Measurement of the Neutron-Induced Fission Cross Sections of242Cm and238Pu

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Abstract
The neutron-induced fission cross sections of 242Cm and 238Pu have been measured from 0.1 eV to 100 keV using the Rensselaer Intense Neutron Spectrometer. Fission areas and widths were determined for several resolved low-energy resonances of 242Cm and 238Pu. The fission resonance integrals for 242Cm and 238Pu were found to be 12.9 ± 0.7 and 15.9 ± 0.6 b, respectively. The gross structure observed in the unresolved energy region of the 242Cm and 238Pu fission cross sections is suggestive of intermediate structure, and is consistent with the second well lying 2 to 3 MeV above the first well. The ENDF/B-V library fission cross section of 238Pu is, in general, not in good agreement with this measurement and a new evaluation is recommended. This is the first reported fission measurement of 242Cm in the 0.1-eV through 100-keV energy range.