Measurement of neutrons in different Pb/U setups irradiated by relativistic protons and deuterons by means of activation samples

Abstract

The collaboration Energy and Transmutation of Radioactive Waste uses different setups consisting of lead, uranium and graphite irradiated by relativistic protons and deuterons to study transmutation of radioactive materials by produced neutrons. Our group measured spatial distribution of neutrons by means of activation samples during the assembly irradiation by the JINR Nuclotron beams. We also present results of simulations using MCNPX code and their comparison with obtained experimental data. We use Au, Al, Bi, In and Ta foils as activation detectors, but unfortunately almost no experimental cross-section data for observed threshold (n,xn) reactions are available for higher neutron energies. Therefore we carried out series experiments devoted to determination of neutron cross-sections of various threshold reactions using different quasi-monoenergetic neutron sources.