Speaker
Description
Level densities and gamma-ray strength functions are critical inputs for statistical reaction calculations of (n,g), (n,n’), (n,2n), and multiple other reactions. Ideally, we predict these Hauser-Feshbach inputs, along with suitable optical potentials, for the vast number of isotopes of interest to applications. More realistically, we will have to pursue a combination of theoretical predictions, indirect approaches, and direct measurements to achieve our objectives. I will describe ongoing work to combine microscopic structure and reaction theories to predict and constrain level densities and gamma-ray strength functions needed for Hauser-Feshbach calculations of neutron-induced reactions on isotopes near and away from the valley of stability.
* This work is performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344. Sup- port from the Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program at LLNL, Projects No. 19-ERD-017, 20-ERD-030, 21-LW-032, 22-LW-029, 23-SI-004, and 24-ERD-023 is ac- knowledged.
