Neutron capture by fissile and fertile actinide targets

For fissile actinide targets 233U, 235U and 239Pu the capture cross sections are strongly influenced by the target spin, fission transition states spectroscopy and fission/γ-emission competition of the compound nuclides. The capture cross sections were obtained via a consistent description of fission and elastic/inelastic scattering, (n,γf) reaction being included.For neutron capture reactions on even-even U, Pu and Cm nuclei the methods, proven in case of 232Th(n,γ) and 238U(n,γ) data analysis are used. Calculated 240Pu(n,γ) and 244Cm(n,γ) reaction cross sections shapes are much similar to that, observed for the 238U(n,γ) and 232Th(n,γ) reactions. Differences are due to fission and neutron emission competition, which depends on the (Z,N)-composition of the compound nucleus.