A new apparatus for indirect neutron capture measurements at LANSCE

Direct measurements of radiative neutron capture rates for radionuclides at temperatures relevant to astrophysics can be extremely challenging. Therefore, indirect methods have been pursued and substantial effort has been devoted to quantifying systematic errors associated with these techniques. The Device for Indirect Capture Experiments on Radionuclides (DICER), a new apparatus that is being developed at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE), explores the possibility of determining capture rates through the analysis of transmission data at the resolved resonance region. DICER and associated radionuclide production at the Isotope Production Facility (IPF), both at LANSCE, have been under development the last few years leading to the first measurement on a radioactive sample (⁸⁸Zr, t_1/2=83.4 days), which is planned for the summer of 2021. A description of the device and associated efforts will be discussed.