Determination of the 233Pa(n, f) reaction cross section from 0.5 to 10 MeV neutron energy using the transfer reaction 232Th(3He, p)234Pa Original Research Article

The fission probability distributions of 232, 233, 234Pa and 231Th have been measured up to an excitation energy of 15 MeV, using the transfer reactions 232Th(3He, t)232Pa, 232Th(3He, d)233Pa, 232Th(3He, p)234Pa and 232Th(3He, 4He)231Th. From these measurements, the neutron induced fission cross sections of 231Pa, 233Pa and 230Th have been determined from the product of the fission probabilities of 232Pa, 233Pa and 231Th respectively with the calculated compound nucleus formation cross sections in the 231Pa+n, 233Pa+n and 230Th+n reactions. The validity of the applied method has been successfully tested with the existing neutron induced fission cross sections of 230Th and 231Pa. Special emphasis is put on the 233Pa(n, f) reaction which is of importance for thorium fueled nuclear reactors. Based on a statistical model analysis of the neutron induced fission cross section as a function of neutron energy, it has been possible to determine the barrier parameters of the 234Pa fissioning nucleus. Cross sections for the compound nucleus inelastic scatttering 233Pa(n, n′) and radiative capture 233Pa(n, γ) reactions have also been calculated and compared with recent evaluations.