REACTOR ANTINEUTRINO SPECTRA AND THEIR APPLICATION TO ANTINEUTRINO-INDUCED REACTIONS

The knowledge of reactor antineutrino spectra is necessary for the interpretation of weak-interaction experiments located at nuclear reactors. We calculate the antineutrino and electron spectra accompanying thermal neutron fission of U235 and Pu239 for various irradiation times. It is stressed that the higher energy part (E4 MeV) of the spectra depends sensitively on the β-decay characteristics of fission products with experimentally unknown decay schemes. We also discuss the accuracy of a semiempirical conversion of the electron spectrum into the antineutrino spectrum. The resulting ν̄e spectra are used to calculated cross sections and reaction rates for the inverse neutron β decay, weak charged and neutral current induced deuteron disintegration, and the antineutrino-electron scattering. RADIOACTIVITY, FISSION U235, Pu239; Antineutrino and electron spectra calculated. σ for ν̄ induced reactions analyzed. © 1979 The American Physical Society.