Measurement and Calculation of Average Activation Cross Sections in the Spontaneous Fission Neutron Field of ²⁵²Cf

The measuring procedure for the determination of neutron activation cross sections averaged over the neutron spectrum of ²⁵²Cf is described. Measurements were done in a low-scattering irradiation facility that provides a nearly undisturbed field of neutrons emitted with the spontaneous fission of ²⁵²Cf The following neutron reactions were in vestigated: ¹¹³In(n,n′), ¹¹⁵In(n,γ), ¹¹⁵In(n,n′), ¹⁹⁷Au(n,γ), and ¹⁹⁷Au(n,2n). The resulting average cross sections were compared with those of other experiments. In addition, calculations of average cross sections were performed. The results of the present and of our earlier measurements were summarized and compared with calculated average cross sections obtained by folding the spectral distribution of ²⁵²Cf neutrons with different σ(E) data (ENDF/B-IV, ENDF/B-V, and recent experiments).