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Examination of decay heat measurements and their relevance for understanding the origin of the reactor antineutrino anomaly

Measurements of the decay energy released as a function of time following the thermal neutron induced fission of 235 U and 239,241 Pu were performed in the 1970s at Oak Ridge National Laboratory with the purpose of quantifying possible loss of coolant accident scenarios. The derivative of this decay energy with respect to time, known in technical parlance as decay heat, is mainly composed of two terms, that of the electrons produced together with antineutrinos in the $β$-minus decay of the neutron-rich fission products, and that of the $γ$ rays produced in the subsequent decay of excited nuclear levels. In this work we study if this extensive set of decay energy measurements can be used to assess the reactor antineutrino anomaly, that is, the approximately 5% deficit of electron antineutrinos produced by nuclear reactors, first deduced by Mention and collaborators in 2011, and observed by the major reactor antineutrino experiments since. Furthermore, with the assistance of nuclear databases, we are able to obtain the ratio of electron spectra under equilibrium conditions for 235 U to 239 Pu, in better agreement with the lower trend recently reported by Kopeikin and collaborators, as well as those for 235 U to 241 Pu and 241 Pu to 239 Pu, which do not agree well with those measured at the Institut Laue-Langevin in the 1980s. We conclude that a new experimental campaign is needed to measure the electron spectra utilizing a high resolution and signal-to-noise-ratio electron spectrometer and a highly precise fission normalization procedure.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Relevance of complex branch points for partial wave analysis

A central issue in hadron spectroscopy is to deduce--and interpret--resonance parameters, namely, pole positions and residues, from experimental data, for those are the quantities to be compared to lattice QCD or model calculations. However, not every structure in the observables derives from a resonance pole: the origin might as well be branch points, either located on the real axis (when a new channel composed of stable particles opens) or in the complex plane (when at least one of the intermediate particles is unstable). In this paper we demonstrate first the existence of such branch points in the complex plane and then show on the example of the {pi}N P{sub 11} partial wave that it is not possible to distinguish the structures induced by the latter from a true pole signal based on elastic data alone.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Cross sections for proton-induced reactions on Pd isotopes at energies relevant for the {gamma} process

Proton-activation reactions on natural and enriched palladium samples were investigated via the activation technique in the energy range of E{sub p}=2.75-9 MeV, close to the upper end of the respective Gamow window of the {gamma} process. We have determined cross sections for {sup 102}Pd(p, {gamma}){sup 103}Ag, {sup 104}Pd(p, {gamma}){sup 105}Ag, and {sup 105}Pd(p, n){sup 105}Ag, as well as partial cross sections of {sup 104}Pd(p, n){sup 104}Ag{sup g}, {sup 105}Pd(p, {gamma}){sup 106}Ag{sup m}, {sup 106}Pd(p, n){sup 106}Ag{sup m}, and {sup 110}Pd(p, n){sup 110}Ag{sup m} with uncertainties between 3% and 15% for constraining theoretical Hauser-Feshbach rates and for direct use in {gamma}-process calculations.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Inelastic neutron scattering cross sections for Ge 76 relevant to background in neutrinoless double- β decay experiments

The experimental signature in searches for the neutrinoless double- decay of 76 Ge is a peak near 2039 keV in the spectrum. Given the low probability of the process, it is important that the background in this region be well understood. Moreover, inelastic scattering reactions with neutrons from muon-induced interactions and ( ,n) reactions in the surrounding materials or in the detector can provide contributions to the background. We also measured the production cross sections for rays from the 76 Ge(n,n ) reaction in the 2039-keV region at incident neutron energies up to 4.9 MeV. In addition to determining that the cross sections of a previously known 2040.7-keV ray from the 3952-keV level in 76 Ge are rather small, we find that a larger contribution arises from a 2037.5-keV ray which is attributed to a newly identified level at 3147 keV in 76 Ge. Finally, a third contribution is also possible from another new level at 3577 keV. These results indicate that the 2039-keV region in 76 Ge neutrinoless double- decay searches is more complex than was previously thought.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Experimentally constrained ( p , γ ) Y 89 and ( n , γ ) Y 89 reaction rates relevant to p -process nucleosynthesis

The nuclear level density and the g-ray strength function have been extracted for 89 Y, using the Oslo Method on 89 Y(p,p'γ) 89 Y coincidence data. The g-ray strength function displays a low-energy enhancement consistent with previous observations in this mass region ( 93-98 Mo). Shell-model calculations give support that the observed enhancement is due to strong, low-energy M1 transitions at high excitation energies. The data were further used as input for calculations of the 88 Sr(p,γ) 89 Y and 88 Y(n,γ) 89 Y cross sections with the TALYS reaction code. Lastly, comparison with cross-section data, where available, as well as with values from the BRUSLIB library, shows a satisfying agreement.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Measurement of the Bi 209 ( n , 4 n ) Bi 206 and Tm 169 ( n , 3 n ) Tm 167 cross sections between 23.5 and 30.5 MeV relevant to reaction-in-flight neutron studies at the National Ignition Facility

At the National Ignition Facility, experiments are being performed to measure charged-particle stopping powers in the previously unexplored warm dense plasma regime. These measurements are done using reaction-in-flight (RIF) neutrons from an inertial confinement fusion system. RIF neutrons are produced with a continuum of energies up to 30 MeV. By making activation measurements utilizing threshold reactions for neutrons in the energy range of 15 < E n < 30 MeV , the number of RIF neutrons can be determined and from this the stopping power of the deuterium and tritium ions that produced the RIF neutrons can be inferred. Currently, the 169 Tm ( n , 3 n ) 167 Tm reaction has been used. However, in an effort to provide a secondary complimentary measurement, efforts are underway to make use of the 209 Bi ( n , 4 n ) 206 Bi reaction, with a threshold of 22.5 MeV. The cross sections were measured at the 10 MV tandem Van De Graaff accelerator at the Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory with quasimonoenergetic neutrons between 23.5 and 30.5 MeV, where few previous measurements have been made. Cross-section data are compared to calculations and other available measurements.

42 ENGINEERING↗

γ spectroscopy of states in Cl 32 relevant for the S 31 ( p , γ ) Cl 32 reaction rate

Background: The 31 S(p,gamma) 32 Cl reaction becomes important for sulfur production in novae if the P-31(p, alpha)Si-28 reaction rate is somewhat greater than currently accepted. The rate of the S-31(p,gamma) Cl-32 reaction is uncertain, primarily due to the properties of resonances at E-c.m. = 156 and 549 keV. Purpose: We precisely determined the excitation energies of states in Cl-32 through high-resolution. spectroscopy including the two states most important for the S-31(p,gamma) Cl-32 reaction at nova temperatures. Method: Excited states in Cl-32 were populated using the B-10(Mg-24, 2n) Cl-32 reaction with a Mg-24 beam from the ATLAS facility at Argonne National Laboratory. The reaction channel of interest was selected using recoils in the Fragment Mass Analyzer, and we determined precise level energies by detecting. rays with Gammasphere. Results: We also observed. rays from the decay of six excited states in Cl-32. The excitation energies for two unbound levels at E-x = 1738.1 (6) keV and 2130.5 (10) keV were determined and found to be in agreement with a previous high-precision measurement of the S-32(He-3, t) Cl-32 reaction [1]. Conclusions: An updated 31 S(p,gamma) Cl-32 reaction rate is presented. With the excitation energies of important levels firmly established, the dominant uncertainty in the reaction rate at nova temperatures is due to the strength of the resonance corresponding to the 2131-keV state in Cl-32.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Revision of forensics-relevant nuclear data in Sb 127 β decay

With a half-life of 3.85(5) d, the fission product 127 Sb is potentially useful for the characterization of fallout debris that would be collected for forensic analysis following a hypothetical nuclear event. The β decay of 127 Sb has many characteristic $\gamma$-ray lines, however, the majority of decay strength is concentrated in the three strongest lines near 686, 473, and 784 keV, based on low-precision spectroscopic measurements from decades ago. In a new measurement of 127 Sb β decay, obtained from radiochemical separations of U photofission products, we show that the energies of the 686 and 784 lines are actually shifted lower by 0.8 and 1.1 keV, respectively. Such large discrepancies in the nuclear data inhibit accurate isotopic analyses and have important implications, for example, on the assessment of fission debris that might be collected in the days following a nuclear event. Therefore, a new evaluation of 127 Sb β decay and appropriate revision to the various nuclear databases are warranted. This work reports a new set of $\gamma$-ray energies and relative intensities corresponding to 127 Sb decay.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Relevance of one-loop SMEFT matching in the 2HDM

The two-Higgs doublet model (2HDM) is a well understood alternative to the Standard Model of particle physics. If the new particles included in the 2HDM are at an energy scale much greater than the weak scale, the theory can be matched to the Standard Model effective field theory (SMEFT). We compute for the first time the complete one-loop matching at dimension-6. We compare its numerical impact with that of tree-level matching at dimension-8 by performing a global fit to single Higgs and precision electroweak measurements, and we emphasize the importance of comparing one-loop SMEFT results with corresponding one-loop results in the full 2HDM model. In the SMEFT, we consider the relative importance of both one-loop matching and the inclusion of renormalization group evolution. Our results demonstrate the necessity of studying the impact of various expansions to quantify the uncertainties of the SMEFT matching. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Pump-depletion dynamics and saturation of stimulated Brillouin scattering in shock ignition relevant experiments

As an alternative inertial confinement fusion scheme, shock ignition requires a strong converging shock driven by a high-intensity laser pulse to ignite a pre-compressed fusion capsule. Understanding nonlinear laser-plasma instabilities is crucial to assess and improve the laser-shock energy coupling. Recent experiments conducted on the OMEGA EP laser facility have for the first time demonstrated that such instabilities can 100% deplete the first 0.5 ns of the high-intensity laser. Here, analyses of the observed laser-generated blast wave suggest that this pump-depletion starts at 0.02 critical density and progresses to 0.1-0.2 critical density, which is also confirmed by the time-resolved stimulated Raman backscattering spectra. The pump-depletion dynamics can be explained by the breaking of ion-acoustic waves in stimulated Brillouin scattering. Such pump-depletion would inhibit the collisional laser energy absorption but may benefit the generation of hot electrons with moderate temperatures for electron shock ignition.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗