A Microscopic Theory of Fission Dynamics Based on the Generator Coordinate Method

A Microscopic Theory of Fission Dynamics Based on the Generator Coordinate Method
Author: Walid Younes
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 326
Release: 2019-01-09
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3030044246

This book introduces a quantum-mechanical description of the nuclear fission process from an initial compound state to scission. Issues like the relevant degrees of freedom throughout the process, the way of coupling collective and intrinsic degrees during the fission process, and how a nucleus divides into two separate daughters in a quantum-mechanical description where its wave function can be non-local, are currently being investigated through a variety of theoretical, computational, and experimental techniques. The term “microscopic” in this context refers to an approach that starts from protons, neutrons, and an effective (i.e., in-medium) interaction between them. The form of this interaction is inspired by more fundamental theories of nuclear matter, but still contains parameters that have to be adjusted to data. Thus, this microscopic approach is far from complete, but sufficient progress has been made to warrant taking stock of what has been accomplished so far. The aim is to provide, in a pedagogical and comprehensive manner, one specific approach to the fission problem, originally developed at the CEA Bruyères-le-Châtel Laboratory in France. Intended as a reference for advanced graduate students and researchers in fission theory as well as for practitioners in the field, it includes illustrative examples throughout the text to make it easier for the reader to understand, implement, and verify the formalism presented.

An Introduction to Nuclear Fission

An Introduction to Nuclear Fission
Author: Walid Younes
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 198
Release: 2021-11-15
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3030845923

This hands-on textbook introduces physics and nuclear engineering students to the experimental and theoretical aspects of fission physics for research and applications through worked examples and problem sets. The study of nuclear fission is currently undergoing a renaissance. Recent advances in the field create the opportunity to develop more reliable models of fission predictability and to supply measurements and data to critical applications including nuclear energy, national security and counter-proliferation, and medical isotope production. An Introduction to Nuclear Fission provides foundational knowledge for the next generation of researchers to contribute to nuclear fission physics.

Microscopic Description of Nuclear Fission at Finite Temperature

Microscopic Description of Nuclear Fission at Finite Temperature
Author: Jordan David McDonnell
Publisher:
Total Pages: 97
Release: 2012
Genre:
ISBN:

While a predictive, microscopic theory of nuclear fission has been elusive, advances in computational techniques and in our understanding of nuclear structure are allowing us to make significant progress. Through nuclear energy density functional theory, we study the fission of thorium and uranium isotopes in detail. These nuclides have been thought to possess hyperdeformed isomers in the third minima of their potential energy surfaces, but microscopic theories tend to estimate either shallow or non-existent third minima in these nuclei. We seek an explanation in terms of neutron shell effects. We study how the fission pathways, the symmetry, and the third minima of these nuclei evolve with increasing excitation energy. We then study the fission of mercury-180, in which a recent experiment unexpectedly discovered that this nucleus fissions asymmetrically. We find that the fission of mercury-180 and mercury-198 is driven by subtleties in shell effects on the approach to scission. We finally survey fission barrier heights and spontaneous fission half-lives of several actinide nuclei, from radium to californium. For a new energy density functional, we find good agreement between our calculations and available experimental data, lending confidence to the predictions of our theory beyond experimentally measured nuclei.

Nuclear Fission

Nuclear Fission
Author: Patrick Talou
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 487
Release: 2023-01-01
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3031145453

This book provides advanced students and postdocs, as well as current practitioners of any field of nuclear physics involving fission an understanding of the nuclear fission process. Key topics covered are: fission cross sections, fission fragment yields, neutron and gamma emission from fission and key nuclear technologies and applications where fission plays an important role. It addresses both fundamental aspects of the fission process and fission-based technologies including combining quantitative and microscopic modeling.

The Nuclear Fission Process

The Nuclear Fission Process
Author: Cyriel Wagemans
Publisher: CRC Press
Total Pages: 636
Release: 1991-09-20
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9780849354342

This text provides a comprehensive review of knowledge regarding nuclear fission from both the purely scientific and practical points of view. Topics discussed include fission barriers, spontaneous fission, neutron-induced fission cross-sections, photon- and electron-induced fission, charged particle induced fission fragment angular momentum and ternary fission. The characteristics of other reaction products are also discussed. Contributed articles from several distinguished nuclear scientists guarantee adequate treatment of some of the specialized research fields included in the text. Intended primarily as an introduction to nuclear fission for graduate students, this book will also provide useful information for nuclear physicists involved with research or teaching.

Compound-Nuclear Reactions

Compound-Nuclear Reactions
Author: Jutta Escher
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 312
Release: 2021-02-08
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3030580822

The Compound-Nuclear Reaction and Related Topics (CNR*) international workshop series was initiated in 2007 with a meeting near Yosemite National Park. It has since been held in Bordeaux (2009), Prague (2011), Sao Paulo (2013), Tokyo (2015), and Berkeley, California (2018). The workshop series brings together experts in nuclear theory, experiment, data evaluations, and applications, and fosters interactions among these groups. Topics of interest include: nuclear reaction mechanisms, optical model, direct reactions and the compound nucleus, pre-equilibrium reactions, fusion and fission, cross section measurements (direct and indirect methods), Hauser-Feshbach theory (limits and extensions), compound-nuclear decays, particle and gamma emission, level densities, strength functions, nuclear structure for compound-nuclear reactions, nuclear energy, nuclear astrophysics, and other topics. This peer-reviewed proceedings volume presents papers and poster summaries from the 6th International Workshop on Compound-Nuclear Reactions and Related Topics CNR*18, held on September 24-28, 2018, at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Berkeley, CA.

Pairing-induced Speedup of Nuclear Spontaneous Fission

Pairing-induced Speedup of Nuclear Spontaneous Fission
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2014
Genre:
ISBN:

Collective inertia is strongly influenced at the level crossing at which the quantum system changes its microscopic configuration diabatically. Pairing correlations tend to make the large-amplitude nuclear collective motion more adiabatic by reducing the effect of these configuration changes. Competition between pairing and level crossing is thus expected to have a profound impact on spontaneous fission lifetimes. To elucidate the role of nucleonic pairing on spontaneous fission, we study the dynamic fission trajectories of 264Fm and 240Pu using the state-of-the-art self-consistent framework. We employ the superfluid nuclear density functional theory with the Skyrme energy density functional SkM* and a density-dependent pairing interaction. Along with shape variables, proton and neutron pairing correlations are taken as collective coordinates. The collective inertia tensor is calculated within the nonperturbative cranking approximation. The fission paths are obtained by using the least action principle in a four-dimensional collective space of shape and pairing coordinates. Pairing correlations are enhanced along the minimum-action fission path. For the symmetric fission of 264Fm, where the effect of triaxiality on the fission barrier is large, the geometry of the fission pathway in the space of the shape degrees of freedom is weakly impacted by pairing. This is not the case for 240Pu, where pairing fluctuations restore the axial symmetry of the dynamic fission trajectory. The minimum-action fission path is strongly impacted by nucleonic pairing. In some cases, the dynamical coupling between shape and pairing degrees of freedom can lead to a dramatic departure from the static picture. As a result, in the dynamical description of nuclear fission, particle-particle correlations should be considered on the same footing as those associated with shape degrees of freedom.