Fission investigations and evaluation activities at IRMM

The IRMM has a longstanding tradition in the field of neutron induced fission physics studies. It is especially well equipped with world-class facilities as the high resolution neutron time-of-flight spectrometer GELINA and the 7 MV Van de Graaff accelerator for the quasi-monoenergetic neutron production. During the past decade several neutron induced fission reactions have been studied in the energy range from eV up to 6 MeV and spontaneous fission. The isotopes under investigation were 235,238 U(n,f), 239 Pu(n,f), 237 Np(n,f), 252 Cf(SF) and 233 Pa(n,f). For all isotopes but 233 Pa, the fission fragment mass-yield and total kinetic energy distributions were measured. 233 Pa was only investigated for the fission cross-section. The results have been described within the multi-modal fission model. The three most dominant fission modes, the two asymmetric standard I (S1) and standard II (S2) as well as the the symmetric superlong mode were used for all the isotopes but 252 Cf. For this isotope at least one other fission mode had to be taken into account, the so--called standard III (S3) mode. Since the theoretical interpretation of experimental results was rather successful also an attempt was made to improve the evaluation of the respective fission cross-section as well as their neutron multiplicities and spectra. Here, the statistical model for fission cross-section evaluation was extended by including the multi-modality concept for fission. Based on the underlying model, separate outer fission barriers have been considered for each mode, while the inner barriers and isomeric wells are assumed to be the same. The self-consistent calculations of the fission cross-section as well as total, capture, elastic and inelastic cross-sections were in good agreement with the experimental data and evaluated nuclear data libraries. As a side product, also fission fragment mass yield distributions have been deduced at incident neutron energies hitherto unaccessible. Very surprising results will be presented. Concerning the neutron multiplicities and spectra, here the commonly used Los Alamos model was modified to take into account again the multi-modal fission. Additionally, it has been extended to a larger base of fission-fragment masses and takes into account the linear prompt gamma-ray energy dependence on prompt neutron multiplicity. These aspects let to an improved agreement with experimental data. Also here new results will be presented. (authors)