count-loss process. It is expected that the present formulae work better than conventional ones for determination of the neutron decay constant.