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At least 73 records · Page 4

Multi-potential interactions in plasma adopting a GPU version of the reaction ensemble Monte Carlo method

Calculations of thermodynamic properties of Helium plasma by using the Reaction Ensemble Monte Carlo method (REMC) are presented. Non ideal effects at high pressure are observed. Calculations, performed by using Exp-6 or multi-potential curves in the case of neutral-charge interactions, show that in the thermodynamic conditions considered no significative differences are observed. Results have been obtained by using a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)-CUDA C version of REMC.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Quantum Monte Carlo Methods for Astrophysical Applications

In recent years, new astrophysical observations have provided a wealth of exciting input for nuclear physics. For example, the observations of two-solar-mass neutron stars put strong constraints on possible phase transitions to exotic phases in strongly interacting matter at high densities. Furthermore, the recent observation of a neutron-star merger in both the electromagnetic spectrum and gravitational waves has provided compelling evidence that neutron-star mergers are an important site for the production of extremely neutron-rich nuclei within the r-process. In the coming years, an abundance of new observations is expected, which will continue to provide crucial constraints on the nuclear physics of these events. To reliably analyze such astrophysical observations and extract information on nuclear physics, it is very important that a consistent approach to nuclear systems is used. Such an approach consists of a precise and accurate method to solve the nuclear many-body problem in nuclei and nuclear matter, combined with modern nuclear Hamiltonians that allow to estimate the theoretical uncertainties. Quantum Monte Carlo methods are ideally suited for such an approach and have been successfully used to describe atomic nuclei and nuclear matter. In this contribution, I will present a detailed description of Quantum Monte Carlo methods focusing on the application of these methods to astrophysical problems. In particular, I will discuss how to use Quantum Monte Carlo methods to describe nuclear matter of relevance to the physics of neutron stars.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Parallel Monte Carlo Methods for Heterogeneous Hardware Computer Systems Using GPUs and Coprocessors: Recent Development of ARCHER Code - Paper 54

Traditional methods of accelerating Monte Carlo (MC) calculations typically use CPUs as the computing unit. The parallelism is based upon multithreading on a multi-core processor, and message passing interface (MPI) across many processors and nodes. In recent years, the hardware accelerators have been introduced by the high performance computing industry as an alternative approach to achieve massive parallelism. Hardware accelerators have the advantage of high Floating-point Operations Per Second (FLOPS) and high energy efficiency. Examples include graphics processing units (GPUs) and coprocessors. Compute-intensive programs can be off-loaded to them to be concurrently executed by hundreds or thousands of active threads. Existing production MC codes, however, cannot be directly compiled or executed on the new platforms. It is therefore necessary to rewrite or redevelop the code using the hardware accelerator specific programming models and APIs. Several studies have been conducted on using GPUs to accelerate MC calculations in reactor analysis and medical physics. In this paper, we present the recent progress at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in developing a new parallel MC code called ARCHER (Accelerated Radiation-transport Computations in Heterogeneous Environments) for coupled photon-electron transport simulations. The code is designed as a test bed to evaluate the efficacy of heterogeneous computing systems for low-cost MC-based radiation dosimetric calculations. The code has three variants corresponding to three parallel hardware platforms: ARCHER-CPU (multi-core CPU), ARCHER-GPU (Nvidia GPU) and ARCHER-COP (Intel Xeon Phi coprocessor). The code has been used for several applications, including CT imaging dosimetry, radiotherapy dosimetry and radiation shielding design. (authors)

61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY↗

Simulation of Nuclear Reactor Kinetics by the Monte Carlo Method

The KIR computer code intended for calculations of nuclear reactor kinetics using the Monte Carlo method is described. The algorithm implemented in the code is described in detail. Some results of test calculations are given.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗

Adaptive, Active Learning, and Multifidelity Monte Carlo Methods in the MOOSE Stochastic Tools Module

MOOSE is an open-source computational platform for constructing multi-physics models and executing them in a massively parallel fashion. It has a stochastic tools module (STM) for forward/inverse uncertainty quantification (UQ) and surrogate modeling. This presentation details some recent developments to the STM with respect to the implementation of adaptive, active learning, and multifidelity Monte Carlo methods for forward UQ of computational models. Specifically, the adaptive Monte Carlo methods include Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC)-driven algorithms like adaptive importance sampling and parallelized subset simulation for statistical QoI estimation, rare events analysis, and stochastic gradient-free optimization. The active learning methods include Gaussian Process (GP) surrogates and their training via Adam optimization, design of acquisition functions, and integration with samplers like Monte Carlo, adaptive importance, and parallelized subset simulation. These active learning methods are also designed to work in a batch mode, wherein, the required calls to the full computational model are executed in parallel whenever a user-specified batch size is met. The multifidelity methods in STM are broadly divided into two categories: hierarchical, where a defined hierarchy exists among the low-fidelity models, and peer, where all the low-fidelity models are treated equally. A GP surrogate is used to learn the differences between the low- and high-fidelity models in both multifidelity categories, and acquisition functions from the active learning classes are used to decide whether to rely on a low-fidelity model or call the expensive high-fidelity model. Alongside the software description and usage, applications are also presented to nuclear engineering computational models including a TRISO nuclear fuel particle, a reactor pressure vessel, and a heat-pipe microreactor.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

A spectral analysis of the domain decomposed Monte Carlo method for linear systems

The domain decomposed behavior of the adjoint Neumann-Ulam Monte Carlo method for solving linear systems is analyzed using the spectral properties of the linear operator. Relationships for the average length of the adjoint random walks, a measure of convergence speed and serial performance, are made with respect to the eigenvalues of the linear operator. In addition, relationships for the effective optical thickness of a domain in the decomposition are presented based on the spectral analysis and diffusion theory. Using the effective optical thickness, the Wigner rational approximation and the mean chord approximation are applied to estimate the leakage fraction of stochastic histories from a domain in the decomposition as a measure of parallel performance and potential communication costs. The one-speed, two-dimensional neutron diffusion equation is used as a model problem to test the models for symmetric operators. In general, the derived approximations show good agreement with measured computational results. (authors)

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

A Residual Monte Carlo Method for Spatially Discrete, Angularly Continuous Radiation Transport

Residual Monte Carlo provides exponential convergence of statistical error with respect to the number of particle histories. In the past, residual Monte Carlo has been applied to a variety of angularly discrete radiation-transport problems. Here, we apply residual Monte Carlo to spatially discrete, angularly continuous transport. By maintaining angular continuity, our method avoids the deficiencies of angular discretizations, such as ray effects. For planar geometry and step differencing, we use the corresponding integral transport equation to calculate an angularly independent residual from the scalar flux in each stage of residual Monte Carlo. We then demonstrate that the resulting residual Monte Carlo method does indeed converge exponentially to within machine precision of the exact step differenced solution.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

A Fast Monte Carlo Method for Model-Based Prognostics Based on Stochastic Calculus

This work proposes a fast Monte Carlo method to solve differential equations utilized in model-based prognostics. The methodology is derived from the theory of stochastic calculus, and the goal of such a method is to speed up the estimation of the probability density functions describing the independent variable evolution over time. In the prognostic scenarios presented in this paper, the stochastic differential equations describe variables directly or indirectly related to the degradation of a monitored system. The method allows the estimation of the probability density functions by solving the deterministic equation and approximating the stochastic integrals using samples of the model noise. By so doing, the prognostic problem is solved without the Monte Carlo simulation based on Euler's forward method, which is typically the most time consuming task of the prediction stage. Three different prognostic scenarios are presented as proof of concept: (i) life prediction of electrolytic capacitors, (ii) remaining time to discharge of Lithium-ion batteries, and (iii) prognostic of cracked structures under fatigue loading. The paper shows how the method produces probability density functions that are statistically indistinguishable from the distributions estimated with Euler's forward Monte Carlo simulation. However, the proposed solution is orders of magnitude faster when computing the time-to-failure distribution of the monitored system. The approach may enable complex real-time prognostics and health management solutions with limited computing power.

Corbetta, M.↗

A Fast Monte Carlo Method for Model-Based Prognostics Based on Stochastic Calculus

This work proposes a fast Monte Carlo method to solve differential equations utilized in model-based prognostics. The methodology is derived from the theory of stochastic calculus, and the goal of such a method is to speed up the estimation of the probability density functions describing the independent variable evolution over time. In the prognostic scenarios presented in this paper, the stochastic differential equations describe variables directly or indirectly related to the degradation of a monitored system. The method allows the estimation of the probability density functions by solving the deterministic equation and approximating the stochastic integrals using samples of the model noise. By so doing, the prognostic problem is solved without the Monte Carlo simulation based on Euler's forward method, which is typically the most time consuming task of the prediction stage. Three different prognostic scenarios are presented as proof of concept: (i) life prediction of electrolytic capacitors, (ii) remaining time to discharge of Lithium-ion batteries, and (iii) prognostic of cracked structures under fatigue loading. The paper shows how the method produces probability density functions that are statistically indistinguishable from the distributions estimated with Euler's forward Monte Carlo simulation. However, the proposed solution is orders of magnitude faster when computing the time-to-failure distribution of the monitored system. The approach may enable complex real-time prognostics and health management solutions with limited computing power.

stochastic calculus↗

Study of the Transition Flow Regime using Monte Carlo Methods

This NASA Cooperative Agreement presents a study of the Transition Flow Regime Using Monte Carlo Methods. The topics included in this final report are: 1) New Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) procedures; 2) The DS3W and DS2A Programs; 3) Papers presented; 4) Miscellaneous Applications and Program Modifications; 5) Solution of Transitional Wake Flows at Mach 10; and 6) Turbulence Modeling of Shock-Dominated Fows with a k-Enstrophy Formulation.

Hassan, H. A.↗

Calculation of Prompt Fission Neutron Lifetimes by the Monte Carlo Method

An algorithm for calculation of prompt fission neutron lifetimes in a nuclear reactor by the Monte Carlo method is described. Evaluation of the importance function is carried out with solution of the neutron transport equation without solving the adjoint equation. The results of the prompt neutron lifetime calculations performed within some critical experiments are presented and compared with the experimental results.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Benchmark study of the two-dimensional Hubbard model with auxiliary-field quantum Monte Carlo method

Ground-state properties of the Hubbard model on a two-dimensional square lattice are studied by the auxiliary-field quantum Monte Carlo method. Accurate results for energy, double occupancy, effective hopping, magnetization, and momentum distribution are calculated for interaction strengths of U/t from 2 to 8, for a range of densities including half-filling and n = 0.3,0.5,0.6, 0.75, and 0.875. At half-filling, the results are numerically exact. Away from half-filling, the constrained path Monte Carlo method is employed to control the sign problem. Our results are obtained with several advances in the computational algorithm, which are described in this paper in detail. We discuss the advantages of generalized Hartree-Fock trial wave functions and its connection to pairing wave functions, as well as the interplay with different forms of Hubbard-Stratonovich decompositions. We study the use of different twist angle sets when applying the twist averaged boundary conditions. We propose the use of quasirandom sequences, which improves the convergence to the thermodynamic limit over pseudorandom and other sequences. With it and a careful finite size scaling analysis, we are able to obtain accurate values of ground-state properties in the thermodynamic limit. Detailed results for finite-sized systems up to 16 × 16 are also provided for benchmark purposes.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Calculation of electronic properties of multilayer graphene with Monte Carlo method

In this study, the electronic transport properties of bilayer graphene is investigated by an ensemble Monte Carlo method. The bilayer graphene has a quadratic energy dependence on wave vector near the points known as Dirac points in the reciprocal lattice. For bilayer graphene the scatterings due to acoustic and optic phonons and ionized impurities are taken into account. Velocity-time and steady state velocity-applied field curves are obtained and from the slope of velocity-field curves at low fields, the low field mobility of bilayer graphene is obtained. The dependence of mobility of bilayer graphene on temperature, electron concentration, impurity concentration, acoustic and optic deformation constants is investigated and it is observed that the most important mechanism limiting the mobility is the phonon scattering.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

An Overview of the Monte Carlo Methods, Codes, & Applications Group

This report sketches the work of the Group to deliver first-principle Monte Carlo methods, production quality codes, and radiation transport-based computational and experimental assessments using the codes MCNP and MCATK for such applications as criticality safety, non-proliferation, nuclear energy, nuclear threat reduction and response, radiation detection and measurement, radiation health protection, and stockpile stewardship.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Monte Carlo Methods in Materials Science Based on FLUKA and ROOT

A comprehensive understanding of mitigation measures for space radiation protection necessarily involves the relevant fields of nuclear physics and particle transport modeling. One method of modeling the interaction of radiation traversing matter is Monte Carlo analysis, a subject that has been evolving since the very advent of nuclear reactors and particle accelerators in experimental physics. Countermeasures for radiation protection from neutrons near nuclear reactors, for example, were an early application and Monte Carlo methods were quickly adapted to this general field of investigation. The project discussed here is concerned with taking the latest tools and technology in Monte Carlo analysis and adapting them to space applications such as radiation shielding design for spacecraft, as well as investigating how next-generation Monte Carlos can complement the existing analytical methods currently used by NASA. We have chosen to employ the Monte Carlo program known as FLUKA (A legacy acronym based on the German for FLUctuating KAscade) used to simulate all of the particle transport, and the CERN developed graphical-interface object-oriented analysis software called ROOT. One aspect of space radiation analysis for which the Monte Carlo s are particularly suited is the study of secondary radiation produced as albedoes in the vicinity of the structural geometry involved. This broad goal of simulating space radiation transport through the relevant materials employing the FLUKA code necessarily requires the addition of the capability to simulate all heavy-ion interactions from 10 MeV/A up to the highest conceivable energies. For all energies above 3 GeV/A the Dual Parton Model (DPM) is currently used, although the possible improvement of the DPMJET event generator for energies 3-30 GeV/A is being considered. One of the major tasks still facing us is the provision for heavy ion interactions below 3 GeV/A. The ROOT interface is being developed in conjunction with the CERN ALICE (A Large Ion Collisions Experiment) software team through an adaptation of their existing AliROOT (ALICE Using ROOT) architecture. In order to check our progress against actual data, we have chosen to simulate the ATIC14 (Advanced Thin Ionization Calorimeter) cosmic-ray astrophysics balloon payload as well as neutron fluences in the Mir spacecraft. This paper contains a summary of status of this project, and a roadmap to its successful completion.

Pinsky, Lawrence↗

Advanced Multilevel Monte Carlo Methods

This article reviews the application of some advanced Monte Carlo techniques in the context of multilevel Monte Carlo (MLMC). MLMC is a strategy employed to compute expectations, which can be biassed in some sense, for instance, by using the discretization of an associated probability law. The MLMC approach works with a hierarchy of biassed approximations, which become progressively more accurate and more expensive. Additionally, using a telescoping representation of the most accurate approximation, the method is able to reduce the computational cost for a given level of error versus i.i.d. sampling from this latter approximation. All of these ideas originated for cases where exact sampling from couples in the hierarchy is possible. This article considers the case where such exact sampling is not currently possible. We consider some Markov chain Monte Carlo and sequential Monte Carlo methods, which have been introduced in the literature, and we describe different strategies that facilitate the application of MLMC within these methods.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗