CUMULATIVE YIELDS OF THE HEAVY FRAGMENTS IN THE THERMAL-NEUTRON FISSION OF 241Pu

Abstract

The relative yields of isotopes of xenon, cesium, barium, cerium, neodymium, and samarium formed by the thermal neutron fission of 241Pu have been obtained by mass spectrometric methods. The relative yields of the elements were normalized by means of the isotope dilution and isobaric techniques, and absolute cumulative yields were determined by summing the relative yields to 100%. The curve obtained for 241Pu is compared with other mass–yield curves. The general shape of this mass–yield curve is similar to that for 239Pu; yet the fine structure shows greater similarity to that for 235U thermal-neutron fission.