Analysis of Neutron Spectra from Thick Targets Bombarded with 710-MeV Alpha Particles by Quantum Molecular Dynamics plus Statistical Decay Model

Abstract

The spectra of neutrons produced from thick targets (water, carbon, iron and lead) bombarded with 710-MeV α-particles were calculated by using quantum molecular dynamics (QMD) plus statistical decay model (SDM). The calculation was compared with experiments. For all targets, the calculated results reproduced the experimental data much better than those calculated with the intra-nuclear cascade-evaporation (INCE) code HETC-KFA1. It was found that the neutron transport effect was important for the prediction of spectra of neutrons produced at backward angles for targets thicker than the mean free path of the neutrons observed with the lowest energy in the experiment.

KEYWORDS:

• Quantum molecular dynamics
• statistical decay model
• targets
• alpha particles
• neutron spectra
• water target
• carbon target
• iron target
• lead target
• MeV range 100–1000
• alpha particles
• experimental data
• comparative evaluations