Book Description

In this report, we outline the progress achieved in two distinct under the DOE-sponsored cross section project: the initial results obtained from the pulsed 14 MeV neutron facility, and a cooperative effort with Argonne National Laboratory in the measurement of fast neutron cross sections in yttrium. In the 14 MeV neutron laboratory, this year has seen the maturation of the project into one in which initial scattering measurements are now underway. We have improved the accelerator and ion source in several significant ways, so that neutron intensities have now been proven to be adequate for our series of elastic scattering angular distribution measurements outlined in our initial proposal of two years ago. We have successfully tested all components of the time-of-flight spectrometer and recorded initial neutron spectra from the ring targets that we have obtained for our first angular distribution measurements. Examples of the time-of-flight spectra that have been obtained are given later in this report. At the present time, the accelerator is operating with the highest degree of reliability that we have experienced since installing the pulsing system. Improvements made over the past year have not only increased the available neutron intensity, but also increased our capability to deal with inevitable component failures that require repair or replacement. The measurements carried out in conjunction with Argonne have contributed significantly to the available database on fast neutron interactions in yttrium. Results indicate that the cross section for the 89 Y(n, p)89Sr reaction is substantially higher than represented in ENDF/B-VI.