Richard Vasques

Assistant Professor of Nuclear Engineering

[J27] Introduction, investigation, and experimental validation of a novel Passive Neutron Spectrometer


Journal article


Zachary T. Condon, Daniel Siefman, Paul Maggi, Paige Witter, Richard Vasques
Nuclear Science and Engineering, vol. 199, 2025 Sep, pp. 1546--1562


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APA   Click to copy
Condon, Z. T., Siefman, D., Maggi, P., Witter, P., & Vasques, R. (2025). [J27] Introduction, investigation, and experimental validation of a novel Passive Neutron Spectrometer. Nuclear Science and Engineering, 199, 1546–1562. https://doi.org/10.1080/00295639.2025.2458437


Chicago/Turabian   Click to copy
Condon, Zachary T., Daniel Siefman, Paul Maggi, Paige Witter, and Richard Vasques. “[J27] Introduction, Investigation, and Experimental Validation of a Novel Passive Neutron Spectrometer.” Nuclear Science and Engineering 199 (September 2025): 1546–1562.


MLA   Click to copy
Condon, Zachary T., et al. “[J27] Introduction, Investigation, and Experimental Validation of a Novel Passive Neutron Spectrometer.” Nuclear Science and Engineering, vol. 199, Sept. 2025, pp. 1546–62, doi:10.1080/00295639.2025.2458437.


BibTeX   Click to copy

@article{zachary2025a,
  title = {[J27] Introduction, investigation, and experimental validation of a novel Passive Neutron Spectrometer},
  year = {2025},
  month = sep,
  journal = {Nuclear Science and Engineering},
  pages = {1546--1562},
  volume = {199},
  doi = {10.1080/00295639.2025.2458437},
  author = {Condon, Zachary T. and Siefman, Daniel and Maggi, Paul and Witter, Paige and Vasques, Richard},
  month_numeric = {9}
}

ABSTRACT: Unfolding neutron energy spectra are instrumental for determining personal health effects and calculating dose received. This area of study is heavily researched, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is investigating a passive neutron spectrometer for the purpose of acquiring the information needed to determine personnel dose in the event of a criticality accident. A part of this investigation is presented in this article through the examination of four experimental detector responses (DRs). These four DRs were acquired in the presence of 252Cf, AmBe, GODIVA, and National Ignition Facility (NIF) neutron sources. An algorithm developed at LLNL was used to unfold the neutron fluence from each of the four DRs, and subsequently, fluence-to-dose conversion factors provided by the American National Standards Institute were used to calculate dose. Additionally, a multistep unfolding process was developed and employed to calculate the effects of both direct (from the source) and indirect (from room return) neutrons. The average error when unfolding the direct DR was less than 8%. The dose from 252Cf was predicted with only 8% error. The multistep approach allowed for the identification of the low-energy neutrons in the 252Cf, AmBe, and NIF DRs.