Science.gov (United States)

TART97 is a coupled neutron-photon, 3 dimensional, combinatorial geometry, time dependent Monte Carlo transport code. This code can run on any modern computer. It is a complete system to assist you with input preparation, running Monte Carlo calculations, and analysis of output results. TART97 is also incredibly fast: if you have used similar codes, you will be amazed at how fast this code is compared to other similar codes. Use of the entire system can save you a great deal of time and energy. TART 97 is distributed on CD. This CD contains on-line documentation for all codes included in the system, the codes configured to run on a variety of computers, and many example problems that you can use to familiarize yourself with the system. TART97 completely supersedes all older versions of TART, and it is strongly recommended that users only use the most recent version of TART97 and ist ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This report is composed of the following two parts and appendix. (I) Improvement of the Method for Evaluating Reactivity Based on Monte Carlo Perturbation Theory: Theoretical formulation in Monte Carlo perturbation method had been checked, and then introduced into a calculation code. There are some cases that the results of the change of eigenvalues becomes positive or negative by changing the estimator, and there is no reasonable difference in the results between the conventional method, which does not consider the change of neutron source distribution caused by a perturbation, and the new method, which consider that change. Thus it is still necessary to check the Monte Carlo perturbation code. (II) Improvement of Nodal Transport Method for 3-D Hexagonal Geometry: We can accurately evaluate hexagonal geometry FBR core ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Monte Carlo neutron transport methods can be used to verify the applicability of point kinetics for safety analysis of nuclear reactors. KENO-NR was used to obtain the transfer function of the Advanced Neutron Source reactor and the time delay between the core power production and the external detectors, a parameter of interest to the safety systems design. The good agreement between the Monte Carlo generated transfer function and the point kinetics transfer function validates that the uncommon ANS geometry does not preclude the use of point kinetics in the frequency range that was investigated. Various features of the power spectral densities also demonstrated the applicability of point kinetics. The time delay was obtained from the cross-power spectral density (CPSD) and is {approximately}15 ms. These analyses show that frequency analysis can be used ...

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This paper presents calculations of the {sup 252}Cf-source-driven noise analysis measurements for subcritical highly enriched uranium metal cylinders using the Monte Carlo code MCNP-DSP. This code directly calculates the noise analysis data from the {sup 252}Cf- source-driven noise analysis method for both neutron and gamma ray detectors. Direct calculation of experimental observables by the Monte Carlo method allows for the benchmarking of the calculational model and the cross sections and for determining the bias in the calculation.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This work reports on the use of three state-of-the-art Monte Carlo codes (MCNPX, PENELOPE, FLUKA) in the efficiency calibration of a Broad-Energy Germanium (BEGe) detector. Initial discrepancies found between the experimental and computational efficiency values are related to the poor knowledge of some physical parameters of the detector (dead-layers, crystal dimensions, etc.). As a consequence, a sensitivity analysis was carried out. Each parameter was systematically analyzed, and an accurate model of the detector was determined. The obtained results are consistent, allowing this model to be used in computational efficiency calibrations of the equipment at stake.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abstract not provided

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The technical feasibility of the solar carbothermal reduction of ZnO has been successfully demonstrated in a pilot plant. The economics of this process is addressed by means of a single sensitivity analysis and a Monte-Carlo risk analysis. A medium-term and a long-term scenario have been investigated, each for a 5 and a 30 MW{sub th} plant. For a discount rate of 15% the zinc production costs vary between 482 and 245 $/t for the medium-term scenario and between 312 and 146 $/t for the long-term scenario, respectively. These costs do not account for the zinc oxide input material. In addition, a risk analysis was conducted for the 30 MW{sub th} long-term scenario. For each input parameter, a probability distribution was estimated and the probability distribution of the zinc production cost was calculated by means of a Monte-Carlo method. The expected mean zinc production costs vary ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The Monte-Carlo method and experimental methods were used to determine the neutron fluxes in the irradiation channels of the Ghana Research Reactor -1. The MCNP5 code was used for this purpose to simulate the radial and axial distribution of the neutron fluxes within all the ten irradiation channels. The results obtained were compared with the experimental results. After the MCNP simulation and experimental procedure, it was observed that axially, the fluxes rise to a peak before falling and then finally leveling out. Axially and radially, it was also observed that the fluxes in the centre of the channels were lower than on the sides. Radially, the fluxes dip in the centre while it increases steadily towards the sides of the channels. The results have shown that there are flux variations within the irradiation channels both axially and radially. (au)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Much of the current technology on 3D-prestack depth migration is based on the Kirchhoff method and the traveltime information needed for this purpose is obtained by the ray-theory approximation. The main motivation driving these options is to reduce computations but it can also have an adverse effect on the quality of results. Experience with real data indicates that the corresponding poststack data migrated by the reverse-time method often yields superior results. Considerable computational efficiency can be obtained by employing nonuniform coarse grid spacing during the reverse-time migration. We followed this strategy for developing a parallel scheme for doing 3D- prestack depth migration. However, we worked only on a small subset of shot gathers whose determined by the Quasi-Monte Carlo method. The results were indistinguishable from those obtained by using ...

Science.gov (United States)

Under support from the French Space Agency (CNES), a 3D+t dusty-gas model of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko is being developed, to compute, from the first 2014 Rosetta orbital data, the aerodynamic forces exerted on the Rosetta orbiter and on the descent lander. We report the recently developed dust dynamics part of the code. The multi-species (presently H2O and CO) gas code is optimized in terms of computational speed owing to the use of two complementary methods: (a) 3D+t Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) runs in the non-equilibrium regions adjacent to the surface and very distant from it, and (b) solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations in-between. The model is used presently using Lamy et al. (Space Sci. Rev., 2007, 128, 23) coarse information on 67P nucleus shape and rotation, and a range of possible gas production rates Q for the early Rosetta ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

No abstract prepared.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Analyses of pressure vessel damage resulting from neutron irradiation have primarily relied on two-dimensional transport calculations and a spatial-synthesis methodology to accommodate three-dimensional effects in the results of two two-dimensional calculations. In this paper, the authors report on calculations made on the Pool Critical Assembly (PCA) Benchmark, Configuration 12/13, using the three-dimensional, continuous energy Monte Carlo transport code, MCNP, and the three-dimensional, multigroup, diffusion accelerated discrete ordinates transport code THREEDANT. Neutron fluxes and activation rates as determined from these two calculations are compared to each other and to experimental results in the literature. The authors also draw some conclusions on the value of 3D calculations on the interpretation of experimental results.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The present paper considers the evaluation of timber structures with the focus on robustness due to connection ductility. The robustness analysis is based on the structural reliability framework applied to a simplified mechanical system. The structural timber system is depicted as a parallel system. An evaluation method of the ductile behaviour is introduced. For different ductile behaviours, the system reliability is estimated based on Monte Carlo simulation. A correlation between the strength of the structural elements is introduced. The results indicate that the reliability of a structural timber system can be significantly increased due to the ductile behavior.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This handbook breaks down the complex field of nuclear reactor calculations into major steps. Each step presents a detailed analysis of the problems to be solved, the parameters involved, and the elaborate computer programs developed to perform the calculations. This book bridges the gap between nuclear reactor theory and the implementation of that theory, including the problems to be encountered and the level of confidence that should be given to the methods described. Volume II: Monte Carlo Calculations for Nuclear Reactors. In-Core Management of Four Reactor Types. In-Core Management in CANDU-PHW Reactors. Reactor Dynamics. The Theory of Neutron Leakage in Reactor Lattices. Index.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Employing a recently developed Monte-Carlo model, we study the fission of 240Pu induced by neutrons with energies from thermal to just below the threshold for second chance fission. Current measurements of the mean number of prompt neutrons emitted in fission, together with less accurate measurements of the neutron energy spectra, place remarkably fine constraints on predictions of microscopic calculations. In particular, the total excitation energy of the nascent fragments must be specified to within 1MeV to avoid disagreement with measurements of the mean neutron multiplicity. The combination of the Monte-Carlo fission model with a statistical likelihood analysis also presents a powerful tool for the evaluation of fission neutron data. Of particular importance is the fission spectrum, which plays a key role in determining reactor criticality. We show that our approach can be used to develop an estimate of the fission ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

As for Wolsung NPP unit 1, radiation shielding analysis was performed by using neutron diffusion codes, one-dimensional discrete ordinates code ANISN, and analytical methods. But for Wolsung NPP unit 2, 3, and 4, two-dimensional discrete ordinates code DOT substituted for neutron diffusion codes. In other words, the method of analysis and computer codes used for radiation shielding of CANDU 6 type reactor have been improved. Recently Monte Carlo MCNP code has been widely utilized in the field of radiation physics and other radiation related areas because it can describe an object sophisticately by use of three-dimensional modelling and can adopt continuous energy cross-section library. Nowadays Monte Carlo method has been reported to be competitive to discrete ordinate method in the field of radiation shielding and the former has been known to be superior to the ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

An important unresolved issue in outcomes analysis for lung complications is the effect of poor or completely lacking heterogeneity corrections in previously archived treatment plans. To estimate this effect, we developed a novel method based on Monte Carlo (MC) dose calculations which can be applied retrospectively to RTOG/AAPM-style archived treatment plans (ATP). We applied this method to 218 archived nonsmall cell lung cancer lung treatment plans that were originally calculated either without heterogeneity corrections or with primitive corrections. To retrospectively specify beam weights and wedges, beams were broken into Monte Carlo-generated beamlets, simulated using the VMC++ code, and mathematical optimization was used to match the archived water-based dose distributions. The derived beam weights (and any wedge effects) were then applied to Monte ...

CERN Document Server

Spatially resolved studies of star forming regions show that the assumption of spherical geometry is not realistic in most cases, with a major complication posed by the gas being ionised by multiple non-centrally located stars or star clusters. We try to isolate the effects of multiple non-centrally located stars on the temperature and ionisation structure of HII regions, via the construction of 3D photoionisation models using the 3D Monte Carlo photoionisation code MOCASSIN. We find that the true temperature fluctuations due to the stellar distribution (as opposed to the large-scale temperature gradients due to other gas properties) are small in all cases and not a significant cause of error in metallicity studies. Strong emission lines from HII regions are often used to study the metallicity of star-forming regions. We compare integrated emission line spectra ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Current advanced CMOS source/drain engineering involves the use of amorphizing implants with 3D geometry. Upon annealing, the induced transient enhanced diffusion (TED) can only be accurately predicted if the amorphized region is correctly modeled, as well as the formation and evolution of extended defects, particularly 3 1 1's and dislocation loops. In addition to the extended defects, already modeled in the atomistic kinetic Monte-Carlo simulator DADOS, we have developed a physically based modeling approach for the implant-induced damage build-up, amorphization and recrystallization, suitable to handle device-size process simulation. It is based on amorphous pockets (3D, irregular shape agglomerates of an arbitrary number of interstitials and vacancies, plus trapped impurities) with a size-dependent activation energy for recombination. The model is able to reproduce experimental ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The accuracy of dose computation within the lungs depends strongly on the performance of the calculation algorithm in regions of electronic disequilibrium that arise near tissue inhomogeneities with large density variations. There is a lack of data evaluating the performance of highly developed analytical dose calculation algorithms compared to Monte Carlo computations in a clinical setting. We compared full Monte Carlo calculations (performed by our Monte Carlo dose engine MCDE) with two different commercial convolution/superposition (CS) implementations (Pinnacle-CS and Helax-TMS's collapsed cone model Helax-CC) and one pencil beam algorithm (Helax-TMS's pencil beam model Helax-PB) for 10 intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) lung cancer patients. Treatment plans were created for two photon beam qualities (6 and 18 MV). For each dose calculation ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Data from Monte Carlo transport codes are used to model radiobiological effects. We previously reported the Fourier analysis of ionization data generated by simulating a 500-keV proton traversing water. Here, we extend Fourier analysis to energy transfer data of another radiation type, a 14-MeV #alpha#-particle. A radiobiological model based on this frequency-domain analysis views cell as an information processing system . It lends itself naturally to traditional engineering analyses. One engineering principle-the output response of a linear system to random signal-is applied here to explain the fact that there is measurable difference in the magnitude of the biological effectiveness when a given biological system is irradiated with two different radiation types of the same Linear Energy Transfer (LET).

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

A model for risk and reliability analysis of complex multifunctional production process systems is presented. The model employs Monte-Carlo and Markov Chain algorithms that uses a weighted index to train and simulate the fuzzy hazard data sets which represents failure outcomes of risk component transient and non-transient systems. Early simulation results shows that hazard rates and the risk of containment loss from typical floating production and storage offloading (FPSO)-Riser system for the risk components in parallel or series increases exponentially with time and decreases as safety ratings fraction increases. The reliability value decreases with time and safety fraction (SFAC) for all fuzzy hazard classifications. The results of the computed mean time before repair (MTBR) show that t...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The electromagnetic field due to an air explosion is here studied: neutron and the gamma-rays, generated by neutronic reactions, deposit energy which ionizes atmosphere; recoil electrons are also created by gamma collisions. This data set allows to solve the Maxwell equations which manage the electromagnetic field. The TRIPOLI-2 code studies the coupled neutron-gamma transport in 3D- geometries by the Monte Carlo method. The code has been modified to calculate the photon energy deposited in matter and the recoil electron current created by Compton effect. The method is tested wiht a simple case; then neutron and gamma transport is studied in air kerma, deposited photon energy, electron current are calculated as functions of space and time and the contributions of the different neutronic reactions are separately evaluated. The calculations presented here are only part of studies about this subject. ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dissociative electron capture to CCl_4 is studied by measuring the angular and velocity distribution of Cl"- ions produced in collisions with velocity selected K(np) Rydberg atoms. Analysis of the data using a Monte Carlo collision code that models the detailed kinematics of the reaction indicates that the lifetime of the CCl_4"- intermediate formed by Rydberg electron capture is 7.5 #+-# 2.5 ps and that, upon dissociation, only a small fraction of the excess energy of reaction appears as translational energy of the Cl"- and CCl_3 fragments. The present approach is one of the few experimental techniques yet devised that can probe the lifetimes of collisionally-produced excited states on a picosecond timescale, and demonstrates that Rydberg atoms provide a unique tool with which to investigate the dynamics of dissociative electron attachment. Measurements are being extended to additional species, including CFCl_3.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In large samples, the {gamma}-ray count rate of a prompt gamma neutron activation analysis system is a multi-variable function of the elemental dry composition, density, water content and thickness of the material. The experimental calibration curves require tremendous laboratory work, using a great number of standards with well-known compositions. Although a Monte Carlo simulation study does not avoid the experimental calibration work, it reduces the number of experimental calibration standards. This paper is part of a feasibility study for a PGNAA system for on-line continuous characterisation of cement raw material conveyed on a belt (Oliveira, C., Salgado, J. and Carvalho, F. G. (1997) Optimisation of PGNAA instrument design for cement raw materials using the MCNP code. J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem. 216(2), 191-198; Oliveira, C., Salgado, J., Goncalves, I. F., Carvalho, F. G. and Leitao, F. (1997a) A ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monte Carlo criticality calculations have been performed for over 50 years for reactor physics and criticality safety applications. With today's faster computers, these calculations are being carried out to greater precision (smaller uncertainties) in keff, and detailed distributions of power and reaction rates are being computed routinely. This paper provides a review of the fundamental theory of Monte Carlo criticality calculations, with guidance on practical methods for: (1) assuring convergence of both keff and the source distribution, (2) minimizing the bias in keff and reaction rate distributions, and (3) dealing with the under-prediction bias in uncertainties for keff and reaction rate distributions. (authors)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In this thesis, the potential to discover supersymmetric signatures in both e"+e"- and #gamma##gamma# colliders evaluated with a Monte Carlo analysis, is discussed. The analysis was focused on the detection of muons, essentially. First, we study the detection of #mu#"+_R#mu#"-_R in e"-e"+ collisions, whose purpose is the measurement of the #mu#_R mass. It was found that an uncertainty of 0.11 GeV (stat) can be achieved. Under the assumption of the real conditions of the ILC photon collider, a study covering the detection of #mu#"+_R#mu#"-_R and #mu#"+_L#mu#"-_L pairs for #sq root#(s_e_"-_e_"+)=0.5 and 0.6 TeV was performed. According to the simulation, a statistical error for the branching ratios of #mu#"#+-#_L#->##chi#"0_1#mu#"#+-# of 0.98% and #mu#"#+-#_L#->##chi#"0_2#mu#"#+-# of 3.97% can be reached. In order to judge the Monte Carlo results, we have ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We argue that the tachyons which exist in some string models are a signal of deconfinement. We compare the deconfinement temperature obtained from Monte Carlo calculations with some string models. (orig.).

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ray tracing Monte Carlo calculations have been carried out using an existing Monte Carlo radiation transport code to obtain estimates of the microsave power exiting the torus coupling links in EPT microwave manifolds. The microwave power loss and polarization at surface reflections were accounted for by treating the microwaves as plane waves reflecting off plane surfaces. Agreement on the order of 10% was obtained between the measured and calculated output power distribution for an existing EBT-S toroidal manifold. A cost effective iterative procedure utilizing the Monte Carlo history data was implemented to predict design changes which could produce increased manifold efficiency and improved output power uniformity.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

At-site and regional frequency analyses of annual maximum 1-, 2-, and 3-days rainfall in Han River basin was performed and compared based on the regional L-moments algorithm. To perform regional frequency analysis, Han River basin was subdivided into 3 sub-basins such as South Han River, North Han River, and downstream regions. For each sub-basin, the discordancy and homogeneity tests were performed. As the results of goodness of fit tests, lognormal model was selected as an appropriate probability distribution for both South Han River and downstream regions and gamma-3 model for North Han River region. From Monte Carlo simulation, RBIAS and RRMSE of the estimated quantiles from regional frequency analysis and at-site frequency analysis were calculated and compared each other. Regional frequency analysis shows less RRMSE of the estimated quantiles than at-sites ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The verification of the subcriticality is of utmost importance for the safe transportation and storage of nuclear reactor fuels. Transportation containers and storage facilities are designed such that nuclear fuels remain in a subcritical state. Such designs often involve excess conservatism because of the lack of relevant experimental data to verify the accuracy of Monte Carlo codes used in nuclear criticality safety analyses. A joint experimental research program between Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Westinghouse Safety Management Solutions, Inc., and the University of Missouri was initiated to obtain measured quantities that could be directly related to the subcriticality of simple arrays of Missouri University Research Reactor (MURR) fuel elements. A series of measurement were performed to assess the reactivity of materials such as BORAL, stainless steel, aluminum, and lead that are typically used in the construction of shipping casks. ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A probability-based approach is presented as the integration of probabilistic methods and deterministic modelling based on the finite element method. An existing finite element software package was linked to an existing probabilistic package to analyse the complex mechanics that occur during the transient non-linear analysis of impact problems. This methodology is applied to a pipe whip analysis of a group-distribution-header, which results from a guillotine break, and subsequent impact with the adjacent building wall; this is a postulated accident for the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant RBMK-1500 reactors. The uncertainties of material properties, component geometry data and loads were taken into consideration. The probabilities of failure of the impacted header and of the header support-wall were estimated given uncertainties in material properties, geometrical parameters and loading. The software ProFES was used for the probabilistic ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Critical experiments have been analyzed to verify a nuclear analysis system for fast reactors used in Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC). The experiments were performed in a collaboration work between JNC and the Institute of Physics and Power Engineering of Russia to dispose Russian surplus weapons plutonium, focusing on the effect of the introduction of uranium-plutonium mixed-dioxide (MOX) fuel and stainless steel reflector into the current BN-600 core that is comprised of UO_2 fuel and blanket. The analysis results agreed well with measured values on most of the nuclear characteristics. The accuracies are comparable to those obtained for the conventional MOX fueled fast reactors. It suggests that the JNC analysis system can analyze accurately nuclear characteristics in uranium fueled cores as well. A significant improvement was achieved on the sodium void reactivity by employing an ultra fine group cell ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A thermal neutron imaging facility for computed tomography and real-time neutron radiography is being developed at the University of Texas at Austin. The TRIGA reactor is a graphite-reflected Mark It pool-type research reactor. The neutron imaging facility will use beam port, which is at one end of a through part. Monte Carlo calculations were used to design the neutron collimator for this facility.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The {sup 252}Cf-source-driven noise analysis method has been used in measurements for subcritical configurations of fissile systems for a variety of applications including a dynamic measurement that was the first step in applying this method to monitor fuel in a future reprocessing plant These measurements showed that this method has potential to monitor many dynamic situations in processing plants such as in a continuous dissolver or batch dissolvers either to obtain the neutron multiplication factor k or to be used as a signature to verify that various processes are occurring in a repeatable or bounded way. This verification of normal operation would be by comparing noise analysis signatures for the process with reference signatures. Abnormal operation could be ascertained if the signature deviates by some specified amount from the reference signatures from normal operation. The deviations from normal could be specified by measurement or by ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The {sup 252}Cf-source-driven noise analysis method is a versatile measurements tool that has been applied to measurements for initial loading of reactors, quality assurance of reactor fuel elements, fuel processing facilities, fuel reprocessing facilities, fuel storage facilities, zero-power testing of reactors, verification of calculational methods, process monitoring, characterization of storage vaults, and nuclear weapons identification. This method`s broad range of application is due to the wide variety of time- and frequency domain signatures, each with unique properties, obtained from the measurement. The following parameters are obtained from this measurement: average detector count rates, detector multiplicities, detector autocorrelations, cross-correlation between detectors, detector autopower spectral densities, cross-power spectral densities between detectors, coherences, and ratios of spectral densities. All of these measured parameters can also be ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Full text: The principal nuclear design tools available to the shielding designer include diffusion approximation, transport theory, and Monte Carlo techniques. Full transport theory or Monte Carlo methods are routinely used for shielding analyses, where penetration investigations are more sensitive to directional aspects. However, the aim of this paper is to illustrate the coupled neutron-gamma Albedo method particularly as applied to problems of shielding analysis. The multigroup Albedo method is applied to coupled neutron-gamma radiations considering 'n' neutron energy groups and 'g' gamma energy groups to estimate the probabilities of transmission through, absorption in, and reflection from shieldings composed by multiple material layers, 'm' slabs, in which no fission occurs. In this study, these energy groups were selected in order to minimize upscattering effects of the ...

CERN Document Server

We present here the effective theory of inflation `a la Ginsburg-Landau in which the inflaton potential is a polynomial. The slow-roll expansion becomes a systematic 1/N expansion where N ~ 60. The spectral index and the ratio of tensor/scalar fluctuations are n_s - 1 = O(1/N), r = O(1/N) while the running turns to be d n_s/d \\ln k = O(1/N^2) and can be neglected. The energy scale of inflation M ~ 0.7 10^{16} GeV is completely determined by the amplitude of the scalar adiabatic fluctuations. A complete analytic study plus the Monte Carlo Markov Chains (MCMC) analysis of the available CMB+LSS data showed: (a) the spontaneous breaking of the phi -> - phi symmetry of the inflaton potential. (b) a lower bound for r: r > 0.023 (95% CL) and r > 0.046 (68% CL). (c) The preferred inflation potential is a double well, even function of the field with a moderate quartic coupling yielding as most probable values: n_s = 0.964, ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Methodology based on probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) is finding increasing acceptability in demonstrating safety of Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) piping. In PFM, the methods of fracture mechanics and reliability theory are combined for assessing the reliability of components, which contain cracks. In this work, reliability assessment of Tarapur Atomic Power Plant (TAPP) 3-4 Primary Heat Transport (PHT) piping is done using PFM. Monte Carlo simulation with stratified sampling is used as a variance reduction technique. PFM model assumes a pre-existing circumferential surface crack before the start of plant operation. The crack grows in size during the lifetime of the plant due to the fatigue loading. This part-through wall crack having escaped hydro-test and pre-service inspection, may result in either a through wall flaw (leak) or may lead to the rupture of the piping. R6 method is used as failure criteria. Steam generator inlet (SGI), steam ...

CERN Document Server

We present a showcase for deriving bounds on the neutrino masses from laboratory experiments and cosmological observations. We compare the frequentist and Bayesian bounds on the effective electron neutrino mass m_beta which the KATRIN neutrino mass experiment is expected to obtain, using both an analytical likelihood function and Monte Carlo simulations of KATRIN. Assuming a uniform prior in m_beta, we find that a null result yields an upper bound of about 0.17 eV at 90% confidence in the Bayesian analysis, to be compared with the frequentist KATRIN reference value of 0.20 eV. This is a significant difference when judged relative to the systematic and statistical uncertainties of the experiment. On the other hand, an input m_beta=0.35 eV, which is the KATRIN 5sigma detection threshold, would be detected at virtually the same level. Finally, we combine the simulated KATRIN results with cosmological data in the form of ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kinetic Monte Carlo simulations are used to analyze the ripening and dissolution of small Si interstitial clusters and #left brace#113#right brace# defects, and its influence on transient enhanced diffusion of dopants in silicon. The evolution of Si interstitial defects is studied in terms of the probabilities of emitted Si interstitials being recaptured by other defects or in turn being annihilated at the surface. These two probabilities are related to the average distance among defects and their distance to the surface, respectively. During the initial stages of the defect ripening, when the defect concentration is high enough and the distance among them is small, Si interstitials are mostly exchanged among defects with a minimal loss of them to the surface. Only when defects grow to large sizes and their concentration decreases, the loss of Si interstitials through diffusion to the surface prevails, causing their dissolution. The presence of ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

During the last few decades, accuracy in photon and electron radiotherapy has increased substantially. This is partly due to enhanced linear accelerator technology, providing more flexibility in field definition (e.g. the usage of computer-controlled dynamic multileaf collimators), which led to intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). Important improvements have also been made in the treatment planning process, more specifically in the dose calculations. Originally, dose calculations relied heavily on analytic, semi-analytic and empirical algorithms. The more accurate convolution/superposition codes use pre-calculated Monte Carlo dose "kernels" partly accounting for tissue density heterogeneities. It is generally recognized that the Monte Carlo method is able to increase accuracy even furt...

CERN Document Server

Monte Carlo calculations using the codes PENELOPE and GEANT4 have been performed to characterize the dosimetric properties of monoenergetic photon point sources in water. The dose rate in water has been calculated for energies of interest in brachytherapy, ranging between 10 keV and 2 MeV. A comparison of the results obtained using the two codes with the available data calculated with other Monte Carlo codes is carried out. A chi2-like statistical test is proposed for these comparisons. PENELOPE and GEANT4 show a reasonable agreement for all energies analyzed and distances to the source larger than 1 cm. Significant differences are found at distances from the source up to 1 cm. A similar situation occurs between PENELOPE and EGS4.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This paper reports on Monte Carlo path integral simulations of a Bianchi Type IX cosmology which yield a wave function which reflects the known chaotic dynamics of the classical system and predicts a significant probability for a correlation between large universe volume and large anisotropy.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Feynmann and other fluctuation techniques have been shown to be useful for determining the multiplication of subcritical systems. The moments of the counting distribution from neutron detectors is analyzed to yield the multiplication value. We present the methodology and some selected applications and results and comparisons with Monte Carlo calculations.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Accurate dose calculation in radiation treatment planning is most important for successful treatment. Since human body is composed of various materials and not an ideal shape, it is not easy to calculate the accurate effective dose in the patients. Many methods have been proposed to solve inhomogeneity and surface contour problems. Monte Carlo simulations are regarded as the most accurate method, but it is not appropriate for routine planning because it takes so much time. Pencil beam kernel based convolution/superposition methods were also proposed to correct those effects. Nowadays, many commercial treatment planning systems have adopted this algorithm as a dose calculation engine. The purpose of this study is to verify the accuracy of the dose calculated from pencil beam kernel based treatment planning system comparing to Monte Carlo simulations and measurements especially in inhomogeneous region. ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We review the development and application of kinetic Monte Carlo simulations to investigate defect and dopant diffusion in ion implanted silicon. In these type of Monte Carlo models, defects and dopants are treated at the atomic scale, and move according to reaction rates given as input principles. These input parameters can be obtained from first principles calculations and/or empirical molecular dynamics simulations, or can be extracted from fits to experimental data. Time and length scales differing several orders of magnitude can be followed with this method, allowing for direct comparison with experiments. The different approaches are explained and some results presented.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The Monte Carlo ray-tracing method is applied and coupled with optical properties to predict the radiation performance of solar concentrator/cavity receiver systems. Several different cavity geometries are compared on the radiation performance. A flux density distribution measurement system for dish parabolic concentrators is developed. The contours of the flux distribution for target placements at different distances from the dish vertex of a solar concentrator are taken by using an indirect method with a Lambert and a charge coupled device (CCD) camera. Further, the measured flux distributions are compared with a Monte Carlo-predicted distribution. The results can be a valuable reference for the design and assemblage of the solar collector system.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The global effect of activation cross-section uncertainties on calculated radiological quantities is investigated for the first time using a methodology based on Monte Carlo random sampling. The method is applied to the calculation of the uncertainty in the contact dose rate from the gunite shielding of the National Ignition Facility chamber after 30 yr of pulsed irradiation. Some critical cross section contributing significantly to the overall uncertainty are identified. By a reasonable reduction of the uncertainty in those cross sections, the accuracy in the calculated total contact dose rate is greatly improved.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Subcritical experiments using californium source-driven noise analysis (CSDNA) and Feynman variance-to-mean methods were performed with an alpha-phase plutonium sphere reflected by nickel shells, up to a maximum thickness of 7.62 cm. Both methods provide means of determining the subcritical multiplication of a system containing nuclear material. A benchmark analysis of the experiments was performed for inclusion in the 2010 edition of the International Handbook of Evaluated Criticality Safety Benchmark Experiments. Benchmark models have been developed that represent these subcritical experiments. An analysis of the computed eigenvalues and the uncertainty in the experiment and methods was performed. The eigenvalues computed using the CSDNA method were very close to those calculated using MCNP5; however, computed eigenvalues are used in the analysis of the CSDNA method. Independent calculations using ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In most conceptual fusion power reactor designs, it is proposed to use beryllium as a neutron multiplier in the blanket. Detailed chemical composition of beryllium is necessary for evaluation of the tritium breeding ratio, and estimating the activation and transmutation of beryllium in the fusion reactor. In the present report, special attention was paid to a detailed analysis of impurities in beryllium, relevant to the tritium breeding ratio evaluation. Two different methods were used for the study of impurities: an analysis of the local sample by the ICP-MS method, and an integral analysis of the beryllium assembly, using the pulsed neutron method. The latter method was proposed as the most effective way of analyzing the integral effect to impurities in beryllium on production of the tritium on the lithium-6. The evaluation of the integral effect was based on time behaviour observations of the thermal neutron flux, ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The feasibility was evaluated using MCNP-DSP, an analog Monte Carlo transport cod to simulate source-driven measurements. Models of an isolated Westinghouse 17x17 PWR fuel assembly in a 1500-ppM borated water storage pool were used. In the models, the fuel burnup profile was represented using seven axial burnup zones, each with isotopics estimated by the PDQ code. Four different fuel assemblies with average burnups from fresh to 32 GWd/MTU were modeled and analyzed. Analysis of the fuel assemblies was simulated by inducing fission in the fuel using a {sup 252}Cf source adjacent to the assembly and correlating source fissions with the response of a bank of {sup 3}He detectors adjacent to the assembly opposite the source. This analysis was performed at 7 different axial positions on each of the 4 assemblies, and the source-detector cross-spectrum signature was calculated for each of these 28 simulated ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Molecular simulation aims at simulating particles in interaction, describing a physico-chemical system. When considering Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampling in this context, we often meet the same problem of statistical efficiency as with Molecular Dynamics for the simulation of complex molecules (polymers for example). The search for a correct sampling of the space of possible configurations with respect to the Boltzmann-Gibbs distribution is directly related to the statistical efficiency of such algorithms (i.e. the ability of rapidly providing uncorrelated states covering all the configuration space). We investigated how to improve this efficiency with the help of Artificial Evolution (AE). AE algorithms form a class of stochastic optimization algorithms inspired by Darwinian evolution. Efficiency measures that can be turned into efficiency criteria have been first searched before identifying parameters that could be optimized. Relative ...

Science.gov (United States)

mulation, with flow quantities stored at the grid vertices. OVERFLOW ..... attack: a separation bubble near the trailing edge of the ..... AGARD CP-429, Jul. 1988. ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Piping systems transporting high-pressure fluid will release a large amount of energy, leading to whipping of the broken pipe as well as impingement of the ejecting fluids on adjacent structures if they fracture unstably. Postulation of such an event in design of piping systems in nuclear power plants often requires various counter measures such as installation of pipe whip restraints or jet impingement shields to prevent such damage. One of the approaches to justify exclusion of unstable fracture from the design conditions is leak-before-break (LBB) analysis. In order to demonstrate LBB behavior, it is necessary to prove that in the presence of a part-through wall flaw in the pipe, this flaw will not grow through the wall under fatigue loading and is stable (level 2 LBB) and that the leak of fluid through the penetration is detected by leak detection systems before unstable fracture occurs (level 3 LBB). If this can be demonstrated in plant design, significant ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The use of computer codes based on Monte Carlo methods to perform criticality calculations has become common-place. Although results frequently published in the literature report calculated k_e_f_f values to four decimal places, people who use the codes in their everyday work say that they only believe the first two decimal places of any result. The lack of confidence in the computed k_e_f_f values may be due to the tendency of the reported standard deviation to underestimate errors associated with the Monte Carlo process. The standard deviation as reported by the codes is the standard deviation of the mean of the k_e_f_f values for individual generations in the computer simulation, not the standard deviation of the computed k_e_f_f value compared with the physical system. A more subtle problem with the standard deviation of the mean as reported by the codes is that all the k_e_f_f values from the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A 2.45 MeV neutron time-of-flight spectrometer was designed and built for measurements of neutron energy spectra from the JT-60U Tokamak. The spectrometer consists of two fast plastic scintillators (50 cm{sup 2} and 1800 cm{sup 2}, thickness: 2 cm) where each detector is located on two constant time-of-flight spheres. The time-of-flight spheres have radius of 1 m which gives a neutron flight length of {approx}164 cm and a time-of-flight of {approx}92 ns for 2.45 MeV source neutrons. The calculated spectrometer efficiency and resolution are 2.8 x 10{sup -2} cm{sup 2} and 105 keV (4.3%), respectively. The energy resolution corresponds to a time resolution of 2.0 ns. The spectrometer will measure neutrons in a vertical line-of-sight, {approx}9 m from the plasma center. For a total neutron emission of 10{sup 16} n/s, the countrate in the first scattering detector, located in the neutron beam, is estimated to {approx}2.5 MHz. The useful countrate for this case is estimated to {approx}6 kHz ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The resident bald eagles of the lower Columbia River have lower productivity and higher contaminant levels than other bald eagles of the Pacific Northwest. The primary population stressors are believed to be habitat loss, human disturbance, p,p{prime}DDE, PCBs, dioxins and furans. The primary effect of habitat loss is to reduce the carrying capacity of the region for nesting sites, and the primary effects of human disturbance and contamination by organic compounds are to reduce productivity. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively evaluate the effects of all of, these potential stressors on the bald eagle population dynamics. A model of the population dynamics was developed. The model structure includes a physiologically-based toxicokinetic (PBTK) submodel to estimate the degree of contamination, which is linked via a toxicology submodel to a population dynamics submodel. The PBTK submodel is time-variable, incorporating species-specific bioenergetics, as well as contaminant ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The central topic of this work is the study of the properties and the implementation of a Paul trap used for the measurement of the beta-neutrino angular correlation parameter in the decay of {sup 6}He. This coefficient provides a signature of the nature of the interactions involved in the weak interaction. The value of this coefficient can be deduced from the kinematical distribution of the decay events. An electromagnetic trap is used for the trapping of {sup 6}He{sup +} ions in a small volume. This trap has an open geometry that enables the detection in coincidence of the electron and the recoil ion emitted in the beta decay. A dedicated detection set up is used for the measurement of the electron energy, the ion time of flight and the position of the two particles for each event. A general description of the LPCTrap facility and of its performances is presented and shows that this set up is able to fulfill the proposed measurement. Especially, a comparison is made between the ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The Neutral Beam Test Facility (NBTF) to be realized in Padoa will test the Neutral Beam Injection (NBI), one of the Heating and Current Drive Systems foreseen for ITER. The NBI is based on the acceleration of hydrogen or deuterium negative ions up to 1 MeV. This work has been aimed at assessing the tritium release from the NBTF in order to provide data for the safety analysis. In particular, the diffusion of the tritium through the neutral beam target material (the CuCrZr alloy calorimeter panels) has been assessed by using literature data of the diffusion coefficient. The tritium generated inside the calorimeter panels moves into both the vacuum and water side: the tritium diffusion flux has been evaluated during the beam-on (200 deg. C) and the beam-off (20 deg. C) phases of the NBTF experiments consisting of an interim campaign and a final test. The penetration depth of the tritium through the 2 mm thick CuCrZr alloy material has been also evaluated by using a ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The principal mathematical tools frequently available for calculations in Nuclear Engineering, including coupled neutron-gamma radiations shielding problems, involve the full Transport Theory or the Monte Carlo techniques. The Multigroup Albedo Method applied to shieldings is characterized by following the radiations through distinct layers of materials, allowing the determination of the neutron and gamma fractions reflected from, transmitted through and absorbed in the irradiated media when a neutronic stream hits the first layer of material, independently of flux calculations. Then, the method is a complementary tool of great didactic value due to its clarity and simplicity in solving neutron and/or gamma shielding problems. The outstanding results achieved in previous works motivated the elaboration and the development of this study that is presented in this dissertation. The radiation balance resulting from the incidence of a neutronic ...

CERN Document Server

We demonstrate the use of a variational method to determine a quantitative lower bound on the rate of convergence of Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithms as a function of the target density and proposal density. The bound relies on approximating the second largest eigenvalue in the spectrum of the MCMC operator using a variational principle and the approach is applicable to problems with continuous state spaces. We apply the method to one dimensional examples with Gaussian and quartic target densities, and we contrast the performance of the basic Metropolis-Hastings algorithms with a ``smart'' variant that incorporates gradient information into the trial moves. We find that the variational method agrees quite closely with numerical simulations. We also see that the smart MCMC algorithm often fails to converge geometrically in the tails of the target density except in the simplest case we examine, and even then care must be taken to choose ...

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This study presents results from Monte Carlo radiation transport calculations aimed at characterizing a novel methodology being developed to detect partial defects in Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) spent fuel assemblies (SFAs). The methodology uses a combination of measured neutron and gamma fields inside a spent fuel assembly in an in-situ condition where no movement of the fuel assembly is required. Previous studies performed on single isolated assemblies resulted in a unique base signature that would change when some of the fuel in the assembly is replaced with dummy fuel. These studies indicate that this signature is still valid in the in-situ condition enhancing the prospect of building a practical tool, Partial Defect Detector (PDET), which can be used in the field for partial defect detection.

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A three-dimensional, continuous-energy, coupled neutron-gamma Monte Carlo model of the advanced neutron source (ANS) final preconceptual reference core design has been developed using MCNP Version 3b. This model contains the reactor core with control rods, the heavy-water reflector tank with shutdown rods and representative beam tubes, and the outer light-water poor. Eighty homogenized fuel zones per fuel element are used to represent the radical and axial {sup 235}U fuel grading. This model is the most sophisticated, physically accurate reactor physics model of the ANS currently available. The purpose of this summary is to demonstrate the MCNP methods and applications for the ANS.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The liquid/vapor coexistence density, the partial vapor pressure, and the heat of vaporization were calculated using Gibbs ensemble Monte Carlo simulation techniques. Long-range interactions such as charge-charge, charge-dipole, and dipole-dipole were evaluated using Ewald summation techniques. A polarizable potential model was used to describe the water-water interactions (Dang and Chang, J. Chem. Phys. 106, 8149, 1997). The model yields good agreement with the corresponding experimental data in the lower temperature region and moderate agreement in the higher temperature region. The critical temperature and density were estimated to be 565 K and 0.28 g/cm3.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

An integrated beam optics-nuclear processes framework is essential for accurate simulation of fragment separator beam dynamics. The code COSY INFINITY provides powerful differential algebraic methods for modeling and beam dynamics simulations in absence of beam-material interactions. However, these interactions are key for accurately simulating the dynamics of heavy ion fragmentation and fission. We have developed an extended version of the code that includes these interactions, and a set of new tools that allow efficient and accurate particle transport: by transfer map in vacuum and by Monte Carlo methods in materials. The new framework is presented, along with several examples from a preliminary layout of a fragment separator for a facility for rare isotope beams.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The electrogeometric model cannot consider the influence of some parameters on the screening of the wire conductor of the H.V. lines. For analysing the influence of these parameters (the conductor potential, the influence of the distance from phase conductor to earth wire, the influence of the reducing factor of the striking earth distance, the earth slope, etc.), the Monte Carlo method is preferable. The influence of the earth slope on the screening effect of the wire conductor for different conditions is presented in this paper. (author)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Previous models and evaluation techniques based on the Monte Carlo simulation for the reliability assessment of mixed hydrothermal generation systems are extended. Models for reservoirs on multiple rivers and pumped storage plants are developed. Operating and water management policies are extended to include the relative economical effects of operating alternative sources of generation. These effects and the benefits are described and discussed using an extended IEEE reliability test system. (Author).

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A Monte Carlo simulation of the vacuum Bianchi type-IX (mixmaster) cosmology yields a significant correlation between large universe volume and high anisotropy. An analog of the model's chaotic classical behavior is seen in the break up of the universe wave function at large volume into fingers in the corners of the minisuperspace anisotropy potential.

Science.gov (United States)

The Milstar communications satellite system will provide secure antijam communication capabilities for DOD operations into the next century. In order to accomplish this task, the Milstar system will employ precise timekeeping on its satellites and at its ground control stations. The constellation will consist of four satellites in geosynchronous orbit, each carrying a set of four rubidium (Rb) atomic clocks. Several times a day, during normal operation, the Mission Control Element (MCE) will collect timing information from the constellation, and after several days use this information to update the time and frequency of the satellite clocks. The MCE will maintain precise time with a cesium (Cs) atomic clock, synchronized to UTC(USNO) via a GPS receiver. We have developed a Monte Carlo simulation of Milstar's space segment timekeeping. The simulation includes the effects of: uplink/downlink time transfer noise; satellite crosslink time transfer ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The status of Monte Carlo system for the simulation of Bremsstrahlung in arbitrary decays and for the decay itself of #tau# -lepton is reviewed. During the last #tau# -lepton conference in 2010 several developments of the last two years have been presented: (i) For the TAUOLA Monte Carlo generator of #tau# -lepton decays, automated and simultaneous use of many versions of form-factors for the calculation of optional weights for fits was developed and checked to work in Belle and BaBar software environment. On-going work on alternative parameterizations of hadronic decays is presented too. (ii) The TAUOLA universal interface based on HepMC (the C++ event record) is now public. A similar interface for PHOTOS is now also public. (iii) Extension of PHOTOS Monte Carlo for QED Bremsstrahlung in decays featuring kernels based on complete first order matrix element are ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The purpose of this work was to study and quantify the differences in dose distributions computed with some of the newest dose calculation algorithms available in commercial planning systems. The study was done for clinical cases originally calculated with pencil beam convolution (PBC) where large density inhomogeneities were present. Three other dose algorithms were used: a pencil beam like algorithm, the anisotropic analytic algorithm (AAA), a convolution superposition algorithm, collapsed cone convolution (CCC), and a Monte Carlo program, voxel Monte Carlo (VMC++). The dose calculation algorithms were compared under static field irradiations at 6 MV and 15 MV using multileaf collimators and hard wedges where necessary. Five clinical cases were studied: three lung and two breast cases. We found that, in terms of accuracy, the CCC algorithm performed better overall than AAA compared to VMC++, but AAA ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The Monte Carlo transport codes LAHET and MCNP were used to calculate energy fluence spectra at three neutron therapy facilities. The results compare very favourably with measured data. Kerma spectra and the ratio of ICRU muscle tissue kerma to A-150 kerma, along the carbon to oxygen kerma ratio, were determined. Absorbed dose rate calculations are in reasonable agreement with measured values. Use of these codes to study modifications to existing therapy beams is briefly discussed. (author).

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We present our plans for a Monte-Carlo code simulating all possible combinations of (electromagnetic) interactions between colliding electron, positron, and both high-energy and laser photon beams, based, on the ABEL code for beam-beam interaction. The implementation and first results for the laser-e"- interaction are described.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The theory of neutron moderation and spectroscopy are briefly reviewed, and moderators that are useful for Bonner sphere spectrometers are discussed. The choice of the neutron detector for a Bonner sphere spectrometer is examined. Spectral deconvolution methods are briefly reviewed, including derivative, parametric, quadrature, and Monte Carlo methods. Calibration is then discussed. (LEW)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A model has been developed to predict the chemical composition of lakes that form in pyrite-bearing open-pit mines. Pyrite oxidation in wall rock releases sulfuric acid and metals, which mix with ground waters in the lake. Aqueous metal concentrations are calculated using MINTEQA2.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

High-energy ionizing radiation is a prominent modality for the treatment of many cancers. The approaches to electron dose calculation can be categorized into semi-empirical models (e.g. Fermi-Eyges, convolution-superposition) and probabilistic methods (e.g. Monte Carlo). A third approach to dose calculation has only recently attracted attention in the medical physics community. This approach is based on the deterministic kinetic equations of radiative transfer. We derive a macroscopic partial differential equation model for electron transport in tissue. This model involves an angular closure in the phase space. It is exact for the free streaming and the isotropic regime. We solve it numerically by a newly developed HLLC scheme based on Berthon et al (2007 J. Sci. Comput. 31 347-89) that exactly preserves the key properties of the analytical solution on the discrete level. We discuss several test cases taken from the medical physics literature. ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We have studied the application of direct aperture optimization (DAO) as an inverse planning tool for breast IMRT. Additionally, we have analysed the impact of respiratory motion on the quality of the delivered dose distribution. From this analysis, we have developed guidelines for balancing the desire for a high-quality optimized plan with the need to create a plan that will not degrade significantly in the presence of respiratory motion. For a DAO optimized breast IMRT plan, the tangential fields incorporate a flash field to cover the range of respiratory motion. The inverse planning algorithm then optimizes the shapes and weights of additional segments that are delivered in combination with the open fields. IMRT plans were generated using DAO with the relative weights of the open segments varied from 0% to 95%. To assess the impact of breathing motion, the dose distribution for the optimized IMRT plan was recalculated with the isocentre sampled from a predefined ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A three-dimensional (3D) thermal-hydraulic model and a numerical procedure for the simulation and analysis of a steady-state, as well as transient operation of nuclear power plant components are presented. A two-fluid approach is applied to modelling of two-phase flow. Thermal-hydraulics of a horizontal steam generator in the WWER 1000 nuclear power plant has been simulated at the full load, steady-state operation. A comparison of the numerical results with data measured at the NPP Novovoronjezh shows good agreement. 3D numerical results can be used in plant design or retrofitting, in nuclear power plant operation and safety analysis and as improvement of existing one-dimensional thermal-hydraulics models of the horizontal steam generator which are assessed by system codes used for the nuclear power plant safety analyses. (author)

Science.gov (United States)

Estimates of global warming during the mid-Piacenzian Age of the Pliocene Epoch suggest temperatures were 2 degrees C greater than today. ... million years approaches this level of warming. PRISM/Global Warmin...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The objective of this study was to explore the role of three-dimensional (3-D) rotational angiography (RA) of the inferior vena cava (IVC; 3-D CV) before filter retrieval and its impact on treatment planning compared with standard anteroposterior cavography (sCV). Thirty patients underwent sCV and 3-D CV before IVC filter retrieval. Parameters assessed were: projection of filter arms or legs beyond the caval lumen, thrombus burden within the filter and IVC, and orientation of the filter within IVC. Skin and effective radiation doses were calculated. Statistical analysis was performed using paired Student t test and nonparametric McNemar's test. Standard anteroposterior cavography detected 49 filter arms or legs projecting beyond the caval lumen in 25 patients. Three-dimensional CV demonstrated 89 filter arms or legs projecting beyond the ...

CERN Document Server

One of the most active areas of physics in the last decades has been that of critical phenomena, and Monte Carlo simulations have played an important role as a guide for the validation and prediction of system properties close to the critical points. The kind of phase transitions occurring for the Betts lattice (lattice constructed removing 1/7 of the sites from the triangular lattice) have been studied before with the Potts model for the values q=3, ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic regime. Here, we add up to this research line the ferromagnetic case for q=4 and 5. In the first case, the critical exponents are estimated for the second order transition, whereas for the latter case the histogram method is applied for the occurring first order transition. Additionally, Domany's Monte Carlo based clustering technique mainly used to group genes similar in their expression levels is reviewed. Finally, a ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We calculate parity-dependent level densities for the even-even isotopes "5"8","6"2","6"6Fe and "5"8Ni and the odd-A nuclei "5"9Ni and "6"5Fe using the shell model Monte Carlo method. We perform these calculations in the complete fp-gds shell-model space using a pairing+quadrupole residual interaction. We find that, due to pairing of identical nucleons, the low-energy spectrum is dominated by positive parity states. Although these pairs break at around the same excitation energy in all nuclei, the energy dependence of the ratio of negative-to-positive parity level densities depends strongly on the particular nucleus of interest. We find equilibration of both parities at noticeably lower excitation energies for the odd-A nuclei "5"9Ni and "6"5Fe than for the neighboring even-even nuclei "5"8Ni and "6"6Fe.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

High resolution Monte-Carlo simulations show that the neutron spectrum, fuel burnup and fuel temperature feedback effect of a PWR core loaded with Thoria-based fuel (Th/Pu-O_2) do not significantly differ from the MOX fuelled one due to the similar neutronic characteristics of both fertile materials (Th-232, U-238). The core physics of this fuel variant is characterized by an enhanced moderator/void temperature coefficient (by factor 2.4) and high incineration rate for Pu (approx. 60 %). A PWR core loaded with the Molybdenum-based inert matrix fuel (IMF) - in contrast to MOX-, shows a harder spectrum, resulting in small temperature coefficients of reactivity and particularly in a higher fuel depletion rate as well as an enhanced TRU reduction performance. The incineration of Pu amounts to 46 % resulting, in turn, in generation of minor actinides of about 10 % of the total Pu consumption. The higher excess reactivity resulting from the initial Pu contents is ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A technique capable of measuring the electron energy fluence spectra in a scattering medium was designed. These measurements were performed by setting a bremsstrahlung conversion target on the surface of a phantom, at an intermediate depth, and at a depth equal to electron mean range. The bremsstrahlung produced by the deceleration of electrons in the target was passed through an air channel in the phantom and passed forward by a pinhole collimator into a Na(Tl) detector. The measured pulse height data were unfolded to correct for the distortion of the spectrometer system by using the FORIST unfolding code. The unfolded bremsstrahlung spectra represent the electron energy fluence spectra convolution with the bremsstrahlung produced in the target. To generate the electron energy fluence spectra, the unfolded bremsstrahlung spectra were deconvoluted by using the MAZE2 unfolding code. CYLTRAN, a coupled electron-photon Monte Carlo transport code, ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In this paper, we report kinetic Monte Carlo study on the diffusion behavior of boron in silicon crystal, more particularly on the transient enhanced diffusion (TED) of boron in silicon during implantation and annealing. Firstly, the accuracy of our KMC code was verified by investigating the time evolutionary behavior of interstitial (I) and vacancy (V) when a silicon substrate is implanted with silicon dose with an energy of 10 keV and with a dose of 1 X 10"1"4 ions/cm"2. To investigate the influence of native defects (I, V) on boron diffusion, a single and multi boron markers grown by MBE were employed. The simulation results revealed that the precursor of boron cluster (BI_2) is dominant at the initial stage of annealing, which explains the boron TED phenomenon in terms of the concentration of boron complexes and I, V clusters, respectively. The formation of #left brace#311#right brace# defects and dislocation loop were observed from the ...

Science.gov (United States)

In this paper we consider the adsorption of argon on the surface of graphitized thermal carbon black and in slit pores at temperatures ranging from subcritical to supercritical conditions by the method of grand canonical Monte Carlo simulation. Attention is paid to the variation of the adsorbed density when the temperature crosses the critical point. The behavior of the adsorbed density versus pressure (bulk density) shows interesting behavior at temperatures in the vicinity of and those above the critical point and also at extremely high pressures. Isotherms at temperatures greater than the critical temperature exhibit a clear maximum, and near the critical temperature this maximum is a very sharp spike. Under the supercritical conditions and very high pressure the excess of adsorbed density decreases towards zero value for a graphite surface, while for slit pores negative excess density is possible at extremely high pressures. For imperfect ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Computational Fluid Dynamics(CFD) study was conducted to assess the new design concept introduced to solve the issues on the flow deviation between SG cassettes and the supporting structure design of the flow distributing plate subjected to the flow induced vibration. Flow field from MCP to the bottom of SG was modeled for 2-dimensional(2D) CFD analysis and then sensitivity analysis on major design parameters was conducted using commercial CFD code, Fluent. The cases for detailed 3D analysis were selected based on the result of 2D analysis and the detailed 3-dimensional(3D) analysis was conducted for these selected cases using Fluent code. Flow field was modeled by RNG model and wall function, 2nd upwind scheme, porous model, structured or hybrid grid. The analysis result ...

CERN Document Server

Brachytherapy is a radiotherapeutic modality that makes use of radionuclides to deliver a high radiation dose to a well-defined volume while sparing surrounding healthy structures. At the National Institute for Cancer Research of Genova a High Dose Rate remote afterloading system provides Ir(192) endocavitary brachytherapy treatments. We studied the possibility to use the Geant4 Monte Carlo simulation toolkit in brachytherapy for calculation of complex physical parameters, not directly available by experiment al measurements, used in treatment planning dose deposition models.

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We investigate the formation of nanostructures in 2D strained alloys on face centered cubic (111) surfaces by means of equilibrium Monte Carlo simulations. In the framework of an off-lattice model, we consider one monolayer of two bulk-immiscible adsorbates A and B with negative and positive misfit relative to the substrate, respectively. Simulations show that the adsorbates partly self-organize into island or stripe-like patterns. We show how these structures depend on the relative misfits, interaction, and concentration of components. The morphology is quite different for phase separation and intermixing regimes.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

An algorithm is proposed which treats the ECH generated potential in a self-consistent way, by extending the Monte-Carlo Fokker-Planck method used by Murakami [S. Murakami et al., Proc. 17th IAEA Fusion Energy Conference, Yokohama, 1998 (International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, in press), paper CN-69/TH2/1]. The additional physics is expected to influence the transport of both thermal and suprathermal electrons in a helical toroidal system. (author)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

An accelerator experiment was performed using a low-energy antiproton beam to measure antiproton detection efficiency of BESS, a balloon-borne spectrometer with a superconducting solenoid. Measured efficiencies showed good agreement with calculated ones derived from the BESS Monte Carlo simulation based on GEANT/GHEISHA. With detailed verification of the BESS simulation, the relative systematic error of detection efficiency derived from the BESS simulation has been determined to be {+-}5%, compared with the previous estimation of {+-}15% which was the dominant uncertainty for measurements of cosmic-ray antiproton flux.

CERN Document Server

multi-parton interactions and underlying event structure, $\\gamma$-mediated processes and luminosity determination, Monte Carlo tuning and even MSSM Higgs discovery in central exclusive production. In this article, the forward detector instrumentation around the CMS interaction point is described and the prospects for diffractive and forward physics using the CMS forward detectors are summarized. In addition, first observation of forward jets as well as early measurements of the forward energy flow in the pseudorapidity range $3.15

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A neutron collimator system is being designed as part of a neutron imaging facility for computed tomography and real-time neutron radiography research at the through beam port of the University of Texas TRIGA reactor. Lack of sufficient information about collimator systems in a through port from the literature necessitated the use of Monte Carlo calculations using the MCNP code 3 to search for optimal design configuration and materials that maximize the thermal neutron intensity at the image plane while minimizing the fast neutrons and gamma radiation.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Continuum events represent an eminent source of background in any e+e- experiment. As these have a higher branching ratio than BB-bar events (at BaBar this ratio is estimated to about 3.5) or ?+?- events, efficient continuum background suppression is essential in many analyses. Using Artificial Neural Networks and the Nearest Neighbor Method we developed several selectors which, based only on the global event shape variables, efficiently tag BB-bar events and ?+?- events against the continuum background. These selectors could then be combined with the channel specific information in various types of analyses. The study was done using a parametric Monte Carlo.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

An extensive set of benchmark measurement of PDDs and beam profiles was performed in a heterogeneous layer phantom, including a lung equivalent heterogeneity, by means of several detectors and compared against the predicted dose values by different calculation algorithms in two treatment planning systems. PDDs were measured with TLDs, plane parallel and cylindrical ionization chambers and beam profiles with films. Additionally, Monte Carlo simulations by meansof the PENELOPE code were performed. Four different field sizes (10x10, 5x5, 2x2, and1x1 cm"2) and two lung equivalent materials (CIRS, #rho#_e"w=0.195 and St. Bartholomew Hospital, London, #rho#_e"w=0.244-0.322) were studied. The performance of four correction-based algorithms and one based on convolution-superposition was analyzed. The correction-based algorithms were the Batho, the Modified Batho, and the Equivalent TAR implemented in the Cadplan (Varian) treatment planning system and ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We made Basic designs of neutron guide, choppers, and detectors in order to optimize the design parameters of DC-TOF to be built in the HANARO Cold Neutron Guide Hall. In addition, we calculated the expected performance of DC-TOF using Monte Carlo simulations and evaluated the properties of neutron beam. Based on the results we obtained, we have compared the expected performance of the DC-TOF with those of existing instruments overseas. In conclusion, we believe that we will be able to construct the DC-TOF at HANARO as one of the best instruments of its kinds and it will become an invaluable instrument to researchers in the related field.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We have developed a new type personal dosemeter by using a B-10 doped silicon p-n junction detector with a polyethylene radiator and a polyethylene moderator. The purpose of this study was to develop a real time neutron dosemeter with a nearly flat response in the energy range from thermal to 15 MeV and low angular dependence to the incident neutron direction. The neutron response of the dosemeter was obtained with the Monte Carlo calculation and the monoenergetic neutron experiment in a free air field and also under a condition attached on a phantom.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

For the Convolution, Superposition and Monte Carlo methods, energy spectrum data is an essential parameter. Especially, by using Monte Carlo method, if the adequate properties of electrons are set, complex energy spectrum data can be calculated by simple input. However, adjustment of the property of electrons incident on the target of linear accelerator is time-consuming procedure. To cover the difference of many accelerators, it is important how we obtain accurate energy spectrum by simple methods. Especially, the total accuracy of dose calculation depends on the agreement of measured and calculated percentage depth dose (PDD) and off-axis ratio (OAR). Thus, a simple method for the determination of the simulation parameters was considered. To reduce the adjustment procedure, we selected values of important three parameters, which were the mean energy of the input electron beam, the energy distribution ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brachytherapy refers to short distance treatment of cancer with radiation from small, encapsulated radionuclide sources. This type of treatment is given by placing sources directly into or near the volume to be treated. The dose is then delivered continuously, either over a short period of time (temporary implants) or over the lifetime of the source to a complete decay (permanent implants). This technique is extensively used in the treatments of gynecological, breast, prostate, head and neck, and other soft tissue cancers. The clinical outcomes of this treatment depend on accurate dosimetry and dose delivery. The patient is generally considered to be water equivalent. So the treatment planning system software generally is based on measured or calculated dose distributions in homogenous water medium. In real situation, the treatment volume is not homogenous water medium, but it is a heterogeneous medium consisting of bone, soft tissue, lung, air etc. For better understanding we present ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

For Monte Carlo simulations to be used as an alternative solution to perform scatter correction, accurate modelling of the scanner as well as speed is paramount. General-purpose Monte Carlo packages (Geant4, EGS, MCNP) allow a detailed description of the scanner but are not efficient at simulating voxel-based geometries (patient images). On the other hand, dedicated codes (SimSET, PETSIM) will perform well for voxel-based objects but will be poor in their capacity of simulating complex geometries such as a PET scanner. The approach adopted in this work was to couple a dedicated code (SimSET) with a general-purpose package (Geant4) to have the efficiency of the former and the capabilities of the latter. The combined SimSET+Geant4 code (SimG4) was assessed on the GE Advance PET scanner and compared to the use of SimSET only. A better description of the resolution and sensitivity of the scanner and of the ...

Science.gov (United States)

In this paper, we studied vapor-liquid equilibria (VLE) and adsorption of ethylene on graphitized thermal carbon black and in slit pores whose walls are composed of graphene layers. Simple models of a one-center Lennard-Jones (LJ) potential and a two-center united atom (UA)-LJ potential are investigated to study the impact of the choice of potential models in the description of VLE and adsorption behavior. Here, we used a Monte Carlo simulation method with grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) and Gibbs ensemble Monte Carlo ensembles. The one-center potential model cannot describe adequately the VLE over the practical range of temperature from the triple point to the critical point. On the other hand, the two-center potential model (Wick et al. J. Phys. Chem. B 2000, 104, 8008-8016) performs well in the description of VLE (saturated vapor and liquid densities and ...

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The synthesis of [3, 3-D[sub 2

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We present a fully automated method for three-dimensional (3D) elemental analysis demonstrated using a ceramic sample of chemistry (Ca)MgTiO_x. The specimen is serially sectioned by a focused ion beam (FIB) microscope, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDXS) is used for elemental analysis of each cross-section created. A 3D elemental model is reconstructed from the stack of two-dimensional (2D) data. This work concentrates on issues arising from process automation, the large sample volume of approximately 17x17x10 #mu#m"3, and the insulating nature of the specimen. A new routine for post-acquisition data correction of different drift effects is demonstrated. Furthermore, it is shown that EDXS data may be erroneous for specimens containing voids, and that back-scattered electron images have to be used to correct for these errors.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In the present thesis, the shell structure in exotic nuclei has been investigated. The focus of the work was on finding new experimental data in neutron-rich Cr and proton-rich Ca isotopes. The investigation of light Ca isotopes concentrated on the nucleus {sup 36}Ca which was produced in a knockout reaction from a radioactive {sup 37}Ca beam. For {sup 36}Ca, the excitation energy of the first 2{sup +} state has been measured for the first time. Furthermore, momentum distributions were analyzed using a Monte-Carlo simulation of the knockout reaction. This analysis yielded the contributions of neutrons from individual orbitals to the total knockout cross section. In principle, these may be used to calculate spectroscopic factors, but such a calculation is hampered by difficulties of present knockout-reaction models in predicting precise single-particle cross sections. The measured branching ratio to the ground and excited states, on the other ...

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In situ X-Ray microtomography offers new opportunities for analysing sintering mechanisms since it allows 3D observation of the microstructural evolution of the powder all along a sintering cycle. With synchrotron radiation at ESRF, a 3D image with a resolution of 2 {mu}m can be obtained in about one minute. In addition to the visual examination of the images, relevant microstructural parameters can be measured through quantitative image analysis using recently developed tools. In this paper the results obtained with two materials, loose copper powder and compacted steel powder, are resumed. For copper powder, the dispersion of local parameters such as particle co-ordination number and porosity is investigated. Concerning steel compacts, data about pore morphology evolution and on local strains provides clues for understanding the anisotropic shrinkage of such compacts. (authors)

Science.gov (United States)

Cancer is a severe threat to human health. Early detection is considered the best way to increase the chance for survival. While the traditional cancer detection method, biopsy, is invasive, noninvasive optical diagnostic techniques are revolutionizing the way that cancer is diagnosed. Reflectance spectroscopy is one of these optical spectroscopy techniques showing promise as a diagnostic tool for pre-cancer detection. When a neoplasia occurs in tissue, morphologic and biochemical changes happen in the tissue, which in turn results in the change of optical properties and reflectance spectroscopy. Therefore, a pre-cancer can be detected by extracting optical properties from reflectance spectroscopy. This dissertation described the construction of a fiberoptic based reflectance system and the development of a series of modeling studies. This research is aimed at establishing an improved understanding of the optical properties of mucosal tissues by analyzing reflectance signals at ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A numerical and experimental investigation is carried out in a solar thermochemical reactor for the thermal dissociation of ZnO at 2000 K using concentrated solar energy. The reactor consists of a cavity-receiver lined with ZnO particles and directly exposed to high-flux irradiation. A transient heat transfer model is formulated to link the rate of radiation, convection, and conduction heat transfer to the reaction kinetics. The radiosity and Monte Carlo methods are applied to obtain the distribution of net radiative fluxes at the internal surfaces of the reactor cavity and at the surface of the ZnO bed. Validation is accomplished in terms of the calculated and measured transient temperature profiles and chemical reaction rates.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

A large database (507 station-years) of daily suspended particulate matter (SPM) concentration and discharge data from 36 stations on river basins ranging from 600?km2 to 600,000?km2 in size (USA and Europe) was collected to assess the effects of SPM transport regime on bias and imprecision of flux estimates when using infrequent surveys and the discharge-weighted mean concentration method. By extracting individual SPM concentrations and corresponding discharge values from the database, sampling frequencies from 12 to 200 per year were simulated using Monte Carlo techniques. The resulting estimates of yearly SPM fluxes were compared to reference fluxes derived from the complete database. For each station and given frequency, bias was measured by the median of relative errors between estima...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We present results from a kinetic Monte Carlo simulation of boron transient enhanced diffusion (TED) in silicon. Our approach avoids the use of phenomenological fits to experimental data by using a complete and self-consistent set of values for defect and dopant energetics derived mostly from ab initio calculations. The results predict that, during annealing of 40 keV B-implanted Si at 800 degree C, there exists a time window during which all the implanted boron atoms are substitutional. At earlier or later times, the interactions between free silicon self-interstitials and boron atoms drive the growth of boron clusters and result in an inactive boron fraction. The results show that the majority of boron TED takes place during the growth period of interstitial clusters and not during their dissolution. copyright 1998 American Institute of Physics.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The effects of pore curvature and surface heterogeneity on the adsorption of water on a graphitic surface at 298 K were investigated using a Grand Canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulation. Slit and cylindrical pores are used to study the curvature effects. To investigate the surface heterogeneity the functional group and the structural defect on the surface were specifically considered. The hydroxyl group (OH) is used as a model for the functional group and the water potential model proposed by Muller et al. is used to calculate the water interaction. For the homogeneous cylinder, the pore filling occurs at a pressure lower than the saturation pressure of the water model, while it is greater in the case of homogeneous slit pore. The size of hysteresis loop is more sensitive to the length of...

Science.gov (United States)

The integrity and safety of beam-like structures are dependent in part on their boundary conditions which can vary with time due to damage or aging. Structural health monitoring of such structures should therefore include attention to boundary conditions. Where the boundary conditions can be represented by a lumped spring then the identification of associated stiffness parameter values may be a means to quantifying the integrity of the support. This paper investigates such a method for identifying the equivalent translational and rotational stiffness of a constrained tapered beam-like structure. An analytical model of a beam of tapered width and thickness is adopted as a simplified representation of a tower-like structure. The model is used to explore in what scenarios natural frequencies and/or nodal points might be sufficiently sensitive to changes in support conditions to be measurable indicators of damage. The method is evaluated by Monte ...

CERN Document Server

We study spectroscopically determined iron abundances of 642 solar-type stars to search for the signature of accreted iron-rich material. We find that the metallicity [Fe/H] of a subset of 466 main sequence stars, when plotted as a function of stellar mass, mimics the pattern seen in lithium abundances in open clusters. Using Monte Carlo models we find that, on average, these stars have accreted about 0.4 Earth masses of iron while on the main sequence. A much smaller sample of 19 stars in the Hertzsprung gap, which are slightly evolved and whose convection zones are significantly more massive, have lower average [Fe/H], and their metallicity shows no clear variation with stellar mass. These findings suggest that terrestrial-type material is common around solar type stars.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The difficulty and unstability of the parameter estimation of mass action model for radioimmunoassay are the major obstacles to its application in routine work. A unique robust curve fitting method for the mass action model was introduced. large numbers of simulated data were generated with Monte Carlo method to compare the accuracy and robustness of the robust fitting and the least squre fitting (Marquardt method) of the mass action model. The results demonstrated that the new robusst method significantly increased the accuracy and reliability of data processing with the mass action model. It also markedly reduced the influence of outliers in the fitting of RIA data, and it was always 'convergent'. This robust method could also be applied to other mathematical models which can be transformed into high degree equations and no initial estimates are needed for curve fitting.

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New values of the factors required to convert the reading of a radiation dosemeter calibrated in terms of air kerma (or exposure) into absorbed dose to water for medium-energy x-radiation were given in a code of practice published by the International Atomic Energy Agency in 1987. These are not considered to possess sufficient support from other sources. It is therefore recommended that the F-factors given or codes of practice should continue to be used. Values of backscatter factors for low-energy x-radiation (below 140 kV) in Supplement 17 of the British Journal of Radiology appear to be inaccurate. New values based on Monte Carlo calculations, and supported by new experimental data, are given for use in radiotherapy. (author).

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The present authors have previously developed a new method for Probabilistic Fracture Mechanics (PFM), which they call Recursive Distribution (RD) method. The method is based on the construction of the Lebesgue-Stieltjes measure through a deterministic mapping defining a crack growth process. In the present paper, its theoretical background is first discussed, and the Lebesgue decomposition of the measure is given. Then a numerical example of a Light Water Reactor (LWR)`s piping problem is solved by the present method, and the results are compared with those of the Monte Carlo (MC) method. In addition to leakage probability, a variation in stress cycles of the marginal distribution of an aspect ratio of a semi-elliptical surface crack is calculated, which will be used in a study on LBB evaluation.

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The Front End Enclosure (FEE) of the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) is a shielding housing located between the electron dump area and the first experimental hutch. The upstream part of the FEE hosts the commissioning diagnostics for the FEL beam. In the downstream part of the FEE, two sets of grazing incidence mirror and several collimators are used to direct the beam to one of the experimental stations and reduce the bremsstrahlung background and the hard component of the spontaneous radiation spectrum. This paper addresses the beam loss assumptions and radiation sources entering the FEE used for the design of the FEE shielding using the Monte-Carlo code FLUKA. The beam containment system prevents abnormal levels of radiations inside the FEE and ensures that the beam remains in its intended path is also described.

CERN Document Server

Monte Carlo calculations of proton irradiation of permanent magnets for the TRADE experiment have been performed. An irradiation dose of about 4´106 Gy/yr/mA has been estimated due to beam losses in normal operating conditions. Existing experimental results indicate that this irradiation level may induce a considerable demagnetization: in fact, a dose of 6´107 Gy induces a remanence loss of 0.3 % on samples of Sm2Co17 magnets, which are the most resistant type. More detailed calculations with the final design of the magnets and of the beam line are suggested, to determine if the irradiation levels allowed a reliable operation of the permanent magnets for the entire duration of the TRADE experiment. Damage and gas production rates have also been calculated; the values obtained are very low, thus confirming that the demagnetization process is in great part reversible.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

To establish the phylogeographic relationships in rabies viruses in Brazil, we studied a dataset retrieved from GenBank consisting of 71 genetic sequences from the coding region of the N gene of rabies viruses isolated in dogs over a period of 22?years. The Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo method available in the BEAST package was used with the GTR+G+?4 evolutionary model in conjunction with the relaxed uncorrelated lognormal molecular clock model and an exponential growth tree prior. A discrete phylogeographic diffusion model was also analyzed using a standard continuous-time Markov chain viewed with Google Earth to provide a spatial projection of the diffusion of genetic lineages based on their phylogeographic relationships. The topology of the time and substitution phylogenetic trees a...

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Using a Markov Chain Monte Carlo optimization algorithm and a computer simulation, I find the passenger ordering which minimizes the time required to board the passengers onto an airplane. The model that I employ assumes that the time that a passenger requires to load his or her luggage is the dominant contribution to the time needed to completely fill the aircraft. The optimal boarding strategy may reduce the time required to board and airplane by over a factor of four and possibly more depending upon the dimensions of the aircraft. I explore some features of the optimal boarding method and discuss practical modifications to the optimal. Finally, I mention some of the benefits that could come from implementing an improved passenger boarding scheme.

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A thermal neutron imaging facility for real-time neutron radiography and computed tomography has recently been developed at the University of Texas TRIGA reactor. Extensive Monte Carlo design calculations were used to determine optimal design parameters of the neutron collimator system to avoid costly trial and error. Thermal neutron flux determined by gold foil activation is 5 {times} 10{sup 6} n/cm{sup 2}{center_dot}s at the primary imaging location with beam size of 22.5 cm in diameter. The collimation ratio can be varied from 125 to 235. The neutron-to-gamma ratio is 7.8 {times} 10{sup 6} n/cm{sup 2}{center_dot}mR. The facility has been tested for radiography and tomography applications and is now fully operational.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of the various models or simulations for predicting drug release from bulk-degrading systems. A brief description of bulk degradation processes and factors affecting the degradation rate, and consequently the release kinetics, is presented first. Next, several important classical models, often used as the basis for subsequent model development, are discussed. Both mathematical models and Monte-Carlo based simulations have been developed for controlled release from bulk-degrading systems. The mathematical models can be further subdivided into two categories. First, the diffusion-based models whose transport mechanism is mainly governed by diffusion, but with degradation-dependent diffusion coefficients. These are generally simpler and easier...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A successful boron neutron capture treatment (BNCT) of a patient with multiple liver metastases has been first given in Italy, by placing the removed organ into the thermal neutron column of the Triga research reactor of the University of Pavia. In Finland, FiR 1 Triga reactor with an epithermal neutron beam well suited for BNCT has been extensively used to irradiate patients with brain tumors such as glioblastoma and recently also head and neck tumors. In this work we have studied by MCNP Monte Carlo simulations, whether it would be beneficial to treat an isolated liver with epithermal neutrons instead of thermal ones. The results show, that the epithermal field penetrates deeper into the liver and creates a build-up distribution of the boron dose. Our results strongly encourage further studying of irradiation arrangement of an isolated liver with epithermal neutron fields.

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We consider low-energy nucleons at next-to-next-to-leading order in lattice chiral effective field theory. Three-body interactions first appear at this order, and we discuss several methods for determining three-body interaction coefficients on the lattice. We compute the energy of the triton and low-energy neutron-deuteron scattering phase shifts in the spin-doublet and spin-quartet channels using Luescher's finite-volume method. In the four-nucleon system we calculate the energy of the {alpha}-particle using auxiliary fields and projection Monte Carlo. (orig.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A major deficiency of current photon calculation methods that are based on the concept of primary and scatter separation is their inability to handle the condition of electronic disequilibrium. This deficiency is examined and it is shown that the limitation is not inherent in the algorithms themselves but is, at least in part, in the data which the algorithms use. A new concept of primary and scatter separation is developed to cover the condition of electronic disequilibrium. This new concept requires little change to the existing algorithms and only additional data are required, which are generated using Monte Carlo calculation methods. The new concept is tested using programs in the Theratronics Theraplan treatment-planning system, and two calculation examples illustrate the ability to model electron transport and also the improvement over the existing algorithms. Close analogy of the extended concept with the convolution/superposition method ...

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Incomplete convergence in numerical simulation such as computational physics simulations and/or Monte Carlo simulations can enter into the calculation of the objective function in an optimization problem, producing noise, bias, and topo- graphical inaccuracy in the objective function. These affect accuracy and convergence rate in the optimization problem. This paper is concerned with global searching of a diverse parameter space, graduating to accelerated local convergence to a (hopefully) global optimum, in a framework that acknowledges convergence uncertainty and manages model resolu- tion to efficiently reduce uncertainty in the final optimum. In its own right, the global-to-local optimization engine employed here (devised for noise tolerance) performs better than other classical and contemporary optimization approaches tried individually and in combination on the "industrial" test problem to be presented.

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The Advanced Photon Source injector synchrotron is a 7-GeV positron machine with a standard alternating gradient lattice. The calculated effect of dipole magnet strength errors on the orbit distortion, simulated by Monte Carlo, was reduced by sorting pairs of magnets having the closest simulated measured strengths to reduce the driving the term of the integer resonance nearest the operating point. This method resulted in a factor of four average reduction in the rms orbit distortion when all 68 magnets were sorted at once. The simulated effect of magnet measurement experimental resolution was found to limit the actual improvement. The {Beta}-beat factors were similarly reduced by sorting the quadrupole magnets according to their gradients.

CERN Document Server

Obtaining the set of cosmological parameters consistent with observational data is an important exercise in current cosmological research. It involves finding the global maximum of the likelihood function in the multi-dimensional parameter space. Currently sampling based methods, which are in general stochastic in nature, like Markov-Chain Monte Carlo(MCMC), are being commonly used for parameter estimation. The beauty of stochastic methods is that the computational cost grows, at the most, linearly in place of exponentially (as in grid based approaches) with the dimensionality of the search space. MCMC methods sample the full joint probability distribution (posterior) from which one and two dimensional probability distributions, best fit (average) values of parameters and then error bars can be computed. In the present work we demonstrate the application of another stochastic method, named Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), that is widely used ...

CERN Document Server

The effects of strong Coulomb correlations in dense three-dimensional electron-hole plasmas are studied by means of unbiased direct path integral Monte Carlo simulations. The formation and dissociation of bound states, such as excitons and bi-excitons is analyzed and the density-temperature region of their appearance is identified. At high density, the Mott transition to the fully ionized metallic state (electron-hole liquid) is detected. Particular attention is paid to the influence of the hole to electron mass ratio $M$ on the properties of the plasma. Above a critical value of about M=80 formation of a hole Coulomb crystal was recently verified [Phys. Rev. Lett. {\\bf 95}, 235006 (2005)] which is supported by additional results. Results are related to the excitonic phase diagram of intermediate valent Tm[Se,Te], where large values of $M$ have been observed experimentally.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We present results of multiple-time-scale simulations of 5, 10 and 15 keV low temperature ion implantation of arsenic on silicon (100), followed by high temperature anneals. The simulations start with a molecular dynamics (MD) calculation of the primary state of damage after 10ps. The results are then coupled to a kinetic Monte Carlo (MC) simulation of bulk defect diffusion and clustering. Dose accumulation is achieved considering that at low temperatures the damage produced in the lattice is stable. After the desired dose is accumulated, the system is annealed at 800 degrees C for several seconds. The results provide information on the evolution for the damage microstructure over macroscopic length and time scales and affords direct comparison to experimental results. We discuss the database of inputs to the MC model and how it affects the diffusion process.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Most active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) exhibit particle size distributions with some degrees of asymmetry deviating from log-normality. A new log-skew-normal (L-S-N) distribution model is proposed for a systematic comparison of the asymmetry effect on content uniformity. The new model originated from the S-N model used by Azzalini gives a close approximation to real API particle size distribution. Monte-Carlo method was employed to simulate the dosage potency distribution. A high risk of over potency is uncovered when either the dose is low or API particle size distribution is positively skewed. This is due to the formation of pseudo heavy tail in potency distribution that decays slower than exponentially. Nomographs of API particle size versus dosage strength were constructed with a...

CERN Document Server

We compare the metallicities of stars with radial velocity planets to the metallicity of a sample of field dwarfs. We confirm recent work indicating that the stars-with-planet sample as a whole is iron rich. However, the lowest mass stars tend to be iron poor, with several having [Fe/H]0.48) that contributes to but does not explain the mass-metallicity trend in the stars-with-planets sample. We use Monte Carlo models to show that adding an average of 6.5 Earth masses of iron to each star can explain both the mass-metallicity and the age-metallicity relations of the stars-with-planets sample. However, for at least one star, HD 38529, there is good evidence that the bulk metallicity is high. We conclude that the observed metallicities and metallicity trends are the result of the interaction of three effects; accretion of about 6 Earth masses of iron rich material, selection effects, and in some cases, high intrinsic metallicity.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

We carried out theoretical analyses based on ab initio calculations that incorporate free energy of the vapor phase in order to determine the initial growth process of cubic GaN on GaN (001)-(4x1). The results suggest that a N-adsorbed structure appears at the initial growth stage and then Ga adsorbs on the N-adsorbed GaN (001)-(4x1) surface. Considering this process, we performed Monte Carlo simulations. The results suggest that the maximum point of Ga coverage after supplying a Formula Not Shown monolayer of atoms shifted toward a Ga-rich condition from V/III=1.0.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This paper presents a trial of probabilistic simulation for performance assessment of high-level waste (HLW) disposal using the Monte Carlo method. Based on the Reference Case conceptual model in H12, a new integrated simulation system which allowed us to rapidly evaluate the effect of data uncertainty was developed. The doses to hypothetical exposure group were compared with the results of H12 that were performed by using a point-wise approach, in terms of maximum total dose. This study showed that H12 results were consistent with results of probabilistic simulation and also showed that transmissivity had a strong influence for the uncertainty of the system performance in all simulation time. (author)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A complete code based on the finite element method (FEM) is used to study the attenuation of gamma rays, of source energy 9 MeV, in simple homogeneous lead and water systems. The results are compared, in tables and graphs, with those produced by a Monte Carlo method of solution. In the comparison, particular attention is paid to the annihilation gamma rays generated by the pair production process, to energy deposition, and to the leakage spectra. A model, multilayer, slab shield, having a fission neutron source impinging on the left-hand face, is also solved by the FEM code, using data from a coupled neutron/gamma ray cross section library. The resulting neutron and gamma ray flux distributions, and the leakage spectra, are shown graphically. (author).

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K{beta}-to-K{alpha} X-ray intensity ratios of Ti, Cr, Fe and Co in pure metals and in Cr{sub 0.26}Fe{sub 0.74}, Cr{sub 0.80}Co{sub 0.20} and Ti{sub 0.80}Cr{sub 0.20} alloys have been measured following excitation by 59.54 keV {gamma}-rays from a 7400 MBq (200 mCi) {sup 241}Am point-source. The valence electronic structure of Ti, Cr, Fe and Co in the samples have been evaluated by the comparison of the measured K{beta}-to-K{alpha} intensity ratios with the results of multiconfiguration Dirac-Fock calculations performed for various electronic configurations of these metals. The 3d-electron populations obtained for pure metallic Ti, Cr, Fe and Co agree well with the results of band structure calculations of Papaconstantopoulos (Handbook of band structure of elemental solids, Plenum Press, New York, 1986). Our analysis indicates significant increase of 3d-electron population of Ti, Cr ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The experimental has been performed with a view to studying complete and incomplete fusion in "1"4N + "1"6"3D_y system below 7 MeV/nucleon. The excitation functions for several reactions have been measured using the activation technique and compared with the theoretical predictions based on statistical models. The codes ALICE-91 and CASCADE used earlier for the analysis of excitation functions in case of "1"2C + "1"6"5H_0 system have been used here also with the same set of input parameters. It has been observed that the theoretical calculations do not match with the experimental excitation functions well but the overall shape of the excitation function is reproduced satisfactorily. The composite nucleus ("1"7"7T_a) formed in this ("1"4N + "1"6"3D_y) case is the same as the one formed in "1"2C + "1"6"5H_0 system studied earlier. Measured excitation functions for the same decay ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Statement of problem Inadequate dimensioning of the connectors in a cantilever cross-arch fixed dental prosthesis (FDP) in perioprosthetic patients jeopardizes the prognosis of the restoration. Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of increasing the vertical dimension (VD) on the maximum stress developed within the connectors during the static loading of a cross-arch FDP extended as a 1- and 2-unit cantilever. Material and methods Six digital models were developed, derived from a 3-dimensional (3-D) initial model. In the initial model, the teeth were prepared for metal ceramic restorations and splinted with a cross-arch FDP, extended as a 1- or 2-unit cantilever. The VDs of the connectors proximal to the retaining abutment were 3, 4, or 5 mm. A 3-D finite element ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The main features are presented of a computer programme for 3-D thermohydraulic and thermodynamic analysis of the PGV-1000 horizontal steam generator used at the Temelin NPP. The programme provides analyses of primary side hydraulics, heat exchange behavior and the steam generator secondary side thermohydraulics and thermodynamics. Given are calculated data on the circulation flow rate, void fraction, heat transfer dynamics and the swelled level. (Z.S.) 9 figs.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

K?-to-K? X-ray intensity ratios of Ti and Ni have been measured in pure metals and in alloys of TixNi1-x (x=0.7, 0.6, 0.5, 0.4 and 0.3) following excitation by 22.69 keV X-rays from a 10 mCi 109Cd radioactive point source. The valence-electron configurations of these metals were determined by corporation of measured K?-to-K? X-ray intensity ratios with the results of multiconfiguration Dirac-Fock calculation for various valence-electron configurations. Valence-electron configurations of 3d-transition metals in alloys indicate significant differences with respect to the pure metals. Our analysis indicates that these differences arise from delocalization and/or charge transfer phenomena in alloys. Namely, the observed change of the valence-electron configurations of metals in alloys can be explained with the transfer of 3d electrons from one element to the other element and/or the ...

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Finite element method is one of the bases for numerical solutions to engineering problems. Complex engineering problems using finite element analysis typically imply excessively large computational time. Parallel supercomputers have the potential for significantly increasing calculation speeds in order to meet these computational requirements. This paper predicts parallel NIKE3D performance on the Kendall Square Research (KSR1) system. The first part of the prediction is based on the implementation of parallel Cholesky (U{sup T}DU) matrix decomposition algorithm through actual computations on the KSRI multiprocessor system, with 64 processors, at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The other predictions are based on actual computations for parallel element matrix generation, parallel global stiffness matrix assembly, and parallel forward/backward substitution on the BBN TC2000 multiprocessor system at Lawrence Livermore National ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

For the study of radiation biology and its application to radiotherapy, the double differential cross section of electron emission from water vapor induced by 6.0 MeV alpha particle beam is measured. The energy spectra of electrons ranging 7- 10000 eV are detected by the electrostatic analyzer and micro channel plate. The measurements are made at angles between 20 and 160 degrees. With use of this data set, the radial dose distribution in water is calculated by using KURBUC code. It is the Monte Carlo type code of the electron transport process, where the track of the electron is simulated through each individual interactions including elastic scattering, ionization cross section and total excitation cross section in case that electrons with certain energy are put in the liquid-density water. In order to understand the effect of radiation when the particle flux is injected in the human body like radiotherapy using accelerator beam, the dose ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We study the dynamical evolution of globular clusters containing primordial binaries, including full single and binary stellar evolution using our Monte Carlo cluster evolution code updated with an adaptation of the single and binary stellar evolution codes SSE and BSE from Hurley et al. We describe the modifications that we have made to the code. We present several test calculations and comparisons with existing studies to illustrate the validity of the code. We show that our code finds very good agreement with direct N-body simulations including primordial binaries and stellar evolution. We find significant differences in the evolution of the global properties of the simulated clusters using stellar evolution compared with simulations without any stellar evolution. In particular, we find that the mass loss from the stellar evolution acts as a significant energy production channel simply by reducing the total gravitational binding energy and ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We have developed a kinetic Monte Carlo (kMC) simulator that links atomic migration and binding energies determined primarily from first principles calculations to macroscopic phenomena and laboratory time scales. Input for the kMC simulation is obtained from a combination of ab initio planewave pseudopotential calculations, molecular dynamics simulations, and experimental data. The simulator is validated against an extensive series of experimental studies of the diffusion of B spikes in self-implanted Si. The implant energy, dose, and dose rate, as well as the detailed thermal history of the sample, are included. Good agreement is obtained with the experimental data for temperatures between 750 and 950 C and times from 15 to 255 s. At 1050o C we predict too little diffusion after 105 s compared to experiment: apparently, some mechanism which is not adequately represented by our model becomes important at this temperature. Below 1050o C, the ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brachytherapy is used for treating certain types of cancer by inserting radioactive sources into tumours. CDTN/CNEN is developing brachytherapy seeds to be used mainly in prostate cancer treatment. Dose calculations play a very significant role in the characterization of the developed seeds. The current state-of-the-art of computation dosimetry relies on Monte Carlo methods using, for instance, MCNP codes. However, deterministic calculations have some advantages, as, for example, short computer time to find solutions. This paper presents a software developed to calculate doses in a two-dimensional space surrounding the seed, using a deterministic algorithm. The analysed seeds consist of capsules similar to IMC6711 (OncoSeed), that are commercially available. The exposure rates and absorbed doses are computed using the Sievert integral and the Meisberger third order polynomial, respectively. The software also allows the isodose visualization at ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The convolution/superposition calculations for radiotherapy dose distributions are traditionally performed by convolving polyenergetic energy deposition kernels with TERMA (total energy released per unit mass) precomputed in each voxel of the irradiated phantom. We propose an alternative method in which the TERMA calculation is replaced by random sampling of photon energy, direction and interaction point. Then, a direction is randomly sampled from the angular distribution of the monoenergetic kernel corresponding to the photon energy. The kernel ray is propagated across the phantom, and energy is deposited in each voxel traversed. An important advantage of the explicit sampling of energy is that spectral changes with depth are automatically accounted for. No spectral or kernel hardening corrections are needed. Furthermore, the continuous sampling of photon direction allows us to model sharp changes in fluence, such as those due to collimator tongue-and-groove. The use of explicit ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) located at Oak Ridge National Laboratory is one of the world's most powerful research reactors. In 1996, one year after the demise of the Advanced Neutron Source Project, the U.S. Department of Energy embarked on an aggressive program to upgrade the neutron scattering facilities at the HFIR. These upgrades, which are now in progress, include the installation of larger beam tubes, a high-performance hydrogen cold source, and additional neutron guides and neutron scattering instruments. An extensive analysis effort was performed over the past 4 yr to support the design of the modified beamlines and new user facilities and to assess the impact of the upgrades on the integrity of the existing reactor system. The results of three of these analyses are summarized here. Specifically, results are presented for analyses related to the design of the new cold neutron source (CNS), the assessment of beam tube changes on the anticipated ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The 3-dimensional (3D) extension C5G7 MOX benchmark problems were solved by CHAPLET-3D code which is based on the idea of dynamic linkage of the multi-plane method of characteristics solutions. The benchmark results are quite accurate in comparison with the reference solutions, independently of the axial solver incorporated in the CHAPLET-3D code. (author)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A new three-dimensional (3D) acoustic modelling method was developed using a first-order hyperbolic wave system which was solved with explicit finite dfferences. The numerical solution of the 3D wave system provides a useful method for simulating evolution of a pressure field corresponding to compressional type waves. Existing two-dimensional (2D) elastic modelling algorithms were modified and fine-tuned for computationally efficient and realistic wave propagation simulations in complex structures. An original formulation of the 3D reverse time migration method was developed which is very accurate, does not suffer from unwanted evenescent energy, can image dips beyond 90{degree}, and does not generate multiple energy. Two case studies were performed that involved steam stimulation projects in the Cold Lake deposit. Simulations were performed during different ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A new direction for the national laboratories is to assist US business with research and development, primarily through cooperative research and development agreements (CRADAs). Technology transfer to the private sector has been very successful as over 200 CRADAs are in place at Sandia. Because of these cooperative efforts, technology has evolved into some new areas not commonly associated with the former mission of the national laboratories. An example of this is the analysis of fabric structures. Explicit analyses and expertise in constructing parachutes led to the development of a next generation automobile airbag; which led to the construction, testing, and analysis of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory Mars Environmental Survey Lander; and finally led to the development of CAD based custom garment designs using 3D scanned images of the human body. The structural analysis of these ...

Medline Plus

... see and electrophysiological study and catheter ablation with 3D mapping. During the procedure, doctors look at the ... perform a electrophysiology study with ablation, using our 3D mapping system. Keep in mind, that during the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This reports is a literature survey on models and correlations for determining flow pattern that are used to simulate thermal-hydraulics in nuclear reactors. Determination of flow patterns are a basis for obtaining physical values of wall/interfacial friction, wall/interfacial heat transfer, and droplet entrainment/de-entrainment. Not only existing system codes, such as RELAP5-3D, TRAC-M, MARS, TRACE, CATHARE) but also up-to-date researches were reviewed to find models and correlations

Medline Plus

... stenosis. It looks from the transesophageal and the 3-D echo that most of the problem is really ... posterior leaflet, which you can see on the 3-D echo image is a major source. The anterior ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

In order to reduce the number of surface mining accidents related to low visibility conditions and blind spots of trucks and to provide 3D information for truck drivers and real time monitored truck information for the remote dispatcher, a 3D assisted driving system (3D-ADS) based on the GPS, mesh-wireless networks and the Google-Earth engine as the graphic interface and mine-mapping server, was developed at Virginia Tech. The research results indicate that this 3D-ADS system has the potential to increase reliability and reduce uncertainty in open pit mining operations by customizing the local 3D digital mining map, constructing 3D truck models, tracking vehicles in real time using a 3D interface ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The aim of this work is the evaluation of the quality of a chemistry-transport model, not by a classical comparison with observations, but by the estimation of its uncertainties due to the input data, to the model formulation and to the numerical approximations. The study of these 3 sources of uncertainty is carried out with Monte Carlo simulations, with multi-model simulations and with comparisons between numerical schemes, respectively. A high uncertainty is shown for ozone concentrations. To overcome the uncertainty-related limitations, a strategy consists in using the overall forecasting. By combining several models (up to 48) on the basis of past observations, forecasts can be significantly improved. This work has been also the occasion of developing an innovative modeling system, named Polyphemus. (J.S.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In the convolution/superposition method of photon beam dose calculations, inhomogeneities are usually handled by using some form of scaling involving the relative electron densities of the inhomogeneities. In this paper the accuracy of density scaling as applied to primary electrons generated in photon interactions is examined. Monte Carlo calculations are compared with density scaling calculations for air and cork slab inhomogeneities. For individual primary photon kernels as well as for photon interactions restricted to a thin layer, the results can differ significantly, by up to 50%, between the two calculations. However, for realistic photon beams where interactions occur throughout the whole irradiated volume, the discrepancies are much less severe. The discrepancies for the kernel calculation are attributed to the scattering characteristics of the electrons and the consequent oversimplified modeling used in the density scaling method. A ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The energy spectra of energetic confined alpha particles are being measured using the pellet charge exchange method [R. K. Fisher, J. S. Leffler, A. M. Howald, and P. B. Parks, Fusion Technol. 13, 536 (1988)]. The technique uses the dense ablation cloud surrounding an injected impurity pellet to neutralize a fraction of the incident alpha particles, allowing them to escape from the plasma where their energy spectrum can be measured using a neutral particle analyzer. The signal calculations given in the above-mentioned reference disregarded the effects of the alpha particles' helical Larmor orbits, which causes the alphas to make multiple passes through the cloud. Other effects such as electron ionization by plasma and ablation cloud electrons and the effect of the charge state composition of the cloud, were also neglected. This report considers these issues, reformulates the signal level calculation, and uses a Monte-Carlo approach to calculate the neutralization ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A mathematical model was developed to simulate the combustion process of a direct injection diesel engine. The model considers the key features of such a combustion process; namely fuel droplet evaporation, spray formation, mixing, ignition of heterogeneous burning of the fuel. To model mixing, great emphasis was placed on treating both large and small scale aspects of mixing, the model divides the combustion chamber into three distinct regions of air, fuel spray, and a turbulent plume that is formed once ignition occurs. The fuel spray itself is considered to be composed of multiple zones, which in turn are made of cells of equal mass and of different thermodynamic states. Micromixing of the fuel and air cells, within each zone of the jet and the turbulent plume, is then achieved by utilizing the concept of Monte Carlo stochastic coalescence dispersion technique. The frequency of such cell interactions within each zone is obtained by employing ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

An overview is provided of an evolving atomistic and kinetic model of semiconductor growth that unifies the main features of strain relaxation in low and high lattice misfit heteroepitaxy. The model reveals a kinetic pathway for dislocation formation during growth with little or no energy cost at low misfits, thus providing a way out of the longstanding dilemma of too high dislocation nucleation energies predicted by classical theories of the equilibrium behavior of a fixed number of particles at low misfits. The essential kinetic process underlying the model are identified on the basis of comparison of the predictions of kinetic Monte-Carlo simulations of growth with real-time or in-situ data obtained in such experiments as reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) and scanning probe microscopy (SPM). Relative significance of these atomistic kinetic processes is shown to naturally lead to strain relaxation via defect initiation at low misfits while ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The reduction of transient enhanced diffusion (TED) with reduced implantation energy has been investigated and quantified. A fixed dose of 1{times}10{sup 14} cm{sup {minus}2} Si{sup +} was implanted at energies ranging from 0.5 to 20 keV into boron doping superlattices and enhanced diffusion of the buried boron marker layers was measured for anneals at 810, 950, and 1050{degree}C. A linearly decreasing dependence of diffusivity enhancement on decreasing Si{sup +} ion range is observed at all temperatures, extrapolating to {approximately}1 for 0 keV. This is consistent with our expectation that at zero implantation energy there would be no excess interstitials from the implantation and hence no TED. Monte Carlo modeling and continuum simulations are used to fit the experimental data. The results are consistent with a surface recombination length for interstitials of {lt}10 nm. The data presented here demonstrate that in the range of annealing ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This is the annual report of the Radiological and Environmental Division of the Argonne National Laboratory for 1982. Studies of the effects of ozone on crop growth and yield have been carried out by the Terrestrial Ecology Group for winter wheat and for sorghum. The Microcosms for Acid Rain Studies (MARS) facility was completed in the early summer. Controlled investigations of plant and soil responses in acid rain were initiated with crop plants grown in two different midwestern soil types. The Transuranics Group has found that the solubility and adsorptive behavior of plutonium previously observed at fallout concentrations in natural waters (approx. 10/sup -16/ to 10/sup -18/ M) is applicable at plutonium concentrations as high as 10/sup -8/ M. The Lake Michigan eutrophication model has been adapted to operation in a Monte Carlo mode. Simulations based on yearly phosphorus loadings and winter conditions were selected at random from prescribed ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Radiation damage and its recovery in the light emittance efficiency and the attenuation length of barium fluoride (BaF_2) scintillator have been investigated. The light yield and transmittance of small samples of BaF_2 scintillator were measured after #gamma#-irradiation from 0.5x10"4 to 1.1x10"5 Gy for deterioration, and after sunlight exposure for recovery. Suspension of deterioration was observed both in light yield and in attenuation length at an integrated dose of #gamma#-rays of about 10"4 Gy. Fairly good and quick recovery of the deteriorated BaF_2 scintillator was obtained by sunlight exposure. Using a Monte Carlo simulation method, the dependence of the light emittance efficiency on #gamma#-irradiation and sunlight exposure was studied. It has been found that the light emittance efficiency, as well as the attenuation length, is influenced by #gamma#-irradiation and sunlight exposure. (orig.).

CERN Document Server

We present very sensitive polarimetry of 55 Cnc and tau Boo in an attempt to detect the partially polarised reflected light from the planets orbiting these two stars. 55 Cnc is orbited by a hot Neptune planet (55 Cnc e) at 0.038 AU, a hot Jupiter planet (55 Cnc b) at 0.11 AU, and at least 3 more distant planets. The fractional polarisation of this star is very stable, with a standard deviation in the nightly averaged Stokes Q/I and U/I parameters of 2.2x10^{-6}. We derive upper limits on the geometric albedo, A_G and planetary radius using Monte Carlo multiple scattering simulations of a simple model atmosphere. We assume Rayleigh-like scattering and polarisation behaviour (scaled by the maximum polarisation, p_m at 90 degrees) and pressure insensitive extinction. Atmospheres in which multiple scattering plays only a small role have an almost linear relation between polarisation and A_G. In this case, the 4 sigma upper limits are ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dose reconstruction is a process that re-creates the treatment-time dose deposited in a patient provided there is knowledge of the delivered energy fluence and the patient's anatomy at the time of treatment. A method for reconstructing dose is presented. The process starts with delivery verification, in which the incident energy fluence from a treatment is computed using the exit detector signal and a transfer matrix to convert the detector signal to energy fluence. With the verified energy fluence and a CT image of the patient in the treatment position, the treatment-time dose distribution is computed using any model-based algorithm such as convolution/superposition or Monte Carlo. The accuracy of dose reconstruction and the ability of the process to reveal delivery errors are presented. Regarding accuracy, a reconstructed dose distribution was compared with a measured film distribution for a simulated breast treatment carried out on a thorax ...

CERN Document Server

We review results from general relativistic axisymmetric magnetohydrodynamic simulations of accretion in Sgr A*. We use general relativistic radiative transfer methods and to produce a broad band (from millimeter to gamma-rays) spectrum. Using a ray tracing scheme we also model images of Sgr A* and compare the size of image to the VLBI observations at 230 GHz. We perform a parameter survey and study radiative properties of the flow models for various black hole spins, ion to electron temperature ratios, and inclinations. We scale our models to reconstruct the flux and the spectral slope around 230 GHz. The combination of Monte Carlo spectral energy distribution calculations and 230 GHz image modeling constrains the parameter space of the numerical models. Our models suggest rather high black hole spin ($a_*\\approx 0.9$), electron temperatures close to the ion temperature ($T_i/T_e \\sim 3$) and high inclination angles ($i \\approx 90 \\deg$).

CERN Document Server

For purposes of designing targeted cataclysmic variable (CV) detection surveys and interpreting results of other projects with many CV detections such as the ChaMPlane Survey, we have created a model of the CV distribution in the Galaxy. It is modeled as a warped, flared exponential disk with a gaussian vertical distribution. Extinction is based on a detailed Galactic dust and gas model. A luminosity function for CVs is also incorporated, based on a smoothed version of published data. We calculate predicted field detection rates as a function of the limiting magnitude expected for the detecting system (i.e. WIYN/Hydra or NOAO 4m/Mosaic). Monte-Carlo techniques are used to assess statistical fluctuations in these rates. We have created maps of the expected CV distribution for the full non-bulge Galactic plane (20

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The O({alpha}) electroweak radiative corrections to {gamma}{gamma}{yields}WW{yields}4f within the electroweak standard model are calculated in double-pole approximation (DPA). Virtual corrections are treated in DPA, leading to a classification into factorizable and non-factorizable contributions, and real-photonic corrections are based on complete lowest-order matrix elements for {gamma}{gamma}{yields}4f+{gamma}. Soft and collinear singularities appearing in the virtual and real corrections are combined alternatively in two different ways, namely by using the dipole subtraction method or by applying phase-space slicing. The radiative corrections are implemented in a Monte Carlo generator called Coffer {gamma}{gamma} - the computer code can be obtained from the authors upon request - which optionally includes anomalous triple and quartic gauge-boson couplings in addition and performs a convolution over realistic spectra of the photon beams. A ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The technology of minor actinide recycling in fast reactors has been discussed. In CEA, the feasibility study on Am once-through recycling in Phenix core with the moderated target subassemblies (S/As) has been performed. In this report, the evaluation of the heterogeneity effect on the moderated target S/As is described. It was evaluated by the calculation with the continuous energy Monte-Carlo code, MVP, because the accuracy of the deterministic method for the moderated target S/As is unknown. The reaction rates of four isotopes (Am-241, Am-242, Am242m and Am-243) calculated with the heterogeneous model and the homogeneous one were compared. These four isotopes play the important role in Am incineration. It is seen that the homogeneous model overestimates the reaction rates of Am-241 and Am-243 by 4 - 13%, and underestimates those of Am-242 and Am-242m by 13 - 23%. Further investigation made it clear that the overestimation of Am-241 and Am-243 reaction rates is ...

CERN Document Server

We show how to obtain a fast component-by-component construction algorithm for higher order polynomial lattice rules. Such rules are useful for multivariate quadrature of high-dimensional smooth functions over the unit cube as they achieve the near optimal order of convergence. The main problem addressed in this paper is to find an efficient way of computing the worst-case error. A general algorithm is presented and explicit expressions for base~2 are given. To obtain an efficient component-by-component construction algorithm we exploit the structure of the underlying cyclic group. We compare our new higher order multivariate quadrature rules to existing quadrature rules based on higher order digital nets by computing their worst-case error. These numerical results show that the higher order polynomial lattice rules improve upon the known constructions of quasi-Monte Carlo rules based on higher order digital nets.

Science.gov (United States)

In this paper, we investigate the effect of the solid surface on the fluid-fluid intermolecular potential energy. This modified fluid-fluid interaction energy due to the inducement of a solid surface is used in the grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulation of various noble gases, nitrogen, and methane on graphitized thermal carbon black. This effect is such that the effective interaction potential energy between two particles close to surface is less than the potential energy if the solid substrate is not present. With this modification the GCMC simulation results agree extremely well with the experimental data over a wide range of pressures while the simulation results with the unmodified potential energy give rise to a shoulder near the neighborhood of monolayer coverage and the significant overprediction of the second and higher layer coverages. In particular the unmodified GCMC results exhibit very sharp change in those higher layers ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A cell calculation code SLAROM-UF has been developed for fast reactor analyses to produce effective cross sections with high accuracy in practical computing time, taking full advantage of fine and ultra-fine group calculation schemes. The fine group calculation covers the whole energy range in a maximum of 900-group structure. The structure is finer above 52.5 keV with a minimum lethargy width of 0.008. The ultra-fine group calculation solves the slowing down equation below 52.5 keV to treat resonance structures directly and precisely including resonance interference effects. Effective cross sections obtained in the two calculations are combined to produce effective cross sections over the entire energy range. Calculation accuracy and improvements from conventional 70-group cell calculation results were investigated through comparisons with reference values obtained with continuous energy Monte Carlo calculations. It was confirmed that ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

While there have been many experimental and calculational investigations on absorbed dose distribution in the patient resulting from conventional X-ray procedures, such data for computerized tomography (CT) are still sparse. As this diagnostic procedure has shown a rapid increase in application during recent years, we have determined absorbed dose to body organs in a human phantom resulting from CT examinations. The exposure model consists of the heterogeneous MIRD-5 phantom and a suitable Monte-Carlo method to calculate absorbed dose to organs of interest. The exposure conditions are specified according to the exposure specifications of a CT-scanner currently in use. The calculations cover the range of body tissues of interest in terms of organ absorbed doses as well as a risk weighted absorbed dose. A detailed example showing the calculation of red bone marrow dose is given and a somatic effective dose equivalent Hsub(ES) is calculated for different conventional ...

CERN Document Server

The idea to couple the Treatment Planning System (TPS) to the information on the real boron distribution in the patient is the main added value of the new methodology set-up at DIMNP of University of Pisa, in collaboration with the JRC of Petten (NL). The methodology has been implemented in the new TPS, called BDTPS (Boron Distribution Treatment Planning System), which takes into account the actual boron distribution in the patient brain, while the standard TPS assumes a uniform boron distribution, absolutely far from the reality. Nowadays, Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is able to provide this in vivo information. The new TPS, based on the Monte Carlo technique, has been validated comparing the main BNCT parameters (thermal flux, boron dose, etc.) as measured during the irradiation of a special heterogeneous boron phantom (HEBOM), ad hoc designed, as calculated by the BDTPS and by the standard TPS SERA. An evident SERA overestimation of ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A new atomistic approach to Si device process simulation is presented. It is based on a Monte Carlo diffusion code coupled to a binary collision program. Besides diffusion, the simulation includes recombination of vacancies and interstitials, clustering and re-emission from the clusters, and trapping of interstitials. We discuss the simulation of a typical room-temperature implant at 40 keV, 5{times}10{sup 13} cm{sup {minus}2} Si into (001)Si, followed by a high temperature (815{degree}C) anneal. The damage evolves into an excess of interstitials in the form of extended defects and with a total number close to the implanted dose. This result explains the success of the {open_quote}{open_quote}+1{close_quote}{close_quote} model, used to simulate transient diffusion of dopants after ion implantation. It is also in agreement with recent transmission electron microscopy observations of the number of interstitials stored in (311) defects. ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper presents a new technique--Integrated Bayesian Uncertainty Estimator (IBUNE) to account for the major uncertainties of hydrologic rainfall-runoff predictions explicitly. The uncertainties from the input (forcing) data--mainly the precipitation observations and from the model parameters are reduced through a Monte Carlo Markov Chain (MCMC) scheme named Shuffled Complex Evolution Metropolis (SCEM) algorithm which has been extended to include a precipitation error model. Afterwards, the Bayesian Model Averaging (BMA) scheme is employed to further improve the prediction skill and uncertainty estimation using multiple model output. A series of case studies using three rainfall-runoff models to predict the streamflow in the Leaf River basin, Mississippi are used to examine the necessity and usefulness of this technique. The results suggests that ignoring either input forcings error or model structural uncertainty will lead to unrealistic ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Some diagnostics at the National Ignition Facility (NIF), including the Gamma Reaction History (GRH) diagnostic, require multiple channels of data to achieve the required dynamic range. These channels need to be stitched together into a single time series, and they may have non-uniform and redundant time samples. We chose to apply the popular cubic smoothing spline technique to our stitching problem because we needed a general non-parametric method. We adapted one of the algorithms in the literature, by Hutchinson and deHoog, to our needs. The modified algorithm and the resulting code perform a cubic smoothing spline fit to multiple data channels with redundant time samples and missing data points. The data channels can have different, time-varying, zero-mean white noise characteristics. The method we employ automatically determines an optimal smoothing level by minimizing the Generalized Cross Validation (GCV) score. In order to automatically validate the smoothing level selection, ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Background and purpose: We evaluate the feasibility of concomitant and adjuvant docetaxel combined with three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) and androgen deprivation in high-risk prostate carcinomas. Methods: Fifty men with high-risk localized prostate cancer (16), locally advanced (28) or very high-risk prostate cancer (6) were included. Seventy Gy were delivered on prostate and seminal vesicles in 35 fractions, concurrently with weekly docetaxel (20 mg/m"2). Three weeks after the completion of 3D-CRT, docetaxel was given for 3 cycles (60 mg/m"2), every 3 weeks. Patients had to receive LHRH agonist during 3 years. Results: The intent to treat analysis shows that four patients out of 15 stopped prematurely the chemotherapy due to grade 3-4 acute toxicity. In the per protocol analysis, 46 patients completed a full-dose chemoradiation regimen ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Performance of SRF cavities are limited by non-linear localized effects. The variation of local material characters between "hot" and "cold" spots is thus of intense interest. Such locations were identified in a BCP-etched large-grain single-cell cavity and removed for examination by high resolution electron microscopy (SEM), electron-back scattering diffraction microscopy (EBSD), optical microscopy, and 3D profilometry. Pits with clearly discernable crystal facets were observed in both "hotspot" and "coldspot" specimens. The pits were found in-grain, at bi-crystal boundaries, and on tri-crystal junctions. They are interpreted as etch pits induced by surface crystal defects (e.g. dislocations). All "coldspots" examined had qualitatively low density of etching pits or very shallow tri-crystal boundary junction. EBSD revealed the crystal structure surrounding the pits via crystal phase orientation mapping, while ...

CERN Document Server

The 12 GeV upgrade at Jefferson Lab has identified two new large spectrometers as Physics detectors for the project. The first is a 7.5 Gev/c 35 m-sr. spectrometer that requires a pair of identical Combined Function Superconducting Magnets (CFSM) that can simultaneously produce 1.5 T dipole fields and 4.5 T/m quadrupole fields inside a warm bore of 120cm. The second is an 11 GeV/c 2 m-sr. spectrometer that requires a CFSM that simultaneously produces a dipole field of 4.0 T and a quadruple field of 3.0 T/m in a 60 cm warm bore. Magnetic designs using TOSCA 3D have been performed to realize the magnetic requirements, provide 3d fields for optics analysis and produce field and force information for the engineering feasibility of the magnets. A two-sector cos( theta )/cos(2 theta ) design with a low nominal current density, warm bore and warm iron design has been selected and analyzed. ...

KoreaScience (Korea)

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