08 ElasticScattering

Elastic Scattering
Vasily Arzhanov
Reactor Physics, KTH
HT2008 Elastic Scattering 2
Elastic Scattering
Moderation by Elastic Scattering
Inelastic Scattering
Lab and CoM Reference Systems
Scattering from Stationary Nuclei
Change of Variables
Isotropic Scattering in CoM Frame
Post Collision Energy Distribution
Average Logarithmic Energy Loss
Neutron Scattering from Molecules
Chain Reaction
n
235
92
U
2 MeV n
0.1 eV n
235
92
U
238
92
U
Why to Slow Down (Moderate)?
10
-3
10
-2
10
-1
10
0
10
1
10
2
10
3
10
4
10
5
10
6
10
7
Energy (eV)
10
-2
10
-1
10
0
10
1
10
2
10
3
10
4

(
b
a
r
n
s
)
235
U
capture
fission
139 94 1
56 3
23
235 1 236 *
92 0 9
6 7
92 1
6 0
2
2
Ba Kr
U (18%) 2.
U U
4 1
)
0
3 (82% n
n
T yr
+
+ +
+

Principles of a Nuclear Reactor
1
2
N
N
k
n
/
f
i
s
s
i
o
n
N
1
N
2
Leakage
Fast fission
Resonance abs.
Non-fuel abs.
Leakage
Non-fissile abs.
Fission
S
l
o
w
i
n
g

d
o
w
n
E
n
e
r
g
y

E
2 MeV
1 eV
200 MeV/fission
2.5
Breeding
23.5min 2.3day 238 1 239 239 239
92 0 92 93 94
U n U Np Pu +
Plutonium Cross-Sections
Worlds Pu
stockpiles.
Mixed oxide
fuels (MOX)
Many neutrons are absorbed here
Breeding
23.3min 27.4day 232 1 233 233 233
90 0 90 91 92
Th n Th Pa U +
Neutron Energy Spectrum
Importance of neutron energy spectrum
Neutron energy spectrum is determined by
Nuclear reactions
Geometry and size of the reactor
Nuclear reactions
Fission
Absorption (somewhat secondary)
Scattering (elastic, inelastic)
Fission Energy Spectrum
3
1.036
0.1 10MeV
2
( ) ; 1.29MeV
( ) 0.453 sinh 2.29
E
kT
E
E
E
N E e T
T
N E e E

= =
=
Inelastic Scattering
A
X
A+1
X
*
n
Li, Be
2-3 MeV
238
U
40 KeV
1 MeV
50 KeV
Ground
(1) Light (2) Heavy
General Conclusion on In. Sc.
Inelastic scattering cross section is
relatively small for light nuclei.
Heavy nuclei cannot serve as good
moderators in thermal reactors.
Inelastic scattering may be significant:
Heterogeneous reactors
Highly enriched fuel
Fast reactors
Laboratory and CoM Systems
A
X
n
v
0
V
0
v
1
V
1
;cos()
M
;cos()
m
w
0
w
1
W
0
W
1
Laboratory CoM
Neutron Nucleus Neutron Nucleus
Before
v
0
E
0
V
0
w
0
W
0
After
v
1
E
1
V
1
w
1
W
1
Deflection angle ;cos() ;cos()
Mass(
A
X) Am
Motion in Lab System
( )
0 0 1 1
2 2
0 0 1 1
0 0
2 2 2 2
m M m M
mv MV mv MV
m M m M
+ = +
+ = +
+ +
2 2
v V v V
c v V
M
m
v
0
V
0
v
1
V
1

Velocities in CoM Systems
( )
( )
( )
( )
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1
M
m M
m
m M
M
m M
m
m M
=
+
=
+
=
+
=
+
w v c v V
W V c V v
w v c v V
W V c V v
M
m
w
0
w
1
W
0
W
1
Motion in CoM Systems
0 0 1 1
0 0 1 1
2 2 2 2
0 0 1 1
0 0 1 1
0 0 1 1
0
;
2 2 2 2
m M m M
M M
m m
m M m M
w w
W W
+ = + =
= =
+ = +
=
=
w W w W
w W w W
w V w V
w w
W W
M
m
w
0
w
1
W
0
W
1
Stationary Nuclei
2
2
9
neutron: 1eV 14000m s
2
3
Be : ( 300K) 1000m s
2 2
mv
E v
MV
E kT T V
= =
= = =
0
0 V = Assumption:
The assumption is poor for energy 0.02 eV
Useful Relationships
0
m
m M
=
+
c v
M
m
v
0
c
CoM
w
0
w
1
c
v
1
c
( ) ( )

= +
= + +
+ +
=
+
+
=
+ +

= +

v w c cw
A A M
E E A
A m
E E
A A
E E
1 1
2 2 2
1 0 0
2
1 0
2
1
2
1 0
0 1
0
2 cos
1 2
;
( 1)
cos
1 A
1 A 2A
1
; ;
1 1
2
cos w w
v w c
inLab:
E is always given the Lab-system!!
Energy Loss
0 0
E E E
2
2
0 0 0
2
1 2 cos 1
( 1) 1
+ +

=

+ +

A A A
E E E E E
A A
2
1
1
A
A

+

=0 =180
E
0
E
0
E E
E
After
collision
E
0
E
( ) ( )
( )
( )
(
(
)
)
dv
n E n v
dE
dE
n v n
n E dE n v
E
dv
dv =
=
=
3 3
2
neutron neutron
cm J cm cm
) )
s
2
(
2
( n E
mv
E
n
v m
v
E

= =
E
v
E+dE v+dv
( ) ( ) ( ) 2 ( )
1
( ) ( ) ( )
dE mvdv
dE
n v n E mvn E mE n E
dv
dv
n E n v n v
dE mv
=
= = =
= =
Change of Variables
( ) n E dE
( ) n v dv
E
n
e
r
g
y
V
e
l
o
c
i
t
y
E E
0
E
0
??
( )
0
p E E
Post Collision Energy Distribution
( ) p
Final goal:
Frequency function = probability density distribution of scattering
angles in CoM system. It depends on: (1) E
0
, (2) struck nucleus.
Its form is determined from: (1) experiment, (2) theoretical model.
CoM
Frequency Function
( ) p d =
(1) Probability that a neutron is scattered in CoM into
angle whose cosine lies in [, + d]
(2) Fraction of all scattering collisions which result in
angles whose cosine lie in [, + d]
1
1
(1) ( ) 0
(2) ( ) 1
p
p d

General Approach
0
( ) ( )
n n
n
p a P
=
=
Series expansion:
Legendre polynomials:
( )
2
0 1 2
1
( ) 1; ( ) ; ( ) 3 1
2
P P P = = =
1
,
1
2
( ) ( )
2 1
n m n m
P P d
n

=
+
Orthogonality:
1
1
2 1
( ) ( )
2
n n
n
a p P d
+
=

Coefficients:
Simplest Model
0 0 1 1 0 1
( ) ( ) ( ) p a P a P a a = + + = + +
0
( ) p a =
General form:
We postulate:
Isotropic
scattering in CoM
1
0
1
1
( ) 1 ( )
2
p d a p
= = =
1 2
0 a a = = =
Simplest form:
Immediate
consequence:
Isotropic Scattering in CoM
r d
sin r
w
0
Experiments: elastic scattering is isotropic in CoM.
Number of neutrons emerging through any unit area
on the surface is independent of the position.
( ) ( )

= =
= =
=
=
ring
sphere
A
p d
A
r rd
r
d
p p
2
( )
2 sin
4
1
s
1
(
in
) sin
2
2
( ) ?
Isotropic Frequency Function
( )

=
=
= =
=
1
( ) sin
2
( ) ( )
1 1 1
( ) si
co
n c s
2
s
o
2 2
p
p d p d
p d d d d
1
( )
2
p =
= cos

Non-Isotropic Frequency
Function
( ) 1 2 1
( )
0 1
1
a
p
a

=

>
Mathematically, next step is

Physically, it corresponds
to p-scattering
z
z
a = 0 a = 0.5
a = -1 a = 1
n
Frequency Function in Energy
( )
0
( ) p E E p E
( ) p E dE =
Probability that an incident neutron with kinetic energy E
0
will
have energy in dE about E after scattering collision
Fraction of all scattering collisions which result in final kinetic
energies between E and E + dE
( )
2
0 0
2 2
0
2
0
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
1 2 ( 1)
( 1
( 1) 1
( )
4
) 2
1
d
p E dE p d p E p
dE
A A d A
A
p E
E E
A d
A E
AE
E
E

= =

+ + +

=
+
= =

=
+

in Lab system!!
E E
0
E
0
0
1
(1 ) E
0
( ) ( ) p E p E E =
Post Collision
Energy Distribution
1
{ }
Pr E <
0
E
E
0 0 0
1 1
;
2 2
E E E E
+
= =
( )
0
0
0
2
0
ln ( )
1
1
ln 1 ln 1 ln
1 2 1
( )
o
o
E
E
E
E
E
p E dE
E
A
E A
E A A
p E dE

= = + = +
+
2
for 10
2 3
>
+
A
A
Average Logarithmic
Energy Loss
Nucleus Light
A = 1
Heavy
A >> 1
0 1
1 0
2
1
1

=

+

A
A
1 ln
1
= +
Does not depend

on energy!!!
Plots of and

( )
2
1
1
1 ln
2 1
A
A
A A

= +
+
2
2
3
A
Approximate Formula
Mass number, A
Average Cosine in CoM

= = =

1 1
1 1
1
( ) 0
2
p d d
M
m
w
0
w
1
W
0
W
1
cos
= 90

Average Cosine in Lab

=

1
1
( ) p d
cos
= = ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
d
p d p d p p
d
+
=
+ +
2
1 A
1 A 2A

= =

1 1
1 1
( ) ( ) ( ) p d p d
=
2
3A
( )
( )

1
238
H 48
U 89.8
Material A []
1
H 1 0 0.667 48.2
2
D 2 0.111 0.333 70.5
4
He 4 0.360 0.167 80.4
6
Li 6 0.510 0.095 83.6
9
Be 9 0.640 0.074 85.8
10
B 10 0.669 0.061 86.2
12
C 12 0.716 0.056 86.8
238
U 238 0.938 0.003 89.8
H
2
O * * 0.037 87.9
D
2
O * * 0.033 88.1
Average Cosine in Lab-System
1
H
2
D
4
He
238
U H
2
O
12
C
10
B
6
Li

Elastic Scattering from Molecules
Fast neutron
Slow (thermal) neutron
Feels only H
Feels whole
molecule
0
coll
k chem
E E
0
coll
k chem
E E
2
(H O) 2 (H) (O) = +
s s s
Elastic Scattering in Water
E [eV]
0.01 0.1 1 10
50
100
150
200
Chemical binding is
important unimportant
2 (H) (O) +
s s
[barn]
s
Scattering from Molecules
In case of very slow neutrons, Blatt and Weisskopf have shown:
( )
H
s
F
Scattering cross section of Hydrogen in Free (atomic) state
( )
H
s
B
Scattering cross section of Hydrogen in bound state
( ) ( )
2
4
1

=

+

H H
m
s s
B F
m
A
A
m(H) = 1
m(H
2
O) = A
m
( ) ( )
2
2
1
1

+

=

+

A A
m
s s
B F
m
A A
A A
m(O) = A
m(UO
2
) = A
m
U
O O
Scattering of Hydrogen in Water
Energy [eV]
( )
H
s
B
1
H Elastic Cross Section
1MeV 1eV
4
He Elastic Cross Section
9
Be Elastic Cross Section
16
O Elastic Cross Section
23
Na Elastic Cross Section
238
U Elastic Cross Section
Summary on Elastic Scattering
Elastic scattering cross-sections for light elements are
more or less independent of neutron energy up to 1 MeV.
For intermediate and heavy elements, the elastic cross-
section is constant at low energy and exhibit some
variation at higher energy.
We are usually more interested in light elements as far as
elastic scattering is concerned; so a good approximation
is,
s
= const, for all elements of interest.
Nearly all elements have scattering cross-sections in the
range 2 to 20 barns.
The important exception is water and heavy water.
The END

08 ElasticScattering

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08 ElasticScattering

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Elastic Scattering

HT2008 Elastic Scattering 5

HT2008 Elastic Scattering 15

HT2008 Elastic Scattering 23

HT2008 Elastic Scattering 27

Mathematically, next step is

Does not depend

HT2008 Elastic Scattering 32

HT2008 Elastic Scattering 34

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