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DTRA’s advancements in nuclear and radiological detection
A new, more complex nuclear age has begun. Echoing the tensions of the Cold War amid rapidly evolving nuclear and radiological threats, preparedness in the modern age is a contest of scientific innovation. The Research and Development Directorate (RD) at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) is charged with winning this contest.
Li Cheng, Bin Zhong, Huayun Shen, Zehua Hu, Baiwen Li
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 194 | Number 1 | January 2020 | Pages 44-55
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.1080/00295639.2019.1650520
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
We propose an improved algorithm of generating scattering matrices based on the Monte Carlo method. The new algorithm can greatly improve convergence compared to the traditional approach of the collision estimator. The formula for estimating statistical errors in the new algorithm is given. How the new algorithm benefits the convergence without investing large neutron samples is analyzed, and we also point out that with properly partitioned energy groups, the precision of scattering matrices can get close to that of total scattering cross sections. The new algorithm has been implemented in the neutron transport code NPTS and validated with a number of critical benchmark problems.