Determination of neutron capture cross sections of ~(232)Th at 14.1 MeV and 14.8 MeV using the neutron activation method

The Th-232(n, gamma)Th-233 neutron capture reaction cross sections were measured at average neutron energies of 14.1 MeV and 14.8 MeV using the activation method. The neutron flux was determined using the monitor reaction (27) Al(n,alpha)Na-24. The induced gamma-ray activities were measured using a low background gamma ray spectrometer equipped with a high resolution HPGe detector. The experimentally determined cross sections were compared with the data in the literature, and the evaluated data of ENDF/B-VII.1, JENDL-4.0u+, and CENDL-3.1. The excitation functions of the Th-232(n,gamma)Th-233 reaction were also calculated theoretically using the TALYS1.6 computer code.