Uncovering Where Compensating Errors Could Hide in ENDF/B-VIII.0

Journal Article · 25 May 2023 · EPJ Web of Conferences (Online)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202328416003 · OSTI ID:1990121

Neudecker, Denise  ^[1]; Alwin, Jennifer Louise  ^[1]; Clark, Alexander Rich  ^[1]; Cutler, Theresa Elizabeth  ^[1]; Gibson, Nathan Andrew  ^[1]; Grosskopf, Michael John  ^[1]; Haeck, Wim  ^[1]; Herman, Michal W.  ^[1]; Hutchinson, Jesson D.  ^[1]; Kleedtke, Noah Andrew  ^[1]; Lamproe, Juliann Rose  ^[1]; Little, Robert Currier  ^[1]; Michaud, Isaac James  ^[1]; Rising, Michael Evan  ^[1]; Smith, Travis Austin  ^[1]; Thompson, Nicholas William  ^[1]; Vander Wiel, Scott Alan  ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

Unconstrained physics spaces between two or more nuclear data observables in a library occur when their values can be simultaneously adjusted without violating the uncertainties in either differential information or simulations of relevant integral experiments. Differential data are often too imprecise to fully bound all nuclear data observables of interest for application simulations. Integral data are simulated with combinations of nuclear data so that an error in one observable may be hidden by a counterbalancing error in another. In this manner compensating errors may lurk within nuclear data libraries and these errors have the potential to undermine the predictive power of neutron transport simulations, particularly in situations where there is no conclusive validation experiment that resembles the application of interest. The EUCLID project (Experiments Underpinned by Computational Learning for Improvements in Nuclear Data) developed a preliminary workflow to identify these unconstrained physics spaces by bringing together results from a large collection of integral experiments with their simulated counter-parts as well as differential information that have a one-to-one correspondence to nuclear data. This wealth of information is processed by machine learning tools for subsequent refinement by human experts. Here, we show how the EUCLID work-flow is executed by applying it first to ²³⁹Pu and then to ⁹Be nuclear data in ENDF/B-VIII.0.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program
• Grant/Contract Number: 89233218CNA000001
• OSTI ID: 1990121
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-22-29885
• Journal Information: EPJ Web of Conferences (Online), Journal Name: EPJ Web of Conferences (Online) Vol. 284; ISSN 2100-014X
• Publisher: EDP SciencesCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English