Evaluation of the Neutron Data Standards

Abstract With the need for improving existing nuclear data evaluations, ( e.g. , ENDF/B-VIII.0 and JEFF-3.3 releases) the first step was to evaluate the standards for use in such a library. This new standards evaluation made use of improved experimental data and some developments in the methodology of analysis and evaluation. In addition to the work on the traditional standards, this work produced the extension of some energy ranges and includes new reactions that are called reference cross sections. Since the effort extends beyond the traditional standards, it is called the neutron data standards evaluation. This international effort has produced new evaluations of the following cross section standards: the H(n,n), 6 Li(n,t), 10 B(n, α ), 10 B(n, α 1 γ ), nat C(n,n), Au(n, γ ), 235 U(n,f) and 238 U(n,f). Also in the evaluation process the 238 U(n, γ ) and 239 Pu(n,f) cross sections that are not standards were evaluated. Evaluations were also obtained for data that are not traditional standards: the Maxwellian spectrum averaged cross section for the Au(n, γ ) cross section at 30 keV; reference cross sections for prompt γ -ray production in fast neutron-induced reactions; reference cross sections for very high energy fission cross sections; the 252 Cf spontaneous fission neutron spectrum and the 235 U prompt fission neutron spectrum induced by thermal incident neutrons; and the thermal neutron constants. The data and covariance matrices of the uncertainties were obtained directly from the evaluation procedure.