Neutron Background Research Articles

ФИЛЬТР КАЛЬМАНА В ЗАДАЧЕ ОЦЕНКИ 8-ГРУППОВЫХ СПЕКТРОВ ЗАПАЗДЫВАЮЩИХ НЕЙТРОНОВ ПРИ ДЕЛЕНИИ 235U ТЕПЛОВЫМИ НЕЙТРОНАМИ

In the present work the estimation of the 8-group delayed neutron energy spectra emitted in the fission of 235U by thermal neutrons have been done. Aggregate delayed neutron spectra that were measured with high resolution in the different time intervals after the thermal neutron irradiation of the 235U sample presented in the IAEA reference database for beta-delayed neutron emission have been used for the estimation process. Due to the lack of the uncertainties for the spectra presented in this database and the necessity of this data in the process of estimation of delayed neutron group spectra at first the estimation of uncertainties of these spectra have been done. In the estimation process the following components of uncertainty have been considered: statistical; the component due to the neutron background; component due to the distinctive features of neutron spectra restoration process measured using spectrometer filled by helium-3 and also the component appearing due to introduction of the correction on the distortion of the neutron spectra as a result of passing through the lead sheilding. Estimation of spectra have been made using the technique based on the Kalman filter that allows to take into account the uncertainties of the input data. Estimation results are shown in the numerical and graphic form.

Calculation of DD and DT neutron contribution matrix for ITER vertical neutron camera detectors

ITER Vertical Neutron Camera (VNC) is a diagnostic intended to measure time- and space-resolved neutron emission profile in the poloidal plasma section. It is composed of the two fan-shaped collimating structures: lower (5 collimators) and upper (6 collimators). Every collimator contains 2 fission chambers and 2 diamond detectors.Axisymmetric plasma neutron source can be discretized as a set of square section rings. In this case, the count rate of a detector is a superposition of the count rates from every ring neutron source. The contribution matrix determines the contribution of each ring neutron source to the count rate of every detector. Usually, it can be calculated analytically. But in case of VNC background neutron flux in the detectors is significant and neutron scattering on tokamak structural materials must be considered.We have calculated the contribution matrices of the VNC detectors for both DT and DD neutrons using MCNP code. We used these matrices to calculate fission chamber count rates and neutron fluxes at detector locations for ITER reference DT neutron source (Tion=25 keV). The results agree with the values obtained by direct MCNP computations. Once calculated they allow fast simulation of detector signals for different plasma configurations.

Coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering with the νBDX−DRIFT directional detector at next generation neutrino facilities

We discuss various aspects of a neutrino physics program that can be carried out with the neutrino Beam-Dump eXperiment DRIFT ($\nu$BDX-DRIFT) detector using neutrino beams produced in next generation neutrino facilities. $\nu$BDX-DRIFT is a directional low-pressure TPC detector suitable for measurements of coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CE$\nu$NS) using a variety of gaseous target materials which include carbon disulfide, carbon tetrafluoride and tetraethyllead, among others. The neutrino physics program includes standard model (SM) measurements and beyond the standard model (BSM) physics searches. Focusing on the Long Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF) beamline at Fermilab, we first discuss basic features of the detector and estimate backgrounds, including beam-induced neutron backgrounds. We then quantify the CE$\nu$NS signal in the different target materials and study the sensitivity of $\nu$BDX-DRIFT to measurements of the weak mixing angle and neutron density distributions. We consider as well prospects for new physics searches, in particular sensitivities to effective neutrino non-standard interactions.

LEvEL: Low-Energy Neutrino Experiment at the LHC

We propose the operation of LEvEL, the Low-Energy Neutrino Experiment at the LHC, a neutrino detector near the Large Hadron Collider Beam Dump. Such a detector is capable of exploring an intense, low-energy neutrino flux and can measure neutrino cross sections that have previously never been observed. These cross sections can inform other future neutrino experiments, such as those aiming to observe neutrinos from supernovae, allowing such measurements to accomplish their fundamental physics goals. We perform detailed simulations to determine neutrino production at the LHC beam dump, as well as neutron and muon backgrounds. Measurements at a few to ten percent precision of neutrino-argon charged current and neutrino-nucleus coherent scattering cross sections are attainable with 100 ton-year and 1 ton-year exposures at LEvEL, respectively, concurrent with the operation of the High Luminosity LHC. We also estimate signal and backgrounds for an experiment exploiting the forward direction of the LHC beam dump, which could measure neutrinos above 100 GeV.

Characterization of plastic scintillator bars using fast neutrons from D-D and D-T reactions

We report results of fast neutron response in plastic scintillator (PS) bars from deuterium-deuterium (D-D) and deuterium-tritium (D-T) reactions using Purnima Neutron Generator Facility, BARC, Mumbai. These measurements are useful in context of Indian Scintillator Matrix for Reactor Anti-Neutrino (ISMRAN) detection, an array of 10×10 PS bars, used to measure reactor anti-neutrinos through inverse beta decay (IBD) signal. ISMRAN detector, an above-ground experiment close to the reactor core (∼13m), deals with an active fast neutron background inside the reactor hall. A good understanding of fast neutron response in PS bars is an essential pre-requisite for suppression and discrimination of fast neutron background from IBD events. A monoenergetic neutron beam from the fusion reaction of D-D at 2.45 MeV and D-T at 14.1 MeV are used to characterize the energy response in these bars. The neutron energy response function has been simulated using the GEANT4 package and are compared with the measured data. A reasonable agreement of deposited energies by fast neutrons in PS bars between data and simulation are obtained for these reactions. The ratio of energy deposition in adjacent bars is used to discriminate between prompt IBD, fast neutron and neutron capture cascade gamma events.

Characterization of a gamma spectrometer–neutron counter background correlation in mobile radiological search systems

The mobile radiological search system (MRSS) is frequently employed to locate radiological material that may be used in nuclear terrorism. Because they are mobile, an MRSS has difficulties characterizing the radiation background during operations, particularly in their neutron counters. Operators of these systems noted a potential relationship between the MRSS’s background neutron count rate and the count rate in its scintillator’s “overflow” channel (a channel that counts all signals with energies greater than 3 MeV). Previous work indicated that this overflow channel is the result of muons. That result coupled with the fact that both muons and background neutrons are produced by cosmic ray interactions meant that the neutron-overflow channel relationship is non-trivial. To fully characterize the neutron–muon relationship, this research collected and analyzed MRSS data from throughout the continental United States. These data were collected by three different organizations (one university and two MRSS operators), each with a unique MRSS setup. The locations measured accounted for the changes in neutron and muon background as a result of three variables: elevation, latitude, and the local environment (i.e. nearby buildings). Analysis of this data indicated that the average neutron count rate varied with the average muon count rate by a power law function. This relationship sufficiently accounts for all three variables that change both count rates, and its presence indicates that an MRSS can estimate its background neutron count rate by simply measuring the muon count rate. However, the data also indicated one complication with applying this relationship more broadly: each organization’s relationship had slightly different power law equations, which appears to be dependent on individual MRSS setup.

Evaluation of detection efficiency and neutron scattering in NAND detector array: FLUKA simulation and experimental validation

The light output response and efficiency of 5”×5” BC501A liquid scintillator neutron detectors composing the NAND detector array have been measured by time of flight technique using 252Cf source. Energy dependent detection efficiency was calculated using FLUKA Monte Carlo code and validated by experimental measurement. FLUKA simulation incorporated fission neutron correlation and kinematics of neutron emission from fission source determining the energy distribution of neutrons in the laboratory frame. The intrinsic features of the scintillator were studied by including particle dependent quenching and light output resolution. Comparison of FLUKA simulation of scintillation light produced by neutrons and gamma rays with measurements provided realistic results. The calculated neutron detection efficiency at ∼0.5 MeV threshold reproduces the experimental data reasonably well in the studied energy range, 0.5<En<12MeV. Neutron scattering from target chamber material in NAND was investigated using FLUKA concluding that the loss in neutron flux due to scattering from the chamber wall is ∼ 12%. The scattering amounts to background neutron counts in neighbouring detectors comparable to cross-talk events. The absolute efficiency of the NAND array was estimated to be ∼1.40% after taking into consideration the intrinsic efficiency of liquid cells, geometrical efficiency and flux loss due to scattering.

A holistic approach to the optimization of neutron beam transport at the LANSCE facility

An advanced neutron beam collimation system has been developed as part of an effort to optimize neutron beam transport at the Weapons Neutron Research (WNR) Facility [1], located within the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE). The goal of this work was to develop and demonstrate techniques to tailor neutron delivery in order to provide maximum available flux on sample with a specific beam profile, while simultaneously reducing unwanted background. A holistic approach was taken, upgrading the facility spallation target, facility metrology infrastructure, and flight path shutter insert to support the implementation of this advanced collimation system. Modern instruments and software were employed to conduct facility surveys, characterization of as-built geometry of critical components, 3D ray tracing and neutron transport calculations. Beam images and flux measurements were acquired after installation to evaluate the performance of the collimation system and to demonstrate consistent agreement with MCNP simulations which showed an 87% increase of flux on sample while providing suppression of background neutron impingement on the sample frame by 103.

Neutron yield and energy spectrum of 13C(alpha,n)16O reaction in liquid scintillator of KamLAND: A Nedis-2m simulation

The 13C (α,n)16O reaction cross-section is important data for nuclear physics, astrophysical, and neutrino physics experiments, however, they exhibit uncertainties due to the discrepancies in the experimental data. In this study, using the Nedis-2m program code, the energy spectrum of α-induced neutrons in a thin carbon target was calculated and the corresponding reaction cross-section was refined in the alpha particle energy range of 5–8 MeV. The results were used to calculate the intensity and energy spectrum of background neutrons produced in the liquid scintillator of KamLAND. The results will be useful in a variety of astrophysical and neutrino experiments especially those based on LS or Gd-LS detectors.

Simulation of neutron background for a dark matter search experiment at JUSL

Dark matter search experiments demand a low to ultralow radiation background to operate. It is very important to understand the nature of the radiation background including knowledge about the sources contributing to it. Sometimes, evaluation of the background becomes very specific to the site chosen for the experiment, and also to the experimental configuration. A dark matter search experiment is proposed to be set up at the Jaduguda Underground Science Laboratory (JUSL) in India. The laboratory will be located inside an existing mine with 555 m of vertical rock overburden. Neutrons produced from (α,n) reactions, spontaneous fission of natural radioactive impurities in the rocks, and also from cosmic muon-induced reactions are considered as the main background which can affect the sensitivity and outcome of the experiment. In this work, simulations based on GEANT4 are done to understand both the radiogenic neutron background caused by natural radioactivity of the surrounding rock and the cosmogenic neutron background due to interactions of the deeply penetrating cosmic muons with the rock material. The muon flux in the cavern is obtained to be 4.49(±0.25)×10-7 cm-2s-1 and the fluxes of radiogenic and cosmogenic neutrons above an energy threshold of 1 MeV in the cavern are obtained to be 5.75(±0.69)×10-6cm-2s-1 and 7.25(±0.40)× 10-9cm-2 s-1 respectively. The values obtained are comparable with estimates and measurements from DAMA, WIPP, and dark matter experiments at Boulby mine. The effectiveness of different shielding materials is also investigated to obtain the best possible neutron background reduction for a dark matter search experiment at JUSL. We also estimate the sensitivity of a CsI based detector for Weakly Interacting Massive Particle (WIMP) dark matter search at JUSL considering the estimated neutron background.

Dark Matter Directionality Detection performance of the Micromegas-based [formula omitted]TPC-MIMAC detector

Directional Dark Matter Detection (DDMD) can open a new signature for Weakly Massive Interacting Particles (WIMPs) Dark Matter. The directional signature provides in addition, an unique way to overcome the neutron and neutrino backgrounds. In order to get the directional signature, the DDM detectors should be sensitive to low nuclear energy recoils in the keV range and have an angular resolution better than 20°. We have performed experiments with low energy (<30keV) ion beam facilities to measure the angular distribution of nuclear recoil tracks in a MIMAC detector prototype. In this paper, we study angular spreads with respect to the electron drift direction (0° incident angle) of Fluorine nuclear tracks in this low energy range, and show nuclear recoil angle reconstruction produced by a monoenergetic neutron field experiment. We find that a high-gain systematic effect leads to a high angular resolution along the electron drift direction. The measured angular distribution is impacted by diffusion, and space charge or ion feedback effects, which can be corrected for by an asymmetry factor observed in the flash-ADC profile. The estimated angular resolution of the 0° incident ion is better than 15° at 10 keV kinetic energy and agrees with the simulations within 20%. As it was not possible to inject ions at angles different from zero with respect to the electric drift field, we have performed experiments with monoenergetic neutrons producing nuclear recoils at all angles. The distributions from the nuclear recoils have been compared with simulated results based on a modified Garfield++ code. Our study shows that protons would be a more adapted target than heavier nuclei for DDMD of light WIMPs. We demonstrate that directional signature from the Galactic halo origin of a Dark Matter WIMP signal is experimentally achievable, with a deep understanding of the operating conditions of a low pressure detector with its diffusion mechanism.

A Combined Neutron and Proton Regimen for Advanced Salivary Tumors: Early Clinical Experience.

Background and objective Fast neutron radiotherapy (NRT) is a high linear energy transfer (LET) particle therapy that offers a local control (LC) advantage over low-LET X-rays in the treatment of advanced and unresectable salivary gland malignancies. However, in tumors approximating the base of skull (BOS), target volumes may be underdosed to minimize toxicity to the central nervous system (CNS). In this setting, a proton beam boost to the underdosed part of the tumor may improve LC. We report our early experience with a hybrid neutron-proton approach in patients with BOS involvement.Materials and methodsWe retrospectively reviewed 29 patients with locally advanced and unresectable salivary gland tumors involving the BOS between 2014-2018. The median age of the patients was 56 years, with the majority of them having adenoid cystic carcinomas (ACC) (79%) with advanced T4a/b disease (86%), pathologic perineural invasion (PNI) (55.2%), and orbital invasion (34.5%). Five patients (17.2%) were cases of re-irradiation. Surgical resection was attempted in 15 patients (51.7%), of which none achieved negative margins. The median neutron dose was 18.4 neutron Gray (nGy) with a sequential proton boost (PB) with a median dose of 25 Gy [relative biological effectiveness (RBE)] (range: 16-45 Gy). Toxicity was graded per the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 4.03. Descriptive statistics and the Kaplan-Meier method were used.ResultsAt a median follow-up of 18.9 months [interquartile range (IQR): 6.1-32.5], the entire cohort's overall survival (OS) was 93.1%, progression-free survival (PFS) was 79.3%, and LC was 89.7%. Among patients who were not re-irradiated (n=24), the most commonly recorded acute grade 3 toxicities were mucositis (50%) and dermatitis (37.5%). There was no documented acute grade 4/5 events. Late grade 3/4 events included trismus (n=1), hearing loss (n=2), visual loss (n=6), and bone necrosis (n=1). There were no reported late grade 5 events in de novo patients.ConclusionIn this challenging cohort with a poor prognosis, early outcomes for a hybrid neutron-proton approach were found to be promising. Further studies involving longer follow-ups with a larger cohort of patients are required to validate our findings.

Secondary Particle Interactions in a Compton Camera Designed for in vivo Range Verification of Proton Therapy.

The purpose of this study was to determine the types, proportions, and energies of secondary particle interactions in a Compton camera (CC) during the delivery of clinical proton beams. The delivery of clinical proton pencil beams ranging from 70 to 200 MeV incident on a water phantom was simulated using Geant4 software (version 10.4). The simulation included a CC similar to the configuration of a Polaris J3 CC designed to image prompt gammas (PGs) emitted during proton beam irradiation for the purpose of in vivo range verification. The interaction positions and energies of secondary particles in each CC detector module were scored. For a 150-MeV proton beam, a total of 156,688(575) secondary particles per 108 protons, primarily composed of gamma rays (46.31%), neutrons (41.37%), and electrons (8.88%), were found to reach the camera modules, and 79.37% of these particles interacted with the modules. Strategies for using CCs for proton range verification should include methods of reducing the large neutron backgrounds and low-energy non-PG radiation. The proportions of interaction types by module from this study may provide information useful for background suppression.

Optimization of the ITER vertical neutron camera detectors and collimators

ITER vertical neutron camera (VNC) is intended to measure time- and space-resolved neutron emission profile in the poloidal plasma section. It is composed of two fan-shaped collimating structures: lower (5 collimators) and upper (6 collimators). Every collimator contains 2 fission chambers and 2 diamond detectors. Upper VNC (UVNC) is located within upper port #18 and contains 6 lines of sight.However, upper port plug has very limited space for UVNC placement, so it is hard to manufacture sufficiently long collimators to suppress background neutrons and provide good collimation efficiency.In this work we analyzed ways of UVNC design optimization and suggested several solutions to decrease fraction of background neutrons measured by neutron detectors. All optimizations allow us to reduce fraction of background neutrons registered by fission chambers from 75% to 20%.

Overlapping correction suitable for an LR-115 detector located inside a diffusion chamber

A simulation program based on Monte Carlo methods was developed to study the behaviour of the overlapping effect in the LR-115 nuclear track detectors located inside a diffusion chamber. The relation between the non-overlapped tracks and the radon exposure level that the detector was exposed was adopted. This study focuses on very high radon concentration levels found in soil gas, uranium mines, or underground places. These anomalous levels can influence the radiological risk related to inhalation of indoor radon or the spontaneous increases in thermal neutron background. LR-115 detector exposed to anomalous levels can register a large number of latent tracks on its surface. After an etching treatment, some visible tracks can be placed covering one or more visible tracks altering the LR-115 response. In order to develop this work and be more realistic, visible tracks were simulated taking into account radon exposure level, geometry and dimensions of the diffusion chamber, dimensions of the detector, the V function, the etching process and the reading process. Results show that the overlapping effect in the LR-115 inside a cylindrical diffusion chamber exposed to very high levels can be solved with an uncertainty of 5%. The same methodology can also be applied when considering other detectors and geometry and dimensions of a diffusion chamber.

Measurement of proton quenching in a plastic scintillator detector

The non-linear energy response of the plastic scintillator EJ-260 is measured with the MicroCHANDLER detector, using neutron beams of energy 5 to 27 MeV at the Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory. The first and second order Birks' constants are extracted from the data, and found to be kB = (8.70 ± 0.93)× 10−3 g/cm2/MeV and kC = (1.42 ± 1.00) × 10−5 (g/cm2/MeV)2. This result covers a unique energy range that is of direct relevance for fast neutron backgrounds in reactor inverse beta decay detectors. These measurements will improve the energy non-linearity modeling of plastic scintillator detectors. In particular, the updated energy response model will lead to an improvement of fast neutron modeling for detectors based on the CHANDLER reactor neutrino detector technology.

Deployment of a double scatter system for directional detection of background neutron radiation

The detection of special nuclear materials (SNM) requires the understanding of nuclear signatures that allow the discrimination against background. In particular, understanding neutron background characteristics such as count rates and energies and their correlations with environmental conditions and surroundings of measurement locations is important in enhancing SNM detection capabilities. The Mobile Imager of Neutrons for Emergency Responders (MINER) was deployed for 8 weeks in downtown San Francisco (CA) to study such neutron background characteristics in an urban environment. Of specific interest was the investigation of the impact of surrounding buildings on the neutron background count rates and to answer the question whether buildings act as absorber of neutrons or as sources via the so-called ship effect. MINER consists of 16 liquid scintillator detector elements and can be operated as a neutron spectrometer, as a neutron imager, or simply as a counter of fast neutrons. As expected, the neutron background rate was found to be inversely proportional to the atmospheric pressure. In the energy range where MINER is most sensitive, approximately 1–10 MeV, it was found that the shape of the detected background spectrum is similar to that of a detected fission spectrum, indicating the limited discrimination power of the neutron energy. The similarities between the detected background neutron spectrum and fission sources makes it difficult to discriminate SNM from background based solely on the energies observed. The images produced using maximum likelihood expectation maximization revealed that neutrons preferentially are coming from areas in the environment that have open sky, indicating that the surrounding buildings act as absorbers of neutrons rather than sources as expected by the ship effect. The inherent properties of a neutron scatter camera limit the achievable image quality and the effective deployment to systematically map neutron background signatures due to the low count rate.

Study of Neutron Background in order to Improve Radioactive Waste Drum Characterization

A usual way of radioactive waste drums characterization combines gamma spectrometry measurements with passive neutron measurements. The CEA facility for waste drum characterization hereby described has been operated for more than 30 years. In this framework, a large variety of waste drums has been characterized in terms of spectra, densities, materials and radioactivity levels. As the facility was first dedicated to measure Intermediate-Level Long-lived Waste, the neutron background was not significant compared to expected neutron emitters from waste packages. These last years, Dismantling and Decommissioning operations have been advanced in this CEA site to the point where they are now associated with mostly Very Low Level Waste production. Therefore, neutron background is becoming significant. Using the large variety of past characterized drums brings the opportunity to study this background. The present study has been led over a sample of almost 1500 drums over a wide waste density range. These drums have been selected over the last 20 years by taking into account only one criterion: without any expected neutron emitters from the waste itself. This work first presents the technical settings of the measurement facility before describing the raw data of the measurements. Next, a statistical study over raw data enables to better acknowledge the neutron spallation background behavior in terms of time, density and materials. Ensues a way of using this new knowledge in order to improve how to take into account neutron spallation background in passive neutron measurements of packages of low actinides activities and high densities.

Identification of the Ambient Response Relationship in Neutron Counting and Scintillation Measurement Systems

Radiation detection for nuclear security frequently employs neutron counting and scintillation systems simultaneously. One potential issue, particularly when searching a large area, is understanding the ambient (or background) response of these systems throughout the operation. This is easily mitigated for the scintillation system but remains a problem for neutron counting systems. Operational data and previous research have shown that a correlation appears between the neutron count rate and the count rate at high energies in the scintillation system (energies greater than 4 MeV) in background conditions. To understand the cause of the correlation, background measurements were performed using sodium iodide (NaI) and polyvinyl toluene (PVT) scintillation systems. These detectors were calibrated to high energy scales such that their spectra would show energies up to 70 MeV and 85 MeV, respectively. Results show that at least one statistical mode appeared in the spectra on these energy scales (particularly between 5 MeV and 60 MeV). The energy and maximum probability of these modes varied with orientation, and they were dependent upon the detector thickness with respect to the vertical axis and the detector area perpendicular to that axis, respectively. The modes’ energies also matched the expected energy deposition from background muons in the detectors with path lengths equal to one of the detectors’ dimensions. These data matched results from simulations of background muons interacting with these detectors calculated using MCNP, and they similarly matched muon energy spectra calculated from possible path lengths through the detectors using Python. These results indicate that scintillation measurements at energies higher than those employed in typical nuclear security operations are the result of background muons. Since these muons are produced similar processes as background neutrons, the count rate of these particles could potentially be applied to better characterize the background in neutron counting systems.

Estimation of neutron and γ-rays flux at the MAGNEX facility via FLUKA simulations

Simulations for estimating the neutron and γ-rays radiation background in the forthcoming NUMEN experiments at the upgraded MAGNEX facility were performed with the simulation package FLUKA. Three main radiation sources were considered in our simulations namely, the beam-target interaction, the moderation of the beam particles inside the beam dump and a hypothetical 10W loss in the beam intensity during the beam transport. In the present contribution, the results of this preliminary analysis are presented and discussed.