Impact of Maxwellian averaged neutron capture cross-sections for 182W(n,γ)183W reaction on W isotopic compositions

Abstract

The W isotopic compositions have been investigated within the classical approach to the s-process nucleosynthesis. The Maxwellian averaged neutron capture cross-sections (MACS) adopted in the calculation are obtained from the TALYS-1.9 code with four nuclear level density models: the constant temperature plus Fermi gas, the back-shifted Fermi gas, the generalised superfluid, and the microscopic method of Goriely. The results show that the uncertainty from MACS values is already propagated in the W isotopic ratios, and the generalised superfluid prediction exhibits the largest deviation from the observed 182W/184W ratio. In addition, since branching points have not been considered in this work, the MACS values of the 182W(n,γ)183W reaction are found not to affect the estimated 183W/184W ratio.

Keywords

• neutron capture reaction
• s-process
• isotopic composition