Proton recoil spectra in spherical proportional counters calculated with finite element and Monte Carlo methods

M. Benmosbah , J.E. Groetz , P. Crovisier (1) , B. Asselineau (2) , H. Truffert (3) , A. Cadiou (3)

1 CEA - Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives
2 IRSN/PRP-HOM/SDE/LMDN - Laboratoire de Métrologie et de Dosimétrie des Neutrons
3 AREVA NC–La Hague Plant, Beaumont-Hague

Proton recoil spectra were calculated for various spherical proportional counters using Monte Carlo simulation combined with the finite element method. Electric field lines and strength were calculated by defining an appropriate mesh and solving the Laplace equation with the associated boundary conditions, taking into account the geometry of every counter. Thus, different regions were defined in the counter with various coefficients for the energy deposition in the Monte Carlo transport code MCNPX. Results from the calculations are in good agreement with measurements for three different gas pressures at various neutron energies. © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mots clés: Boundary conditions; Boundary value problems; Cosmic ray detectors; Counting circuits; Electric fields; Electromagnetic field theory; Electromagnetic fields; Electromagnetism; Finite element method; Laplace equation; Magnetism; Management science; Mathematical models; Numerical analysis; Proportional counters; Protons; Telemetering systems; (I; J) conditions; (p; p; t) measurements; Electric field lines; Elsevier (CO); energy depositions; Finite element (FE); Gas pressures; Monte Carlo (MC); Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS); Monte Carlo transport code; Neutron energies; Proton recoils; SPECTRA (CO); Spherical(pivot); Strength (IGC: D5/D6); Monte Carlo methods

Domaines: Physique [physics]

M. Benmosbah, J.E. Groetz, P. Crovisier, B. Asselineau, H. Truffert, et al.. Proton recoil spectra in spherical proportional counters calculated with finite element and Monte Carlo methods. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, 2008, 593 (3), pp.485-491. ⟨10.1016/j.nima.2008.05.047⟩. ⟨hal-03002286⟩