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As more and more numerical and analytical solutions to the linear neutron transport equation become available, verification of the numerical results becomes increasingly important. This presentation concerns the development of another benchmark for the linear neutron transport equation in a benchmark series, each employing a different method of solution. In 1D, there are numerous ways of analytically solving the monoenergetic transport equation, such as the Wiener–Hopf method, based on the analyticity of the solution, the method of singular eigenfunctions, inversion of the Laplace and Fourier transform solutions, and analytical discrete ordinates in the limit, which is arguably one of the most straightforward, to name a few. Another potential method is the PN (Legendre polynomial order N) method, where one expands the solution in terms of full-range orthogonal Legendre polynomials, and with orthogonality and series truncation, the moments form an open set of first-order ODEs. Because of the half-range boundary conditions for incoming particles, however, full-range Legendre expansions are inaccurate near material discontinuities. For this reason, a double PN (DPN) expansion in half-range Legendre polynomials is more appropriate, where one separately expands incoming and exiting flux distributions to preserve the discontinuity at material interfaces. Here, we propose and demonstrate a new method of solution for the DPN equations for an isotropically scattering medium. In comparison to a well-established fully analytical response matrix/discrete ordinate solution (RM/DOM) benchmark using an entirely different method of solution for a non-absorbing 1 mfp thick slab with both isotropic and beam sources, the DPN algorithm achieves nearly 8- and 7-place precision, respectively.

As more and more numerical and analytical solutions to the linear neutron transport equation become available, verification of the numerical results becomes increasingly important. This presentation concerns the development of another benchmark for the linear neutron transport equation in a benchmark series, each employing a different method of solution. In 1D, there are numerous ways of analytically solving the monoenergetic transport equation, such as the Wiener–Hopf method, based on the analyticity of the solution, the method of singular eigenfunctions, inversion of the Laplace and Fourier transform solutions, and analytical discrete ordinates in the limit, which is arguably one of the most straightforward, to name a few. Another potential method is the PN (Legendre polynomial order N) method, where one expands the solution in terms of full-range orthogonal Legendre polynomials, and with orthogonality and series truncation, the moments form an open set of first-order ODEs. Because of the half-range boundary conditions for incoming particles, however, full-range Legendre expansions are inaccurate near material discontinuities. For this reason, a double PN (DPN) expansion in half-range Legendre polynomials is more appropriate, where one separately expands incoming and exiting flux distributions to preserve the discontinuity at material interfaces. Here, we propose and demonstrate a new method of solution for the DPN equations for an isotropically scattering medium. In comparison to a well-established fully analytical response matrix/discrete ordinate solution (RM/DOM) benchmark using an entirely different method of solution for a non-absorbing 1 mfp thick slab with both isotropic and beam sources, the DPN algorithm achieves nearly 8- and 7-place precision, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, a compact, fast, and yet accurate algorithm is developed to calculate the numerical values of the Ambartsumian-Chandrasekhar's H -function for isotropic scattering and its moments on the basis of the double exponential (DE) formula of Takahashi and Mori (RIMS, Kyoto Univ., 9:721, 1974). The main improvement made in the new method is an elimination of the iterative procedure for automatic adjustment of the step-size of integrations carried out with the DE-formula. Instead, a set of optimal values for the upper limit of integration T max and the number of division points N T to specify the step-size of the quadrature is predetermined for calculations of the H -function with a 15-digit accuracy, and also another for the evaluations of the moments with an accuracy of 14-digits or better. FORTRAN90 subroutines HFISCA for the H -function and HFMOMENT for the moments of arbitrary degrees are subsequently constructed (their source codes and a driver together with a sample set of output are shown in Appendix of this paper). Tables of sample calculations of the H -function and its moments of degree −1 through 6 carried out by these programs are also presented. The routines HFISCA and HFMOMENT should prove useful not only in astrophysical applications but also in other disciplines of science such as the electron transports in condensed matter and remote-sensing data analyses. A request for a copy of the Fortran 90 source code of the program can be made by writing to kawabata@rs.kagu.tus.ac.jp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]