Eur. Phys. J. A (2013) 49: 114
https://doi.org/10.1140/epja/i2013-13114-8

Regular Article - Experimental Physics

Measurement of prompt X-rays in ²³⁸U(n,f) from threshold to 400 MeV

Investigation of fission charge yield evolution

¹ CEA, DAM, DIF, 91297, Arpajon, France
² Los Alamos National Laboratory, NM 87545, Los Alamos, USA
³ Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, CA 94551, Livermore, USA

^* e-mail: thierry.granier@cea.fr
^** e-mail: granier.th@gmail.com

Received: 25 April 2013
Accepted: 22 August 2013
Published online: 16 September 2013

Abstract

Prompt K X-ray emission yields in the fission induced by neutrons on ²³⁸U have been measured for the first time for incident energies ranging from below 1MeV up to 400MeV. Results are used to investigate the evolution with incident neutron energy of the fragment elemental distribution and the X-ray emission probability per element. The progressive increase of the symmetric fission probability with neutron energy is observed in qualitative agreement with Wahl systematics for the primary fission fragment charge yields.