The stepwise time dependent backward Kolmogorov equations with delayed neutrons in counting statistics II. Covariance

Abstract

This paper completes work dealing with the neutron counting statistics in a zero power reactor subject to an arbitrary sequence of stepwise variations of all the parameters. Using the one-velocity, point reactor model with delayed neutrons and following the backwards Kolmogorov formalism, expressions for the mean value, variance and covariance of the count distribution have been obtained. Knowledge of these moments allows the estimation of kinetic parameters of a reactor together with their statistical errors under any time variable condition concerning critically, source intensity and detector efficiency. Numerical examples relating to a rod drop and to a sinusoidal pile oscillator experiments are reported for illustration.