NG-TRAP: Measuring neutron capture cross-sections of short-lived fission fragments
We lack significant nuclear physics input to understand the rapid-neutron capture (r-)process fully. The r-process is the source of half the elements heavier than iron and the only way to produce the long-lived actinides we find on earth. This process’s key nuclear physics inputs are nuclear masses,...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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EDP Sciences
2022-01-01
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| Series: | EPJ Web of Conferences |
| Online Access: | https://www.epj-conferences.org/articles/epjconf/pdf/2022/04/epjconf_nic16th2022_11021.pdf |
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| author | Dickel T. Mardor I. Wilsenach H. Ashkenazy J. Plaß W. R. Scheidenberger C. Yavor M. I. |
| author_facet | Dickel T. Mardor I. Wilsenach H. Ashkenazy J. Plaß W. R. Scheidenberger C. Yavor M. I. |
| author_sort | Dickel T. |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We lack significant nuclear physics input to understand the rapid-neutron capture (r-)process fully. The r-process is the source of half the elements heavier than iron and the only way to produce the long-lived actinides we find on earth. This process’s key nuclear physics inputs are nuclear masses, cross-sections of (n,γ) and (γ,n), and decay half-lives and branching ratios of neutron-rich isotopes. However, there is currently no method to directly measure neutron-induced reaction rates on short-lived nuclides, so there is no experimental data for the primary nuclear reaction that drives the r-process. We show here a conceptual design of a novel approach to access this information experimentally. The idea is to form a target of short-lived isotopes by confining them as ions in a radio-frequency (RF) trap. Next, they are irradiated with an intense neutron flux, and the reaction products are identified by mass spectrometry. The chosen method is a two-stage process in the presence of high neutron fluxes. The first process is neutron-induced fission in a thin actinide foil to create fission fragments. These fragments are slowed down in a cryogenic stopping cell before being filtered through a radio frequency quadrupole (RFQ) system. The RFQ system selects fission fragments of a specific atomic mass number A and confines them to a small volume in an RF trap, where they are irradiated for a second time in a controlled manner. The resultant A+1 isotopes are mass-selectively transported to a multiple-reflection time-of-flight mass spectrometer, where the reaction products are identified and counted. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T06:34:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c0ef3551d08945a389d8299e1ff04890 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2100-014X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T06:34:53Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | EDP Sciences |
| record_format | Article |
| series | EPJ Web of Conferences |
| spelling | doaj.art-c0ef3551d08945a389d8299e1ff048902022-12-21T18:35:37ZengEDP SciencesEPJ Web of Conferences2100-014X2022-01-012601102110.1051/epjconf/202226011021epjconf_nic16th2022_11021NG-TRAP: Measuring neutron capture cross-sections of short-lived fission fragmentsDickel T.0Mardor I.1Wilsenach H.2Ashkenazy J.3Plaß W. R.4Scheidenberger C.5Yavor M. I.6GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbHSoreq Nuclear Research CenterJustus-Liebig-Universität GießenSoreq Nuclear Research CenterGSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbHGSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbHInstitute for Analytical Instrumentation of the Russian Academy of SciencesWe lack significant nuclear physics input to understand the rapid-neutron capture (r-)process fully. The r-process is the source of half the elements heavier than iron and the only way to produce the long-lived actinides we find on earth. This process’s key nuclear physics inputs are nuclear masses, cross-sections of (n,γ) and (γ,n), and decay half-lives and branching ratios of neutron-rich isotopes. However, there is currently no method to directly measure neutron-induced reaction rates on short-lived nuclides, so there is no experimental data for the primary nuclear reaction that drives the r-process. We show here a conceptual design of a novel approach to access this information experimentally. The idea is to form a target of short-lived isotopes by confining them as ions in a radio-frequency (RF) trap. Next, they are irradiated with an intense neutron flux, and the reaction products are identified by mass spectrometry. The chosen method is a two-stage process in the presence of high neutron fluxes. The first process is neutron-induced fission in a thin actinide foil to create fission fragments. These fragments are slowed down in a cryogenic stopping cell before being filtered through a radio frequency quadrupole (RFQ) system. The RFQ system selects fission fragments of a specific atomic mass number A and confines them to a small volume in an RF trap, where they are irradiated for a second time in a controlled manner. The resultant A+1 isotopes are mass-selectively transported to a multiple-reflection time-of-flight mass spectrometer, where the reaction products are identified and counted.https://www.epj-conferences.org/articles/epjconf/pdf/2022/04/epjconf_nic16th2022_11021.pdf |
| spellingShingle | Dickel T. Mardor I. Wilsenach H. Ashkenazy J. Plaß W. R. Scheidenberger C. Yavor M. I. NG-TRAP: Measuring neutron capture cross-sections of short-lived fission fragments EPJ Web of Conferences |
| title | NG-TRAP: Measuring neutron capture cross-sections of short-lived fission fragments |
| title_full | NG-TRAP: Measuring neutron capture cross-sections of short-lived fission fragments |
| title_fullStr | NG-TRAP: Measuring neutron capture cross-sections of short-lived fission fragments |
| title_full_unstemmed | NG-TRAP: Measuring neutron capture cross-sections of short-lived fission fragments |
| title_short | NG-TRAP: Measuring neutron capture cross-sections of short-lived fission fragments |
| title_sort | ng trap measuring neutron capture cross sections of short lived fission fragments |
| url | https://www.epj-conferences.org/articles/epjconf/pdf/2022/04/epjconf_nic16th2022_11021.pdf |
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