Regular Article

Resonance parameter and covariance evaluation for ¹⁶O up to 6 MeV

¹ Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSN-EXP/SNC, 92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
² CEA, DEN, DER Cadarache, 13108 Saint Paul les Durance, France
³ European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements, Retieseweg 111, 2440 Geel, Belgium

^⁎ e-mail: luiz.leal@irsn.fr

Received: 6 June 2016
Received in final form: 5 September 2016
Accepted: 11 October 2016
Published online: 24 November 2016

Abstract

A resolved resonance evaluation was performed for ¹⁶O in the energy range 0 eV to 6 MeV using the computer code SAMMY resulting in a set of resonance parameters (RPs) that describes well the experimental data used in the evaluation. A RP covariance matrix (RPC) was also generated. The RP were converted to the evaluated nuclear data file format using the R-Matrix Limited format and the compact format was used to represent the RPC. In contrast to the customary use of RP, which are frequently intended for the generation of total, capture, and scattering cross sections only, the present RP evaluation permits the computation of angle dependent cross sections. Furthermore, the RPs are capable of representing the (n, α) cross section from the energy threshold (2.354 MeV) of the (n, α) reaction to 6 MeV. The intent of this paper is to describe the procedures used in the evaluation of the RP and RPC, the use of the RPC in benchmark calculations and to assess the impact of the ¹⁶O nuclear data uncertainties in the calculate dk_eff for critical benchmark experiments.