The 11B(p,α)8Be → α + α and the 11B(α,α)11B Reactions at Energies Below 5.4 MeV

• Published in: Journal of fusion energy 2012-08, Vol.31 (4), p.357-367
• Main Authors: Spraker, M. C., Ahmed, M. W., Blackston, M. A., Brown, N., France, R. H., Henshaw, S. S., Perdue, B. A., Prior, R. M., Seo, P.-N., Stave, S., Weller, H. R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alpha particles; Alpha rays; Applied sciences; Controled nuclear fusion plants; Cross-sections; Energy; Energy Systems; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Installations for energy generation and conversion: thermal and electrical energy; Nuclear Energy; Nuclear Fusion; Nuclear reactors; Original Research; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Plasma Physics; Polynomials; Sensors; Simulation; Sustainable Development; Thermal expansion
• ISSN: 0164-0313; 1572-9591
• DOI: 10.1007/s10894-011-9473-5

Measurements of the absolute cross section and angular distributions for the and the 11 B(α,α) 11 B reactions have been performed from 0.15 to 3.8 MeV for the 11 B( p ,α) study and from 2 to 5.4 MeV for the 11 B(α,α) reaction. The absolute cross sections are presented in terms of the total number of α-particles detected in order to avoid uncertainties due to ambiguities in the number of alpha particles emitted in the reaction at a particular energy. The angular distributions of the 11 B( p ,α) 8 Be(2 + ) reaction were fit to a Legendre polynomial expansion and the coefficients are presented. Finally, the 11 B(α,α) 11 B data were fit in terms of phase shifts (ignoring the spin of the target), providing a convenient representation of the elastic cross section data between 2 and 5.4 MeV.