Integral experiment of I(n, ) using fast neutron source in the "YAYOI" reactor

Nakamura, Shoji; Toh, Yosuke; Kimura, Atsushi; Hatsukawa, Yuichi*; Harada, Hideo

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 59(7), p.851 - 865, 2022/07

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2021.2011794

The present study performed integral experiments of I using a fast-neutron source reactor "YAYOI" of the University of Tokyo to validate evaluated nuclear data libraries. The iodine-129 sample and flux monitors were irradiated by fast neutrons in the Glory hole of the YAYOI reactor. Reaction rates of I were obtained by measurement of decay gamma-rays emitted from I. The validity of the fast-neutron flux spectrum in the Glory hole was confirmed by the ratios of the reaction rates of flux monitors. The experimental reaction rate of I was compared with that calculated with both the fast-neutron flux spectrum and evaluated nuclear data libraries. The present study revealed that the evaluated nuclear data of I cited in JENDL-4.0 should be reduced as much as 18% in neutron energies ranging from 10 keV to 3 MeV, and supported the reported data by Noguere below 100 keV.

Bias effects on g- and s-factors in Westcott convention

Harada, Hideo

Applied Sciences (Internet), 11(14), p.6558_1 - 6558_20, 2021/07

https://doi.org/10.3390/app11146558

For accuracy improvement of neutron activation analysis and neutron capture cross section, bias effects are investigated on g- and s-factors in the Westcott convention. As origins of biases, a joining function shape, neutron temperature and sample temperature, have been investigated. Biases are quantitatively deduced for two 1/v isotopes (Au, Co) and six non-1/v isotopes (Am, Eu, Rh, In, Hf, Ra). The s-factor calculated with a joining function deduced recently by a detailed Monte Carlo simulation is compared to s-factors calculated with traditional joining functions by Westcott. The results show the bias induced by sample temperature is small as the order of 0.1% for g-factor and the order of 1% for s-factor. On the other hand, biases induced by a joining function shape for s-factor depend significantly on both isotopes and neutron temperature. As the result, reaction rates are also affected significantly as well. The bias size on reaction rate is given in the case of epithermal neutron index r = 0.1, for the eight isotopes.

Tackling discrepancy of data; Looking back at international cooperation on data evaluation

Harada, Hideo

Kaku Deta Nyusu (Internet), (129), p.35 - 43, 2021/06

http://www.aesj.or.jp/~ndd/ndnews/pdf129/No129-05.pdf

This paper explained the activities of the International Nuclear Data Evaluation Co-operation (WPEC)'s subgroup SG-41, which was carried out to improve the accuracy of nuclear data. In this paper, by focusing on how to deal with discrepant data, the method of deriving recommended values from multiple measurement results was reviewed. It also explained how to derive the recommended values, including exercises.

HPRL; International cooperation to identify and monitor priority nuclear data needs for nuclear applications

Dupont, E.*; Bossant, M.*; Capote, R.*; Carlson, A. D.*; Danon, Y.*; Fleming, M.*; Ge, Z.*; Harada, Hideo; Iwamoto, Osamu; Iwamoto, Nobuyuki; et al.

EPJ Web of Conferences, 239, p.15005_1 - 15005_4, 2020/09

https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202023915005

A New convention for the epithermal neutron spectrum for improving accuracy of resonance integrals

Harada, Hideo; Takayama, Naoki; Komeda, Masao

Journal of Physics Communications (Internet), 4(8), p.085004_1 - 085004_17, 2020/08

https://doi.org/10.1088/2399-6528/aba735

A new convention of epithermal neutron spectrum is formulated for improving accuracy of resonance integrals. The new type function is proposed as an approximating function of epithermal neutron spectrum based on calculations by the state-of-art Monte Carlo code MVP-3. Bias effects on determination of resonance integrals due to utilizing approximating functions of the traditional types and the new type are compared. The other bias effect is also investigated, which is caused by neglecting position dependence of a neutron spectrum inside an irradiation capsule. For demonstrating the bias effects due to these assumptions on neutron spectrum quantitatively in a practical case, the thermal neutron-capture cross section and resonance integral of Cs measured at a research reactor JRR-3 are re-evaluated. A superior property of the proposed new convention is discussed. The experimental method is proposed to determine the new shape factor introduced in the convention by a combinational use of triple flux monitors (Au, Co and Zr), and its analytical methodology is formulated.

Measurement of the U(n, f) cross section relative to the Li(n, t) and B(n, ) standards from thermal to 170 keV neutron energy range at n_TOF

Amaducci, S.*; Harada, Hideo; Kimura, Atsushi; 118 of others*

European Physical Journal A, 55(7), p.120_1 - 120_19, 2019/07

https://doi.org/10.1140/epja/i2019-12802-7

The U(n, f) cross section was measured at n_TOF relative to Li(n, t) and B(n, ), in a wide energy range (25 meV170 keV) with 1.5% systematic uncertainty, making use of a stack of six samples and six silicon detectors placed in the neutron beam. The present results indicate that the cross section in the 918 keV neutron energy range is indeed overestimated by almost 5% in the recently released evaluated data files ENDF/B-VIII.0 and JEFF3.3. Furthermore, these new high-resolution data confirm the existence of resonance-like structures in the keV neutron energy region. From the present data, a value of 249.71.4(stat)0.94(syst) b eV has been extracted for the cross section integral between 7.8 and 11 eV, confirming the value of 247.53 b eV recently established as a standard.

Measurements of the Am neutron capture and total cross sections with ANNRI at J-PARC

Kimura, Atsushi; Nakamura, Shoji; Terada, Kazushi*; Nakao, Taro*; Mizuyama, Kazuhito*; Iwamoto, Nobuyuki; Iwamoto, Osamu; Harada, Hideo; Katabuchi, Tatsuya*; Igashira, Masayuki*; et al.

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 56(6), p.479 - 492, 2019/06

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2019.1598508

Cross section measurements of Gd(n,) induced by thermal and epithermal neutrons

Mastromarco, M.*; Manna, A.*; Aberle, O.*; Andrzejewski, J.*; Harada, Hideo; Kimura, Atsushi; n_TOF Collaboration*; 116 of others*

European Physical Journal A, 55(1), p.9_1 - 9_20, 2019/01

https://doi.org/10.1140/epja/i2019-12692-7

Measurements of neutron total and capture cross sections of Am with ANNRI at J-PARC

Terada, Kazushi*; Kimura, Atsushi; Nakao, Taro*; Nakamura, Shoji; Mizuyama, Kazuhito*; Iwamoto, Nobuyuki; Iwamoto, Osamu; Harada, Hideo; Katabuchi, Tatsuya*; Igashira, Masayuki*; et al.

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 55(10), p.1198 - 1211, 2018/10

AA2017-0628.pdf:2.06MB

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2018.1485519

Systematic effects on cross section data derived from reaction rates in reactor spectra and a re-analysis of Am reactor activation measurements

erovnik, G.*; Schillebeeckx, P.*; Becker, B.*; Fiorito, L.*; Harada, Hideo; Kopecky, S.*; Radulovic, V.*; Sano, Tadafumi*

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 877, p.300 - 313, 2018/01

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2017.09.064

Methodologies to derive cross section data from spectrum integrated reaction rates were studied. The Westcott convention and some of its approximations were considered. The accuracy of the results strongly depends on the assumptions that are made about the neutron energy distribution, which is mostly parameterised as a sum of a thermal and an epi-thermal component. Resonance integrals derived from such data can be strongly biased. When the energy dependence of the cross section is known and information about the neutron energy distribution is available, a method to correct for a bias on the cross section at thermal energy is proposed. Reactor activation measurements to determine the thermal Am(n, ) cross section reported in the literature were reviewed, where the results were corrected to account for possible biases. These data combined with results of time-of-flight measurements give a capture cross section 720 (14) b for Am(n, ) at thermal energy.