Experimental and calculated excitation functions for discrete-line gamma-ray production due to 1-40 MeV neutron interactions with 56Fe

Measuring cross sections for gamma-ray production from tertiary reactions is one of the ways to gain experimental information about these reactions. To this end, inelastic and other nonelastic neutron interactions with 56Fe have been studied for incident neutron energies between 0.8 and 41 MeV. An iron sample isotopically enriched in the mass 56 isotope was used. Gamma rays representing 70 transitions among levels in residual nuclei were identified, and production cross sections were deduced. The reactions studies were 56Fe(n,n')56Fe, 56Fe(n,p)56Mn, 56Fe(n,2n)55Fe, 56Fe(n,d + n,np)55Mn, 56Fe(n, t + n, nd + n,2np)54Mn, 56Fe(n,α)53Cr, 56Fe(n,nα)52Cr, and 56Fe(n,3n)54Fe. Experimental excitation functions have been compared with cross sections calculated using the nuclear reaction model code TNG, with generally favorable results. 24 refs., 2 figs