Neutron capture reactions at DANCE

The Detector for Advanced Neutron Capture Experiments (DANCE) is a 4π BaF2 array consisting of 160 active detector elements. The primary purpose of the array is to perform neutron capture cross section measurements on small (> or approx.100 μg) and/or radioactive (< or approx. 100 mCi) species. The measurements made possible with this array will be useful in answering outstanding questions in the areas of national security, threat reduction, nuclear astrophysics, advanced reactor design and accelerator transmutation of waste. Since the commissioning of DANCE we have performed neutron capture cross section measurements on a wide array of medium to heavy mass nuclides. Measurements to date include neutron capture cross sections on 241,243Am, neutron capture and neutron-induced fission cross sections and capture-to-fission ratio (α = σγ/σf) for 235U using a new fission-tagging detector as well as neutron capture cross sections for several astrophysics branch-point nuclei. Results from several of these measurements will be presented along with a discussion of additional physics information that can be extracted from the DANCE data