A comparison between experimental measurements and Monte Carlo simulation of neutron flux distribution within an Am-Be Howitzer

Abstract

The spatial thermal and fast neutron flux distributions within the cavity of a 370 GBq Am-Be neutron source-based howitzer were determined experimentally by foil activation and computationally by Monte Carlo method. A comparison of the results is presented in this paper. The fast neutron flux decreases monotonically with distance from the source, whereas the thermal flux displays a peak around 2.0 em. The thermal neutron depression close to the source was less pronounced in the Monte Carlo simulation compared to the experimental observation. The absolute values of the fluxes were not derivable from the experimental but they were obtained with relative ease from the Monte Carlo simulations.