59 research outputs found
Microscopic Nuclear Reaction Models: Bridging Microscopic Theory and Nuclear Data. In Memory of Eric Bauge
No full textInternational audienceA major goal in the field of nuclear reaction modeling has been to move from phenomenological models to predictive, microscopic theories—a central focus at CEA/DAM since the mid-1970s. A significant milestone in achieving this objective was reached in the early 1980s with the first applications of the JLM folding model by Lagrange et al., using HF and RPA ground and transition densities, and later deformed HFB densities. From the mid-1990s, E. Bauge advanced these efforts by encouraging and systematically applying them, playing a key role in advancing the field. These developments include detailed methods to describe direct reactions, such as elastic and inelastic scattering, and pre-equilibrium emission. This work has greatly improved our understanding of direct reactions in nuclear structure studies and laid the foundation for practical applications, benefiting users from astrophysical modelers to energy specialists. Building on the foundational work of researchers worldwide, and in particular the contributions of pioneers from CEA/DAM such as D. Gogny, M. Girod, Ch. Lagrange, and J.-P. Delaroche, Eric’s vision helped bring long-standing efforts to fruition. Today, his former students and collaborators continue these efforts, integrating results from various nuclear structure approaches into reaction studies, supported by the international partnerships he fostered. This has helped encourage similar advancements in other laboratories and supported a collaborative legacy that continues to drive the field forward
Reactivity worth measurements on the CALIBAN reactor : interpretation of integral experiments for the nuclear data validation
No full textLa bonne connaissance des données nucléaires de base, grandeurs d’entrée pour les codes de calcul neutronique, constitue l’un des piliers fondamentaux de la réussite des grands programmes de l’industrie nucléaire. Ce travail a pour vocation d’apporter des informations nécessaires à la démarche de validation intégrale des données nucléaires. Des expériences de perturbations ont été effectuées auprès du réacteur Caliban, elles concernent quatre matériaux d’intérêt pour l’industrie nucléaire : or, lutécium, plutonium et uranium 238. D’autres expériences visant à caractériser le réacteur Caliban sont également présentées et discutées, ces dernières sont essentielles à la bonne interprétation des expériences de perturbations. Après définition des protocoles expérimentaux et des incertitudes associées, les résultats de mesures sont présentés et confrontés avec des résultats de calculs. La méthodologie utilisée dans les calculs numériques est décrite précisément, notamment la génération de données multigroupes pour les codes déterministes. La manière dont les expériences ont été modélisées est également présentée avec les incertitudes associées. Cette comparaison a permis d’aboutir à une interprétation en terme de qualification des bibliothèques de données nucléaires. Les écarts observés sont discutés et justifient la poursuite de telles expériences.The good knowledge of nuclear data, input parameters for the neutron transport calculation codes, is necessary to support the advances of the nuclear industry. The purpose of this work is to bring pertinent information regarding the nuclear data integral validation process. Reactivity worth measurements have been performed on the Caliban reactor, they concern four materials of interest for the nuclear industry : gold, lutetium, plutonium and uranium 238. Experiments which have been conducted in order to improve the characterization of the core are also described and discussed, the latter are necessary to the good interpretation of reactivity worth measurements. The experimental procedures are described with their associated uncertainties, measurements are then compared to numerical results. The methods used in numerical calculations are reported, especially the multigroup cross sections generation for deterministic codes. The modeling of the experiments is presented along with the associated uncertainties. This comparison led to an interpretation concerning the qualification of nuclear data libraries. Discrepancies are reported, discussed and justify the need of such experiments
Cross-observables and cross-isotopes correlations in nuclear data from integral constraints
No full textMost recent evaluated nuclear data files exhibit excellent integral performance, as shown by the very good agreement between experimental and calculated keff values over a wide range of benchmark integral experiments. However, the propagation of the uncertainties associated with those nuclear data to integral observables, generally produces calculated distribution which are much (3–5 times) wider than the experimental uncertainties. Reducing the variances of the evaluated data to achieve consistency at the integral level would lead to unreasonably narrow variances in the light of differential experimental data. One way of solving that paradox could be to allow, for different observables like fission cross-sections (σf), the prompt fission neutron spectra (χ), and the average multiplicity of fission neutrons (
ν‾
) to be correlated in a Bayesian-like, Total Monte-Carlo approach, under constraints from integral experiments from the ICSBEP (International International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project) benchmark compilation. Future developments will be highlighted and restrictions imposed by the current formatting of nuclear data will be discussed
Fission yields and cross sections: correlated or not?
No full textCross sections and fission yields can be correlated, depending on the selection of integral experimental data. To support this statement, this work presents the use of experimental isotopic compositions (both for actinides and fission products) from a sample irradiated in a reactor, to construct correlations between various cross sections and fission yields. This study is therefore complementing previous analysis demonstrating that different types of nuclear data can be correlated, based on experimental integral data
Building bridges between nuclear structure and reactions
No full textInternational audienceThe past couple of decades have seen tremendous advances in nuclear structure and reaction theory. Innovative theory frameworks for describing the nuclear many-body system, increasingly powerful computers, and opportunities for confronting theory predictions with data on unstable nuclei, have been driving the field. An important goal is to move from phenomenological ingredients in reaction calculations to predictive theories based on microscopic frameworks. We discuss ongoing efforts aimed at integrating microscopic descriptions of nuclear structure into reaction predictions for medium-mass and heavy nuclei. This contribution highlights areas where Eric Bauge, a champion for building bridges, has made important contributions by encouraging and enabling collaborations between communities with complementary expertise
The unabridged momentum-space optical potential for nucleon-nucleus scattering with non-local density dependent effective interactions
No full textPotentiels microscopiques non locaux pour l'étude des observables de diffusion de nucléons dans le formalisme des voies couplées
No full textA good understanding and prediction capacity of neutron scattering cross sections is crucial to many nuclear technologies, among which all kinds of reactors based on fission process. For deformed nuclei, the computation of scattering observables for the elastic channel and the first, low-lying excited states requires coupled channel calculations. Local, phenomenological optical and macroscopic transition potentials are the most commonly used in coupled channel analyses, but their accuracy outside of their fitting range remains unpredictable. Microscopic approaches are being developed in order to improve prediction power and solve the extrapolation issue. Potentials obtained microscopically are nonlocal, and recent studies have emphasized the importance of treating explicitly this nonlocality, without using a localization procedure. Our goal in the present work is to study in a quantum framework with no adjustable parameter, the impact of the nonlocality of potentials on scattering observables of nucleon-nucleus reactions. To achieve this we study neutron scattering with the Melbourne G matrix, which represents the interaction between the projectile and one nucleon of the target, and we describe the target’s structure using the RPA for our first applications to ⁹⁰Zr. In order to be able to study also deformed nuclei, we do our study in the coupled channel framework. The first part of this paper is dedicated to the derivation in a unique, consistent scope of coupled equations for nucleon-nucleus scattering and of the potentials obtained with the Melbourne G matrix and RPA structure input. Secondly, we describe the codes which we wrote during this Ph.D. project: MINOLOP for the computation of microscopic potentials using the Melbourne G matrix and structure inputs given in terms of a 1-body density, and ECANOL for the resolution of coupled channel equations using nonlocal potentials as input. Eventually, we present our first applications using these two codes to study pre-equilibrium emissions due to 2-phonon excitations in ⁹⁰Zr.Une bonne compréhension et une bonne capacité de prédiction de la section efficace de diffusion de neutron est essentielle à un grand nombre de technologies nucléaires, parmi lesquelles les réacteurs à fission. Pour les noyaux déformés, le calcul des observables de diffusion de nucléon pour la voie élastique et les premiers états excités de basse énergie requiert l'utilisation de calcul en voies couplées. Des potentiels optique et de transition phénoménologiques locaux sont le plus couramment utilisés dans les analyses par voies couplées, mais leur précision en dehors de leur domaine d'ajustement est imprévisible. Des approches microscopiques sont en cours de développement pour augmenter les capacités prédictives et résoudre les problèmes d'extrapolation. Un potentiel obtenu microscopiquement est non local, et de récentes études ont souligné l'importance de traiter explicitement cette non localité sans passer par une procédure de localisation. Notre but dans ce travail est d'étudier dans une approche microscopique, sans paramètre ajustable, l'impact de la non localité des potentiels sur les observables de diffusion de nucléon sur noyau cible. Pour ce faire, nous étudions la diffusion de neutron avec la matrice G de Melbourne qui représente l'interaction entre le projectile et un nucléon de la cible, et nous utilisons la RPA pour décrire la structure de la cible dans le cadre de nos premières applications sur le ⁹⁰Zr. Pour pouvoir étudier aussi des noyaux déformés, nous menons notre étude dans le cadre des voies couplées. La première partie de ce document contient la dérivation, faite dans un cadre unique et cohérent, des équations couplées pour la diffusion de nucléons et des potentiels microscopiques obtenues avec la matrice G de Melbourne et une description de la cible via la RPA. La deuxième partie est dédiée à la présentation des codes que nous avons développés durant ce projet de thèse : MINOLOP pour le calcul de potentiels microscopiques à partir de la matrice G de Melbourne et d'informations de structure données sous la forme d'une densité à 1 corps, et ECANOL pour la résolution des équations en voies couplées avec des potentiels non locaux en entrée. Enfin, nous présentons nos premières applications basées sur ces deux codes : l'étude d'émission de pré-équilibre due à des excitations à 2 phonons dans le ⁹⁰Zr
Building bridges between nuclear reactions and statistical models
No full textIn modern nuclear data evaluations, nuclear reactions and statistical methods cannot be separated. Whereas the first one is continuously improved for many decades, the second one is now benefiting from large computer power. Ahead of its time, our colleague Eric Bauge had understood the advantage of linking them together. He developed modern Bayesian methods, and helped many of us to move in this direction. This short paper will present two examples of the work that we did together, following his vision: the application of BFMC, and the evidence of correlation between nubar, chi and fission cross section. Finally, he was not only a bridge builder, he was also able to jump from fundamental physics to very applied aspects, making him a frontier crosser
Jacques Raynal
No full textWe recall Jacques Raynal’s career, his main bibliographical data and achievements, summarizing his topics of interest and works. We also give some biographical and personal data. We have collected a few words about him from friends and colleagues, in addition to those given by the authors of the articles published in this EPJA issue in memory of the Emperor of the ECIS code
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