W&M Featured Events
[PAST EVENT] Physics Colloquium
Physics Colloquium, Joshua A. Magee, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Title of Talk: Precision Measurements of Neutron Induced Fission Cross Sections of Actinides
Abstract: Neutron induced fission of actinides is of great interest in nuclear applications (for example, nuclear energy and security). Fission reaction rates, or cross sections, have traditionally been made using fission chambers, which provide limited information on the fission products, and report results good to only a few percent. These are inadequate for next generation reactor simulations which require sub-percent knowledge of these cross sections. To meet this need, the Neutron Induced Fission Fragment Tracking Experiment (NIFFTE) collaboration designed and built the fission Time Projection Chamber (fissionTPC), which provides additional information on the fission products through full 3-dimensional tracking and improved particle identication. Ultimately, this should provide the first sub-percent measurements of the (n,f) cross sections of 239Pu and 238 relative to 235U.