Direct measurement of the branching ratioΓn/ΓfofU238in inelastic alpha scattering in the giant resonance region

We have directly measured, for the first time, the neutron-fission branching ratio, {Gamma}{sub {ital n}}/{Gamma}{sub {ital f}}, of an actinide nucleus ({sup 238}U) excited in inelastic scattering as a function of excitation energy. This was accomplished using a {approx}4{pi} array of fission counters to separate fission neutrons from decay neutrons in the simultaneous coincidence experiments ({alpha},{alpha}{prime}{ital f}) and ({alpha},{alpha}{prime}{ital n{bar f}}). The measured branching ratio agrees well with previous photoneutron data. In a separate experiment, we have measured the angular distribution of alpha particles scattered from {sup 238}U in coincidence with fission decay ({alpha},{alpha}{prime}{ital f}). This provides us with an estimate of the cross section (in the fission channel) for exciting the isosca- lar giant monopole and giant quadrupole resonances. This estimate, combined with the {Gamma}{sub {ital n}}/{Gamma}{sub {ital f}} measurement, allows us to place bounds on the neutron-fission branching ratio for the isoscalar giant monopole and giant quadrupole resonances themselves.