Reactor antineutrino spectra and their application to antineutrino-induced reactions

The knowledge of reactor antineutrino spectra is necessary for the interpretation of weak-interaction experiments located at nuclear reactors. We calculate the antineutrino and electron spectra accompanying thermal neutron fission of ²³⁵U and ²³⁹Pu for various irradiation times. It is stressed that the higher energy part (E4 MeV) of the spectra depends sensitively on the β-decay characteristics of fission products with experimentally unknown decay schemes. We also discuss the accuracy of a semiempirical conversion of the electron spectrum into the antineutrino spectrum. The resulting νₑ spectra are used to calculated cross sections and reaction rates for the inverse neutron β decay, weak charged and neutral current induced deuteron disintegration, and the antineutrino-electron scattering.RADIOACTIVITY, FISSION ²³⁵U, ²³⁹Pu; Antineutrino and electron spectra calculated. σ for ν induced reactions analyzed.