Thermal Neutron Capture Cross Sections

The Oak Ridge pile oscillator has been used for a survey of the thermal neutron capture cross sections of the elements. Sixty-nine elements from atomic number 3 to 82 have been measured by comparison with gold, whose capture cross section is known from other experiments. From the internal consistency of the measurements, the care in selecting samples, and the accuracy of the value for gold, these values are estimated to be accurate within 5 percent. A comparison is made with the results of other pile oscillator measurements and of other methods such as time-of-flight and activation.