Validating the Bohr hypothesis: Comparing fission-product yields from photon-induced fission of 240Pu and neutron-induced fission of Pu
Silano, J; Tonchev, A; Henderson, R; Schunck, N; Tornow, W; Howell, C; Krishichayan, FNU; Finch, S
Published in: EPJ Web of Conferences
The Bohr hypothesis, one of the most fundamental assumptions in nuclear fission theory, states that the decay of a compound nucleus with a given excitation energy, spin and parity is independent of its formation. Using fission product yields (FPYs) as a sensitive probe, we have performed new high precision test of the combined effects of the entrance channel, spin and parity on the fission process. Two different reactions were used in a self-consistent manner to produce a compound Pu nucleus with the same excitation energy: neutron induced fission of Pu at E = 4.6 MeV and photon-induced fission of Pu at E = 11.2 MeV. The FPYs from these two reactions were measured using quasimonoenergetic neutron beams from the TUNL's FN tandem Van de Graaff accelerator and quasimonenergetic photon beams from the High Intensity -ray Source (HlS) facility. The first results comparing the FPYs from these two reactions will be presented. Implications for validating the Bohr hypothesis will be discussed.
