Calculations of inelastic scattering cross sections with the Hauser-Feshbach formalism for fission products

Neutron cross sections of fission products are of reactor technological interest, since the neutrons in a reactor interact with the fission products as well as with the fuel itself and with the elements of the reactor structure. However, these cross sections are not always easy to measure, but have to be estimated by means of calculation, since many of the fission products are radioactive. In the present work, inelastic scattering cross sections have been calculated with the Hauser-Feshbach theory for six stable fission products for which experimental data is available, in order to test the reliability of such estimations. The transmission coefficients required for these calculations have been obtained using two different sets of generalized optical model parameters. Comparisons between the calculated and experimental cross sections show that as a rule, data calculated using the set of generalized optical model parameters derived at Studsvik give a good description of the experimental values, to within 25 per cent or within the quoted uncertainty limits. (Auth.)