Integration and Validation of Nuclear Fission Physics in the SWORD Simulation Suite

Abstract

SoftWare for Optimization of Radiation Detectors (SWORD) is a vertically integrated software package developed at the Naval Research Laboratory that offers a CAD-like interface to several cutting-edge radiation transport codes. SWORD allows users to design and optimize radiation detectors for maximum-likelihood detections of nuclear materials. Despite using cutting edge radiation transport codes, SWORD lacked the ability to simulate nuclear fission accurately. This limited the types of scenarios and detectors that could be modeled. Through the work I have accomplished under the Jerome and Isabella Karles Distinguished Scholar Fellowship Program, SWORD now has the ability to accurately and efficiently model nuclear fission physics. With this new capability, SWORD provides Navy and other DoD users with a powerful and flexible tool to model quickly and accurately a wide range of new and highly complex scenarios involving active interrogation, space-based and ship-based nuclear reactors and shielding, transportation and handling of nuclear materials, novel methods and materials for detection of special nuclear materials, and more.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 25, 2020
Accession Number
AD1110204

Entities

People

  • Wade Duvall

Organizations

  • United States Naval Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Counter WMD
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Department Of Defense
  • Department Of Homeland Security
  • Detection
  • Environment
  • Fission
  • Induced Fission
  • Linear Accelerators
  • Materials
  • Materials Science
  • Monte Carlo Method
  • Neutron Spectrum
  • Nuclear Materials
  • Nuclear Physics
  • Nuclear Reactions
  • Nuclear Reactors
  • Particle Physics
  • Prompt Neutrons
  • Radioactive Decay
  • Space Sciences
  • Thermal Neutrons

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
  • Nuclear and Radiation Engineering.
  • Strategic Security Studies

Technology Areas

  • Space