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In this study, different aspects of the Compton scattering inside volume sources are illustrated using experimental approach and Monte Carlo simulation. For the low-energy range (below 100 keV) scattered events represents around 30% of the whole spectrum. Influence of the source-detector geometry is discussed. The scattering effects induce strong differences in spectrum shape for different geometrical conditions. This should influence efficiency transfer factors. A new approach is proposed, including the scattered events, to avoid complex peak area determination., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A compact and portable gamma-ray spectrometer has been designed to diagnose different components of the inertial confinement fusion-relevant γ-ray spectrum with energies between ∼3.7–17.9 MeV. The system is designed to be as compact as possible for convenient transportation and fielding in diagnostic ports on the OMEGA laser, the National Ignition Facility, and other photon-source facilities. The system consists of a conversion foil for Compton scattering in front of four magnetic spectrometer "arms," each covering a different energy range and constructed out of cylindrical permanent magnet Halbach arrays. Monte Carlo simulations have been used to optimize and assess the performance of the conversion foil, and COSY INFINITY ion-optical simulations have been used to optimize the spectrometer magnets. The performance of the design is assessed for a simulated direct-drive γ-ray spectrum. Spanning its total γ-ray energy bandwidth and using a 1.7 mm thick boron conversion foil, the system's total energy resolution and efficiency are ∼ 15.8 % –4.5% and 5.4 × 10−7–3.7 × 10−7e−/γ, respectively, with room for improvement. Spectral γ-ray measurements will provide guidance to the inertial confinement fusion program toward achieving high-energy gain relevant to inertial fusion energy and enable new measurement capabilities for basic discovery science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High energy X-ray non-destructive testing technology can obtain the internal structure information of the inspected object without destroying it. The multi-rod-beam nature of nuclear fuel assemblies can lead to severe scattering ray effects，which can degrade image quality. In order to correct the interference of scattering ray，this study analyzed the limitations of various methods to solve the interference of scattered rays in the non-destructive testing of nuclear fuel assemblies. Geant4 is used to simulate the nondestructive testing process of nuclear fuel components，and ComptonFlag class is constructed to mark the scattered rays of Compton scattering and remove their interference. The simulation results show that the CNR of defective and intact components in the projection image is increased by 69.02% after the scattering ray interference is removed，which can effectively improve the image quality of non-destructive testing of nuclear fuel assemblies.

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Background: Accurate dose computation is critical in precision small animal radiotherapy. The Monte Carlo simulation method is the gold standard for radiation dose computation but has not been widely implemented in practice due to its low computation efficiency. Purpose: This study aims to develop a GPU‐accelerated radiation dose engine (GARDEN) based on the Monte Carlo simulation method for fast and accurate dose computation. Methods: In the GARDEN simulation, Compton scattering, Rayleigh scattering, and photoelectric effect were considered. The Woodcock tracking algorithm and GPU‐specific acceleration techniques were used to obtain a high computational efficiency. Benchmark studies against both Geant4 simulations and experimental measurements were performed for various phantoms and beams. Finally, a conformal arc treatment plan was designed for a lung tumor to further evaluate the accuracy and efficiency in small animal radiotherapy. Result: The engine attained a speed‐up of 1232 times in a homogeneous water phantom and 935 times in a water‐bone‐lung heterogeneous phantom when compared with Geant4. Both the depth‐dose curves and cross‐sectional dose profiles for various radiation field sizes showed a great match between measurements and the GARDEN calculations. For in vivo dose validation, the differences between calculations and measurements in the mouse thorax and abdomen were 2.50% ± 1.50% and 1.56% ± 1.40%, respectively. The computation time for an arc treatment plan delivered from 36 angles was 2 s at a <1% uncertainty level using an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER GPU. When compared with Geant4, the 3D gamma comparison passing rate was 98.7% at 2%/0.3 mm criteria. Conclusion: GARDEN can perform fast and accurate dose computations in heterogeneous tissue environments and is expected to play a vital role in image‐guided precision small animal radiotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spin-polarized positron beams have widely been utilized in applications ranging from fundamental physical studies to material processing. Preparing highly polarized positron beams for accurate probing is a long-standing issue. Here, we put forward a method to produce ultra-relativistic polarized positrons with unprecedented purity in a femtosecond timescale employing a few-PW circularly polarized laser pulse. The fully spin-resolved QED Monte Carlo method is used for simulating the two successive QED processes during the interaction, i.e., nonlinear Compton scattering and nonlinear Breit–Wheeler pair production. As the photons emitted in a circularly polarized laser field are symmetrically polarized, the polarization of the intermediate gamma photon beam averages out to zero, which is advantageous for improving the polarization of positrons. Meanwhile, the moderate laser intensity suppresses the depolarization of the new-born positrons induced by radiation reaction effect. As a result, the polarization of the positrons can reach up to ≳ 90%, the highest among the laser-driven polarization schemes conceived hitherto. Furthermore, our method relaxes the requirement on laser intensity to few-PW level, offering a promising way of preparing polarized positrons with current-generation laser facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To quickly identify maritime sites polluted by heavy metal contaminants, reductions in the size of instrumentation have made it possible to bring an X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer into the field and in direct contact with various samples. The choice of source‐sample‐detector geometry plays an important role in minimizing the Compton scattering noise and achieving a better signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) in XRF measurement conditions, especially for analysis of wet sediments. This paper presents the influence of geometrical factors on a prototype, designed for in situ XRF analysis of mercury (Hg) in wet sediments using a 57Co excitation source and an X‐ray spectrometer. The unique XRF penetrometer prototype has been constructed and tested for maritime wet sediment. The influence on detection efficiency and SNR of various geometrical arrangements have been investigated using the combination of Monte Carlo simulations and laboratory experiments. Instrument calibration was performed for Hg analysis by means of prepared wet sediments with the XRF prototype. The presented results show that it is possible to detect Hg by K‐shell emission, thus enabling XRF analysis for underwater sediments. Consequently, the XRF prototype has the potential to be applied as an environmental screening tool for analysis of polluted sediments with relatively high concentrations (e.g., >2880 ppm for Hg), which would benefit in situ monitoring of maritime pollution caused by heavy metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To investigate an approach for quantitative characterization of the spatial distribution of dosimetric data by introducing Haralick texture feature analysis in this context. Approach. Monte Carlo simulations are used to generate 3D arrays of dosimetric data for 2 scenarios: (1) cell-scale microdosimetry: specific energy (energy imparted per unit mass) in cell-scale targets irradiated by photon spectra (125I, 192Ir, 6 MV); (2) tumour-scale dosimetry: absorbed dose in voxels for idealized models of 125I permanent implant prostate brachytherapy, considering 'TG186' (realistic tissues including 0% to 5% intraprostatic calcifications; interseed attenuation) and 'TG43' (water model, no interseed attenuation) conditions. Five prominent Haralick features (homogeneity, contrast, correlation, local homogeneity, entropy) are computed and trends are interpreted using fundamental radiation physics. Main results. In the cell-scale scenario, the Haralick measures quantify differences in 3D specific energy distributions due to source spectra. For example, contrast and entropy are highest for 125I reflecting the large variations in specific energy in adjacent voxels (photoelectric interactions; relatively short range of electrons), while 6 MV has the highest homogeneity with smaller variations in specific energy between voxels (Compton scattering dominates; longer range of electrons). For the tumour-scale scenario, the Haralick measures quantify differences due to TG186/TG43 simulation conditions and the presence of calcifications. For example, as calcifications increase from 0% to 5%, contrast increases while correlation decreases, reflecting the large differences in absorbed dose in adjacent voxels (higher absorbed dose in voxels with calcification due to photoelectric interactions). Significance. Haralick texture analysis provides a quantitative method for the characterization of 3D dosimetric distributions across cellular to tumour length scales, with promising future applications including analyses of multiscale tissue models, patient-specific data, and comparison of treatment approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser-accelerated electrons are promising in producing gamma-photon beams of high peak flux for the study of nuclear photonics, obtaining copious positrons and exploring photon--photon interaction in vacuum. We report on the experimental generation of brilliant gamma-ray beams with not only high photon yield but also low divergence, based on picosecond laser-accelerated electrons. The 120 J 1 ps laser pulse drives self-modulated wakefield acceleration in a high-density gas jet and generates tens-of-MeV electrons with 26 nC and divergence as small as 1.51°. These collimated electrons produce gamma-ray photons through bremsstrahlung radiation when transversing a high-Z solid target. We design a high-energy-resolution Compton-scattering spectrometer and find that a total photon number of 2.2x109 is captured within an acceptance angle of 1.1° for photon energies up to 16 MeV. Comparison between the experimental results and Monte Carlo simulations illustrates that the photon beam inherits the small divergence from electrons, corresponding to a total photon number of 2.2x1011 and a divergence of 7.73°. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present Monte Carlo simulations of radiative transfer within the absorbers of X-ray microcalorimeters, utilizing a numerical model for the photon propagation and photon absorption process within the absorber structure. In our model, we include effects of Compton scattering off bound electrons and fluorescence. Scattered or fluorescence photons as well as Auger and photoelectrons escaping the absorber can result in partial energy depositions. By implementing a simplified description of the physical processes compared to existing comprehensive particle transport software frameworks, our model aims to provide representative results at a small computational effort. This approach makes it possible to use our model for quick assessments, parametric studies, and application in other Monte Carlo-based instrument simulators like SIXTE, a software package for X-ray astronomical instrumentation. To study the impact of the energy loss effects on the spectral response of a microcalorimeter, we apply our model to the sensors of the cryogenic X-ray spectrometer X-IFU onboard the future Athena X-ray observatory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel design for energy-selective imaging of high-flux gamma rays in the multi-MeV range is presented. The proposed system is based on gamma-to-electron conversion and energy-selective imaging of the electrons. The main components of the system include a low-Z foil that converts MeV gamma-ray photons into electrons through Compton scattering, and a double-bend beam transport system that performs energy selection and point-to-point imaging for the electrons. The image of the energy-selected electrons can be used to obtain spatial information for incident gamma rays of interest energy, enabling energy-selective imaging of broad-spectrum gamma-ray beams. Design considerations and optimizations are detailed. Monte Carlo simulations are conducted to evaluate the performance in energy-selective imaging of broad-spectrum gamma-ray beams. The energy resolution for 4.44 MeV gamma-ray achieves 0.41 MeV (FWHM) with a quantum efficiency of 2.5 × 10−6 e/γ, and the spatial resolution is approximately 1 mm and 2.5 mm within a 60 × 60 mm field of view in the horizontal (x) and vertical (y) directions, respectively. • A novel design for gamma-to-electron energy-selective imaging of high-flux gamma rays in the multi-MeV range is presented. • The energy resolution for 4.44 MeV gamma-ray achieves 0.41 MeV (FWHM) with a quantum efficiency of 2.5 × 10−6 e/γ. • The spatial resolution is approximately 1 mm within a 60 × 60 mm field of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this research is to examine the effectiveness of gamma and neutron shielding, as well as to investigate the behavior of charged particles in glass compositions with the formula xBaO:5SnO 2 :10Na 2 O:10CaO:10Li 2 O: (65-x)SiO 2. These glass compositions will be created using the melt quenching technique (MQT). The findings indicated that the physical characteristics, such as density and molar volume, exhibited a comparable pattern. The gamma-ray shielding capacity of the glass system was assessed by comparing it with theoretical, simulation, and experimental values obtained using WinXCom, PHITS (Particle and Heavy Ion Transport Code System) Monte Carlo simulation, and Compton scattering technique (CST), respectively. The results revealed that the total attenuation (μ m), effective atomic number (Z eff), and electron density (N el) exhibited a consistent increase with higher BaO contents. Additionally, this increase led to a decrease in scattering energy within the Compton energy range. The half-value layer (HVL) exhibited superior shielding characteristics compared to alternative substances. Furthermore, the addition of more BaO atoms in the glass structure results in an increased ability of the material to stop the motion of charged particles with larger mass. Conversely, lower concentrations of BaO demonstrate an efficient barrier against fast neutrons. The simulation revealed that BaO can be utilized as an additive in glass materials to enhance their radiation shielding properties in environments with high levels of radiation. • Study of the gamma shielding properties and the behavior of charged particles and neutrons in the BaO glasses. • 137Cs was used for radiation shielding properties investigation. • The experimental values of shielding properties are comparable to WinXCom and PHIST simulations. • Replacing of BaO in the host glass can enhance the shielding properties of the glass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In positron annihilation, exploration of the polarization correlations of the emerging gamma quanta has gained interest, since they offer a possibility to improve signal-to-background in medical imaging using positron emission tomography. The annihilation quanta, which are predicted to be in an entangled state, have orthogonal polarizations and this property may be exploited to discriminate them from two uncorrelated gamma photons contributing to the background. Recent experimental studies of polarization correlations of the annihilation quanta after a prior Compton scattering of one of them, had rather different conclusions regarding the strength of the correlation after the scattering, showing its puzzling nature. The scattering was described as a decoherence process. In the present work, we perform for the first time, a study of the polarization correlations of annihilation quanta after decoherence via Compton scattering in the angular range 0 ∘ − 50 ∘ using single-layer gamma ray polarimeters. In addition, we compare the measured polarization correlations after Compton scattering at 30 ∘ with an active and a passive scatterer element. The measured azimuthal correlation of back-to-back annihilation quanta is consistent with the Pryce-Ward formulation, as confirmed by Monte Carlo simulations. Further, the results indicate that the correlation, expressed in terms of the polarimetric modulation factor, shows no significant difference at small scattering angles (0 ∘ − 30 ∘) compared to the correlation measured for direct photons, while a moderate indication of a lower modulation is observed for 50 ∘ scattering angle. The measured modulation is larger at all scattering angles than the one expected from the simulation of orthogonally polarized, independent annihilation quanta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the long-term X-ray spectral and temporal analysis of a 'bare-type AGN' Ark 120. We consider the observations from XMM–Newton, Suzaku, Swift , and NuSTAR from 2003 to 2018. The spectral properties of this source are studied using various phenomenological and physical models present in the literature. We report (a) the variations of several physical parameters, such as the temperature and the optical depth of the electron cloud, the size of the Compton cloud, and the accretion properties for the last 15 yr. The spectral variations are explained from the changes in the accretion dynamics; (b) the X-ray time delay between 0.2–2 and 3–10 keV light-curves exhibited zero-delay in 2003, positive delay of 4.71 ± 2.1 ks in 2013, and negative delay of 2.90 ± 1.26 ks in 2014. The delays are explained considering Comptonization, reflection, and light-crossing time; (c) the long-term intrinsic luminosities, obtained using nthcomp , of the soft-excess and the primary continuum show a correlation with a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.90. This indicates that the soft-excess and the primary continuum originate from the same physical process. From a physical model fitting, we infer that the soft excess for Ark 120 could be due to a small number of scatterings in the Compton cloud. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we show that indeed the spectra corresponding to fewer scatterings could provide a steeper soft-excess power law in the 0.2–3 keV range. Simulated luminosities are found to be in agreement with the observed values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inter-crystal scattering (ICS) is a type of Compton scattering of photons from one crystal to adjacent crystals and causes inaccurate assignment of the annihilation photon interaction position in positron emission tomography (PET). Because ICS frequently occurs in highly light-shared PET detectors, its recovery is crucial for the spatial resolution improvement. In this study, we propose two different convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for ICS recovery, exploiting the good pattern recognition ability of CNN techniques. Using the signal distribution of a photosensor array as input, one network estimates the energy deposition in each crystal (ICS-eNet) and another network chooses the first-interacted crystal (ICS-cNet). We performed GATE Monte Carlo simulations with optical photon tracking to test PET detectors comprising different crystal arrays (8 × 8 to 21 × 21) with lengths of 20 mm and the same photosensor array (3 mm 8 × 8 array) covering an area of 25.8 × 25.8 mm2. For each detector design, we trained ICS-eNet and ICS-cNet and evaluated their respective performance. ICS-eNet accurately identified whether the events were ICS (accuracy > 90%) and selected interacted crystals (accuracy > 60%) with appropriate energy estimation performance (R2 > 0.7) in the 8 × 8, 12 × 12, and 16 × 16 arrays. ICS-cNet also exhibited satisfactory performance, which was less dependent on the crystal-to-sensor ratio, with an accuracy enhancement that exceeds 10% in selecting the first-interacted crystal and a reduction in error distances compared when no recovery was applied. Both ICS-eNet and ICS-cNet exhibited consistent performances under various optical property settings of the crystals. For spatial resolution measurements in PET rings, both networks achieved significant enhancements particularly for highly pixelated arrays. We also discuss approaches for training the networks in an actual experimental setup. This proof-of-concept study demonstrated the feasibility of CNNs for ICS recovery in various light-sharing designs to efficiently improve the spatial resolution of PET in various applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to examine the radiation protection capabilities of glass specimens with the composition xBaO: 1.5Dy 2 O 3 : 25ZnO: 5Al 2 O 3 : 30B 2 O 3 : (x-38.5)SiO 2 by varying x = 10 (Ba10) to 35 (Ba35) mol% of BaO concentrations. The glass specimens were fabricated using the melt-quenching technique. The results revealed that the physical and optical properties, such as density (ρ), molar volume (V m), and refractive index (RI), had a similar trend. The % transmission result of glass specimens indicates higher transparency than those of commercial and x-ray windows. The experimental values of total attenuation (μ m) in this study used the Compton scattering technique. The obtained results were then compared with theoretical calculation obtained from the WinXCom program and the PHITS (Particle and Heavy Ion Transport Code System) Monte Carlo simulation. The results indicated the values of μ m , effective atomic number (Z eff), and electron density (N eff) increase with the rise in BaO content. However, these values decrease at higher energy levels. The observed trends align with the theoretical predictions of the WinXCom program and the obtained results from the PHITS Monte Carlo simulation. The half-value layer (HVL) showed better shielding properties than both standard radiation shielding glass and other materials. Additionally, an examination of energy absorption (EABF) and exposure buildup factors (EBF) revealed a distinct advantage associated with the incorporation of BaO atoms. This advantageous effect was observed in the reduction of photon scattering events, further enhancing the overall efficacy of the shielding properties in the glass specimens under study. • High-transparency borosilicate glasses was developed as nuclear radiation protection material. • 137Cs used for radiation shielding properties investigation via the Compton scattering technique. • Total attenuation experimental values compared to WinXCom and PHITS Monte Carlo simulation. • Replacing of BaO in glass matrix can enhance shielding properties of the glass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers have been searching for different methods to determine the effective atomic number of materials for many years. Therefore, there are many methods in the literature to determine the effective atomic number theoretically or experimentally. While theoretical methods neglect some parameters, such as the momentum transfer parameter, photon energy, or scattering angle, experimental methods have incommodious processes. The main goal of this study is to provide a practical simulation method that is both as realistic as experimental results and as easy as theoretical methods. The method considers all these parameters compared to other theoretical methods and transfers them to the virtual environment. In this study, Rayleigh and Compton scattering peaks of 60 pure elements (in the range 20< Z <80) were determined. Rayleigh and Compton peak ratios were correlated with their atomic numbers. The proposed method is available for any energy or scattering angle. Six different compounds (WC, W 65 Cu 35 , SnAg, Fe 54 Co 17 Ni 29 , Pd 94 Cr 6 , Cu 60 Zn 40) were selected from different atomic number regions (such as low, medium, and high regions). It is important to note that any material (compound or mixture) could be selected. Validation of the method has been performed via different methods commonly used in the literature. It is observed that the results of this method are in good agreement with other methods in the literature. We are expecting that the proposed method will provide great convenience and guidance to researchers in this area. • A Monte Carlo simulation method of the R/C scattering ratio were proposed to determine the effective atomic number. • The scattering spectra were measured for about sixty different pure elements with atomic numbers between 20 and 80. • The ratios of the R/C scattering peaks were correlated with their atomic numbers. • The proposed method was tested on six different compounds. • The validation of the proposed method was confirmed with the theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of some blazars exhibit an ultraviolet (UV) and/or soft X-ray excess that can be modeled with different radiation mechanisms. Polarization measurements of the UV/X-ray emission from blazars may provide new and unique information about the astrophysical environment of blazar jets, and could thus help to distinguish between different emission scenarios. In this paper, a new Monte Carlo code—Monte Carlo Applications for Partially Polarized Inverse External-Compton Scattering—for polarization-dependent Compton scattering is used to simulate the polarization signatures in a model where the UV/soft X-ray excess arises from the bulk Compton process. Predictions of the expected polarization signatures of Compton emission from the soft X-ray excess in the SED of AO 0235+164 and the UV excess in the SED of 3C 279 are made for upcoming and proposed polarimetry missions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motion management is a critical component of image guided radiotherapy for lung cancer. We previously proposed a scheme using kV scattered x-ray photons for marker-less real-time image guidance in lung cancer radiotherapy. This study reports our recent progress using the photon counting detection technique to demonstrate potential feasibility of this method and using Monte Carlo (MC) simulations and ray-tracing calculations to characterize the performance. In our scheme, a thin slice of x-ray beam was directed to the target and we measured the outgoing scattered photons using a photon counting detector with a parallel-hole collimator to establish the correspondence between detector pixels and scatter positions. Image corrections of geometry, beam attenuation and scattering angle were performed to convert the raw image to the actual image of Compton attenuation coefficient. We set up a MC simulation system using an in-house developed GPU-based MC package modeling the image formation process. We also performed ray-tracing calculations to investigate the impacts of imaging system geometry on resulting image resolution. The experiment demonstrated feasibility of using a photon counting detector to measure scattered x-ray photons and generate the proposed scattered x-ray image. After correction, x-ray scattering image intensity and Compton scattering attenuation coefficient were linearly related, with R2 greater than 0.9. Contrast to noise ratios of different objects were improved and the values in experimental results and MC simulation results agreed with each other. Ray-tracing calculations revealed the dependence of image resolution on imaging geometry. The image resolution increases with reduced source to object distance and increased collimator height. The study demonstrated potential feasibility of using scattered x-ray imaging as a real-time image guidance method in radiation therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The radiation mechanisms responsible for the multiwavelength emission from relativistic jet sources are poorly understood. The modeling of the spectral energy distributions and light curves alone is not adequate to distinguish between existing models. Polarization in the X-ray and γ-ray regime of these sources may provide new and unique information about the jet physics and radiation mechanisms. Several upcoming projects will be able to deliver polarimetric measurements of the brightest X-ray sources, including active galactic nuclei jets and γ-ray bursts. This article describes the development of a new Monte Carlo code—MAPPIES (Monte Carlo Applications for Partially Polarized Inverse External-Compton Scattering)—for polarization-dependent Compton scattering in relativistic jet sources. Generic results for Compton polarization in the Thomson and Klein–Nishina regimes are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the comparative study of the analytical forward model and the statistical simulation of the Compton single scatter in the positron emission tomography. The formula of the forward model has been obtained using the single scatter simulation approximation under simplified assumptions, and therefore we calculate scatter projections using independent Monte Carlo simulation mimicking the scatter physics. The numerical comparative study has been performed using a digital cylindrical phantom filled in with water and containing spherical sources of emission activity located at the central and several displaced positions. Good fits of the formula-based and statistically generated profiles of scatter projections are observed in the presented numerical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gamma-ray continuum at > 10 MeV photon energy yields information on ≳ 0.2 – 0.3 GeV/nucleon ions at the Sun. We use the general-purpose Monte Carlo code FLUktuierenden KAskade (FLUKA) to model the transport of ions injected into thick and thin target sources, the nuclear processes that give rise to pions and other secondaries and the escape of the resulting photons from the atmosphere. We give examples of photon spectra calculated with a range of different assumptions about the primary ion velocity distribution and the source region. We show that FLUKA gives results for pion decay photon emissivity in agreement with previous treatments. Through the directionality of secondary products, as well as Compton scattering and pair production of photons prior to escaping the Sun, the predicted spectrum depends significantly on the viewing angle. Details of the photon spectrum in the ≈ 100 MeV range may constrain the angular distribution of primary ions and the depths at which they interact. We display a set of thick-target spectra produced making various assumptions about the incident ion energy and angular distribution and the viewing angle. If ions are very strongly beamed downward, or ion energies do not extend much above 1 GeV/nucleon, the photon spectrum is highly insensitive to details of the ion distribution. Under the simplest assumptions, flares observed near disc centre should not display significant radiation above 1 GeV photon energy. We give an example application to Fermi Large Area Telescope data from the flare of 12 June 2010. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Cadmium zinc telluride has recently been used as a compound semiconductor detector in a wide range of fields. The current study is a comprehensive investigation of the performance of this detector against the photon beam. Moreover, a comparative study was carried out with other common detectors using the Mote Carlo code by the implementation of the same strategy. Material and Methods: During the simulation by FLUKA code, a number of photons were regarded as primary particles. It is attractive to trace each incident photon uniquely considering all possible collisions and produced secondary particles at the microdosimetry scale. In the current study, the coordinate of threedimensional collisions location was realized at detector sensitive volume. Moreover, energy deposition was considered at each unique collision and through all interactions, totally. In addition, the physical concepts of photon interaction with detector volume were assessed, numerically. Furthermore, the effect of gold foils implemented as electrode at both sides of the detector was taken into account. Results: The obtained results indicated the context of photoelectric and Compton scattering in photon interactions with CZT, including the number of interactions, the deposited energy, and three-dimensional collision coordinate, while the latter case is proposed as a new achievement. Conclusion: As evidenced by the obtained results, the performance of this detector can be improved by changing material fraction and detector dimension to achieve optimum efficiency. In addition, the comparative results demonstrated that the efficiency of CZT covered by gold electrodes is superior to other common available semi-conductor detectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gadolinium aluminum gallium garnet (GAGG) is a promising scintillator crystal for positron emission tomography (PET) detectors owing to its advantages of energy resolution, light yield, and absence of intrinsic radiation. However, a large portion of the incident photons undergoes Compton scattering within GAGG crystal because of its low stopping power compared to that of lutetium-based crystals such as Lu2SiO5 (LSO). Inter-detector scattering (IDS) and inter-crystal scattering (ICS) result in loss of sensitivity and image quality of PET, respectively. We performed a Monte Carlo simulation study to evaluate IDS recovery in our currently developing brain-dedicated PET, and extended the idea to ICS recovery. We also compared the impact of the recoveries on LSO- and GAGG-based PET scanners. We measured the sensitivity and spatial resolution of the brain PET, and analyzed the image quality using a lesion phantom, a hot-rod phantom, and a 2D Hoffman phantom with applying IDS or ICS recovery. IDS recovery increased the PET sensitivity and improved the noise level of the reconstructed images. ICS recovery enhanced the spatial resolution and the contrast of the images was improved. As the occurrence rates of IDS and ICS were higher in GAGG than in LSO, the overall impact of IDS or ICS recovery was significant in GAGG. In conclusion, we showed that the proportional method would be suitable for IDS and ICS recoveries of PET, and emphasized the importance of ICS and IDS recoveries for PET using crystals with low stopping power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Ionization chambers are widely used for dosimetry with megavoltage photon beams. Several properties of ionization chambers, including the cable effect, polarity effect, and ion recombination loss, are described in standard dosimetry protocols. The cable effect is categorized as the leakage current and Compton current, and careful consideration of these factors has been described not only in reference dosimetry but also in large fields. However, the mechanism of Compton current in the cable has not been investigated thoroughly. The cable effect of ionization chambers in 6 MV X‐ray beam was evaluated by measurement, and the mechanism of Compton current was investigated by Monte Carlo simulation. Materials and Methods: Four PTW ionization chambers (TM30013, TM31010, TM31014, and TM31016) with the same type of mounted cable, but different ionization volumes, were used to measure output factor (OPF) and cable effect measurement. The OPF was measured to observe any variation resulting from the cable effect. The cable effect was evaluated separately for the leakage current and Compton current, and its charge per absorbed dose to water per cable length was estimated by a newly proposed method. The behavior of electrons and positrons in the core wire was analyzed and the Compton current for the photon beam was estimated by Monte Carlo simulation. Results: In OPF measurement, the difference in the electrometer readings by polarity became obvious for the mini‐ or microchamber and its difference tended to be larger for a chamber with a smaller ionization volume. For the cable effect measurement, it was determined that the contribution of the leakage current to the cable effect was ignorable, while the Compton current was dominant. The charge due to the Compton current per absorbed dose to water per cable length was estimated to be 0.36 ± 0.03 pC Gy−1 cm−1 for PTW ionization chambers. As a result, the contribution of the Compton current to the electrometer readings was estimated to be 0.002% cm−1 for the Farmer‐type, 0.011% cm−1 for the scanning, and 0.088% cm−1 for microchambers, respectively. By the simulation, it was determined that the Compton current for MV x‐ray could be explained by not only recoil electrons due to Compton scattering but also positron due to pair production. The Compton current estimated by the difference in outflowing and inflowing charge was 0.45 pC Gy−1 cm−1 and was comparable with the measured value. Conclusion: The cable effect, which includes the leakage current and Compton current, was quantitatively estimated for several chambers from measurements, and the mechanism of Compton current was investigated by Monte Carlo simulation. It was determined that the Compton current is a dominant component of the cable effect and its charge is consistently positive and nearly the same, irrespective of the ionization chamber volume. The contribution of Compton current to the electrometer readings was estimated for chambers. The mechanism of Compton current was analyzed and it was confirmed that the Compton current can be estimated from the difference in outflowing and inflowing charge to and from the core wire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: X‐ray microbeam radiation therapy is a preclinical concept for tumor treatment promising tissue sparing and enhanced tumor control. With its spatially separated, periodic micrometer‐sized pattern, this method requires a high dose rate and a collimated beam typically available at large synchrotron radiation facilities. To treat small animals with microbeams in a laboratory‐sized environment, we developed a dedicated irradiation system at the Munich Compact Light Source (MuCLS). Methods: A specially made beam collimation optic allows to increase x‐ray fluence rate at the position of the target. Monte Carlo simulations and measurements were conducted for accurate microbeam dosimetry. The dose during irradiation is determined by a calibrated flux monitoring system. Moreover, a positioning system including mouse monitoring was built. Results: We successfully commissioned the in vivo microbeam irradiation system for an exemplary xenograft tumor model in the mouse ear. By beam collimation, a dose rate of up to 5.3 Gy/min at 25 keV was achieved. Microbeam irradiations using a tungsten collimator with 50 μm slit size and 350 μm center‐to‐center spacing were performed at a mean dose rate of 0.6 Gy/min showing a high peak‐to‐valley dose ratio of about 200 in the mouse ear. The maximum circular field size of 3.5 mm in diameter can be enlarged using field patching. Conclusions: This study shows that we can perform in vivo microbeam experiments at the MuCLS with a dedicated dosimetry and positioning system to advance this promising radiation therapy method at commercially available compact microbeam sources. Peak doses of up to 100 Gy per treatment seem feasible considering a recent upgrade for higher photon flux. The system can be adapted for tumor treatment in different animal models, for example, in the hind leg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Real‐time visualization of target motion using fiducial markers during radiation therapy treatment will allow for more accurate dose delivery. The purpose of this study was to optimize techniques for online fiducial marker tracking by detecting the scattered treatment beam through coded aperture imaging (CAI). Coded aperture imaging is a novel imaging technique that can allow target tracking in real time during treatment, and do so without adding any additional radiation dose, by making use of the scattered treatment beam radiation. Methods: Radiotherapy beams of various energies, incident on phantoms containing gold fiducial markers were modeled using MCNP6.2 Monte Carlo transport code. Orthogonal scatter radiographs were collected through a CAI geometry. After decoding the simulated radiograph data, the centroid location and FWHM/SNR of the fiducial signals were analyzed. The effects of properties related to the CA (rank, pattern, and physical dimensions), detector (dimensions and pixel count), position (CA and phantom), and the incident beam (spectrum and direction) were investigated. These variables were evaluated by quantifying the positional accuracy, resolution, and SNR of the fiducials' signal. The effects of phantom scatter and decoding artifacts were reduced via Fourier filtering to avoid treatment interruption and physical interaction with the coded mask. Results: The method was able to accurately localize the markers to within 1 pixel of a simulated radiograph. A 10 × 10 × 2 cm tungsten mask was chosen to attenuate >99 % of incident scatter through opaque elements, while minimizing collimation artifacts which arise from vignetting of the coded radiograph. Clear separation of centroids from fiducial signals with 2.5 mm separation was maintained, and initial optimization of parameters has produced an aperture which decodes the location of multiple fiducial markers inside a human phantom properly with a high SNR in the final radiograph image. Conclusion: Current results show a proof of concept for a novel real‐time imaging method. Coded aperture imaging is a promising technique for extracting the fiducial scatter signal from a broader Compton‐scatter background. These results can be used to further optimize the CAI parameter space and guide fabrication and testing of a clinical device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiation portal monitors are commonly used to detect and intercept unauthorized movement of nuclear and other radioactive materials at country borders. A total of twelve double- pillar portal monitors are present at the Greek-North Macedonian border, each containing two polystyrene scintillating detectors per pillar. Spatial and spectral response testing of the scintillating detectors to gamma radiation was performed by using different radioactive sources and comparing the measurement results with Monte Carlo simulations. A good agreement of the experimentally deduced activities of different point sources, needed for alarm triggering of the radiation portal monitors with Monte Carlo calculated values, was observed. Spectral results show no photopeaks in the spectra due to low resolution of these detectors. The broad peaks observed in the spectra correspond to the Compton edge. Measured spectra with a 137Cs source placed directly on the scintillating detector, at several positions away from the photo multiplier tube, show an energy shift of the Compton edge towards lower energies, as the source is moving away from the photo multiplier tube. The energy shift is due to light transfer mechanisms within the scintillator volume and therefore, it is only observed in optical simulations and not in gamma-ray particle simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a realistic simulation of a Compton-camera (CC) based prompt-gamma (PG) imaging system for proton range verification for a range of clinical dose rates, and its comparison to PG measured data with a pre-clinical CC. We used a Monte Carlo plus Detector Effects (MCDE) model to simulate the production of prompt gamma-rays (PG) and their energy depositions in the CC. With Monte Carlo, we simulated PG emission resulting from irradiation of a high density polyethylene phantom with a 150 MeV proton pencil beam at dose rates of 5.0 × 108, 2.6 × 109, and 4.6 × 109 p+ s−1. Realistic detector timing effects (e.g. delayed triggering time, event-coincidence, dead time, etc,) were added in post-processing to allow for flexible count rate variations. We acquired PG emission measurements with our pre-clinical CC during irradiation with a clinical 150 MeV proton pencil beam at the same dose rates. For simulations and measurements, three primary changes could be seen in the PG emission data as the dose rate increased: (1) reduction in the total number of detected events due to increased dead-time percentage; (2) increase in false-coincidence events (i.e. multiple PGs interacting, rather than a single PG scatter); and (3) loss of distinct PG emission peaks in the energy spectrum. We used the MCDE model to estimate the quality of our measured PG data, primarily with regards to true and false double-scatters and triple-scatters recorded by the CC. The simulation results showed that of the recorded double-scatter PG interactions 22%, 57%, and 70% were false double-scatters and for triple-scatter interactions 3%, 21%, and 35% were false events at 5.0 × 108, 2.6 × 109, and 4.6 × 109 p+ s−1, respectively. These false scatter events represent noise in the data, and the high percentage of these events in the data represents a major limitation in our ability to produce usable PG images with our prototype CC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fissionable materials can be distinguished from normal materials by their emission of fast neutrons and neutrons moderated by surrounding materials. Radioisotopes can often be identified by their gamma-ray spectra. In this work, we use the nuclear physics Monte Carlo package MCNP6.2 to compare the detection efficiencies of different detector designs for the triple-mode detection of fast and moderated neutrons, and gamma-ray spectroscopy. For each design, we tabulate the detection efficiencies for neutrons from 0.1 eV to 5 MeV and for the full absorption of gamma rays from 0.1 to 5 MeV. All designs use 100 scintillators 1 cm × 1 cm × 5 cm. Of these, 36 are Cs2 LiLaBr6:Ce (90% 6Li) (CLLB) and 64 are polyvinyl toluene (PVT). The first design uses separate arrays of 6 × 6 CLLB and 8 × 8 PVT scintillators. Three other designs are 10 ×10 composite arrays using all 100 scintillators combined in different ways. PVT is a fast scintillator that can be used to detect fast neutrons by time-separated multiple proton recoils and discriminate against gammas. PVT in the three composite designs serves to moderate neutrons of all energies for capture by the 6Li in the CLLB. Gamma rays interact in the PVT and CLLB by Compton scattering and pair production; full energy absorption requires photoelectric absorption in the CLLB. The energy deposited by each gamma ray can be determined from a weighted sum of the CLLB and PVT signals from separate photodetectors. We find that for a fixed number of neutrons/cm2, one of the composite arrays has much higher 6Li detection efficiencies than the design that uses separate CLLB and PVT arrays, and has similar detection efficiencies for fast neutrons and gammas. We also find that in all cases, the average energy of the neutrons at capture by 6Li is well above the 25-meV thermal energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Thomson scattering X‐ray source can provide quasi‐monochromatic, continuously energy‐tunable, polarization‐controllable and high‐brightness X‐rays, which makes it an excellent tool for X‐ray fluorescence computed tomography (XFCT). In this paper, we examined the suppression of Compton scattering background in XFCT using the linearly polarized X‐rays and the implementation feasibility of linearly polarized XFCT based on this type of light source, concerning the influence of phantom attenuation and the sampling strategy, its advantage over K‐edge subtraction computed tomography (CT), the imaging time, and the potential pulse pile‐up effect by Monte Carlo simulations. A fan beam and pinhole collimator geometry were adopted in the simulation and the phantom was a polymethyl methacrylate cylinder inside which were gadolinium (Gd)‐loaded water solutions with Gd concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 4.0 wt%. Compared with the case of vertical polarization, Compton scattering was suppressed by about 1.6 times using horizontal polarization. An accurate image of the Gd‐containing phantom was successfully reconstructed with both spatial and quantitative identification, and good linearity between the reconstructed value and the Gd concentration was verified. When the attenuation effect cannot be neglected, one full cycle (360°) sampling and the attenuation correction became necessary. Compared with the results of K‐edge subtraction CT, the contrast‐to‐noise ratio values of XFCT were improved by 2.03 and 1.04 times at low Gd concentrations of 0.2 and 0.5 wt%, respectively. When the flux of a Thomson scattering light source reaches 1013 photons s−1, it is possible to finish the data acquisition of XFCT at the minute or second level without introducing pulse pile‐up effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scattered radiation unavoidably generated in the patient will negatively impact both kilovoltage (KV) and megavoltage (MV) imaging applications. Recently, 'hybrid' methods (i.e. combining analytical and Monte Carlo (MC) techniques) are being investigated as a solution to accurately yet quickly calculate the scattered contribution for both KV and MV images. We have developed a customized MC simulation user code for investigating the individual components of patient-scattered photon fluence, which serves as a valuable tool in this area of research. The MC tool is based on the EGSnrc/DOSXYZnrc user code. The IAUSFL flag options associated with subroutine AUSGAB, combined with LATCH tracking, are used to classify the various interactions of particles with the media. Photons are grouped into six different categories: primary, 1st Compton scatter, 1st Rayleigh scatter, multiple scatter, bremsstrahlung, and positron annihilation. We take advantage of the geometric boundary check in DOSXYZnrc, to write exiting photon particle information to a phase-space file. The tool is validated using homogeneous and heterogeneous phantom configurations with monoenergetic and polyenergetic beams under parallel and divergent beam geometry, comparing MC-simulated exit primary fluence and singly-scattered fluence to corresponding analytical calculations. This MC tool has been validated to separately score the primary and scatter fluence components of the KV and MV imaging applications in the field of radiation therapy. The results are acceptable for the various configurations and beam energies tested here. Overall, the mean percentage differences are less than 0.2% and standard deviations less than 1.6%. This will be a critical test instrument for research in photon scatter applications and particularly for the development of hybrid methods, and is freely available from the authors for research purposes.5 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Automatic and fast identification of gamma-ray-emitting radionuclides is a challenge in the field of nuclear safety, especially in case of emergency, since it requires complex calculations and often the knowledge of experts to interpret the data. We present a development of an automatic identification method based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs) as a new tool to analyze gamma-ray spectra in real time, which uses not only photoelectric peaks but also extracts all discriminant features in the spectrum, such as Compton structures, for instance. The original approach relies on the training of the CNN with a fully synthetic database, built by means of a Monte Carlo simulation with Geant4 combined with a detailed analytical detector response model. The algorithm and training method are evaluated to identify radionuclides in measurements of the mixtures of sources acquired with Caliste, a fine-pitch CdTe imaging spectrometer. The neural network is able to discriminate each element in an arbitrary mixture very quickly with high accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have obtained new solutions and methods for the process of thermal Comptonization. We modify the solution to the kinetic equation of Sunyaev and Titarchuk to allow its application up to mildly relativistic electron temperatures and optical depths |$\gtrsim {1}$|⁠. The solution can be used for spectral fitting of X-ray spectra from astrophysical sources. We also have developed an accurate Monte Carlo method for calculating spectra and timing properties of thermal Comptonization sources. The accuracy of our kinetic equation solution is verified by comparison with the Monte Carlo results. We also compare our results with those of other publicly available methods. Furthermore, based on our Monte Carlo code, we present distributions of the photon emission times and the evolution of the average photon energy for both up and down scattering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The beam energy of the circular electron–positron collider should be measured precisely to the order of 1 MeV, in order to decrease the uncertainty of the Higgs/W/Z bosons' mass measurement. For this purpose, a lepton bunch is extracted from the collider and collides with an Yttrium–Aluminum–Garnet laser pulse. After the inverse Compton scattering, the main beam and the scattered beam pass through an analytical magnetic field and are deflected to different angles. At the end of the drift beam pipes, the deflecting distances are detected with the spatial resolution of several microns. The systematic uncertainties caused by the detector arrangement, the magnetic field, the angle between the detector plane and the incident beam, and the synchrotron radiation are discussed in detail. The simulations of the statistical errors are given with a toy Monte Carlo sample. With some proper corrections, the beam energy uncertainty of the Higgs mode is around 2 MeV. Our method is applicable to different operating modes of the collider. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid state photodetectors like silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) are playing an important role in several fields of medical imaging, life sciences and high energy physics. They are able to sense optical photons with a single photon detection time precision below 100 ps, making them ideal candidates to read the photons generated by fast scintillators in time of flight positron emission tomography (TOF-PET). By implementing novel high-frequency readout electronics, it is possible to perform a completely new evaluation of the best timing performance achievable with state-of-the-art analog-SiPMs and scintillation materials. The intrinsic SiPM single photon time resolution (SPTR) was measured with Ketek, HPK, FBK, SensL and Broadcom devices. Also, the best achieved coincidence time resolution (CTR) for these devices was measured with LSO:Ce:Ca of mm3 and mm3 size crystals. The intrinsic SPTR for all devices ranges between 70 ps and 135 ps FWHM when illuminating the entire mm2 or mm2 area. The obtained CTR with LSO:Ce:Ca of mm3 size ranges between 58 ps and 76 ps FWHM for the SiPMs evaluated. Bismuth Germanate (BGO), read out with state of-the-art NUV-HD SiPMs from FBK, achieved a CTR of 158 ps and 277 ps FWHM for mm3 and mm3 crystals, respectively. Other BGO geometries yielded 167 3 ps FWHM for mm3 and 235 5 ps FWHM for mm3 also coupled with Meltmount (n = 1.582) and wrapped in Teflon. Additionally, the average number of Cherenkov photons produced by BGO in each 511 keV event was measured to be 17 3 photons. Based on this measurement, we predict the limits of BGO for ultrafast timing in TOF-PET with Monte Carlo simulations. Plastic scintillators (BC422, BC418), BaF2, GAGG:Ce codoped with Mg and CsI:undoped were also tested for TOF performance. Indeed, BC422 can achieve a CTR of 35 2 ps FWHM using only Compton interactions in the detector with a maximum deposited energy of 340 keV. BaF2 with its fast cross-luminescence enables a CTR of 51 5 ps FWHM when coupled to VUV-HD SiPMs from FBK, with only ∼22% photon detection efficiency (PDE). We summarize the measured CTR of the various scintillators and discuss their intrinsic timing performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We show that Compton scattering by electrons of the hot intergalactic gas in galaxy clusters should lead to peculiar distortions of the cosmic background X-ray and soft gamma-ray radiation—an increase in its brightness at hv ≲ 60−100 keV and a drop at higher energies. The background distortions are proportional to the cluster gas surface density, in contrast to the intensity of the thermal gas radiation proportional to the density squared, which allows the most important cluster parameters to be measured. The spectral shape of the background distortions and its dependence on the gas temperature, optical depth, and surface density distribution law have been studied using detailed Monte Carlo calculations and conformed by analytical estimations. In the cluster frame the maximum of the background decrease due to the recoil effect occurs at hv ∼ 500−600 keV. The photoionization of hydrogen- and helium-like iron and nickel ions leads to additional distortions in the background spectrum—a strong absorption line with the threshold at hv ∼ 9 keV (and also to an absorption jump at hv ≳ 2 keV for cold clusters). The absorption of intrinsic thermal radiation from the cluster gas by these ions also leads to such lines. In nearby (z ≲ 1) clusters the line at hv ∼ 2 keV is noticeably enhanced by absorption in the colder (∼106 K) plasma of their peripheral (≲3 Mpc) regions; moreover, the absorption line at hv ∼ 1.3 keV, which does not depend on the properties of the hot cluster gas, splits off from it. The redshift of distant clusters shifts the absorption lines in the background spectrum (at ∼2, ∼9, and ∼500 keV) to lower energies. Thus, in contrast to the microwave background radiation scattering effect, this effect depends on the cluster redshift z, but in a very peculiar way. When observing clusters at z ≳ 1, the effect allows one to determine how the X-ray background evolved and how it was "gathered" with z. To detect the effect, the accuracy of measurements should reach ∼0.1%. We consider the most promising clusters for observing the effect and discuss the techniques whereby the influence of the thermal gas radiation hindering the detection of background distortions should be minimal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of inverse Compton scattering gamma-ray sources, highly polarized gamma rays play a significant role in fundamental nuclear physics research based on nuclear resonance fluorescence (NRF). To meet the requirements of those applications, especially for guiding experiments and optimizing detection systems, a Monte Carlo simulation method for linearly polarized gamma-ray NRF is developed and implemented in the general-purpose toolkit Geant4. To validate the effectiveness of this method, simulations are compared with both theoretical and experimental results and are found to agree well with both. As a typical application of the linearly polarized gamma-ray NRF technique, a gamma-ray polarization measurement method is proposed in the energy region from hundreds of keV to several MeV, and its feasibility is analyzed based on the developed simulation method. Compared with the conventional Compton scattering method, the analyzing power of the NRF method is improved about 3.7-fold by using a 28 Si target, and reaches a value of more than 0.99 at a reasonable data acquisition time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cargo containers constitute the most critical component of global trade: 108 million containers represent the movement of about 95% of the world’s manufactured goods. The steady increase in cargo container shipments has had a profound effect on world security: the threat associated with smuggling of shielded special nuclear material is elevated every year. Containers reaching the borders of the U.S. are currently not radiographically inspected due to time and dose considerations stemming from the use of bremsstrahlung beams for imaging. Bremsstrahlung spectra are low-energy peaked, resulting in low penetration values, especially through dense cargoes. The use of monoenergetic radiography beams could alleviate many of these problems due to higher energy and low background continuum. Using Monte Carlo simulations of a realistic imaging scenario with support from previous experimental measurements, we demonstrate how the use of monoenergetic photon beams in radiography can simultaneously reduce the radiation dose imparted to the cargo and any potential stowaways while increasing image quality. Dual-energy methods are leveraged to calculate material atomic number. Image quality is evaluated by measuring the noise standard deviation, contrast-to-noise ratio, and the pixel error as the dose is decreased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different kinds of nanoparticles have been widely studied for biomedical purposes, including applications like dose enhancement in radiotherapy treatments and contrast agent in radiological studies. Recent work suggests that gold nanoparticles can be used as contrast agents in K-edge imaging and X-ray Fluorescence Computed Tomography, mainly due to their high K-edge energy value and good biocompatibility. However, the gold X-ray fluorescence (XRF) signal obtained in these procedures is relatively week when compared with Compton or bremsstrahlung radiation emitted in the surrounding tissues, mainly because it is not possible to achieve large gold nanoparticles concentrations within biological tissues added to the XRF is attenuated by other tissues when leaving the patient body. This work presents a feasibility study on implementation of FLUKA, PENELOPE and MCNP6 Monte Carlo codes to model the detection of gold XRF emitted by a small volume containing different gold concentrations and located at different depths in a tissue-equivalent phantom. Results indicate that there is good agreement between PENELOPE and FLUKA for gold Kα and Kβ lines estimations when highly symmetric simulation scenario and kilovoltage X-ray beam were used, achieving differences lower than 2%; however, differences up to 6 times were observed between FLUKA and MCNP6 under the same conditions. In addition, remarkable differences were obtained when megavoltage X-ray beam was used, being up to 11 times between PENELOPE and FLUKA and up to 4 times between FLUKA and MCNP6 for gold Kα and Kβ lines estimations. In this regard, a suitable normalization method was proposed and implemented to perform cross-comparisons of XRF estimations obtained from the Monte Carlo codes. By means of the proposed method, FLUKA, PENELOPE and MCNP6 can be successfully implemented to assess which configuration (gold concentration and target volume depth) leads to a better detection of gold XRF, despite differences in XRF estimation between the codes. • FLUKA, PENELOPE and MCNP6 codes were used for gold XRF estimation. • Scenarios representing small tumor volumes marked with gold were studied. • X-ray beams for Radiology and Radiotherapy energy ranges were investigated. • FLUKA, PENELOPE and MCNP6 estimations of gold XRF do not agree with each other. • A normalization method was proposed for cross-comparison of Monte Carlo estimations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many PET scanner detectors use LSO or LYSO as their scintillation crystals. Since natural lutetium contains 2.6% radioactive 176Lu, which decays β− followed by the emission of three gamma rays or internal conversion electrons, its intrinsic radioactivity needs to be considered. This work compares the energy spectrum obtained with Monte Carlo simulations of ionizing radiation transport using the 176Lu ion source defined in GATE v8.1, for different LYSO crystal sizes with experimental and analytical data. In addition, we performed a set of simulations of 88, 202 and 307 keV monoenergetic photons, the gamma rays of the isomeric transitions of the 176Hf excited states, to quantify the Compton scattered photons interacting in or escaping the crystal. Even though the optical transport effects were not simulated, the results show a very good agreement with analytical and experimental data and support the accuracy for modeling the intrinsic radioactivity of LSO/LYSO crystals with GATE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-energy astrophysics polarimetry may significantly benefit from e-ASTROGAM and from AMEGO mission proposals, since to date limited polarimetric measurements were performed in this domain, exclusively under 1 MeV. The polarimetric potential of both missions was analyzed in the Compton regime by Monte Carlo mass model simulations with MEGAlib toolkit. The performance of e-ASTROGAM was analyzed by simulating Si tracker and calorimeter alternative configurations and detection materials, within missions' volume, mass and power margins. The modulation polarimetric factor, Q, and the MDP were calculated for different polarized source types and for variable incidence angle measurement conditions. Finally, the polarimetric performances of both instruments was compared and analyzed. Q modulation factors obtained ranged between ~0.2 and ~0.4 in the 0.2–2.0 MeV band and MDP ~0.65% was estimated for a 100% polarized Crab type source, 1 Ms. observation time and 3σ significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terrestrial gamma‐ray flashes (TGFs) are high‐energy photon bursts originating from the Earth's atmosphere. In this study, using first‐principles Monte Carlo simulations, we quantify the effects of Compton scattering on the temporal and spectral properties of TGFs induced by a tilted source geometry. Modeling results indicate that the source orientation is a critical parameter in TGF analysis but has been significantly underestimated in previous studies. Offset distance between the lightning source and satellite location cannot be used as a single parameter characterizing Compton scattering effects. In the tilted geometry, Compton scattering effects are more pronounced in the falling part of TGF pulses and can lead to an increase of the falling part of TGF pulses by several tens of microseconds. Moreover, by performing curve‐fitting analysis on simulated TGF light curves, we explain how the symmetric and asymmetric pulses measured by the Gamma‐Ray Burst Monitor on Fermi satellite are consistent with the Compton scattering effects. Fermi‐measured TGF pulses can be fully explained using Gaussian‐distributed TGF sources with an average duration of ∼206 μs. Key Points: We quantify the Compton scattering effects in terms of temporal dispersion and energy spectra produced by tilted TGF geometryOffset distance between lightning source and satellite cannot be used as a single parameter characterizing Compton scattering effectsWe show that Fermi‐measured TGF pulses, including the asymmetric ones with longer rise time, are consistent with Compton scattering effect [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this paper, a novel Compton scattering tomography (CST) method using an annular detector for measuring density variations was proposed. The purpose of this study is to improve the collection efficiency of traditional CST and to significantly reduce the detection time down to minutes per voxel. The simulation setup was built in the GEANT4 software. Monte Carlo simulations were performed, revealing a depth positioning accuracy of ±0.5 mm for flaw and inclusion inspection and a tomographic resolution better than 2 mm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The Planetary Instrument for X-ray Lithochemistry (PIXL) is an X-ray fluorescence instrument scheduled to fly to Mars on NASA's 2020 rover (Allwood et al., 2015). It will be capable of quantifying elements with atomic number of at least 11 using X-ray fluorescence (XRF), but the detector window blocks fluorescence from lighter elements. Important elements otherwise invisible include carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen, which can make up anions in minerals of scientific interest. X-rays scattered by all elements can be detected, so the ratio of Compton to Rayleigh scatter may be measured and used to infer the presence of elements for which there is no detectable fluorescence. We have refined a fundamental parameters model to predict the Compton/Rayleigh ratio for any given composition that can be compared to an experimentally measured ratio. We compare with a published Monte Carlo model (Schoonjans et al., 2012) and to experimental values for a set of seven materials. Compton/Rayleigh ratios predicted by the model are in good, though imperfect, agreement with experimental measurements. A procedure for consistently computing the Compton/Rayleigh ratio from a noisy spectrum has also been developed using a variation on a common background removal method and peak fitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a novel Dynamic Monte Carlo code (DynaMo code) that self-consistently simulates the Compton-scattering-driven dynamic evolution of a plasma. We use the DynaMo code to investigate the time-dependent expansion and acceleration of dissipationless gamma-ray burst fireballs by varying their initial opacities and baryonic content. We study the opacity and energy density evolution of an initially optically thick, radiation-dominated fireball across its entire phase space - in particular during the Rph < Rsat regime. Our results reveal new phases of fireball evolution: a transition phase with a radial extent of several orders of magnitude - the fireball transitions from Γ ∝ R to Γ ∝ R0, a post-photospheric acceleration phase - where fireballs accelerate beyond the photosphere and a Thomson-dominated acceleration phase - characterized by slow acceleration of optically thick, matter-dominated fireballs due to Thomson scattering. We quantify the new phases by providing analytical expressions of Lorentz factor evolution, which will be useful for deriving jet parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We model X-ray reflection from white dwarfs (WDs) in magnetic cataclysmic variables (mCVs) using a Monte Carlo simulation. A point source with a power-law spectrum or a realistic post-shock accretion column (PSAC) source irradiates a cool and spherical WD. The PSAC source emits thermal spectra of various temperatures stratified along the column according to the PSAC model. In the point-source simulation, we confirm the following: a source harder and nearer to the WD enhances the reflection; higher iron abundance enhances the equivalent widths (EWs) of fluorescent iron Kα1, 2 lines and their Compton shoulder, and increases the cut-off energy of a Compton hump; significant reflection appears from an area that is more than 90° apart from the position right under the point X-ray source because of theWD curvature. The PSAC simulation reveals the following: a more massive WD basically enhances the intensities of the fluorescent iron Kα1, 2 lines and the Compton hump, except for some specific accretion rate, because the more massive WD makes a hotter PSAC from which higher-energy X-rays are preferentially emitted; a larger specific accretion rate monotonically enhances the reflection because it makes a hotter and shorter PSAC; the intrinsic thermal component hardens by occultation of the cool base of the PSAC by the WD.We quantitatively estimate the influences of the parameters on the EWs and the Compton hump with both types of source. We also calculate X-ray modulation profiles brought about by the WD spin. These depend on the angles of the spin axis from the line of sight and from the PSAC, and on whether the two PSACs can be seen. The reflection spectral model and the modulation model involve the fluorescent lines and the Compton hump and can directly be compared to the data, which allows us to estimate these geometrical parameters with unprecedented accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explore the physics of relativistic radiation-mediated shocks (RRMSs) in the regime where photon advection dominates over photon generation. For this purpose, a novel iterative method for deriving a self-consistent steady-state structure of RRMS is developed, based on a Monte Carlo code that solves the transfer of photons subject to Compton scattering and pair production/annihilation. Systematic study is performed by imposing various upstream conditions which are characterized by the following three parameters: the photon-to-baryon inertia ratio ξ u*, the photon-to-baryon number ratio ñ, and the shock Lorentz factor γ u. We find that the properties of RRMSs vary considerably with these parameters. In particular, while a smooth decline in the velocity, accompanied by a gradual temperature increase is seen for ξ u* ≫1, an efficient bulk Comptonization, that leads to a heating precursor, is found for ξ u* ≲ 1. As a consequence, although particle acceleration is highly inefficient in these shocks, a broad non-thermal spectrum is produced in the latter case. The generation of high-energy photons through bulk Comptonization leads, in certain cases, to a copious production of pairs that provide the dominant opacity for Compton scattering. We also find that for certain upstream conditions a weak subshock appears within the flow. For a choice of parameters suitable to gamma-ray bursts, the radiation spectrum within the shock is found to be compatible with that of the prompt emission, suggesting that subphotospheric shocks may give rise to the observed non-thermal features despite the absence of accelerated particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]