Status of the Neutron Cross-Section Standards Database

• Main Authors: Hambsch, Franz-Josef, Carlson, Allan D, Vonach, Herbert
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Subjects: ALPHA PARTICLES; BORON 10; COORDINATED RESEARCH PROGRAMS; CROSS SECTIONS; DATA BASE MANAGEMENT; EVALUATION; FISSION; GAMMA RADIATION; GOLD; HELIUM 3; LITHIUM 6; MEV RANGE; NEUTRON REACTIONS; NUCLEAR DATA COLLECTIONS; NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS; URANIUM 235; URANIUM 238
• ISSN: 0094-243X; 1551-7616
• DOI: 10.1063/1.1945133

A new evaluation of the neutron cross-section standards is now underway. This evaluation has been supported by the Working Party on International Evaluation Cooperation (WPEC), the Cross Section Evaluation Working Group (CSEWG), and an International Atomic Energy Agency Coordinated Research Program (CRP). The CRP has had the dominant role in producing these evaluations. An important goal is to produce the standards needed for the upcoming new ENDF/B-VII library. Since most neutron cross-section measurements are made relative to neutron cross-section standards, the standards evaluation is of crucial importance. The standard reactions to be evaluated are: H(n,n), 3He(n,p), 6Li(n,t), 10B(n,), 10B(n,1), C(n,n), Au(n,), 235U(n,f), and 238U(n,f). These standards should receive international acceptance to ensure that all evaluation projects use the same set of standards. The last complete evaluation of the standards dates back almost 20 years. In the meantime quite a number of new and improved measurements have occurred for the cross-section standards. International efforts are presently underway to update the experimental database and to improve the evaluation process. Due to the need for high-energy standards, the energy range is being extended to 200 MeV for some of the cross-section standards.