Neutron Capture Cross Section of Cobalt-59 in the Energy Range 2.5 to 1000 keV

Time-of-flight measurements of the neutron capture cross section of ⁵⁹Co were carried out in the energy region 2.5 to 1000 keV using the Oak Ridge Electron Linear Accelerator and a pair of nonhydrogenous liquid-scintillator gamma-ray detectors. Resonance energies and capture areas were determined for a large number of resolved resonances up to 85-keV neutron energy, and radiation widths for 35 known s-wave resonances were derived. Positive correlation coefficients (ρ ≃ 0.3) between the radiative widths and neutron reduced widths of these s-wave resonances for both possible spin states were calculated. The significance of the correlations is discussed.