Au photofission cross section by quasimonochromatic photons in the intermediate energy region.

The photofission cross section of Au was determined in the energy range 100--300 MeV by means of a quasimonochromatic photon beam. The nuclear fissility ${P}_{f}$ was calculated using the recently measured total photoabsorption cross sections. The nuclear excitation energy ${E}^{\mathrm{*}}$, charge and mass of compound nucleus were obtained by means of an intranuclear cascade Monte Carlo calculation. The fissility values determined for Au, Bi, and U were compared with the predictions of the cascade-evaporation model and remarkably fitted by the calculation