Modeling Pu-239 Fission Fragment De-Excitation applying the Total Monte Carlo method in TALYS

¹ Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, S-751 20, Uppsala, Sweden
² Nuclear Data Section, Division of Physical and Chemical Sciences, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency, POB 100, Vienna, Austria

^* e-mail: ali.al-adili@physics.uu.se

Published online: 14 March 2025

Abstract

In this study, we applied the Total Monte Carlo (TMC) methodology in de-excitation simulations of primary fission fragments (FF) using the TALYS code. The goal was to develop and optimise a methodology to benchmark initial fission model assumptions on fission mass yield distributions, excitation energy sharing and angular momentum population. The study was performed on the thermal neutron induced fission of ²³⁹Pu(n_th,f). The work aimed at evaluating fission model deficiencies and parameter sensitivities. We systematically varied TALYS input data by generating 5000 random files through the GEF code, randomizing 94 model parameters that a ffect fission yields and energy distributions within 3% of their default values. This variation revealed significant changes in the fission observables, such as prompt neutron and γ-ray multiplicities and energy spectra. The results indicate some systematic defects in the assumed excitation-energies and angular momenta. Another outcome from the study is the identification of a need for new correlation measurements on prompt neutrons and γ-rays from the ²³⁹Pu(n_th,f) reaction, as well as an updated evaluation.