Applied Nuclear Data Activities At The Los Alamos Neutron Science Center

Year
2020
Author(s)
Matthew J. Devlin - Los Alamos National Lab, LOS ALAMOS
Abstract

The Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) operates a national user facility, providing high intensity neutron beams, from subthermal to hundreds of MeV in neutron energy, to the international community. The LANSCE accelerator uses 800 MeV protons to produce neutrons by spallation. The Lujan Center uses a moderated tungsten target system to provide neutrons from subthermal to approximately 1 MeV to three beamlines dedicated to nuclear physics, and the Weapons Neutron Research (WNR) facility uses an unmoderated tungsten target to provide neutrons from 0.1 to hundreds of MeV on six beamlines. A particular focus of the LANSCE nuclear physics experimental program is on nuclear data measurements, in support of the national nuclear data program and a wide range of applications. The current suite of instruments at LANSCE is capable of addressing measurements of neutron-induced fission cross sections, prompt fission neutron spectra, capture cross sections and spectroscopy, inelastic scattering observables, charged-particle reaction channels, and total cross sections. These types of measurements benefit a wide range of nuclear data users, from basic science to criticality, nuclear energy and nuclear nonproliferation, for example. A survey of recent measurements will be presented, with an emphasis on those measurements that improve evaluated nuclear data for various applications. Opportunities for important future measurements will also be discussed.