Statistically significant observation of and cross-sections for a new nuclear reaction channel on ¹⁹⁷Au with bound dineutron escape

Abstract

A new nuclear reaction channel on 197 Au with the neutron as a projectile and a bound dineutron ( 2 n) as an ejectile in the output channel is considered based on available experimental observations. The dineutron is assumed to be formed as a particle satellite, separated from the volume but not from the potential well of the 196 Au nucleus. The dineutron was identified by statistically significant radioactivity detection due to decay of 196 g Au nuclei. Cross-sections for the 197 Au (n, 2 n) 196 g Au reaction are determined as 180 ± 60 µb and 37 ± 8 µb for [6. 09-6.39] and [6.175-6.455] MeV energy ranges, correspondingly. Possible outcomes of dineutron detection near the surface of deformed nuclei are also raised and discussed.