Monte Carlo simulation of pulsed neutron experiments on samples of variable mass density

A method is presented to facilitate the interpretation of a pulsed neutron experiment (the variable geometric buckling experiment) when the mass densities of individual samples differ. A generalisation of the classic expression, which connects the fundamental mode decay constant to the thermal neutron diffusion parameters and to the geometrical buckling, is presented. The method has been tested (on polyethylene) by means of a computer simulation of the experiments. The simulation has been based on a Monte Carlo method, using the MCNP code. The described generalised buckling method is especially recommended for experiments with bulk materials. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.