Coupling Deterministic and Monte Carlo Transport Methods for the Simulation of Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy Scenarios

Simulation is often used to predict the response of gamma-ray spectrometers in technology viability and comparative studies for homeland and national security scenarios. Candidate radiation transport methods generally fall into one of two broad categories: stochastic (Monte Carlo) and deterministic....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:IEEE transactions on nuclear science 2008-10, Vol.55 (5), p.2598-2606
Main Authors: Smith, L.E., Gesh, C.J., Pagh, R.T., Miller, E.A., Shaver, M.W., Ashbaker, E.D., Batdorf, M.T., Ellis, J.E., Kaye, W.R., McConn, R.J., Meriwether, G.H., Ressler, J.J., Valsan, A.B., Wareing, T.A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
ALGORITHMS
BOLTZMANN EQUATION
Categories
Computation
Computational efficiency
Computer simulation
Deterministic algorithms
DISCRETE ORDINATE METHOD
EFFICIENCY
Gamma ray detection
gamma-ray spectroscopy
Instruments
Joining
Mathematical models
Methods
MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
modeling
MONITORING
MONTE CARLO METHOD
Monte Carlo methods
NATIONAL SECURITY
nuclear measurements
Potential energy
Predictive models
RADIATION DETECTION
radiation detection modeling
radiation detectors
radiation monitoring
RADIATION TRANSPORT
radiation transport methods
RESOLUTION
RESPONSE FUNCTIONS
Scattering
SIMULATION
simulation and analysis
SPECTROMETERS
SPECTROSCOPY
Spectrum analysis
Stochastic processes
Studies
TRANSPORT
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Summary:Simulation is often used to predict the response of gamma-ray spectrometers in technology viability and comparative studies for homeland and national security scenarios. Candidate radiation transport methods generally fall into one of two broad categories: stochastic (Monte Carlo) and deterministic. Monte Carlo methods are the most heavily used in the detection community and are particularly effective for calculating pulse-height spectra in instruments. However, computational times for scattering- and attenuation-dominated problems can be extremely long - many hours or more on a typical desktop computer. Deterministic codes that discretize the transport in space, angle, and energy offer potential advantages in computational efficiency for these same kinds of problems, but pulse-height calculations are not readily accessible. This paper investigates a method for coupling angular flux data produced by a three-dimensional deterministic code to a Monte Carlo model of a gamma-ray spectrometer. Techniques used to mitigate ray effects, a potential source of inaccuracy in deterministic field calculations, are described. Strengths and limitations of the coupled methods, as compared to purely Monte Carlo simulations, are highlighted using example gamma-ray detection problems and two metrics: (1) accuracy when compared to empirical data and (2) computational time on a typical desktop computer.
ISSN:0018-9499
1558-1578
DOI:10.1109/TNS.2008.2002819