Unfolding Code Research Articles

Evaluation of a neutron spectrum from Bonner spheres measurements using a Bayesian parameter estimation combined with the traditional unfolding methods

In this work, a new program developed under MATLAB environment and supported by the Bayesian software WinBUGS has been combined to the traditional unfolding codes namely MAXED and GRAVEL, to evaluate a neutron spectrum from the Bonner spheres measured counts obtained around a shielded 241AmBe based-neutron irradiator located at a Secondary Standards Dosimetry Laboratory (SSDL) at CRNA.In the first step, the results obtained by the standalone Bayesian program, using a parametric neutron spectrum model based on a linear superposition of three components namely: a thermal-Maxwellian distribution, an epithermal (1/E behavior) and a kind of a Watt fission and Evaporation models to represent the fast component, were compared to those issued from MAXED and GRAVEL assuming a Monte Carlo default spectrum. Through the selection of new upper limits for some free parameters, taking into account the physical characteristics of the irradiation source, of both considered models, good agreement was obtained for investigated integral quantities i.e. fluence rate and ambient dose equivalent rate compared to MAXED and GRAVEL results. The difference was generally below 4% for investigated parameters suggesting, thereby, the reliability of the proposed models.In the second step, the Bayesian results obtained from the previous calculations were used, as initial guess spectra, for the traditional unfolding codes, MAXED and GRAVEL to derive the solution spectra. Here again the results were in very good agreement, confirming the stability of the Bayesian solution.

Evaluation of a new neutron energy spectrum unfolding code based on an Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS).

The purpose of the present study was to reconstruct the energy spectrum of a poly-energetic neutron source using an algorithm developed based on an Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS). ANFIS is a kind of artificial neural network based on the Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy inference system. The ANFIS algorithm uses the advantages of both fuzzy inference systems and artificial neural networks to improve the effectiveness of algorithms in various applications such as modeling, control and classification. The neutron pulse height distributions used as input data in the training procedure for the ANFIS algorithm were obtained from the simulations performed by MCNPX-ESUT computational code (MCNPX-Energy engineering of Sharif University of Technology). Taking into account the normalization condition of each energy spectrum, 4300 neutron energy spectra were generated randomly. (The value in each bin was generated randomly, and finally a normalization of each generated energy spectrum was performed). The randomly generated neutron energy spectra were considered as output data of the developed ANFIS computational code in the training step. To calculate the neutron energy spectrum using conventional methods, an inverse problem with an approximately singular response matrix (with the determinant of the matrix close to zero) should be solved. The solution of the inverse problem using the conventional methods unfold neutron energy spectrum with low accuracy. Application of the iterative algorithms in the solution of such a problem, or utilizing the intelligent algorithms (in which there is no need to solve the problem), is usually preferred for unfolding of the energy spectrum. Therefore, the main reason for development of intelligent algorithms like ANFIS for unfolding of neutron energy spectra is to avoid solving the inverse problem. In the present study, the unfolded neutron energy spectra of 252Cf and 241Am-9Be neutron sources using the developed computational code were found to have excellent agreement with the reference data. Also, the unfolded energy spectra of the neutron sources as obtained using ANFIS were more accurate than the results reported from calculations performed using artificial neural networks in previously published papers.

NEUTRON FIELD MEASUREMENT OF P(35)+Be SOURCE USING THE MULTI-FOIL ACTIVATION METHOD.

Neutron field from the p+Be interaction was investigated at the NPI CAS for a proton beam energy of 35 MeV and thick beryllium target. Broad neutron spectra at close source-to-sample distances were determined using the multi-foil activation technique. Two large sets of dosimetry foils containing the Ni, Co, Au, In, Ti, Al, Y, Lu, Nb and Fe were irradiated at a distance of 74 mm at direct neutron beam axis and at a distance of 34 mm from beam axis. Supporting Monte-Carlo MCNPX calculations of the irradiation system were performed as well. From measured reaction rates, the neutron energy spectra at both positions were reconstructed employing the modified version of the SAND-II unfolding code and activation cross-section data from the EAF-2010 library. At the position of irradiated samples, the total fast neutron flux reaches the value up to 1010 cm-2 s-1, and the neutron field is utilizable for radiation hardness study and integral benchmark experiments within the International Fusion Material Irradiation Facility (IFMIF) program.

A Bayesian Approach for Measurements of Stray Neutrons at Proton Therapy Facilities: Quantifying Neutron Dose Uncertainty.

Bonner sphere measurements are typically analyzed using unfolding codes. It is well known that it is difficult to get reliable estimates of uncertainties for standard unfolding procedures. An alternative approach is to analyze the data using Bayesian parameter estimation. This method provides reliable estimates of the uncertainties of neutron spectra leading to rigorous estimates of uncertainties of the dose. We extend previous Bayesian approaches and apply the method to stray neutrons in proton therapy environments by introducing a new parameterized model which describes the main features of the expected neutron spectra. The parameterization is based on information that is available from measurements and detailed Monte Carlo simulations. The validity of this approach has been validated with results of an experiment using Bonner spheres carried out at the experimental hall of the OncoRay proton therapy facility in Dresden.

DEVELOPMENT, CHARACTERIZATION AND TESTING OF A SIMPLIFIED BONNER SPHERE SYSTEM FOR RAPID NEUTRON FIELD CHARACTERIZATION.

Personal neutron dosimetry requires workplace specific correction factors from detailed neutron field characterization. A Bonner sphere system (BSS) with a 3He proportional counter and a 3 inch an a 9 inch sphere was developed at SCK·CEN for rapid neutron field characterization. The BSS energy and angular responses were simulated with MCNPX and validated by irradiations with a thermal neutron beam at the Belgian Reactor 1 (BR1) and 252Cf and Am-Be sources at the SCK·CEN Laboratory for Nuclear Calibration (LNK). The BSS unfolding performance was tested using the FRUIT unfolding code for measurements of the scattered neutron field at the LNK. The unfolded spectra were in good agreement with MCNPX simulations.

Replacement of Bonner spheres with polyethylene cylinders for the unfolding of an 241Am–Be neutron energy spectrum

In this study, a conventional Bonner sphere spectrometer, together with 6LiI(Eu) inorganic scintillator used as the central detector, was used to obtain the neutron energy spectrum of an 241Am–Be source. To achieve this, we calculated the response matrices corresponding to eight different sizes of polyethylene spheres for the neutron energies ranging from about 10−7 to 15MeV in 54 energy groups by using the MCNPX2.6 code, and the 241Am–Be neutron spectrum was obtained using a modified version of the neutron spectrum unfolding code, AFITBUNKI. In a feasibility study, similar calculations were performed with different sizes of polyethylene cylinders. A comparison between the unfolded spectra of a typical 241Am–Be neutron source with those of Bonner spheres, cylinders of similar sizes, and standard 241Am–Be neutron energy spectra shows that the spectrometer with polyethylene cylinders can be used as a potential alternative for conventional Bonner spheres.

A new response matrix for a [formula omitted]LiI scintillator BSS system

A new response matrix was calculated for a Bonner Sphere Spectrometer (BSS) with a 6LiI(Eu) scintillator, using the Monte Carlo N-Particle radiation transport code MCNPX. Responses were calculated for 6 spheres and the bare detector, for energies varying from 1.059E(−9) MeV to 105.9 MeV, with 20 equal-log(E)-width bins per energy decade, totalizing 221 energy groups. A comparison was done among the responses obtained in this work and other published elsewhere, for the same detector model. The calculated response functions were inserted in the response input file of the MAXED code and used to unfold the total and direct neutron spectra generated by the 241Am-Be source of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM). These spectra were compared with those obtained using the same unfolding code with the Mares and Schraube matrix response.

Characterization of an ²⁴¹Am-Be neutron irradiation facility at Institute for Nuclear Science and Technology

An automated panoramic irradiator with a 241Am-Be neutron source of 5 Ci is installed in a bunker-type medium room at the Institute for Nuclear Science and Technology (INST) for calibration of neutron devices. Bonner Sphere Spectrometer (BSS) formed by 6 spheres plus bare detector, with cylindrical, almost point like, 6LiI(Eu) scintillator and 2 different spectral unfolding FRUIT and BUNKIUT codes are used to characterize the neutron field in different measurement points along the irradiation bench. The neutron field is also simulated by MCNP5 software and compared with measurements performed by the BSS. The paper shows the main results obtained in terms of neutron spectra at fixed distances from the source as well as their neutron fluence rate (total and direct) and ambient dose equivalent rate. These values measured by the BSS with two unfolding FRUIT and BUNKIUT codes are in good agreement with that of simulated by MCNP5 within 10%.

A novel neutron energy spectrum unfolding code using particle swarm optimization

A novel neutron Spectrum Deconvolution using Particle Swarm Optimization (SDPSO) code has been developed to unfold the neutron spectrum from a pulse height distribution and a response matrix. The Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) imitates the bird flocks social behavior to solve complex optimization problems. The results of the SDPSO code have been compared with those of the standard spectra and recently published Two-steps Genetic Algorithm Spectrum Unfolding (TGASU) code. The TGASU code have been previously compared with the other codes such as MAXED, GRAVEL, FERDOR and GAMCD and shown to be more accurate than the previous codes. The results of the SDPSO code have been demonstrated to match well with those of the TGASU code for both under determined and over-determined problems. In addition the SDPSO has been shown to be nearly two times faster than the TGASU code.

Neutron spectrum determination of d(20)+Be source reaction by the dosimetry foils method

The cyclotron-based fast neutron generator with the thick beryllium target operated at the NPI Rez Fast Neutron Facility is primarily designed for the fast neutron production in the p+Be source reaction at 35MeV. Besides the proton beam, the isochronous cyclotron U-120M at the NPI provides the deuterons in the energy range of 10–20MeV. The experiments for neutron field investigation from the deuteron bombardment of thick beryllium target at 20MeV were performed just recently. For the neutron spectrum measurement of the d(20)+Be source reaction, the dosimetry foils activation method was utilized. Neutron spectrum reconstruction from resulting reaction rates was performed using the SAND-II unfolding code and neutron cross-sections from the EAF-2010 nuclear data library. Obtained high-flux white neutron field from the d(20)+Be source is useful for the intensive irradiation experiments and cross-section data validation.

Neutron field of accelerator-driven p(35 MeV)+Be fast neutron source at NPI Rez

The accelerator driven fast neutron sources of the white- and quasi-monoenergetic spectra are operated at the NPI Rez Fast Neutron Facility utilizing the Be(thick), D2 O(thick), and 7 Li(C) target stations and the variable energy proton beam (up to 37 MeV) from the U-120M isochronous cyclotron. Recently, the design of beryllium target station was upgraded in order to provide the higher neutron flux at the modified positions of irradiated samples. Afterwards, the thick target neutron field of the p+Be source reaction was investigated for proton energy of 35 MeV. The spectral neutron flux for several target-to-sample distances was determined using the multi-foil activation technique. From measured reaction rates, new neutron spectra were reconstructed employing the SAND-II unfolding code and validated against the MCNPX predictions. The IFMIF-like (International Fusion Material Irradiation Facility) neutron field obtained from the p(35)+Be source is suitable for the neutron cross-sections validation within the IFMIF research program, radiation hardness tests of electronics, and neutron activation analysis experiments.

Neutron spectrometry and dosimetry in 100 and 300 MeV quasi-mono-energetic neutron field at RCNP, Osaka University, Japan

This paper describes the results of neutron spectrometry and dosimetry measurements using an extended range Bonner Sphere Spectrometer (ERBSS) with 3 He proportional counter performed in quasi-mono-energetic neutron fields at the ring cyclotron facility of the Research Center for Nuclear Physics (RCNP), Osaka University, Japan. Using 100 MeV and 296 MeV proton beams, neutron fields with nominal peak energies of 96 MeV and 293 MeV were generated via 7 Li(p,n)7 Be reactions. Neutrons produced at 0° and 25° emission angles were extracted into the 100 m long time-of-flight (TOF) tunnel, and the energy spectra were measured at a distance of 35 m from the target. To deduce the corresponding neutron spectra from thermal to the nominal maximum energy, the ERBSS data were unfolded using the MSANDB unfolding code. At high energies, the neutron spectra were also measured by means of the TOF method using NE213 organic liquid scintillators. The results are discussed in terms of ambient dose equivalent, H * (10), and compared with the readings of other instruments operated during the experiment.

Development of a Bonner Sphere neutron spectrometer from a commercial neutron dosimeter

Bonner Spheres have been used widely for the measurement of neutron spectra with neutron energies ranged from thermal up to at least 20 MeV . A Bonner Sphere neutron spectrometer (BSS) was developed by extending a Berthold LB 6411 neutron-dose-rate meter. The BSS consists of a 3He thermal-neutron detector with integrated electronics, a set of eight polyethylene spherical shells and two optional lead shells of various sizes. The response matrix of the BSS was calculated with GEANT4 Monte Carlo simulation. The BSS had a calibration uncertainty of ± 8.6% and a detector background rate of (1.57 ± 0.04) × 10−3 s−1. A spectral unfolding code NSUGA was developed. The NSUGA code utilizes genetic algorithms and has been shown to perform well in the absence of a priori information.

Measurement of Neutron Energy Distributions From p+Be Reaction at 20 MeV Using Threshold Activation Foils

Energy distributions of neutrons emitted from the interaction of 20 MeV protons incident on a thick Be target were estimated at two angles (0° and 90°) with respect to the incident beam using activation foils as threshold detectors. A recently developed unfolding code GAMCD based on Genetic Algorithm and Monte Carlo methods was used to estimate the neutron spectra by unfolding the counts obtained from the activation foils. These results were compared with the unfolding codes, MAXED and GRAVEL. In the GAMCD code, a guess spectrum as a-priori information need not be provided as input unlike in MAXED and GRAVEL. Results obtained from all these codes matched each other reasonably well. Out of 30 reactions studied experimentally only the selected 15 were found sufficient to generate acceptable spectra in the case of neutrons emitted from the p+Be reaction at 20 MeV. A peak in the energy distributions around 3 MeV at both the measured angles is contributed by the three body breakup process while a broad hump between 6 MeV and 10 MeV only in the forward direction suggests contribution from the pre-equilibrium emissions from the 9Be(p, n)9B channel, which also contributes to the small peak observed around 15 MeV. The code GAMCD was found to perform satisfactorily for the present data set.

A comprehensive spectrometry study of a stray neutron radiation field in scanning proton therapy

The purpose of this study is to characterize the stray neutron radiation field in scanning proton therapy considering a pediatric anthropomorphic phantom and a clinically-relevant beam condition.Using two extended-range Bonner sphere spectrometry systems (ERBSS), Working Group 9 of the European Radiation Dosimetry Group measured neutron spectra at ten different positions around a pediatric anthropomorphic phantom irradiated for a brain tumor with a scanning proton beam. This study compares the different systems and unfolding codes as well as neutron spectra measured in similar conditions around a water tank phantom.The ten spectra measured with two ERBSS systems show a generally similar thermal component regardless of the position around the phantom while high energy neutrons (above 20 MeV) were only registered at positions near the beam axis (at 0°, 329° and 355°). Neutron spectra, fluence and ambient dose equivalent, H *(10), values of both systems were in good agreement (<15%) while the unfolding code proved to have a limited effect. The highest H *(10) value of 2.7 μSv Gy−1 was measured at 329° to the beam axis and 1.63 m from the isocenter where high-energy neutrons (E ⩾ 20 MeV) contribute with about 53%. The neutron mapping within the gantry room showed that H *(10) values significantly decreased with distance and angular position with respect to the beam axis dropping to 0.52 μSv Gy−1 at 90° and 3.35 m. Spectra at angles of 45° and 135° with respect to the beam axis measured here with an anthropomorphic phantom showed a similar peak structure at the thermal, fast and high energy range as in the previous water-tank experiments. Meanwhile, at 90°, small differences at the high-energy range were observed.Using ERBSS systems, neutron spectra mapping was performed to characterize the exposure of scanning proton therapy patients. The ten measured spectra provide precise information about the exposure of healthy organs to thermal, epithermal, evaporation and intra-nuclear cascade neutrons. This comprehensive spectrometry analysis can also help in understanding the tremendous literature data based rem-counters while also being of great value for general neutron shielding and radiation safety studies.

A neutron spectrum unfolding code based on generalized regression artificial neural networks

The most delicate part of neutron spectrometry, is the unfolding process. The derivation of the spectral information is not simple because the unknown is not given directly as a result of the measurements. Novel methods based on Artificial Neural Networks have been widely investigated. In prior works, back propagation neural networks (BPNN) have been used to solve the neutron spectrometry problem, however, some drawbacks still exist using this kind of neural nets, i.e. the optimum selection of the network topology and the long training time. Compared to BPNN, it's usually much faster to train a generalized regression neural network (GRNN). That's mainly because spread constant is the only parameter used in GRNN. Another feature is that the network will converge to a global minimum, provided that the optimal values of spread has been determined and that the dataset adequately represents the problem space. In addition, GRNN are often more accurate than BPNN in the prediction. These characteristics make GRNNs to be of great interest in the neutron spectrometry domain. This work presents a computational tool based on GRNN capable to solve the neutron spectrometry problem. This computational code, automates the pre-processing, training and testing stages using a k-fold cross validation of 3 folds, the statistical analysis and the post-processing of the information, using 7 Bonner spheres rate counts as only entrance data. The code was designed for a Bonner Spheres System based on a 6LiI(Eu) neutron detector and a response matrix expressed in 60 energy bins taken from an International Atomic Energy Agency compilation.

Socially Responsible Supply Chain Management: An Essence of Value Creation

Strategic supply chains are becoming integral part of a firms competitive strength. It not only gives financial advantages, but also well-managed and extremely synchronized supply chain offers certain social obligation. Many businesses are now moving into course of unfolding codes of conduct as one of the ways of overseeing number of suppliers behavior inside the supply chain network. This research paper addresses the issues related with the degree to which customers must be accountable for moral behavior of their partners, like suppliers in buying process. Corporate social responsibility is a very important issue for any firm but it is very depressing that extremely minute material is on hand on this issue. This paper conceptualizes structure for recognizing the responsibilities of the more commanding supply chain member to the other members of the supply chain. It mainly focuses on the degree to which one supply chain member should apply ascendancy as it relates to social responsibility on the members of complete supply chain.

A new neutron energy spectrum unfolding code using a two steps genetic algorithm

A new neutron spectrum unfolding code TGASU (Two-steps Genetic Algorithm Spectrum Unfolding) has been developed to unfold the neutron spectrum from a pulse height distribution which was calculated using the MCNPX-ESUT computational Monte Carlo code. To perform the unfolding process, the response matrices were generated using the MCNPX-ESUT computational code. Both one step (common GA) and two steps GAs have been implemented to unfold the neutron spectra. According to the obtained results, the new two steps GA code results has shown closer match in all energy regions and particularly in the high energy regions. The results of the TGASU code have been compared with those of the standard spectra, LSQR method and GAMCD code. The results of the TGASU code have been demonstrated to be more accurate than that of the existing computational codes for both under-determined and over-determined problems.

Neutron flux spectra investigations in breeding blanket assembly containing lithium titanate and Lead irradiated with DT neutrons

A benchmark experiment was performed to obtain the neutron spectra in a breeding blanket assembly consisting of lithium titanate and Lead using multiple foil activation technique with unfolding code SAND-II-SNL. The purpose of the experiment was to validate the calculated neutron spectra and neutron induced reaction rates with MCNP-4A code and FENDL-2.1 & FENDL-3.0 transport libraries in the layered geometry of lithium titanate and Lead. Measured reaction rates in different activation foils were compared with MCNP-IRDFF-1.05 and FISPACT-EAF2007 calculated values. In general, FENDL-3.0 calculated reaction rates are closer to the measured reaction rates than FENDL-2.1 calculated rates. Calculated Lead multiplication is improved from FENDL-2.1 to FENDL-3.0 up to 2%. Unfolded neutron spectra in the multiplier zones are slightly underestimated by calculations in the secondary neutron emission range of Pb(n, xn) reactions indicating the need of improvement in the (n, 2n) cross-section of Lead isotopes. The observed underestimation in the Lead multiplication puts the tritium production calculations of breeding blankets using Lead as multiplier on conservative side. The inelastic scattering range of Lead isotopes is overestimated by calculations as large as 80% in one of the breeder zone. This observation requires improvement in the inelastic scattering cross-sections of Lead isotopes in FENDL evaluations.

The application of proton spectrometers at the SG-III facility for ICF implosion areal density diagnostics

Charged particle diagnostics is one of the required techniques for implosion areal density diagnostics at the SG-III facility. Several proton spectrometers are under development, and some preliminary areal density diagnostics have been carried out. The response of the key detector, CR39, to charged particles was investigated in detail. A new track profile simulation code based on a semi-empirical model was developed. The energy response of the CR39 detector was calibrated with the accelerator protons and alphas from a 241Am source. A proton spectrometer based on the filtered CR39 detector was developed, and D–D primary proton measurements were implemented. A step range filter spectrometer was developed, and preliminary areal density diagnostics was carried out. A wedged range filter spectrometer array made of Si with a higher resolution was designed and developed at the SG-III facility. A particle response simulation code by the Monte Carlo method and a spectra unfolding code were developed. The capability was evaluated in detail by simulations.