Proton-induced activation cross section measurement for aluminum with proton energy range from 0.4 to 3 GeV at J-PARC

Matsuda, Hiroki; Meigo, Shinichiro; Iwamoto, Hiroki

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 55(8), p.955 - 961, 2018/08

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2018.1461694

We have started an experimental program to measure activation cross sections systematically in the proton-induced spallation reaction in structural materials commonly used in high-intensity proton accelerator-based facilities, such as Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC). As the first step of the program, aluminum (Al) was chosen to verify the adequacy of the measurement technique implemented in a J-PARC proton beam environment because data of Al have been relatively well studied both by experimental measurement and simulation. Activation cross sections of Be, Na, and Na in Al were measured at proton energy points from 0.4, 1.3, 2.2 to 3.0 GeV, which could be delivered smoothly from the synchrotron. The validity of experimental data has been verified by introducing an effective proton numbers determination procedure. We compared the measured data with existing experimental data, the evaluated data (JENDL-HE/2007), and the calculations with several intra-nuclear cascade models by the Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code System (PHITS) code. Although the experimental data agreed with JENDL-HE/2007, the calculations underestimated about 40%. This could come from the evaporation model (generalized evaporation model) being implemented in the PHITS code. We found that the calculations agreed with the experimental data by an upgraded PHITS code.