Total cross sections for ultracold neutrons scattered from gases

S. J. Seestrom, E. R. Adamek, D. Barlow, M. Blatnik, L. J. Broussard, N. B. Callahan, S. M. Clayton, C. Cude-Woods, S. Currie, E. B. Dees, W. Fox, M. Hoffbauer, K. P. Hickerson, A. T. Holley, C. Y. Liu, M. Makela, J. Medina, D. J. Morley, C. L. Morris, R. W. PattieJ. Ramsey, A. Roberts, D. J. Salvat, A. Saunders, E. I. Sharapov, S. K.L. Sjue, B. A. Slaughter, P. L. Walstrom, Z. Wang, J. Wexler, T. L. Womack, A. R. Young, J. Vanderwerp, B. A. Zeck

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We have followed up on our previous measurements of upscattering of ultracold neutrons (UCNs) from a series of gases by making measurements of total cross sections on the following gases hydrogen, ethane, methane, isobutene, n-butane, ethylene, water vapor, propane, neopentane, isopropyl alcohol, and He3. The values of these cross sections are important for estimating the loss rate of trapped neutrons due to residual gas and are relevant to neutron lifetime measurements using UCNs. The effects of the UCN velocity and path-length distributions were accounted for in the analysis using a Monte Carlo transport code. Results are compared to our previous measurements and with the known absorption cross section for He3 scaled to our UCN energy. We find that the total cross sections for the hydrocarbon gases are reasonably described by a function linear in the number of hydrogen atoms in the molecule.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number015501
JournalPhysical Review C
Volume95
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 30 2017
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Nuclear and High Energy Physics

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