Modelling and TOFOR measurements of scattered neutrons at JET

Abstract

In this paper, the scattered and direct neutron fluxes in the line of sight (LOS) of the TOFOR neutron spectrometer at JET are simulated and the simulations compared with measurement results. The Monte Carlo code MCNPX is used in the simulations, with a vessel material composition obtained from the JET drawing office and neutron emission profiles calculated from TRANSP simulations of beam ion density profiles. The MCNPX simulations show that the material composition of the scattering wall has a large effect on the shape of the scattered neutron spectrum. Neutron source profile shapes as well as radial and vertical source displacements in the TOFOR LOS are shown to only marginally affect the scatter, while having a larger impact on the direct neutron flux. A matrix of simulated scatter spectra for mono-energetic source neutrons is created which is folded with an approximation of the source spectrum for each JET pulse studied to obtain a scatter component for use in the data analysis. The scatter components thus obtained are shown to describe the measured data. It is also demonstrated that the scattered flux is approximately constant relative to the total neutron yield as measured with the JET fission chambers, while there is a larger spread in the direct flux, consistent with simulations. The simulated effect on the integrated scattered/direct ratio of an increase with movements outward along the radial direction and a drop at higher values of the vertical plasma position is also reproduced in the measurements. Finally, the quantitative agreement found in scatter/direct ratios between simulations (0.185 ± 0.005) and measurements (0.187 ± 0.050) serves as a solid benchmark of the MCNPX model used.