Energy Dependent Bias in the Weighted Point Model.
- Peter A.
- William H.
While the weighted point multiplicity model has successfully reduced the bias that is associated with variable multiplication of neutrons within a sample (which was assumed constant in the standard point multiplicity model), other potential sources of bias still exists within the weighted point model. One significant source of bias arises from the assumption that the energies of the neutrons from ({alpha},n) reactions on impurities in the sample have the same average energy as neutrons emitted from the spontaneous fission of {sup 240}Pu. An investigation into the effects that neutron energy has on the assay results (effective {sup 240}Pu mass, alpha, and multiplication) of the weighted point multiplicity model has been performed using MCNPX, Version 2.5f for impure plutonium metal samples in a number of different detector systems. The effects of energy dependence of the detection efficiency and gate fractions on the assay results, as well as the measured singles, doubles, and triples rates were also studied. Methods for mitigating the effects of neutron energy on the weighted-point multiplicity model results will be presented and discussed.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 977983
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-05-4287; TRN: US1003776
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Institute of Nuclear Materials Management 46th Annual Meeting, July 10-14, 2005, Phoenix, Arizona
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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