Reactor simulationNeutrino spectra simulation
Detector simulationExpected sensitivity and conclusions
Nucifer Project: Full simulation schemeFrom reactor to detector response
Jonathan Gaffiot on behalf of the Nucifer collaboration
CEA/DSM/Irfu: SPhN, SPP, SEDI, SIS, SENAC
CEA/DAM/DIF/DPTA/SPN
CNRS/IN2P3: Subatech
August 3rd, 2010
Nucifer
Jonathan Gaffiot on behalf of the Nucifer collaboration Nucifer Project: Full simulation scheme 1 / 27
Reactor simulationNeutrino spectra simulation
Detector simulationExpected sensitivity and conclusions
From reactor to detector response
Goal: time prediction of detected neutrino spectra
⇒ cf. T. Lasserre and R. Granelli presentations
Jonathan Gaffiot on behalf of the Nucifer collaboration Nucifer Project: Full simulation scheme 2 / 27
Reactor simulationNeutrino spectra simulation
Detector simulationExpected sensitivity and conclusions
MCNP Utility for Reactor EvolutionA ’N4’ french PWR simulation: InputsA ’N4’ french PWR simulation: OutputsValidation and non proliferation studies
Outlook
1 Reactor simulationMCNP Utility for Reactor EvolutionA ’N4’ french PWR simulation: InputsA ’N4’ french PWR simulation: OutputsValidation and non proliferation studies
2 Neutrino spectra simulation
3 Detector simulation
4 Expected sensitivity and conclusions
Jonathan Gaffiot on behalf of the Nucifer collaboration Nucifer Project: Full simulation scheme 3 / 27
Reactor simulationNeutrino spectra simulation
Detector simulationExpected sensitivity and conclusions
MCNP Utility for Reactor EvolutionA ’N4’ french PWR simulation: InputsA ’N4’ french PWR simulation: OutputsValidation and non proliferation studies
MCNP Utility for Reactor Evolution
Principle
Monte Carlo: given static geometry and compositions, simulates neutron flux
Evolution code: given a static neutron flux, simulates composition evolution
MURE iterates these 2 simulations to get a depletion code
MURE: a recent open source library for reactor simulation [1]
C++ code coupled with MCNP for Monte Carlo simulation
Developed and supported by CNRS/IN2P3: IPNO, LPSC and Subatech
Available @ NEA data bank since 2009 (http://www.nea.fr/abs/html/nea-1845.html)
Adapted to non proliferation needs: C++ interface for inputs description,graphical interface based on ROOT for outputs analysis, coupling with fissionproducts β decay database, off equilibrium effect evaluation. . .
Jonathan Gaffiot on behalf of the Nucifer collaboration Nucifer Project: Full simulation scheme 4 / 27
Reactor simulationNeutrino spectra simulation
Detector simulationExpected sensitivity and conclusions
MCNP Utility for Reactor EvolutionA ’N4’ french PWR simulation: InputsA ’N4’ french PWR simulation: OutputsValidation and non proliferation studies
A ’N4’ french PWR simulation: Inputs
Simulation of Double Chooz reactors: french PWR type ’N4’, 4.27 GWth
Geometry, initial materials, nuclear databases, power history and time steps
317 pellet/rod and264 rods
205 assemblies
Core with differentenrichment zones
Jonathan Gaffiot on behalf of the Nucifer collaboration Nucifer Project: Full simulation scheme 5 / 27
Reactor simulationNeutrino spectra simulation
Detector simulationExpected sensitivity and conclusions
MCNP Utility for Reactor EvolutionA ’N4’ french PWR simulation: InputsA ’N4’ french PWR simulation: OutputsValidation and non proliferation studies
A ’N4’ french PWR simulation: Outputs
Fuel inventory, reaction rates, neutron flux, keff. . . at each time step
Jonathan Gaffiot on behalf of the Nucifer collaboration Nucifer Project: Full simulation scheme 6 / 27
Reactor simulationNeutrino spectra simulation
Detector simulationExpected sensitivity and conclusions
MCNP Utility for Reactor EvolutionA ’N4’ french PWR simulation: InputsA ’N4’ french PWR simulation: OutputsValidation and non proliferation studies
Validation and non proliferation studies
Validation
NEA benchmark:4 Westinghouse assemblies
NEA benchmark:Quarter core Westinghouse
(N. Capellan PhD thesis)
Independent NEA benchmarks andsentivity studies [1]
Comparison with deterministic codesAPOLLO2 and DRAGON
Non proliferation scenarii studies [2, 3]
Osiris Candu VHTR(V. M. Bui PhD thesis) (S. Cormon PhD thesis)
Jonathan Gaffiot on behalf of the Nucifer collaboration Nucifer Project: Full simulation scheme 7 / 27
Reactor simulationNeutrino spectra simulation
Detector simulationExpected sensitivity and conclusions
The difficulty: convert electron spectra to neutrino spectraThe microscopical approachBESTIOLE: a new code to simulate neutrino spectraBESTIOLE’s results
Outlook
1 Reactor simulation
2 Neutrino spectra simulationThe difficulty: convert electron spectra to neutrino spectraThe microscopical approachBESTIOLE: a new code to simulate neutrino spectraBESTIOLE’s results
3 Detector simulation
4 Expected sensitivity and conclusions
Jonathan Gaffiot on behalf of the Nucifer collaboration Nucifer Project: Full simulation scheme 8 / 27
Reactor simulationNeutrino spectra simulation
Detector simulationExpected sensitivity and conclusions
The difficulty: convert electron spectra to neutrino spectraThe microscopical approachBESTIOLE: a new code to simulate neutrino spectraBESTIOLE’s results
The difficulty: convert electron spectra to neutrino spectra
β decay: measurable electron energy, need to deduce neutrino energy
Single β branch: direct relation between neutrino and electron energy
Spectrum of a nucleus: superposition of many β branches
Spectrum of a reactor: superposition of hundreds of fission products, i.e.thousands of β branches, and still unknown nuclei and branches
Kinetic energy (MeV)0 1 2 3 4 5
0
0.02
0.04
0.06
0.08
0.1
0.12
0.14
0.16
branchβsingle
branchνsingle
0E / 20E
single β branch
Kinetic energy (MeV)0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3
Inte
grat
ed y
ield
per
50
keV
bin
s
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1
Mn56 spectrum of ν
Mn56 spectrum of β
nucleus: many branchesKinetic energy (MeV)
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
arbi
trar
y un
its
-410
-310
-210
-110
1
spectrumβmeasured
spectrumνconverted
235U: hundreds of nuclei
Jonathan Gaffiot on behalf of the Nucifer collaboration Nucifer Project: Full simulation scheme 9 / 27
Reactor simulationNeutrino spectra simulation
Detector simulationExpected sensitivity and conclusions
The difficulty: convert electron spectra to neutrino spectraThe microscopical approachBESTIOLE: a new code to simulate neutrino spectraBESTIOLE’s results
Historical approach for spectrum conversion
e−: accurate measurement of total spectra for each isotopes of interest
Fit of these spectra with some tens of effective branches
ν: converted virtual spectra from these effective branches
Reference for all neutrino experiment: ILL e− measurement @ 3%(1980s), andspectra conversion, see [4, 5, 6]
kinetic energy (MeV)β2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Inte
grat
ed y
ield
per
50
keV
bin
s
-210
-110
1 spectrumβMeasured
1 branch
2 branches
3 branches
4 branches
Jonathan Gaffiot on behalf of the Nucifer collaboration Nucifer Project: Full simulation scheme 10 / 27
Reactor simulationNeutrino spectra simulation
Detector simulationExpected sensitivity and conclusions
The difficulty: convert electron spectra to neutrino spectraThe microscopical approachBESTIOLE: a new code to simulate neutrino spectraBESTIOLE’s results
The microscopical approach
Today in nucleardatabases (JEFF,JENDL, ENDF)
1 More than 700 fissionproducts
2 More than 10000 βbranches
3 Effective models forunknown nuclei
No free parameter
Not precise enough innorm: 5-10% with e−
data Kinetic energy (MeV)1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
part
icle
/ fis
sion
-310
-210
-110
1
spectrumβsimulated
spectrumβmeasured
spectrumνsimulated
spectrumνconverted
U235
Jonathan Gaffiot on behalf of the Nucifer collaboration Nucifer Project: Full simulation scheme 11 / 27
Reactor simulationNeutrino spectra simulation
Detector simulationExpected sensitivity and conclusions
The difficulty: convert electron spectra to neutrino spectraThe microscopical approachBESTIOLE: a new code to simulate neutrino spectraBESTIOLE’s results
BESTIOLE: a new code to simulate neutrino spectra
Mixing the two approaches
1 ∼ 90% of physicalbranches from nucleardatabases
2 Match residues witheffective branches
3 Reverse real and effectivebranches to obtainneutrino spectra
kinetic energy (MeV)β2 3 4 5 6 7 8
pred
ictio
n / d
ata
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
Built
Fitted
BESTIOLE: a new C++ code (Th. A. Mueller Ph.D. thesis)
Inputs: standard nuclear databases (ENSDF format) and fission rates
Simulate neutrino spectra for each fission product and each fissile isotopes
Intrinsic error propagation with calculation of covariance matrix
Jonathan Gaffiot on behalf of the Nucifer collaboration Nucifer Project: Full simulation scheme 12 / 27
Reactor simulationNeutrino spectra simulation
Detector simulationExpected sensitivity and conclusions
The difficulty: convert electron spectra to neutrino spectraThe microscopical approachBESTIOLE: a new code to simulate neutrino spectraBESTIOLE’s results
BESTIOLE’s results
Systematic 3% shift between historical and BESTIOLE spectra
Kinetic energy (MeV)2 3 4 5 6 7 8
( si
mul
atio
n -
data
) /
data
-0.02
0
0.02
0.04
0.06
0.08
0.1
electron residues
neutrino residues
U after fitting procedure235Residues for
+3% systematicnormalization shift
fit of electron data
To be submitted to Phys. Rev. C.
Jonathan Gaffiot on behalf of the Nucifer collaboration Nucifer Project: Full simulation scheme 13 / 27
Reactor simulationNeutrino spectra simulation
Detector simulationExpected sensitivity and conclusions
GEANT4 simulation of the detectorCalibration: simulation and detectorFighting correlated backgroundsThe results of the experiment
Outlook
1 Reactor simulation
2 Neutrino spectra simulation
3 Detector simulationGEANT4 simulation of the detectorCalibration: simulation and detectorFighting correlated backgroundsThe results of the experiment
4 Expected sensitivity and conclusions
Jonathan Gaffiot on behalf of the Nucifer collaboration Nucifer Project: Full simulation scheme 14 / 27
Reactor simulationNeutrino spectra simulation
Detector simulationExpected sensitivity and conclusions
GEANT4 simulation of the detectorCalibration: simulation and detectorFighting correlated backgroundsThe results of the experiment
GEANT4 simulation of the detector
High fidelity description [7]
Simulation of scintillation with dedicated model and fine liquid properties
Multiple measurements of optical properties of detector components
Intrinsic digitization of collected photons on simulated photomultipliers
Output: ROOT files with the same format than experimental data
Benefits from Double Chooz developments
Jonathan Gaffiot on behalf of the Nucifer collaboration Nucifer Project: Full simulation scheme 15 / 27
Reactor simulationNeutrino spectra simulation
Detector simulationExpected sensitivity and conclusions
GEANT4 simulation of the detectorCalibration: simulation and detectorFighting correlated backgroundsThe results of the experiment
Calibration: simulation and detector
Shallow depth laboratory + No shielding → Background rate of several kBq
(pe)totQ0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000 Simulated 60Co
Measured 60Co
Co source60Simulated and measured
E (MeV)0 1 2 3 4 5
(p
e)to
tQ
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
/ ndf = 1.036 / 32χProb 0.7925p0 0± 0 p1 7.143± 323.5
/ ndf = 1.036 / 32χProb 0.7925p0 0± 0 p1 7.143± 323.5
/ ndf = 0.7671 / 32χProb 0.8573p0 0± 0 p1 7.15± 330.5
/ ndf = 0.7671 / 32χProb 0.8573p0 0± 0 p1 7.15± 330.5
Cs137
Na22
Co60
4.4 MeVγAmBe: + recoil proton
5.5 MeV≈Simulation
Measurement
Simulated and measured calibration curves
1 24195Am → 4
2α +23793 Np
2 42α +9
4 Be → 136C
∗
3 136C
∗ → 126C
∗ + n (some MeV)4 12
6C∗ →12
6 C + γ (4.4 MeV)
(pe)totQ1000 1500 2000 2500 3000
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000Simulated AmBe
Measured AmBe)DγH(n,2.2 MeV
4.4 MeVγ+ recoil proton
5.5 MeV≡
Simulated and measured AmBe source
Jonathan Gaffiot on behalf of the Nucifer collaboration Nucifer Project: Full simulation scheme 16 / 27
Reactor simulationNeutrino spectra simulation
Detector simulationExpected sensitivity and conclusions
GEANT4 simulation of the detectorCalibration: simulation and detectorFighting correlated backgroundsThe results of the experiment
Fighting correlated backgrounds
Pulse Shape Discrimination
Due to mass difference, α, p and e− have different ionising density
Light emission is then a bit quicker with e− than ion
Pulse Shape Discrimination can be used to discriminate particles
The experiment: introduction of 222Rn in Nucifer
Among 222Rn daughters, 214Bi decays β− on 214Po214Po is α emitter with half-life 164 µs
Time correlation + 2 different particles: Bi/Po decays mimic a ν signal
Jonathan Gaffiot on behalf of the Nucifer collaboration Nucifer Project: Full simulation scheme 17 / 27
Reactor simulationNeutrino spectra simulation
Detector simulationExpected sensitivity and conclusions
GEANT4 simulation of the detectorCalibration: simulation and detectorFighting correlated backgroundsThe results of the experiment
The results of the experiment
Comparison simulation/experiment
(pe)totQ0 200 400 600 800 10001
10
210
310
410
Rn decay chain with background222Simulation of
Bi)214(βBackground
Sum of all contributions
Po)214(α
Po)218(αRn) + 222(α
Bi)218(β
(pe)totQ200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
1
10
210
310
Rn decay chain222Measured
Bi)214(β
Po)214(α
Po)218(αRn) + 222(α
A clear indication of Pulse Shape Discrimination for α
(pe)totQ0 200 400 600 800 1000
tot
/Qta
ilQ
0
0.05
0.1
0.15
0.2
0.25
0.3
0.35
0.4Rn chain222Simulated Pulse Shape Discrimination for
Po)218(αRn) + 222(α
Po)214(α
γ + β
(pe)totQ0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
to
t /
Qta
ilQ
0
0.05
0.1
0.15
0.2
0.25
0.3
0.35 Background
Rn 222Background +
Rn experiment222Pulse Shape Discrimination for
180 300
Jonathan Gaffiot on behalf of the Nucifer collaboration Nucifer Project: Full simulation scheme 18 / 27
Reactor simulationNeutrino spectra simulation
Detector simulationExpected sensitivity and conclusions
Expected sensitivity and count rateConclusions and perspectives
Outlook
1 Reactor simulation
2 Neutrino spectra simulation
3 Detector simulation
4 Expected sensitivity and conclusionsExpected sensitivity and count rateConclusions and perspectives
Jonathan Gaffiot on behalf of the Nucifer collaboration Nucifer Project: Full simulation scheme 19 / 27
Reactor simulationNeutrino spectra simulation
Detector simulationExpected sensitivity and conclusions
Expected sensitivity and count rateConclusions and perspectives
Expected sensitivity and count rate
At power plant: 25 m from reactor core of constant power 3.3 GWth
Detector: 0.8 m3 of liquid with 50% efficiency
A point with 1% statistical error each 3 days
Sensitivity to ∼ 55 kg of plutonium
l acrylic [cm]
# gamma [%]
Weeks0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Neu
trin
o /
Wee
k
15000
16000
17000
18000
19000
20000
Reactor: ON OFF ON
Refuelling 1/3of the core
Jonathan Gaffiot on behalf of the Nucifer collaboration Nucifer Project: Full simulation scheme 20 / 27
Reactor simulationNeutrino spectra simulation
Detector simulationExpected sensitivity and conclusions
Expected sensitivity and count rateConclusions and perspectives
Conclusions and perspectives
A full simulation scheme from reactor to detector
Inputs: Standard databases, geometrical properties and history of thermal power
Outputs: Direct comparison with experimental data
Many new developements: evolutionnary Monte-Carlo for reactor simulation,improvement of ν spectra, detector simulated from scintillation to digitization
Non proliferation scenario studies with Nucifer on power and research reactors
Perspectives
Comparison of Osiris ν spectra simulation with data
Fine tuning of GEANT4 simulation on final detector
Accurate non proliferation studies with final Nucifer performances
Jonathan Gaffiot on behalf of the Nucifer collaboration Nucifer Project: Full simulation scheme 21 / 27
Reactor simulationNeutrino spectra simulation
Detector simulationExpected sensitivity and conclusions
Back-up slides
Jonathan Gaffiot on behalf of the Nucifer collaboration Nucifer Project: Full simulation scheme 22 / 27
Reactor simulationNeutrino spectra simulation
Detector simulationExpected sensitivity and conclusions
References
O. Meplan et al., MCNP Utility for Reactor Evolution - Description of themethods, first applications and results, Proc. ENC, 2005
M. Fallot et al. “Nuclear reactor simulations for unveiling diversion scenarios:capabilities of the antineutrino probe,” Proc. GLOBAL, 2009
F. Yermia et al. “The Nucifer experiment: antineutrino detection for reactormonitoring,” Proc. GLOBAL, 2009
F. Von Feilitzsch, A. A. Hahn and K. Schreckenbach, “Experimental BetaSpectra From Pu-239 And U-235 Thermal Neutron Fission Products And TheirCorrelated Anti-Neutrinos Spectra,” Phys. Lett. B 118 (1982) 162.
K. Schreckenbach et al., “Determination Of The Anti-Neutrino Spectrum FromU-235 Thermal Neutron Fission Products Up To 9.5-Mev,” Phys. Lett. B 160(1985) 325.
A. A. Hahn et al., “Anti-Neutrino Spectra From Pu-241 And Pu-239 ThermalNeutron Fission Products,” Phys. Lett. B 218 (1989) 365.
A. Porta. “Reactor neutrino detection for non proliferation with the Nuciferexperiment,” Proc. TAUP, 2009, and J. Phys. Conf. Ser., 203, 2010
Jonathan Gaffiot on behalf of the Nucifer collaboration Nucifer Project: Full simulation scheme 23 / 27
Reactor simulationNeutrino spectra simulation
Detector simulationExpected sensitivity and conclusions
See also
MURE: http://lpsc.in2p3.fr/gpr/MURE/html/MURE/MURE.html
MURE @ NEA: http://www.nea.fr/abs/html/nea-1845.html
BESTIOLE: Th. A. Mueller Ph.D. thesis
GEANT4: http://geant4.cern.ch/
ROOT: http://root.cern.ch/drupal/
D. Lhuillier et al. The Nucifer experiment: reactor monitoring with antineutrinosfor non proliferation purpose. Proc. GLOBAL, 2009
A. Porta et al. Reactor neutrino detection for non proliferation with the NUCIFERexperiment. Proc. ANIMMA, 2009 IEEE 10.1109/ANIMMA.2009.5503653
L. Giot et al. Proc. PHYSOR, 2008
M. Fallot et al. Proc. Nuclear Data, B., 2007
B. Guillon et al. Proc. GLOBAL, 2007
Jonathan Gaffiot on behalf of the Nucifer collaboration Nucifer Project: Full simulation scheme 24 / 27
Reactor simulationNeutrino spectra simulation
Detector simulationExpected sensitivity and conclusions
Conversion procedure
1 Fit of the measured spectrum’s tail with an effective branch
2 Substraction of the branch
3 Iteration ∼ 30 times
Kinetic energy (MeV)2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
a.u
.
-510
-410
-310
-210
-110
1
spectrumβmeasured
branchβ st1
Kinetic energy (MeV)2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
a.u
.
-510
-410
-310
-210
-110
1
stepst spectrum after the 1β
branchβ nd2
Kinetic energy(MeV)2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
a.u
.
-510
-410
-310
-210
-110
1
stepnd spectrum after the 2β
branchβ rd3
Individual conversion ofeach branch with energyconservation
Sum of all of them to getthe total spectrum
Kinetic energy (MeV)2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
a.u
.
-510
-410
-310
-210
-110
1
spectrumβmeasured
spectrumνconverted
Jonathan Gaffiot on behalf of the Nucifer collaboration Nucifer Project: Full simulation scheme 25 / 27
Reactor simulationNeutrino spectra simulation
Detector simulationExpected sensitivity and conclusions
Main corrections brought by MURE
Out equilibriumspectra: long-livedfission products
Neutron capture onfission products
Shape of neutronflux (axial offset,pilot rods. . . )
kinetic energy (MeV)ν1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6R
elat
ive
diffe
renc
e to
12
hour
s irr
adia
tion
0
0.02
0.04
0.06
0.08
0.1
0.12
0.14
100 days irradiation
300 days irradiation
450 days irradiation
U235
Jonathan Gaffiot on behalf of the Nucifer collaboration Nucifer Project: Full simulation scheme 26 / 27
Reactor simulationNeutrino spectra simulation
Detector simulationExpected sensitivity and conclusions
Noise simulations
Noise measurement with HPGe as input to simulation
Jonathan Gaffiot on behalf of the Nucifer collaboration Nucifer Project: Full simulation scheme 27 / 27