Eur. Phys. J. A (2011) 47: 100
https://doi.org/10.1140/epja/i2011-11100-x

Regular Article - Experimental Physics

²³³Pa(2n_th, f ) cross-section determination using a fission track technique

¹ Radiochemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, 400085, Mumbai, India
² Physics Department, Faculty of Science, The M. S. University of Baroda, 390002, Vadodara, India
³ Reactor Physics Design Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, 400085, Mumbai, India
⁴ Nuclear Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, 400085, Mumbai, India

^* e-mail: naikhbarc@yahoo.com

Received: 3 June 2011
Revised: 19 July 2011
Accepted: 28 July 2011
Published online: 25 August 2011

Abstract

The ²³³Pa(2n_th, f) cross-section has been experimentally determined for the first time using a fission track technique. It was found to be 4834 ± 57 b, which is significantly high and thus is very important for ²³²Th-²³³U-based fuel in advanced heavy-water reactors (AHWR) and accelerator-driven sub-critical systems (ADSs). This is because the ²³³Pa is an important intermediary in the thorium-based fuel cycle and thus its fission cross-section is a key parameter in the modeling of AHWR and ADSs. The ²³³Pa(2n_th, f) cross-section was calculated theoretically using the TALYS computer code and found to be in good agreement with the experimental value after normalization with respect to ²⁴¹Am(2n_th, f).