Abstract: Three different correction factors for measurements with the parallel-plate ionization chamber PTW T34013 on the Esteya electronic brachytherapy unit have been investigated. This chamber type is recommended by AAPM TG-253 for depth-dose measurements in the 69.5 kV x-ray beam generated by the Esteya unit. Monte Carlo simulations using the PENELOPE-2018 system were performed to determine the absorbed dose deposited in water and in the chamber sensitive volume at different depths with a Type A uncertainty smaller than 0.1%. Chamber-to-chamber differences have been explored performing measurements using three different chambers. The range of conical applicators available, from 10 to 30 mm in diameter, has been explored. Using a depth-independent global chamber perturbation correction factor without a shift of the effective point of measurement yielded differences between the absorbed dose to water and the corrected absorbed dose in the sensitive volume of the chamber of up to 1% and 0.6% for the 10 mm and 30 mm applicators, respectively. Calculations using a depth-dependent perturbation factor, including or excluding a shift of the effective point of measurement, resulted in depth-dose differences of about +/- 0.5% or less for both applicators. The smallest depth-dose differences were obtained when a shift of the effective point of measurement was implemented, being displaced 0.4 mm towards the center of the sensitive volume of the chamber. The correction factors were obtained with combined uncertainties of 0.4% (k = 2). Uncertainties due to chamber-to-chamber differences are found to be lower than 2%. The results emphasize the relevance of carrying out detailed Monte Carlo studies for each electronic brachytherapy device and ionization chamber used for its dosimetry.

Abstract: This work presents the methodology used to expand the capabilities of the Monte Carlo code OpenMC for the calculation of reactor kinetic parameters: effective delayed neutron fraction beff and neutron generation time L. The modified code, OpenMC(Time-Dependent) or OpenMC(TD), was then used to calculate the effective delayed neutron fraction by using the prompt method, while the neutron generation time was estimated using the pulsed method, fitting L to the decay of the neutron population. OpenMC(TD) is intended to serve as an alternative for the estimation of kinetic parameters when licensed codes are not available. The results obtained are compared to experimental data and MCNP calculated values for 18 benchmark configurations.

Abstract: This work presents GN-Vision, a novel dual gamma-ray and neutron imaging system, which aims at simultaneously obtaining information about the spatial origin of gamma-ray and neutron sources. The proposed device is based on two position sensitive detection planes and exploits the Compton imaging technique for the imaging of gamma-rays. In addition, spatial distributions of slow- and thermal-neutron sources (<100 eV) are reconstructed by using a passive neutron pin-hole collimator attached to the first detection plane. The proposed gamma-neutron imaging device could be of prime interest for nuclear safety and security applications. The two main advantages of this imaging system are its high efficiency and portability, making it well suited for nuclear applications were compactness and real-time imaging is important. This work presents the working principle and conceptual design of the GN-Vision system and explores, on the basis of Monte Carlo simulations, its simultaneous gamma-ray and neutron detection and imaging capabilities for a realistic scenario where a Cf-252 source is hidden in a neutron moderating container.

Abstract: This work is devoted to study the thermodynamic behavior of photon-like particles within the rainbow gravity formalism. To to do this, we chose two particular ansatzs to accomplish our calculations. First, we consider a dispersion relation which avoids UV divergences, getting a positive effective cosmological constant. We provide numerical analysis for the thermodynamic functions of the system and bounds are estimated. Furthermore, a phase transition is also expected for this model. Second, we consider a dispersion relation employed in the context of Gamma Ray Bursts. Remarkably, for this latter case, the thermodynamic properties are calculated in an analytical manner and they turn out to depend on the harmonic series Hn, gamma & UGamma; (z), polygamma & psi;n(z) and zeta Riemann functions & zeta;(z).

Abstract: This work investigates the implications of very special relativity (VSR) on the calculation of vacuum polarization for fermions in the presence of Maxwell and Kalb-Ramond gauge fields in four-dimensional spacetime. We derive the SIM(2)-covariant gauge theory associated with an Abelian antisymmetric twotensor and its corresponding field strength. We demonstrate that the free VSR-Kalb-Ramond electrodynamics is equivalent to a massive scalar field with a single polarization. Furthermore, we determine an explicit expression for the effective action involving Maxwell and Kalb-Ramond fields due to fermionic vacuum polarization at one-loop order. The quantum corrections generate divergences free of nonlocal terms only in the VSR-Maxwell sector. At the same time, we observe UV/IR mixing divergences due to the entanglement of VSR-nonlocal effects with quantum higher-derivative terms for the Kalb-Ramond field. However, in the lower energy limit, the effective action can be renormalized like in the Lorentz invariant case.