PHYSICS OF NUCLEAR REACTORS

1000
235
U (ENDFB-VI)
(n,g)
(n,f)
(n,n) elastic
Cross Section [barn]

100

10

1
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Neutron Energy [eV]
Figure 5 – neutron capture, fission and elastic scattering in 235U.
For spaced resonances the center of mass (CM) energy Ec dependence of the neutron
induced reaction cross section is given by the Breit-Wigner Single-level resonance
formula1.
Γn Γx
σ x ( E c ) = πD 2 g (1.20)
(Ec − E0 )2 + 14 Γ 2
Where E0 is the resonance energy in the CM system. The relation between the center of
mass energy Ec to the laboratory energy EL is given by :
A
Ec = EL , (1.21)
A +1
Notice that for heavy nuclei E c ≅ E L . The reduced neutron wavelength, D is given by:

h
D= , (1.22)
Mm
2 Ec
M +m

1
Bell and Glasstone, Nuclear Reactor Theory, p. 392, 1970.

Nuclear reactions and cross sections 1-10

PHYSICS OF NUCLEAR REACTORS

Where m is the neutron mass and M is the target nucleus mass. The reduced neutron
wavelength can also be written in the form:
E0
D 2 = D 20 (1.23)
Ec

Where D 0 is given by:

h2 A +1 h2
D 20 = λ2 ( E 0 ) = ≅ (1.24)
Mm Am 2 E 0
2 E0
M +m
The factor g is a statistical factor that measures the probability that a particular compound
state will form.
2J + 1
g= . (1.25)
2(2 I + 1)
Where is I the spin of the target nuclei, for a given neutron orbital angular momentum l.
The compound nucleus spin J is bound by:
I −l ± 1
2 ≤ J ≤ I + l + 12 , (1.26)

At low neutrons energies, resonances are likely to be s-wave l=0 and we get.
1⎛ 1 ⎞
g= ⎜1 ± ⎟ (1.27)
2 ⎝ 2I + 1 ⎠
The widths are noted by the Greek letter Γ. They measure the probability that the
compound nucleus will decay within a specific time. The width can also be written as

Γx = h
τ x where τx is the decay constant of the compound nucleus.
The neutron width Γn has an energy dependence of the form:

Ec
Γn (E c ) = Γn (E 0 ) , (1.28)
E0

Total width is calculated at (E0)

Γ = Γn ( E 0 ) + ∑ Γx (1.29
x

Substituting equations 1.23 and 1.28 to equation 1.20 we get

Nuclear reactions and cross sections 1-11

PHYSICS OF NUCLEAR REACTORS

Ec
Γn (E 0 ) Γx
E0 E0 E0 Γn (E 0 )Γx
σ x ( E c ) = πD 20 g = 4πD 2
g , (1.30)
E c (E c − E 0 )2 + 14 Γ 2 E c 4( E c − E 0 ) 2 + Γ 2
0

this expression can be rewritten as;

Γn (E 0 ) Γx E0 Γ2
σ x ( E c ) = 4πD 20 g . (1.31)
Γ Γ E c 4( E c − E 0 ) 2 + Γ 2

Where x could be γ for the capture cross-section or f for fission. Rearranging we can
write:

Γx E0 Γ2
σ x ( Ec ) = σ 0 , (1.32)
Γ E c 4(E c − E 0 )2 + Γ 2

where;
Γn (E 0 ) A + 1 h 2 Γn (E 0 ) 4πh 2 A + 1 gΓn (E 0 )
σ 0 = 4πD 20 g = 4π g = , (1.33)
Γ Am 2 E 0 Γ 2m E 0 A Γ
evaluating the constants we get;
2 .608 x10 6 A + 1 g Γn (E 0 )
σ0 = . (1.34)
E0 A Γ

When E0 and E are in units of eV then σ0 is in barns. The value of the cross section at the
Γx
peak of the resonance is given by σ 0 this can be easily tested by setting Ec=E0 in
Γ
equation 1.32.
The elastic neutron scattering cross section for l=0 (low energy neutrons) is given by
E0 Γ2 ⎡ Γn 4(E − E 0 ) R ⎤
σ s ( Ec ) = σ 0 2 ⎢
+ + 4πR 2 (1.35)
E 4( E − E 0 ) + Γ ⎣ Γ
2
Γ D ⎥⎦
1
Where R is effective radius of the nucleus ( R ≈ 1.25 × 10 −13 A 3 cm). The last term in
equation 1.35 is the potential scattering and it represents the scattering cross section
between the resonances. In light nuclei the potential scattering is dominant.

Nuclear reactions and cross sections 1-12

PHYSICS OF NUCLEAR REACTORS

Example
Calculate the scattering cross section at the peak of the 36.67 eV resonance in 238U.
Γn
At the peak of the resonance, the scattering cross section is σ s = σ 0 + 4πR 2 we can
Γ
get all the resonance parameters from http://www.nndc.bnl.gov/nndc/endf/.
Γγ=2.28900 x10-2 eV
Γn=3.413000x10-2 eV
J=0.5, I=0 then g=1
2.608 x10 6 A + 1 gΓn (E 0 ) 2.608 x10 6 239 0.03413
σ0 = = = 42749.1 barn
E0 A Γ 36.67 238 0.03413 + 0.02289
The peak scattering cross section is then given by

σ s (36.67 ) = 42749.1
0.03413
0.03413 + 0.02289
( 1
+ 4π 1.25 × 10 −13 238 3 ) ×10
2
24
= 25588 + 7.5 barn

This is a very large cross-section.

Nuclear reactions and cross sections 1-13