Definition of cross sections 1 - Moodle

Resonances 21. Each excitation level e i has a certain energy width γ i , due to the Heisenberguncertainty principle. The width γ i corresponds to its finite lifetime τ i :(15)γ i = τ i.The finite lifetime is the average lifetime of the compound nucleus at level i. It is thereciprocal of the radioactive decay constant. The smaller the width means the longerthe lifetime of the level. The energy width γ i is defined in the CM.2. The resonance width is related to the formation of the compound nucleus at level i.The probability for it to decay with a nuclear reaction of type x is given in term of thepartial resonance width γ x,i as(16)P x,i = γ x,iγ iso that(17)γ i = ∑ xγ x,i .The decay channel x is one of the nuclear reactions. The partial width correspondingto the scattering reaction is the neutron width γ n,i .ENE6101: Week 4 Cross sections – 17/37