Spallation reactions induced by 4.4 GeV deuterons on lead isotopes

Abstract

Independent and cumulative production cross sections for radioactive nuclear fragments from the deuteron-irradiation of isotopically enriched lead (204Pb, 206Pb, 207Pb, and 208Pb) targets were obtained for the first time. The experiment has been performed with a 4.4 GeV deuteron beam from the Nuclotron of the Laboratory of High Energy Physics (LHE), Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) at Dubna. The production cross sections of target fragments were determined by off-line γ-ray spectroscopy. Charge dispersion and mass-yield distributions were deduced from these data. The results are discussed in terms of the relative importance of different reaction mechanisms (evaporation–spallation, fission and multifragmentation). Comparison of our results with the data from the reaction induced by protons of about the same kinetic energy per nucleon, has been performed. The coexistence of the different decay modes in the formation of the reaction residues, such as spallation, fission and multifragmentation is suggested.