Introduction, Investigation, and Experimental Validation of a Novel Passive Neutron Spectrometer

Condon, Zachary T.; Siefman, Daniel; Maggi, Paul; Witter, Paige; Vasques, Richard

doi:10.1080/00295639.2025.2458437

Title: Introduction, Investigation, and Experimental Validation of a Novel Passive Neutron Spectrometer

Journal Article · Tue May 13 00:00:00 UTC 2025 · Nuclear Science and Engineering

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00295639.2025.2458437 · OSTI ID:3005032

Condon, Zachary T. ^[1]; Siefman, Daniel ^[2]; Maggi, Paul ^[3]; Witter, Paige ^[3]; Vasques, Richard ^[1]

The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH (United States)
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); University of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

Unfolding neutron energy spectra are instrumental for determining personal health effects and calculating dose received. This area of study is heavily researched, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is investigating a passive neutron spectrometer for the purpose of acquiring the information needed to determine personnel dose in the event of a criticality accident. A part of this investigation is presented in this article through the examination of four experimental detector responses (DRs). These four DRs were acquired in the presence of ²⁵²Cf, AmBe, GODIVA, and National Ignition Facility (NIF) neutron sources. An algorithm developed at LLNL was used to unfold the neutron fluence from each of the four DRs, and subsequently, fluence-to-dose conversion factors provided by the American National Standards Institute were used to calculate dose. Additionally, a multistep unfolding process was developed and employed to calculate the effects of both direct (from the source) and indirect (from room return) neutrons. The average error when unfolding the direct DR was less than 8%. The dose from ²⁵²Cf was predicted with only 8% error. The multistep approach allowed for the identification of the low-energy neutrons in the ²⁵²Cf, AmBe, and NIF DRs.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Cite

Export

Save

Research Organization:: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC52-07NA27344

OSTI ID:: 3005032

Journal Information:: Nuclear Science and Engineering, Journal Name: Nuclear Science and Engineering Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 199; ISSN 0029-5639; ISSN 1943-748X

Publisher:: Taylor & FrancisCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

References (13)

A new type of neutron spectrometer Bramblett, Richard L.; Ewing, Ronald I.; Bonner, T. W. Nuclear Instruments and Methods, Vol. 9, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1016/0029-554x(60)90043-4	journal	October 1960
A priori distributions from the principle of maximum entropy for the Monte Carlo unfolding of particle energy spectra Weise, K.; Matzke, M. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 280, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1016/0168-9002(89)91277-1	journal	August 1989
Conversion Coefficients for Radiological Protection Quantities for External Radiation Exposures Petoussi-Henss, N.; Bolch, W. E.; Eckerman, K. F. Annals of the ICRP, Vol. 40, Issue 2-5 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icrp.2011.10.001	journal	April 2010
An adaptive deviation-resistant neutron spectrum unfolding method based on transfer learning Cao, Chenglong; Gan, Quan; Song, Jing Nuclear Engineering and Technology, Vol. 52, Issue 11 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.net.2020.04.028	journal	November 2020
Neutron spectrum unfolding using two architectures of convolutional neural networks Bouhadida, Maha; Mazzi, Asmae; Brovchenko, Mariya Nuclear Engineering and Technology, Vol. 55, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.net.2023.03.025	journal	June 2023
A multi-detector neutron spectrometer with nearly isotropic response for environmental and workplace monitoring Gómez-Ros, J. M.; Bedogni, R.; Moraleda, M. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 613, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2009.11.011	journal	January 2010
Pulse shape discrimination with lithium-containing organic scintillators Zaitseva, Natalia; Glenn, Andrew; Paul Martinez, H. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 729, p. 747-754 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2013.08.048	journal	November 2013
On the fabrication and characterization of heterogeneous composite neutron detectors with triple-pulse-shape-discrimination capability Foster, Albert; Meddeb, Amira; Wonders, Marc Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 954 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2018.11.140	journal	February 2020
Overview of spectral unfolding techniques and uncertainty estimation Reginatto, M. Radiation Measurements, Vol. 45, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radmeas.2010.06.016	journal	December 2010
Neutron spectrum unfolding using artificial neural network and modified least square method Hosseini, Seyed Abolfazl Radiation Physics and Chemistry, Vol. 126 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radphyschem.2016.05.010	journal	September 2016
A New Era of Nuclear Criticality Experiments: The First 10 Years of Godiva IV Operations at NCERC Goda, Joetta; Bravo, Caiser; Cutler, Theresa Nuclear Science and Engineering, Vol. 195, Issue sup1 https://doi.org/10.1080/00295639.2021.1947103	journal	October 2021
Composite neutron gamma detector Gueorguiev, A.; van Loef, E.; Markosyan, G. 2015 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference (NSS/MIC) https://doi.org/10.1109/NSSMIC.2015.7581995	conference	October 2015
Fully Bayesian Unfolding Choudalakis, Georgios arXiv https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.1201.4612	preprint	January 2012

Similar Records

SU-E-T-90: Accuracy of Calibration of Lithium-6 and -7 Enriched LiF TLDs for Neutron Measurements in High Energy Radiotherapy

Journal Article · Mon Jun 15 04:00:00 UTC 2015 · Medical Physics · OSTI ID:22545218

Keehan, S; Franich, R; Taylor, M; +2 more

A compact neutron spectrometer system

Journal Article · Tue Dec 21 00:00:00 UTC 2021 · Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research. Section A, Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment · OSTI ID:1839355

Borgwardt, Tyler Cody; Bartlett, Kurtis David; Smith, Karl; +1 more

Calculational Model of the Radiation Calibration Lab (RCL) and the Neutron Measurements performed at the Facility, with a ²⁵²Cf Source

Technical Report · Sat Dec 30 04:00:00 UTC 2017 · OSTI ID:1424606

Hansen, Luisa F.

Related Subjects

Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
Passive neutron spectrometer
neutron spectrum unfolding

Title: Introduction, Investigation, and Experimental Validation of a Novel Passive Neutron Spectrometer

Citation Formats

References (13)

Similar Records

Related Subjects