Automated MCNP photon source generation for arbitrary configurations of radioactive materials and first-principles calculations of photon detector responses

Technical Report · Tue Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1988

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5186273· OSTI ID:5186273

Estes, G P; Schrandt, R G; Kriese, J T

A patch to the Los Alamos Monte Carlo code MCNP has been developed that automates the generation of source descriptions for photons from arbitrary mixtures and configurations of radioactive isotopes. Photon branching ratios for decay processes are obtained from national and international data bases and accesed directly from computer files. Code user input is generally confined to readily available information such as density, isotopic weight fractions, atomic numbers, etc. of isotopes and material compositions. The availbility of this capability in conjunction with the ''generalized source'' capability of MCNP Version 3A makes possible the rapid and accurate description of photon sources from complex mixtures and configurations of radioactive materials, resulting in imporved radiation transport predictive capabilities. This capability is combined with a first - principles calculation of photon spectrometer response - functions for NaI, BGO, and HPGe for E..gamma.. )approxreverse arrowlt) 1 MeV. 25 refs., 1 fig., 4 tabs.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 5186273
• Report Number(s): LA-11153-MS; ON: DE88007163
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
RADIOISOTOPES
PHOTONS
SPECTROMETERS
SPECTRAL RESPONSE
BRANCHING RATIO
BREMSSTRAHLUNG
DETECTION
ENERGY RESOLUTION
LINE BROADENING
M CODES
MONTE CARLO METHOD
RADIATIVE DECAY
COMPUTER CODES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ISOTOPES
MASSLESS PARTICLES
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
RADIATIONS
RESOLUTION
651000* - Nuclear Physics
990210 - Supercomputers- (1987-1989)