Geometry Description Markup Language Research Articles

E-Brachy: New dosimetry package for electronic brachytherapy sources.

Large reported variability in the material composition and geometrical components of the Xoft electronic high-dose-rate brachytherapy Causes inter-source discrepancy in the source output. This variability is due to the manual manufacturing and assembly of thesources. This study aimed to develop a dosimetry software tool called E-Brachy to characterize the Xoft source and quantify the discrepancies in its photon spectrum and dosimetricproperties. E-Brachy is based on the Geant4 Monte Carlo toolkit and consists of two parts. In part one, the geometry and material composition for the source received in the computer-aided design format from the vendor were converted to the geometry description markup language format using the GUIMesh Python tool and integrated into the E-Brachy software. There was a large variation in material composition and thickness for some of the tube components. The simulation started from electrons and resulted in x-ray generations in the anode region. Multithreading, a track length estimation, and the uniform bremsstrahlung splitting variance reduction techniques were used to decrease the simulation time and increase the x-ray production. The photon energy, position, and momentum were saved into a phase space file as the photon exited the source, but before interacting with the external environment. The obtained x-ray energy spectrum was compared with measurements from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). In part two, by sampling from the generated photons, the dose rates and dosimetric parameters according to the TG-43 protocol were calculated for model S7500 and compared to the ones previously calculated for model S700 source, which were deemed identical by themanufacturer. The material composition that resulted in the most similar spectrum as the measured NIST spectrum with Pearson's correlation coefficient of 0.99 and a calculated Euclidean difference of keV was chosen for further dosimetric analysis of the model S7500 source. Characteristic peaks showed the presence of tungsten, yttrium, and silver in the source components. Differences in dose rates between the two source models surpassed 20% for polar angles , reaching a peak at cm and . The differences in the radial dose function values were within 5%. The relative difference in percentage between the anisotropy function values of the two models was closer to 0 for smaller values, but at higher polar angles, they increased to 300%. A software package called E-Brachy was successfully developed for the characterization and dosimetry of Xoft electronic brachytherapy sources. E-Brachy can be combined with spectral measurements to investigate the inter- and intra-source variability. The software package was tested by comparing the simulated spectra from the S7500 Xoft source model with NIST measurements and its TG-43 parameters with the S700 model. The TG-43 parameters between the two sources significantly exceed the recommendations ofTG-56.

New CAD modeling approach in Geant4 with half-space CSG

Geant4 offers constructive solid geometry (CSG) for modeling detector geometries, but representing intricate computer-aided design (CAD) structures can be cumbersome. This article presents a novel approach that overcomes this limitation. A new CSG solid type called “half-space solid” enables the equivalent representation of complex CAD solids within Geant4. An automatic program utilizes optimized decomposition algorithms to convert CAD solids into half-space solids. The geometry description markup language (GDML) has been extended to accommodate the half-space solid type alongside the development of interfaces for exporting converted geometries and their subsequent import into Geant4. These advancements establish a fully automated workflow for converting CAD geometries into CSG-based representations suitable for Geant4 simulations. The reliability of the half-space solid-based modeling approach has been verified through comparisons with established Geant4 solids for both simple shapes and a complex fusion reactor model. The excellent agreement obtained from these comparisons demonstrates the efficiency of this new approach.

MRADSIM-Converter: A new software for STEP to GDML conversion

Radiation effects analysis of instruments operative in harsh radiation environment is crucial for performance and functionality of electronic devices and components. Engineering design of instruments is usually carried out in Computer Aided Design (CAD) engineering software. Geant4-based Monte Carlo codes are extensively used for particle transport simulation and analysis. However, Geant4 is not prepared to accept CAD Standard for The Exchange of Product data (STEP) format. MRADSIM-Converter is a new software for STEP to Geometry Description Markup Language (GDML) format conversion, readable by Geant4-based Monte Carlo codes. Its validation with two different converters confirms its higher speed for importing CAD geometries with arbitrary size and complexity having a user-friendly interface for modifying volumes properties. Program summaryProgram title: MRADSIM-ConverterCPC Library link to program files:https://doi.org/10.17632/8kzsyn79gh.1Licensing provisions: LGPLProgramming language: C++Supplementary material: CMake, Qt5, OpenCascadeNature of problem: Geant4 toolkit simulation code developed at CERN is widely used for high energy physics community as well as health physics and radioprotections communities. However, Geant4 is not prepared to receive the CAD formats file, and the geometry implementation in Geant4 is a time-consuming task as it requires the creation of each volume using specific classes.Solution method: MRADSIM-Converter is a software designed to perform a conversion between the files written in STEP format, prepared by CAD software, into the GDML format, accepted as input in Geant4. All existent volumes in the input STEP file are visualized in the Graphical User Interface (GUI), where it is possible to interactively assign the material to the components and modify each volume's properties, such as material, color, and name.Additional comments including restrictions and unusual features: MRADSIM-Converter is tested under Ubuntu, versions 18 and 20. All the libraries necessary to run the program are provided in the package hence no additional library or software is required to be installed. Under MacOS and Windows, MRADSIM-Converter is running through virtual machine (VM) with above-mentioned Ubuntu versions.

Pyg4ometry: A Python library for the creation of Monte Carlo radiation transport physical geometries

Creating and maintaining computer-readable geometries for use in Monte Carlo Radiation Transport (MCRT) simulations is an error-prone and time-consuming task. Simulating a system often requires geometry from different sources and modelling environments, including a range of MCRT codes and computer-aided design (CAD) tools. Pyg4ometry is a Python library that enables users to rapidly create, manipulate, display, debug, read, and write Geometry Description Markup Language (GDML)-based geometry used in MCRT simulations. Pyg4ometry provides importation of CAD files to GDML tessellated solids, conversion of GDML geometry to FLUKA and conversely from FLUKA to GDML. The implementation of Pyg4ometry is explained in detail in this paper and includes a number of small examples to demonstrate some of its capabilities. The paper concludes with a complete example using most of Pyg4ometry's features and a discussion of possible extensions and future work. Program summaryProgram Title:Pyg4ometryCPC Library link to program files:https://doi.org/10.17632/hngmhmh8cx.1Licensing provisions: GPLv3Programming language: Python, C++External routines/libraries: ANTLR, CGAL, FreeCAD, NumPy, OpenCascade, SymPy, VTKNature of problem: Creating computer-readable geometry descriptions for Monte Carlo radiation transport (MCRT) codes is a time-consuming and error-prone task. Typically these geometries are written by the user directly in the file format used by the MCRT code. There are also multiple MCRT codes available and geometry conversion is difficult or impossible between these simulation tools.Solution method: Create a Python application programming interface for the description and manipulation of Geant4 and FLUKA geometries, with full support for the direct reading and writing of their respective geometry description file formats. Form triangular meshes to represent geometric objects for both visualisation of the geometry and to enable the use of advanced mesh-based geometric algorithms. Triangular mesh processing algorithms allow the loading and use of Standard Triangle Language (STL) and CAD/CAM files. Converting from FLUKA to Geant4 requires algorithms to decompose solids to a set of unions of convex solids. Converting from FLUKA to Geant4 requires a number of steps including the replacement of infinite surfaces with finite solids and the automatic elimination of overlaps.

GUIMesh: A tool to import STEP geometries into Geant4 via GDML

Detailed radiation analysis of instruments flown in space is critical to ensure mission safety, often requiring the use of state-of-the-art particle transport simulation tools. Geant4 is one of the most powerful toolkits to simulate the interaction and the passage of particles through matter, but it is not prepared to receive Standard for The Exchange of Product data (STEP) files, the most versatile Computer-Aided Design (CAD) format, as input, requiring previous conversion to other CAD formats. This may lead to loss of detail and under or overestimation of the quantities under study, especially when the instruments have complex shapes, and/or a large number of volumes. Though several solutions have been proposed to import complex geometries from STEP files into Geant4, so far, only commercial options are available. In this paper we present a new tool, GUIMesh, that embeds FreeCAD libraries, an open-source CAD editor, to tessellate volumes, and convert them to Geometry Description Markup Language (GDML), a Geant4 readable format, in a straightforward way. Several degrees of freedom are given to the user regarding mesh precision and choice of material. Different geometries were tested for material definition, geometry and navigation errors, and the method used was successfully validated. Program SummaryProgram Title: GUIMeshProgram Files doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.17632/c3c9xbspzp.1Licensing provisions: GNU General Public License 3 (GPLv3)Programming language: PythonNature of problem: No open-source software allows to import STEP geometries intro Geant4, one of the most powerful toolkits to simulate radiation interaction with matter. Since CAD software is extensively used in the design of particle and radiation detection instruments, it is highly desirable for physicists that STEP geometries can be imported to Geant4 with little effort instead of having to code structures made of a very large number of solid volumes which are difficult to accurately reproduce with Geant4 C++ classes.Solution method: STEP geometries are converted to tessellated volumes (with some margin of error) using FreeCAD libraries. A Python script then writes GDML files based on the results allowing users to import these geometries with Geant4. A graphical user interface provides several options to the user, including material assignment and mesh precision setting for each volume.

GDML based geometry management system for offline software in JUNO

In the JUNO experiment, a geometry management system has been developed in offline software. The system is based on Geometry Description Markup Language (GDML) to provide consistent detector description for different applications, such as simulation, reconstruction, visualization and analysis. It works for different detector designs with flexibility and has been successfully used for detector optimization and performance evaluation with Monte Carlo data.

Electrons in GEO Measured With the ESA Multifunctional Spectrometer During the January 2014 SEP

The multifunctional spectrometer (MFS) is a radiation monitor installed on the X panel of the Alphasat satellite, in geostationary orbit (GEO) since July 2013. The MFS was specially tailored to characterize the space radiation environment in GEO and it is expected to acquire scientific data during a total lifetime of five years. An end-to-end Geant4 simulation of the MFS flight model based on the full geometry of the MFS, imported from computer-aided design (CAD) to geometry description markup language, was implemented and validated with the MFS ground-test results obtained in Paul Scherrer Institute facilities in 2010. The MFS simulation was then used to derive response functions for the MFS electron and proton channels. This paper describes the implementation of a maximum likelihood fit method to reconstruct particle spectra from MFS data, and its application to the reconstruction of the electron spectra for a 20-day period centered on the occurrence of January 2, 2014, solar energetic particle event. The obtained electron integral fluxes for this period are in reasonable agreement with GOES-15 public data and with the predictions of the AE8MIN update and IGE-2006 models.

A tool to convert CAD models for importation into Geant4

The engineering design of a particle detector is usually performed in a Computer Aided Design (CAD) program, and simulation of the detector’s performance can be done with a Geant4-based program. However, transferring the detector design from the CAD program to Geant4 can be laborious and error-prone.SW2GDML is a tool that reads a design in the popular SOLIDWORKS CAD program and outputs Geometry Description Markup Language (GDML), used by Geant4 for importing and exporting detector geometries. Other methods for outputting CAD designs are available, such as the STEP format, and tools exist to convert these formats into GDML. However, these conversion methods produce very large and unwieldy designs composed of tessellated solids that can reduce Geant4 performance. In contrast, SW2GDML produces compact, human-readable GDML that employs standard geometric shapes rather than tessellated solids.This paper will describe the development and current capabilities of SW2GDML and plans for its enhancement. The aim of this tool is to automate importation of detector engineering models into Geant4-based simulation programs to support rapid, iterative cycles of detector design, simulation, and optimization.

Proton radiation damage assessment of a CCD for use in a Ultraviolet and Visible Spectrometer

This paper describes the radiation environment and radiation damage analysis performed for the Nadir and Occultation for MArs Discovery (NOMAD) Ultraviolet and Visible Spectrometer (UVIS) channel launched onboard the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) in 2016. The aim of the instrument is to map the temporal and spatial variation of trace gases such as ozone and dust/cloud aerosols in the atmosphere of Mars. The instrument consists of a set of two miniature telescope viewing optics which allow for selective input onto the optical bench, where an e2v technologies CCD30-11 will be used as the detector. A Geometry Description Markup Language model of the spacecraft and instrument box was created and through the use of ESA's SPace ENVironment Information System (SPENVIS) an estimate of the 10 MeV equivalent proton fluence was made at a number of radiation sensitive regions within NOMAD, including that of the CCD30-11 which is the focus of this paper. The end of life 10 MeV equivalent proton fluence at the charge coupled device was estimated to be 4.7 × 109 protons.cm−2; three devices were irradiated at different levels up a 10 MeV equivalent fluence of 9.4 × 109 protons.cm−2. The dark current, charge transfer inefficiency, charge storage, and cosmetic quality of the devices was investigated pre- and post-irradiation, determining that the devices will continue to provide excellent science throughout the mission.

SEP Protons in GEO measured with the ESA MultiFunctional Spectrometer

The multifunctional spectrometer (MFS) is a new radiation monitor that together with component technology test bed makes the European Space Agency Alphasat Environment and Effects Facility—Technology Demonstration Payload 8 (AEEF-TDP8). The two units are hosted in the X panel of the Alphasat satellite in orbit since July 2013. MFS is an instrument specifically designed to characterize the space radiation environment in geostationary orbit. The mission lifetime of AEEF/TDP8 will be at least three years and TDP8 is expected to be acquiring scientific data during the whole period. Before launch, MFS was submitted to proton and electron beam tests at the Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland in 2010. The main purpose was the validation and calibration of the MFS protoflight model together with the estimation of particle energy resolution and identification capability. A full Geant4 simulation with computer-aided design geometry exported to geometry description markup language description the MFS in-flight configuration was built. Ground test results were validated with Geant4 simulation. The measurements of MFS proton channels and MFS proton response functions are validated using comparisons with INTErnational Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory/INTEGRAL Radiation Environment Monitor data during the solar energetic particle event of January 2014. In addition, an artificial neural network (ANN) unfolding method was developed in order to unfold MFS data. Comparisons show that the derived ANN Alphasat/MFS fluxes are in remarkable agreement with INTEGRAL/IREM proton fluxes.

Development and application of CATIA-GDML geometry builder

Due to conceptual difference between geometry descriptions in Computer-Aided Design (CAD) systems and particle transport Monte Carlo (MC) codes direct conversion of detector geometry in either direction is not feasible. The paper presents an update on functionality and application practice of the CATIA-GDML geometry builder first introduced at CHEP2010. This set of CATIAv5 tools has been developed for building a MC optimized GEANT4/ROOT compatible geometry based on the existing CAD model. The model can be exported via Geometry Description Markup Language (GDML). The builder allows also import and visualization of GEANT4/ROOT geometries in CATIA. The structure of a GDML file, including replicated volumes, volume assemblies and variables, is mapped into a part specification tree. A dedicated file template, a wide range of primitives, tools for measurement and implicit calculation of parameters, different types of multiple volume instantiation, mirroring, positioning and quality check have been implemented. Several use cases are discussed.

A uniform geometry description for simulation, reconstruction and visualization in the BESIII experiment

In the BESIII experiment, the simulation, reconstruction and visualization were designed to use the same geometry description in order to ensure the consistency of the geometry for different applications. Geometry Description Markup Language (GDML), an application-independent persistent format for describing the geometries of detectors, was chosen and met our requirement. The detector of BESIII was described with GDML and then used in Geant4-based simulation and ROOT-based reconstruction and visualization.

Geometry Description Markup Language for Physics Simulation and Analysis Applications

The Geometry Description Markup Language (GDML) is a specialized XML-based language designed as an application-independent persistent format for describing the geometries of detectors associated with physics measurements. It serves to implement "geometry trees" which correspond to the hierarchy of volumes a detector geometry can be composed of, and to allow to identify the position of individual solids, as well as to describe the materials they are made of. Being pure XML, GDML can be universally used, and in particular it can be considered as the format for interchanging geometries among different applications. In this paper we will present the current status of the development of GDML. After having discussed the contents of the latest GDML schema, which is the basic definition of the format, we will concentrate on the GDML processors. We will present the latest implementation of the GDML "writers" as well as "readers" for either Geant4 , or ROOT ,