Validating the ENDF-B/VII ²³⁵U(nth,f) Prompt Fission Neutron Spectrum Using Updated Dosimetry Cross Sections (IRDFF)

The International Reactor Dosimetry File IRDF-2002 released in 2004 by the IAEA contains cross-section data and corresponding uncertainties for 66 dosimetry reactions. New cross-section evaluations have become available recently that re-define some of these dosimetry reactions for reactor applications including: 1) high fidelity evaluation work undertaken by one of the authors (KIZ); 2) evaluations from the ENDF/B-VII libraries that cover reactions within the International Evaluation of Neutron Cross-Section Standards; and 3) evaluations from JENDL-3.1 and JENDL- 4 libraries. Overall, 37 new evaluations of dosimetry reactions have been assessed to determine whether they should be adopted to update and improve IRDF-2002. A new dosimetry library (International Reactor Dosimetry File for Fission and Fusion - IRDFF) was assembled based on new evaluations combined with selected IRDF-2002 evaluations. A grand-total of 74 dosimetry reactions are included into the IRDFF dosimetry library available at www-nds.iaea.org/IRDFF1 . The assembled library was used to validate the 235U(nth,f) ENDF-B/VII.0 prompt fission neutron spectrum. An excellent average C/E value of 1.002 +/- 0.02 is achieved for reactions with mean neutron energy of the integrated response (E50%) lower than 11 MeV. C/E data for reactions with E50%-response higher than 11 MeV decreases up to 0.8. We conclude that the ENDF-B/VII.0 235U(nth,f) prompt fission neutron spectrum from 1-11 MeV is validated within quoted uncertainties by available integral measurements in 235U(nth,f) neutron field. Further investigations for high-threshold reactions are needed and new measurements of spectrum average cross sections for those reactions in the 235U(nth,f) neutron field are recommended