Benchmarking Geant4 for simulating galactic cosmic ray interactions within planetary bodies
Abstract
Galactic cosmic rays undergo complex nuclear interactions with nuclei within planetary bodies that have little to no atmosphere. Radiation transport simulations are a key tool used in understanding the neutron and gamma-ray albedo coming from these interactions and tracing these signals back to geochemical composition of the target. In this paper, we study the validity of the code Geant4 for simulating such interactions by comparing simulation results to data from the Apollo 17 Lunar Neutron Probe Experiment. Different assumptions regarding the physics are explored to demonstrate how these impact the Geant4 simulation results. In general, all of the Geant4 results over-predict the data, however, certain physics lists perform better than others. Finally, in addition, we show that results from the radiation transport code MCNP6 are similar to those obtained using Geant4.
- Authors:
-
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Planetary Science Inst., Tucson, AZ (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); LANL Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1457313
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-18-22146
Journal ID: ISSN 2333-5084; TRN: US1901353
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC52-06NA25396
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Earth and Space Science
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 5; Journal Issue: 7; Journal ID: ISSN 2333-5084
- Publisher:
- American Geophysical Union (AGU)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS; Planetary Sciences
Citation Formats
Mesick, K. E., Feldman, W. C., Coupland, D. D. S., and Stonehill, L. C. Benchmarking Geant4 for simulating galactic cosmic ray interactions within planetary bodies. United States: N. p., 2018.
Web. doi:10.1029/2018EA000400.
Mesick, K. E., Feldman, W. C., Coupland, D. D. S., & Stonehill, L. C. Benchmarking Geant4 for simulating galactic cosmic ray interactions within planetary bodies. United States. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018EA000400
Mesick, K. E., Feldman, W. C., Coupland, D. D. S., and Stonehill, L. C. Wed .
"Benchmarking Geant4 for simulating galactic cosmic ray interactions within planetary bodies". United States. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018EA000400. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1457313.
@article{osti_1457313,
title = {Benchmarking Geant4 for simulating galactic cosmic ray interactions within planetary bodies},
author = {Mesick, K. E. and Feldman, W. C. and Coupland, D. D. S. and Stonehill, L. C.},
abstractNote = {Galactic cosmic rays undergo complex nuclear interactions with nuclei within planetary bodies that have little to no atmosphere. Radiation transport simulations are a key tool used in understanding the neutron and gamma-ray albedo coming from these interactions and tracing these signals back to geochemical composition of the target. In this paper, we study the validity of the code Geant4 for simulating such interactions by comparing simulation results to data from the Apollo 17 Lunar Neutron Probe Experiment. Different assumptions regarding the physics are explored to demonstrate how these impact the Geant4 simulation results. In general, all of the Geant4 results over-predict the data, however, certain physics lists perform better than others. Finally, in addition, we show that results from the radiation transport code MCNP6 are similar to those obtained using Geant4.},
doi = {10.1029/2018EA000400},
journal = {Earth and Space Science},
number = 7,
volume = 5,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jun 20 00:00:00 EDT 2018},
month = {Wed Jun 20 00:00:00 EDT 2018}
}
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