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Title: Ratio method for estimating uncertainty in calculated gamma cascades

Abstract

The assessment of uncertainty on deduced quantities obtained through both measurement and modeling must include contributions from both components. There are several methods to estimate the uncertainty due to modeling, such as the parametric uncertainty and that stemming from model bias. However, in the case where experimental data exists for partial cross sections, such as discrete gammas emitted in the de-excitation of the product nucleus following the reaction, the discrepancy between the measured and modeled gamma cascades provides more information and allows for uncertainty estimation that can account for all types of model and data uncertainty. This work presents a method for estimating that uncertainty, using ratios of gammas to get a measure of the accuracy of different parts of the modeled gamma cascade. The gamma with the lowest intensity uncertainty is shown to be the best for determining the channel cross section with realistic uncertainties, indicating that it should be used rather than the most intense gamma or a sum of gammas. In conclusion, this method provides both a simple procedure for calculating realistic uncertainties and identifies the best gamma for use in converting a set of measured partial gamma cross sections to the deduced total channel cross section.

Authors:
 [1];  [2]; ORCiD logo [3]; ORCiD logo [3]
  1. Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)
  2. Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
  3. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1569619
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-19-24079
Journal ID: ISSN 1434-6001; TRN: US2001163
Grant/Contract Number:  
89233218CNA000001
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
European Physical Journal. A
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 55; Journal Issue: 8; Journal ID: ISSN 1434-6001
Publisher:
Springer
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS; Nuclear Data; Model Defect Uncertainties; Gamma Cascade Modeling for Experiments

Citation Formats

Lewis, Amanda Marie, Bernstein, Lee A., Kawano, Toshihiko, and Neudecker, Denise. Ratio method for estimating uncertainty in calculated gamma cascades. United States: N. p., 2019. Web. doi:10.1140/epja/i2019-12826-y.
Lewis, Amanda Marie, Bernstein, Lee A., Kawano, Toshihiko, & Neudecker, Denise. Ratio method for estimating uncertainty in calculated gamma cascades. United States. https://doi.org/10.1140/epja/i2019-12826-y
Lewis, Amanda Marie, Bernstein, Lee A., Kawano, Toshihiko, and Neudecker, Denise. Thu . "Ratio method for estimating uncertainty in calculated gamma cascades". United States. https://doi.org/10.1140/epja/i2019-12826-y. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1569619.
@article{osti_1569619,
title = {Ratio method for estimating uncertainty in calculated gamma cascades},
author = {Lewis, Amanda Marie and Bernstein, Lee A. and Kawano, Toshihiko and Neudecker, Denise},
abstractNote = {The assessment of uncertainty on deduced quantities obtained through both measurement and modeling must include contributions from both components. There are several methods to estimate the uncertainty due to modeling, such as the parametric uncertainty and that stemming from model bias. However, in the case where experimental data exists for partial cross sections, such as discrete gammas emitted in the de-excitation of the product nucleus following the reaction, the discrepancy between the measured and modeled gamma cascades provides more information and allows for uncertainty estimation that can account for all types of model and data uncertainty. This work presents a method for estimating that uncertainty, using ratios of gammas to get a measure of the accuracy of different parts of the modeled gamma cascade. The gamma with the lowest intensity uncertainty is shown to be the best for determining the channel cross section with realistic uncertainties, indicating that it should be used rather than the most intense gamma or a sum of gammas. In conclusion, this method provides both a simple procedure for calculating realistic uncertainties and identifies the best gamma for use in converting a set of measured partial gamma cross sections to the deduced total channel cross section.},
doi = {10.1140/epja/i2019-12826-y},
journal = {European Physical Journal. A},
number = 8,
volume = 55,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Aug 29 00:00:00 EDT 2019},
month = {Thu Aug 29 00:00:00 EDT 2019}
}

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