High priority nuclear data measurement using direct and surrogate methods

Compound nuclear cross sections for reactions of neutrons, gamma-rays and light charged particles with target nuclei across the isotopic chart, taking place at energies from several KeV to tens of MeV, are required for nuclear astrophysics, national security, and nuclear-energy applications. The trans-uranium nuclide produced in the Th-U or U-Pu nuclear fuel cycles by successive neutron capture, play prominent role in modelling processes that are relevant to generate fission energy. There is also an immense interest world over to harness nuclear energy from fusion of light nuclei. International efforts are underway to build a Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER project) using D-T fusion reaction releasing 14-MeV neutrons. Recently, we have extended surrogate method to determine ⁵⁵Fe(n,p) cross section for the first time. In this talk, we present a brief review on surrogate reaction methods and discuss some of the recent results on neutron induced proton and alpha emission cross sections and neutron induced fission cross section measurements carried out by our group. We will also present some of the results on direct (n,γ) cross section measurements