Intranuclear cascade evaporation model predictions of double differential A(p,xn) neutron cross sections and comparison with experiments at 318 MeV and 800 MeV proton energy

The intranuclear-cascade evaporation model (INCE) as implemented in the high energy radiation transport code HETC, subsystem of HERMES (1) is used in the calculation of double differential cross sectionsl of proton induced neutron production. The investigations were done on target elements C, Al, Ta, Ni, W, Pb, and U at 318 MeV incident proton energy and on C, Al, Pb, and U at 800 MeV, respectively. The predictions of the INCE model were compared with experimental data for double differential cross sections taken at 7.5 and 30 degrees scattering angles at the Los Aamos WNR facility utilizing the Time of Flight (ToF) technique at LANL. The calculations performed here are part of a experimental-theoretical program within the LANL-KFA collaboration concernign medium energy cross section measurements mainly neutrons and state of the art computer code validations of these measurements. In general, the model predictions reproduce the correct neutron production for evaporation neutrons and are also in good agreement with the experimental data at high neutron energies. In the energy range dominated by preequilibrion processes an underestimation of experimental yields has to be remarked.