Mass-Yield Variations in the Thermal and Epi-Thermal Fissions of 239Pu

Abstract

<p> Some cumulative mass-yield ratios for thermal to epi-thermal neutron fissions of 239Pu have been measured by nondestructive Ge(Li) spectrometric and radiochemical methods. The mass-yield ratios of 85mKr, 91Sr- 91mY, 92Sr, 97Nb-97Zr, 99mTc, 103Ru, 105Ru, 131I, 132Te-132I, 133I, 135I-135Xe, 140Ba-140La, 143Ce and 147Nd for both thermal to epi-Cd and thermal to epi-Sm fissions did not show any significant fluctuations. The yields of 72Zn and 166Dy-166Ho in epi-Sm fission were found to be 30±2% lower than in the fission caused by thermal neutrons. Similarly the yields of 115Cd and 112Pd were found to be lower by 46±2% and 24±3% respectively. The 77 mass chain, measured as both 77Ge and 77As, showed only a very slight, if any, decrease for epi-Cd and epi-Sm fissions as compared with thermal neutron fissions.</p> <p> The results are consistent with the two-mode-of-fission hypothesis. An attempt has also been made to correlate the observations with the effect of the spin states of the fissioning nucleus at the saddle point.</p>