Inelastic Scattering of Thermal Neutrons by Liquid Sodium and Lead

Abstract

The spectra of thermal neutrons inelastically scattered by liquid sodium and lead are analyzed in terms of the mean-square displacement of an atom, using a phenomenological prescription for relating coherent and incoherent scattering. There are no adjustable parameters in the absolute intensity calculations, and the results are generally satisfactory. The difference in the computed cross sections obtained with a model description of the mean-square displacement or with the results found by computer molecular-dynamics experiments is found to be quite small, a conclusion consistent with earlier calculations for argon.