Improved Cumulative Fission Yield Measurements with Fission Spectrum Neutrons on 235U

Abstract Two isotopically-characterized targets of high-purity (99.84±0.03%) 235 U-oxide and a neutron dosimetry package were exposed to a pulsed neutron irradiation using the Godiva critical assembly at the National Criticality Experiments Research Center. Following irradiation, the fissioned targets were counted with a broad-energy germanium detector. Estimates of the total fissions for each target were made using measurements of well-known fission products. The total fission values were then used to measure the fission yields of 21 fission products with half-lives between 636 and 119,700 seconds. Mean values of seventeen of the measured fission products fell within the 95% confidence level of the Evaluated Nuclear Data Files VII.1/b (ENDF/B-VII.1) using the larger of the two uncertainties: 84g Br, 89 Rb, 91 Sr, 93 Y, 97 Zr, 101 Mo, 105 Ru, 128 Sn, 129 Sb, 130g Sb, 131 Sb, 131m Te, 133 I, 135 I, 141 Ba, 142 Ba, and 142 La. Seven isotopes were measured to better precision than is listed in the ENDF/B-VII.1 database: 89 Rb, 93 Y, 128 Sn, 129 Sb, 130g Sb, 131m Te, and 133 I. Four of the measured isotopes were found to be statistically different from the ENDF/B-VII.1 database: 94 Y, 134 Te, 134 I, and 138 Xe. Two of the isotopic analyses conducted in this paper fit the parent and daughter data simultaneously. The parent-daughter pairs measured in this way were the 134 Te/I and 142 Ba/La pairs. The fission yield results obtained in this way are unique, especially for 134 I, because the parent and daughter half-lives are so close. Given the limited number of direct measurements of the 134 Te/I pair from fast neutron induced fission and the seemingly high estimate for 134 Te from previous work, it is likely that the value in this paper is more accurate; however, additional measurements of this pair are needed to validate this assertion.