Fragment Angular Distributions in Neutron-Induced Fission of 235U and 239Pu using a Time Projection Chamber

Fission fragment angular distributions can lend insights into fission barrier shapes and level densities at the scission point, both important for fission theory development. Fragment emission anisotropies are also valuable for precision cross section ratio measurements, if the distributions are different for the two isotopes used in the ratio. Available angular data is sparse for 235U and even more so for 239Pu, especially at neutron energies above 5 MeV. The Neutron Induced Fission Fragment Tracking Experiment (NIFFTE) time projection chamber, which enables precise tracking of charged particles, can be used to study angular distributions and emission anisotropies of fission fragments in neutron-induced fission. Analysis of in-beam data collected at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center with a 239Pu/235U target will provide angular distributions as a function of incident neutron energy for these isotopes. Preliminary angular distributions for 235U and 239Pu using the NIFFTE time projection chamber will be presented.