The Need for a Neutron Source at the Rare Isotope Accelerator

Ahle, L E ; Rusnak, B ; Roberts, K E ; Roeben, M D ; Hausmann, M ; Reifarth, R ; Vieira, D

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

关键词: Radioactive Ion Beams;    43 Particle Accelerators;    Processing;    Neutrons;    Production;   

DOI  :  10.2172/881883
RP-ID  :  UCRL-TR-212369
RP-ID  :  W-7405-ENG-48
RP-ID  :  881883

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

An intense neutron source facility with radiochemical processing capability is necessary at the Rare Isotope Accelerator to fully realize its potential benefit to stockpile stewardship and astrophysics. While many of the important physics missions of RIA can be addressed with radioactive ion beams, direct neutron cross-section measurements of interest to stockpile stewardship and astrophysics cannot because one cannot make a neutron target. Thus, one must collect a sufficient amount of the appropriate short-lived isotope, quickly chemically process the material into a target, and promptly radiate the sample with an intense ''beam'' of neutrons. The unprecedented production rates expected at RIA enables many of these direct neutron cross-section measurements, but only if the proper infrastructure is in place. This document not only describes the major piece of this required infrastructure, a neutron source facility with radiochemical processing capabilities, but also the motivation for measuring such direct neutron cross-sections.