THERMAL NEUTRONS

Maxwellian Distribution
The thermal neutron velocity/energy ( E K = 12 m n v 2 ) distribution is Maxwellian. The number of
neutrons of energy E per unit energy interval, N(E), and the number of neutrons of velocity v per unit
velocity interval, N(v), can be expressed in terms of the neutron energy:

dN 0
2 N0
= N (E) =
dE
( k T ) 3 / 2

E e E / k T

(1)

or the neutron velocity:

2
dN 0
4 v2 N0
= N (v ) =
e mv / 2 k T
3
/
2
dv
( 2 k T / m)

(2)

where k is Boltzmanns constant; T is the absolute temperature of the medium; and N0 is the total number of
neutrons per unit volume, that is,

N 0 = N (v) dv = N ( E ) dE

(3)

0.6

0.9

0.7

N(E), No/kT

N(v)
0.4

0.6
0.5

0.3

0.4

0.2

0.3
0.2

0.1

N(v), No/sqrt(2kT/m)

0.8

N(E)

0.5

0.1

0
0

Energy, kT, and Velocity, sqrt(2kT/m)

Figure: Maxwellian neutron energy and velocity distributions with normalized units.

By setting the derivative of the N(E) and N(v) expressions equal to zero, the most probable energy
and velocity, respectively, can be solved for. We use the product rule to find the derivative of dN (v) / dv :

dN d 4 v 2 N 0
mv 2 / 2 k T
=
e

dv dv (2 k T / m) 3 / 2

2
2
4 N0
=
2 v e mv / 2 k T + v 2 e mv / 2 k T
3/ 2
( 2 k T / m)

EEE460-Handout

m 2 v

2 k T

(4)

K.E. Holbert

By setting the above expression equal to zero, we find the most probable velocity
dN
= 0 = 2v + v2
dv

mv

kT

(5)

2kT
vp =
m
This result agrees with the graphical plot of N(v). For a neutron at 20C, the most probable velocity is then
v0 =

2kT
(2)(1.38 10 23 J/ K )(273 + 20 K ) kg m 2 /s 2
=

m
J
(1.675 10 27 kg )

= 2197 m/sec

(6)

where the zero subscript implies thermal equilibrium at this reference (room) temperature. Because these
are low velocity neutrons, the energy at the most probable velocity may be found from the classical
expression for kinetic energy
ET =

1
1 2kT
m v 2p = m
=kT
2
2 m

(7)

which is the thermal neutron energy. At 20 the thermal neutron energy is

E 0 = k T = (8.617 10 5 eV/K )(273 + 20 K ) = 0.0253 eV

(8)

The formulae for the most probable neutron energy, and its corresponding velocity, can be obtained in
similar fashion. Left as an exercise, the most probable neutron energy is
E p = 12 k T

(9)

which agrees with the earlier graph. Note the difference between the most probable energy of Eq. (7), and
the energy at the most probable velocity from Eq. (9).
The average energy and velocity can be found from

N ( E ) E dE
E avg = 0
0 N ( E ) dE

N (v) v dv
v avg = 0
0 N (v) dv

(10)

We note that the denominator of both expressions above is equal to N0. The average velocity can be found
using variable substitutions of
x = v2

dx = 2 v dv

a=

m
2kT

(11)

such that

EEE460-Handout

K.E. Holbert

v avg =
=
=
=

1
N0

4 v2 N0

( 2 k T / m) 3 / 2

e mv

/ 2kT

v dv =

xe

2
( 2 k T / m) 3 / 2

( 2 k T / m)

3/ 2

v 2 e mv

/ 2kT

v dv

( 2 k T / m) 3 / 2

ax

2
dx
ea x
(a x 1)
=
2 ( 2 k T / m) 3 / 2 a 2
0

2
e

2
e0
2kT
(
)
(
)

=
1
0
1

3/ 2
a2
m
a
(2 k T / m)

(12)

8kT
m

The average energy can be found in a like manner:

E avg = 32 k T

(13)

In summary: for the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution, the most probable neutron velocity, v0 = vp, at
20C (68F) is 2200 m/s, which corresponds to a kinetic energy of E0 = 0.0253 eV. Thermal-neutron crosssection data are tabulated at 2200 m/s or 0.0253 eV. The thermal neutron velocity, vT = vp, is the most
probable velocity at temperature, T, and can be related to the most probable velocity at room temperature
vT =

2kT
= v0
m

T
T0

(14)

This expression is useful in finding the thermal neutron velocity at temperatures other than 20C. By
comparing Eqs. (5) and (12), we note that the average neutron velocity, vavg, and the most probable velocity,
vp, can be related via
v avg =

(15)

vp

The table below lists the average and most probable neutron velocities and energies.
Neutron

Energy

Average

E avg = 3 2 k T

Most Probable

Ep =

2kT

v avg

Velocity
2
=
v p = 1.1284 v p

v p = vT =

2kT
m

ET = 12 m v 2p = k T

EEE460-Handout

K.E. Holbert

THERMAL NEUTRON FLUX

2200 meter-per-second Flux, 0

0 = n v0

(1)

Thermal Flux, T

T = ( E ) dE = n v avg =

n vT

(2)

Beam vs. Reactor Flux

relating the two different fluxes

n v0
0
v0

=
=
=
2
2 vT
2
T
n vT

E0

=
ET
2

T0
T

(3)

= 293.6K

(4)

where
T0 =

1
2

m v 02
k

1
2

(1.67492 10 27 kg ) (2200 m/s) 2

1.38066 10 23 J/ K

Reaction Rate

Fa = a ( E 0 ) 0 = a ,th T

(5)

For 1/v absorbers, the absorption rate is independent of the neutron energy distribution. Non-1/v absorbers
include: U-233, U-235, U-238, Pu-239, Cd, In, Xe-135, Sm-149.
Thermal Absorption Cross Section

a ,th =

T0 a , 2200 m / s
=
T
1.128

293K a , 2200 m/s

=
TM , K
1.128

0.0253 eV
Eth

(6)

Thermal Scattering Cross Section

s ,th = s , 2200 m/s

EEE460-Handout

(7)

K.E. Holbert