Analysis of fast neutron scattering by the 238U nucleus with the use of the soft nonaxial rotator model

The soft nonaxial rotator model is used to analyze the inelastic scattering of neutrons of energies up to 3.0 MeV by the 238U nucleus in the case when the scattering is accompanied by the excitation of 238 U levels with energies higher than 0.5 MeV. It is shown that the computed cross section component for the compound-nucleus formation process predominates in this region of nuclear excitations, and describes the experimental data fairly well. A number of conclusions are drawn about the nature of the 927 keV (0+ ), 996.3 keV (2+ ), and 1055 keV (4+ ) levels, which are interpreted as n = 1 β-band levels; the levels of the band built on the 993-keV (0+ ) state are interpreted as n = 2 β-band levels