Elastic Scattering

Vasily Arzhanov
Reactor Physics, KTH
 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
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 n
Chain Reaction
ν
β 235
92 U
235
92 U
n ∼ 0.1 eV

γ n ∼ 2 MeV
238
92 U
β

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 Why to Slow Down (Moderate)?
10 4
235
U
10 3

10 2
σ (barns)

fission
1
10

10 0
capture
-1
10

10 -2 -3
10 10 -2 10 -1 10 0 10 1 10 2 10 3 10 4 10 5 10 6 10 7

Energy (eV)

⎧ 139
⎪ 56 Ba + 94
36 Kr + 3 1
0 n (82%)
92 U + 0 n → 92 U → ⎨ 236
235 1 236 *

⎪⎩ 92 U + γ (18%) T1 2 ≈ 2.4 ⋅10 yr

7

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 Principles of a Nuclear Reactor
E Leakage
N2
2 MeV
N1

N2 Fast fission

Slowing down
k≡
ν n/fission
Energy

N1 Resonance abs.
ν ≈ 2.5
Non-fissile abs. Non-fuel abs.

1 eV
Fission

200 MeV/fission
Leakage
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 Breeding

238
92 U + 01 n → 239
92 U ⎯⎯⎯→
23.5min 239
93 Np ⎯⎯⎯
2.3day
→ 239
94 Pu

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 Plutonium Cross-Sections
World’s Pu Many neutrons are absorbed here
stockpiles.
Mixed oxide
fuels (MOX)

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 Breeding

Th + 01 n →
232
90 Th ⎯⎯⎯→
233
90
23.3min 233
91 Pa ⎯⎯⎯→
27.4day 233
92 U

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 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)
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 Fission Energy Spectrum

0.1 ≤ E ≤ 10 MeV

2 E − kTE
N ( E) = e ; T = 1.29MeV
π T 3

N ( E) = 0.453 × e −1.036 E × sinh 2.29E

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 Inelastic Scattering
n
n θ
AX A+1X*

(1) Light (2) Heavy

1 MeV
50 KeV
Ground

Li, Be 238U

2-3 MeV 40 KeV

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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

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 Laboratory and CoM Systems
v1
w1
V1

ψ; cos(ψ) ≡ μ θ;  cos(θ) ≡ η
n m M
v0 w0
W0
V0
AX W1
Mass(AX) ≈ A·m

Laboratory CoM
Neutron Nucleus Neutron Nucleus
Before v0 E0 V0 w0 W0
After v1 E1 V1 w1 W1
Deflection angle ψ; cos(ψ) ≡ μ θ;  cos(θ) ≡ η

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 Motion in Lab System

v1
V1
mv0 + MV0 = mv1 + MV1
ψ mv02 MV02 mv12 MV12
m
+ = +
v0 2 2 2 2
V0 ( m + M ) c ≡ mv0 + MV0
M

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 Velocities in CoM Systems

M
w0 ≡ v0 − c = ( v0 − V0 )
w1 m+ M
m
W0 ≡ V0 − c = (V0 − v0 )
θ m+ M
m M
w0
W0
M
W1 w1 ≡ v1 − c = ( v1 − V1 )
m+ M
m
W1 ≡ V1 − c = (V1 − v1 )
m+ M

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 Motion in CoM Systems
mw0 + MW0 = mw1 + MW1 = 0
M M
w1 w0 = − W0 ; w1 = − W1
m m

m
θ
M mw02 MV02 mw12 MV12
w0
W0 + = +
2 2 2 2
W1

w0 ≡ w0 = w1 ≡ w1
W0 ≡ W0 = W1 ≡ W1

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 Stationary Nuclei
mv 2
neutron: E = = 1eV ⇒ v ≈ 14000 m s
2
2
MV 3
9
Be : E = = kT (T = 300K) ⇒ V ≈ 1000 m s
2 2

Assumption: V0 = 0

The assumption is poor for energy ≤ 0.02 eV

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 Useful Relationships
η ≡ cos θ ; μ ≡ cosψ ; w1 = w0
in Lab: CoM v1 = w1 + c
v0 c
m M v12 = w02 + c 2 + 2cw0 cos θ
A 2 + 1 + 2 Aη M
c=
m
v0 E1 = E0 ; ≈A
m+ M ( A + 1) 2
m
1 + Aη
c v1 μ=
1 + A 2 + 2 Aη
w1
ψ 1⎡ E1 E0 ⎤
w0 θ μ = ⎢ ( A + 1) − ( A − 1) ⎥
2⎣ E0 E1 ⎦
c
E is always given the Lab-system!!

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 Energy Loss
2
A + 1 + 2 A cos θ
2
⎛ A −1⎞
E = E0 ⇒ E0 ⎜ ⎟ ≤ E ≤ E0
( A + 1) 2
⎝ A +1⎠
θ = 180° θ = 0°
After
collision 2
⎛ A −1 ⎞
α ≡⎜ ⎟ α E0 ≤ E ≤ E0
⎝ A +1 ⎠

E E0 E α α E0 E E0 E

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 Change of Variables

Velocity
n( E) n(v)

Energy
⎡ neutron ⎤ ⎡ neutron ⎤
⎢⎣ cm3 ×J ⎥⎦ ⎢ cm3 ×cm s ⎥ n( E)dE n(v)dv
⎣ ⎦
2 E+dE v+dv
mv
E= v = 2 mE E v
2

dE = mvdv n( E)dE = n(v)dv

dE
n(v) = n( E) = mvn( E) = 2mE ⋅ n( E) n( E) = n(v)
dv
dv dE
dv 1
n( E) = n(v) = n(v) n(v) = n( E)
dE
dE mv dv
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Post Collision Energy Distribution
??
Final goal: p ( E ← E0 )

αE0 E0 E
CoM

p(η ) Frequency function = probability density distribution of scattering

angles in CoM system. It depends on: (1) E0, (2) struck nucleus.
Its form is determined from: (1) experiment, (2) theoretical model.

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 Frequency Function
p(η )dη = (1) Probability that a neutron is scattered in CoM into
angle whose cosine lies in [η, η + dη]
(2) Fraction of all scattering collisions which result in
angles whose cosine lie in [η, η + dη]

(1) p(η ) ≥ 0
1
(2) ∫ p(η )dη = 1
−1

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 General Approach

∞
Series expansion: p(η ) = ∑ an Pn (η )
n=0

P1 (η ) = η ; P2 (η ) = ( 3η 2 − 1)
1
Legendre polynomials: P0 (η ) = 1;
2
1
2
Orthogonality:
∫−1 Pn (η )Pm (η )dη = 2n + 1 δ n,m
2n + 1
1
Coefficients: an =
2 −1 ∫ p(η )Pn (η )dη

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 Simplest Model

General form: p(η ) = a0 P0 (η ) + a1 P1 (η ) + … = a0 + a1η + …

We postulate: a1 = a2 = … = 0
Isotropic
Simplest form: p(η ) = a0 scattering in CoM

Immediate 1
1
consequence: ∫ p(η )dη = 1 ⇒ a0 = p(η ) =
−1
2

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 Isotropic Scattering in CoM
Experiments: elastic scattering is isotropic in CoM.
Number of neutrons emerging through any unit area
on the surface is independent of the position.
r ⋅ dθ

Aring
p(θ )dθ = = r sin θ
Asphere
2π ( r sin θ )( rdθ ) w0 θ
= =
4π r 2

1
= sin θ dθ
2
1
p(θ ) = sin θ ⎯⎯ → p(η ) ?
2

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Isotropic Frequency Function
1
p(θ ) = sin θ
2
η ≡ cos θ
θ
p(η )dη = − p(θ )dθ
η = cosθ
1 1 1
p(η )dη = − sin θ dθ = d ( cos θ ) = dη
2 2 2

1
p(η ) =
2

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 Non-Isotropic Frequency
Function
a=0 a = 0.5
Mathematically, next step is
n θ
⎧( 1 + aη ) 2 η ≤1 z
p(η ) = ⎨
⎩0 η >1
a ≤1 a = -1 a=1

Physically, it corresponds z
to p-scattering

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 Frequency Function in Energy
p ( E ← E0 ) ≡ p( E) in Lab system!!

p( E)dE = Probability that an incident neutron with kinetic energy E0 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

dη ⎫
p( E)dE = p(η )dη ⇒ p( E) = p(η )
dE ⎪⎪ ( A + 1) 2 1
2 ⎬ ⇒ p ( E) = =
E = E0
A + 1 + 2 Aη
2
⇒
dη ( A + 1) ⎪
=
4 AE0 (1 − α ) E0
( A + 1) 2 dE 2 AE0 ⎪⎭

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 Post Collision
Energy Distribution
1 Pr {ε < E}

1
p( E) = p( E ← E0 )
E0 (1 − α )
ΔE

αE0 E0 E0 E

1+ α 1−α
E0 = E0 ; ΔE = E0
2 2

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 Average Logarithmic
Energy Loss
α E0
E0
E
∫ ln
E
p( E)dE
α ( A − 1) ln A − 1
2
Does not depend
ξ ≡ ln 0 = = 1+ ln α = 1 +
Eo

E α E0
1−α 2A A +1 on energy!!!
∫
Eo
p( E)dE

Nucleus Light Heavy 2

A=1 A >> 1 ξ for A > 10
A+2 3
2
A −1⎞
α = ⎛⎜ ⎟ 0 1
⎝ A +1⎠
α
ξ = 1+ ln α 1 0
1−α

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 Plots of α and ξ

α ξ

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 Approximate Formula
2
ξ
2
A+
3

( A − 1)
2
A −1
ξ = 1+ ln
2A A +1

Mass number, A

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 Average Cosine in CoM
1 1
1
η ≡ cos θ η = ∫ η p(η )dη = ∫ η dη = 0 θ = 90°
−1 −1
2

w1

θ
m M
w0
W0

W1

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 Average Cosine in Lab
1
μ ≡ cosψ μ = ∫ μ p( μ )dμ
−1

dη
p( μ )dμ = p(η )dη ⇒ p( μ ) = p(η )
dμ
1 + Aη
μ=
1 + A 2 + 2 Aη

1 1
2 ψ ( 1 H ) ≈ 48°
μ = ∫ μ p( μ )dμ = ∫ μ (η ) p(η )dη μ=
−1 −1 3A ψ ( 238 U ) ≈ 89.8°

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Average Cosine in Lab-System
Material A α μ ψ [°] 238U H2O 12C 10B 6Li

1H 1 0 0.667 48.2
2D 4He
2 0.111 0.333 70.5 2D
4He 4 0.360 0.167 80.4
6Li 6 0.510 0.095 83.6 1H

9Be 9 0.640 0.074 85.8

10B 10 0.669 0.061 86.2
12C 12 0.716 0.056 86.8
238U 238 0.938 0.003 89.8
H2O * * 0.037 87.9 ψ
D2O * * 0.033 88.1

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Elastic Scattering from Molecules
Feels only H
τ coll ∼ 0
Fast neutron
Ek Echem
σ s (H 2O) = 2σ s (H) + σ s (O)

Slow (thermal) neutron Feels whole

molecule
τ coll ≠ 0
Ek ∼ Echem

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 Elastic Scattering in Water

σ s [barn]
Chemical binding is
200 important unimportant

150

100

50
2σ s (H) + σ s (O)

0.01 0.1 1 10 E [eV]

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 Scattering from Molecules
(σ ) H
s F Scattering cross section of Hydrogen in Free (atomic) state

( s )B
σ H
Scattering cross section of Hydrogen in bound state

In case of very slow neutrons, Blatt and Weisskopf have shown:

2
⎛ Am ⎞
(σ H
) = 4⎜ ⎟ ( s )F
σ H m(H) = 1

⎝ 1 + Am ⎠
s B
m(H2O) = Am

2 2
⎛ 1 + A ⎞ ⎛ Am ⎞
(σ A
)
s B =⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟ ( s )F
⎝ A ⎠ ⎝ 1 + Am ⎠
σ A O

U
O
m(O) = A
m(UO2) = Am

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Scattering of Hydrogen in Water
(σ )H
s B

Energy [eV]

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 1H Elastic Cross Section

1 eV 1 MeV
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 4He Elastic Cross Section

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 9Be Elastic Cross Section

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 16O Elastic Cross Section

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 23Na Elastic Cross Section

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 238U Elastic Cross Section

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 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, σs = 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.

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 The END

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