A Monte Carlo fluence estimator has been designed to take advantage of the computational power of graphical processing units (GPUs). This new estimator, termed the volumetric-ray-casting estimator, is an extension of the expected-value estimator. It can be used as a replacement of the track-length estimator for the estimation of global fluence. Calculations for this estimator are performed on the GPU while the Monte Carlo random walk is performed on the central processing unit (CPU). This method lowers the implementation cost for GPU acceleration of existing Monte Carlo particle transport codes as there is little modification of the particle history logic flow. Three test problems have been evaluated to assess the performance of the volumetric-ray-casting estimator for neutron transport on GPU hardware in comparison to the standard track-length estimator on CPU hardware. Evaluation of neutron transport through air in a criticality accident scenario showed that the volumetric-ray-casting estimator achieved 23 times the performance of the track-length estimator using a single core CPU paired with a GPU and 15 times the performance of the track-length estimator using an eight core CPU paired with a GPU. Simulation of a pressurized water reactor fuel assembly showed that the performance improvement was 6 times within the fuel and 7 times within the control rods using an eight core CPU paired with a single GPU.

The goal of this work was to improve accuracy and efficiency of two Monte-Carlo transport codes (MCNP and DIANE) with an emphasis on γ+electron physics. The approach involved intercode comparisons + measurements for gamma/e- energy deposition in a cylinder with a photon source and different materials (C, Pb) and the bombardment of 15-MeV electrons on thick targets (Al, Be, Pb). Comparisons of the codes DIANE and MCNP6 showed good agreement (differences < 3%) for gamma-electron energy deposition in a 2D cylinder, except for the first 0.1 μm of lead (difference < 10%). Comparisons with measurements showed generally good agreement, often better than 10%; best-performing codes/options are problem-dependent; and single-event discrepancies are in active use in reviewing electron elastic scattering.

MCNP6 is simply and accurately described as the merger of MCNP5 and MCNPX capabilities, but it is much more than the sum of these two computer codes. MCNP6 is the result of six years of effort by the MCNP5 and MCNPX code development teams. These groups of people, residing in Los Alamos National Laboratory’s X Computational Physics Division, Monte Carlo Codes Group (XCP-3) and Nuclear Engineering and Nonproliferation Division, Radiation Transport Modeling Team (NEN-5) respectively, have combined their code development efforts to produce the next evolution of MCNP. While maintenance and major bug fixes will continue for MCNP5 1.60 and MCNPX 2.7.0 for upcoming years, new code development capabilities only will be developed and released in MCNP6. In fact, the initial release of MCNP6 contains numerous new features not previously found in either code. These new features are summarized in this document. Packaged with MCNP6 is also the new production release of the ENDF/B-VII.1 nuclear data files usable by MCNP. The high quality of the overall merged code, usefulness of these new features, along with the desire in the user community to start using the merged code, have led us to make the first MCNP6 production release: MCNP6 version 1. High confidence in the MCNP6 code is based on its performance with the verification and validation test suites, comparisons to its predecessor codes, our automated nightly software debugger tests, the underlying high quality nuclear and atomic databases, and significant testing by many beta testers.

MCNP6 is simply and accurately described as the merger of MCNP5 and MCNPX capabilities, but it is much more than the sum of those two computer codes. MCNP6 is the result of five years of effort by the MCNP5 and MCNPX code development teams. These groups of people, residing in Los Alamos National Laboratory's (LANL) X Computational Physics Division, Monte Carlo Codes Group (XCP-3), and Decision Applications Division, Radiation Transport and Applications Team (D-5), respectively, have combined their code development efforts to produce the next evolution of MCNP. While maintenance and bug fixes will continue for MCNP5 1.60 and MCNPX 2.7.0 for upcoming years, new code development capabilities only will be developed and released in MCNP6. In fact, the initial release of MCNP6 contains 16 new features not previously found in either code. These new features include the abilities to import unstructured mesh geometries from the finite element code Abaqus, to transport photons down to 1.0 eV, to transport electrons down to 10.0 eV, to model complete atomic relaxation emissions, and to generate or read mesh geometries for use with the LANL discrete ordinates code Partisn. The first release of MCNP6, MCNP6 Beta 2, is now available through the Radiation Safety Information Computational Center, and the first production release is expected in calendar year 2012. High confidence in the MCNP6 code is based on its performance with the verification and validation test suites, comparisons to its predecessor codes, the regression test suite, its code development process, and the underlying high-quality nuclear and atomic databases.

Submitted for the DPP05 Meeting of The American Physical Society Diagnosing Asymmetry in Ignition Implosions with Neutron Imaging and Spectra C.K. CHOI, D.C. WILSON, P.A. BRADLEY, R.D. RUSSELL, J.E. SWEEZY, Los Alamos National Laboratory — Simulations of NIF ignition hohlraums and capsule implosions with different laser pointings and identical laser pulse histories produce yields between 0.6 and 16 MJ. Simulations of temporal, spatial, and energy-dependent neutron images have been carried out. Images of the 14 MeV neutrons show an asymmetrical hot spot in capsules that fail to ignite. Images in the down-scattered neutrons show complementary asymmetries in the cold fuel. Images are obtained both along and normal to the hohlraum axis. The neutron spectra show the presence of the asymmetry visible in the energy gated images, as well as a variation with angle of observation with respect to the hohlraum axis. We compare neutron images and spectra from both failed and full yield NIF capsules. This work was sponsored by the US DOE. Douglas Wilson Los Alamos National Laboratory Date submitted: 21 Jul 2005 Electronic form version 1.4

The combination of fast neutron therapy and boron neutron capture therapy is currently being studied as a possible treatment for some radio-resistant brain tumours. In an attempt to design a boron-enhanced fast neutron therapy beam for the Fermilab Fast Neutron Therapy Facility, the use of moderating material surrounding the patient's head has been investigated. Graphite, polyethylene, water and heavy water were studied as moderating materials, using MCNP. The use of tungsten, iron, lead and bismuth as materials for a small filter and collimator near the patient's head was investigated. Calculations showed that a filter and collimator made of tungsten with a graphite moderator was capable of producing a dose enhancement of 17.3 +/- 0.6% for a 100 microg g(-1) loading of 10B for a 5.6 cm diameter beam while delivering 1.5 Gy in 7 min.

In order to reduce the user's time and the computer time needed to solve deep penetration problems, an automated variance reduction capability has been developed for the MCNP Monte Carlo transport code. This new variance reduction capability developed for MCNP5 employs the PARTISN multigroup discrete ordinates code to generate mesh-based weight windows. The technique of using deterministic methods to generate importance maps has been widely used to increase the efficiency of deep penetration Monte Carlo calculations. The application of this method in MCNP uses the existing mesh-based weight window feature to translate the MCNP geometry into geometry suitable for PARTISN. The adjoint flux, which is calculated with PARTISN, is used to generate mesh-based weight windows for MCNP. Additionally, the MCNP source energy spectrum can be biased based on the adjoint energy spectrum at the source location. This method can also use angle-dependent weight windows.

A new multisphere neutron spectrometer unfolding package, Bonner sphere Unfolding Made Simple (BUMS) has been developed that uses an HTML interface to simplify data input and code execution for the novice and the advanced user. This new unfolding package combines the unfolding algorithms contained in other popular unfolding codes under one easy to use interface. The interface makes use of web browsing software to provide a graphical user interface to the unfolding algorithms.BUMS integrates the SPUNIT, BON, MAXIET, and SAND-II unfolding algorithms into a single package. This package also includes a library of 14 response matrices, 58 starting spectra, and 24 dose and detector responses. BUMS has several improvements beyond the addition of unfolding algorithms. It has the ability to search for the most appropriate starting spectra. Also, plots of the unfolded neutron spectra are automatically generated.The BUMS package runs via a web server and may be accessed by any computer with access to the Internet at http://nukeisit.gatech.edu/bums. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

No standard has yet emerged for the measurement of absorbed dose for boron enhanced fast neutron therapy. In order to provide a fast and accurate method of measuring the boron dose, a technique for the use of paired borated and non-borated tissue-equivalent ionization chambers has been developed.Two ionization chambers were constructed from tissue-equivalent A-150 plastic. One detector had 184 mg/kg B-10 loaded in the A-150 plastic, while the other contained no boron. These detectors have been used to measure the boron enhancement of the fast neutron therapy beam at the Fermilab Neutron Therapy Facility.

Calibration measurements were carried out on a probe designed to measure ambient dose equivalent in accordance with ICRP Pub 60 recommendations. It consists of a cylindrical {sup 3}He proportional counter surrounded by a 25-cm-diameter spherical polyethylene moderator. Its neutron response is optimized for dose rate measurements of neutrons between thermal energies and 20 MeV. The instrument was used to measure the dose rate in four separate neutron fields: unmoderated {sup 252}Cf, D{sub 2}O-moderated {sup 252}Cf, polyethylene-moderated {sup 252}Cf, and WEP neutron howitzer with {sup 252}Cf at its center. Dose equivalent measurements were performed at source-detector centerline distances from 50 to 200 cm. The ratio of air-scatter- and room-return-corrected ambient dose equivalent rates to ambient dose equivalent rates calculated with the code MCNP are tabulated.

The radiological impact of a fire which would engulf the Georgia Tech Research Reactor's control rod and blades during the facility's decontamination and decommissioning was investigated. The Cd-113m activity was computed due to neutron activation of the cadmium. The release of the Cd-113m from such a fire did not lead to any doses in excess of regulatory limits for the conservative exposure scenarios considered.