Improving neutron multiplicity counting for the spatial dependence of multiplication: Results for spherical plutonium samples

• Published in: Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment Vol. 798; pp. 99 - 106
• Main Authors: Göttsche, Malte, Kirchner, Gerald
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 21.10.2015
• Subjects: Mass bias; Neutron multiplicity counting; Plutonium metal; Reflection; Neutron multiplicity counting; Reflection; Plutonium metal; Mass bias
• ISSN: 0168-9002; 1872-9576
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2015.07.007

The fissile mass deduced from a neutron multiplicity counting measurement of high mass dense items is underestimated if the spatial dependence of the multiplication is not taken into account. It is shown that an appropriate physics-based correction successfully removes the bias. It depends on four correction coefficients which can only be exactly determined if the sample geometry and composition are known. In some cases, for example in warhead authentication, available information on the sample will be very limited. MCNPX-PoliMi simulations have been performed to obtain the correction coefficients for a range of spherical plutonium metal geometries, with and without polyethylene reflection placed around the spheres. For hollow spheres, the analysis shows that the correction coefficients can be approximated with high accuracy as a function of the sphere׳s thickness depending only slightly on the radius. If the thickness remains unknown, less accurate estimates of the correction coefficients can be obtained from the neutron multiplication. The influence of isotopic composition is limited. The correction coefficients become somewhat smaller when reflection is present.