The Neutrons Emitted in the Disintegration of Nitrogen by Deuterons

The photographic plate method has been used in a study of the neutrons produced in the disintegration of nitrogen by deuterons. A single group of neutrons, corresponding to an energy release of (5.15±0.10) MeV., was detected, but the existence of the low-energy neutron group reported by Stephens, Djanab and Bonner (1937) was not confirmed. The new results show that, if this group does exist, its intensity is not more than 15% of that of the principal neutron group, and that no excited levels of the 15 O nucleus less than 5 MeV. above the ground state are effective in this reaction. The neutron flux from the N+D reaction was compared with that of D+D neutrons produced by disintegration of deuterium present in the surface layers of the target employed. The data obtained were used in determinations of the angular distributions of the D+D and N+D neutron fluxes, and in tests of the reliability of the photographic plate method for relative flux measurements.