Open AccessTHE FISSION ENERGETICS OF Th$sup 23$$sup 2$
Author(s) -
A.B. Smith,
R.G. Nobles,
A.M. Friedman
Publication year - 1960
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/4121138
Subject(s) - fission , kinetic energy , neutron , nuclear physics , cold fission , cluster decay , physics , nuclear fission , atomic physics , neutron temperature , neutron emission , saddle point , spontaneous fission , nuclear reaction , fission products , mathematics , quantum mechanics , geometry
The distribution of the kinetic energy of fragments emitted as a result of the neutron-induced fission of Th/sup 232/ has been determined. Incident neutron energies of 1475 plus or minus 35 kev and l600 plus or minus 35 kev were used. The distributions determined at the two incident neutron energies are identical. The measured total average fragment kinetic energy was l55 plus or minus 4.5 Mev. The most probable fragment mass ratio is 1.47 plus or minus 0.05, and the average kinetic energies of the light and heavy fragments are 95 plus or minus 2 and 60 plus or minus 3 Mev, respectively. The experimental results were related to the known systematics of neutron-induced and spontaneous fission. The effect of collective nuclear rotations at the saddle point is discussed, with particular emphasis on fission from specific rotational bands. (auth