Fission of232Th induced by 4–11 MeV protons

The excitation function for the²³²Th(p,f) reaction has been determined in the energy range from 4 to 11 MeV. A discrepancy existing in the literature is resolved. The mass yield distribution has been studied at 8 MeV proton energy and the peak-to-valley ratio has been determined to be 9.2. The fission data, together with evaporation residue data from an earlier experiment, are understood rather well within the framework of a statistical decay model which derives its parameters from independent data. The absorption cross sections for protons in the vicinity of and below the Coulomb barrier are also discussed and confronted with optical model predictions using published global proton potentials.