Validation of differential cross sections by means of 252Cf spectral averaged cross sections

Highlights: • Spectral averaged cross sections in the spontaneous fission ²⁵²Cf neutron field. • ²³Na(n,2n)²²Na, ⁵⁴Fe(n,p)⁵⁴Mn, ⁵⁴Fe(n,α) ⁵¹Cr, ²⁷Al(n,p)²⁷Mg, ²⁷Al(n,α)²⁴Na, ¹⁹F(n,2n)¹⁸F, ⁹⁰Zr(n,2n)⁸⁹Zr and ⁸⁹Y(n,2n)⁸⁸Y reactions are investigated. • Spectral averaged cross sections results are compared with IRDFF library. - Abstract: The results of systematic evaluations of the spectrum-averaged cross section measurements performed in the spontaneous fission ²⁵²Cf neutron field are presented. The Following threshold reactions were investigated: ²³Na(n,2n)²²Na, ⁵⁴Fe(n,p)⁵⁴Mn, ⁵⁴Fe(n,α) ⁵¹Cr, ²⁷Al(n,p)²⁷Mg, ²⁷Al(n,α)²⁴Na, ¹⁹F(n,2n)¹⁸F, ⁹⁰Zr(n,2n)⁸⁹Zr and ⁸⁹Y(n,2n)⁸⁸Y. The spectrum-averaged cross sections for ²³Na(n,2n)²²Na, ⁵⁴Fe(n,α)⁵¹Cr and ⁸⁹Y(n,2n)⁸⁸Y reactions were measured for the first time. This quantity is compared with calculations carried with the IRDFF-v1.05 library. There is a notable disagreement exceeding uncertainties only for ⁵⁴Fe(n,p)⁵⁴Mn and ⁵⁴Fe(n,α) ⁵¹Cr reactions. The spectrum-averaged cross sections were inferred from experimentally determined reaction rates. The experimental reaction rates were derived for irradiated samples from the Net Peak Areas measured using the semiconductor high purity germanium spectroscopy. The presented experimental data can be used to validate nuclear data libraries and reactions used in the practical reactor dosimetry and to specify high energy tail of the ²⁵²Cf neutron spectrum.