Description

Parameters of neutron resonances are finding increasing interest, not only for scientific problems like the understanding of astrophysical processes but even more so for applications. For the construction and the safety of conventional nuclear reactors such data are essential and for new developments like the thorium-uranium cycle or for nuclear waste transmutation they are indispensible. Since the last publication of neutron resonance parameters at Landolt-Börnstein in 2004, the quality and precision of the data has been considerably improved, partly by the operation of new neutron spectrometers, e.g., the CERN time-of-flight facility recently put into operation and also by the use of new carefully designed neutron capture detectors. Volume I/24 contains neutron resonance parameters for the nuclear levels of 356 nuclei with Z ranging from 1 to 98 compiled by two eminent experts in the field. Again a considerable effort was made in comparing data from different sources in order to solve some previous discrepancies and establish 'best values', one of the main characteristics of Landoldt- Börnstein publications. In order to compare the data from different sources a comparison of the various experimental installations has been given. In view of the large amount of data the parameters for only the most important resonances are given in the printed version. However, the data for all resonances are available online at www.springerlink.com (DOI: 10.1007/978-3-540-87866-7). Neutron resonance parameters of many nuclei were previously published by Landolt-Börnstein in Volumes I/16B and I/16C.