Measurements of thermal fission and capture cross sections of minor actinides within the Mini-INCA project

In the framework of nuclear waste transmutation studies, the Mini-INCA project has been initiated at CEA/DSM to determine optimal conditions for transmutation and incineration of Minor Actinides (MA) in high intensity neutron fluxes in the thermal region. Our experimental tool is based on alpha- and gamma-spectroscopy of irradiated samples and microscopic fission-chambers. It can provide both microscopic information on nuclear reactions (total and partial cross sections for neutron capture and/or fission reactions) and macroscopic information on transmutation and incineration potentials. The 232 Th, 237 Np, 241 Am, and 244 Cm transmutation chains have been explored in details, showing some discrepancies in comparison with evaluated data libraries but in overall good agreement with recent experimental data.