Measurement of neutron multiplicity from fission of 228U and nuclear dissipation

Pre- and post-scission neutron multiplicities are measured at different excitation energies of the compound nucleus U-228 populated using the F-19+Bi-209 reaction. The measured yield of pre-scission and total neutrons are compared with the statistical model calculation for the decay of a compound nucleus. The statistical model calculations are performed using the Bohr-Wheeler transition state fission width as well as the dissipative dynamical fission width due to Kramers. Comparison between the measured and the calculated values shows that, while the Bohr-Wheeler fission width grossly underestimates the pre-scission neutron yield, a large amount of dissipation is required in the Kramers width to fit the experimental pre-scission multiplicities. Various factors contributing to the large excitation energy dependence of the fitted values of the dissipation coefficient are discussed.