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31 records · Page 2

Reduce-Order Modeling of Multigroup Neutron Cross Sections for High-Temperature Gas-cooled Reactors

Deterministic neutronics calculations rely on multigroup neutron cross section libraries, which usually consists of a database of tabulated values, used to calculate the cross sections through multivariate linear interpolation. However, interpolation of the multidimensional cross section data becomes memory inefficient and time consuming as the number of tabulations increases, significantly slowing down the neutronics calculation, especially in the case of micro cross section libraries where every isotope (on the order of hundreds) has its own set of specific reactions and cross sections. To address this challenge, this work constructs efficient and robust reduced-order models (ROMs) of the multi-group cross sections to support the Griffin simulation of high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs). The first part of the study investigates the linearity of the multi-group cross section data across isotopes, reaction types and energy groups on pre-generated datasets for the purpose of dimensionality reduction. Secondly, a down-selection of ROM techniques is presented on representative classical machine learning (ML) techniques, including variants of linear regression, kernel-based methods, tree-based algorithms, and artificial neural networks. The selection criteria jointly consider the memory efficiency, predictive accuracy, prediction speed, and scalability in comparison to the multidimensional interpolation. Among all the ML techniques, deep neural networks (DNNs) have proven to be the best selection with sufficient accuracy, high robustness, good memory efficiency, great scalability, and superior flexibility. DNNs for have been trained for all isotopes in this work and systematic Griffin testing is ongoing at this moment to ensure the feasibility of this ROM technique for cross section predictions.

42 - ENGINEERING↗

Reduced-Order Modeling of Multigroup Neutron Cross Sections for High-Temperature Gas-cooled Reactors

Abstract – Deterministic neutronics calculations rely on multigroup neutron cross section libraries, which consist of databases of tabulated values, used to calculate the neutron cross sections through multivariate linear interpolation. However, interpolation of the multidimensional cross section data becomes memory inefficient and time consuming as the number of tabulations increases, significantly slowing down the neutronics calculation, especially in the case of microscopic cross section libraries where every isotope (on the order of hundreds) has its own set of specific reactions and cross sections. In order to address this challenge, this work constructs efficient and robust reduced-order models (ROMs) of the multi-group cross sections to support the Griffin simulation of high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs). The first part of the study investigates the linearity of the multigroup cross section data across isotopes, reaction types, and energy groups on pre-generated datasets for the purpose of dimensionality reduction. Secondly, a down-selection of ROM techniques is presented on representative classical machine learning (ML) techniques, including variants of linear regression, kernel-based methods, tree-based algorithms, and artificial neural networks. The selection criteria jointly consider the memory efficiency, predictive accuracy, prediction speed, and scalability in comparison to the multidimensional interpolation. Among all the ML techniques, deep neural networks (DNNs) have proven to be the best selection with sufficient accuracy, high robustness, good memory efficiency, great scalability, and superior flexibility. DNNs have been trained for all isotopes in this work and systematic Griffin testing is ongoing to ensure the feasibility of this ROM technique for predicting cross section and reducing memory requirements without a significant sacrifice in computational performance.

42 - ENGINEERING↗

Advanced Cross Section Library Generation using Reduced Order Models

Deterministic neutronics calculations rely on multigroup neutron cross section libraries, which consist of databases of tabulated values, used to calculate the neutron cross sections through multivariate linear interpolation. However, interpolation of the multidimensional cross section data becomes memory inefficient and time consuming as the number of tabulations increases, significantly slowing down the neutronics calculation, especially in the case of microscopic cross section libraries where every isotope (on the order of hundreds) has its own set of specific reactions and cross sections. In order to address this challenge, this work constructs efficient and robust reduced-order models (ROMs) of the multi-group cross sections to support the Griffin simulation of high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs). The first part of the study investigates the linearity of the multigroup cross section data across isotopes, reaction types, and energy groups on pre-generated datasets for the purpose of dimensionality reduction. Secondly, a down-selection of ROM techniques is presented on representative classical machine learning (ML) techniques, including variants of linear regression, kernel-based methods, tree-based algorithms, and artificial neural networks. The selection criteria jointly consider the memory efficiency, predictive accuracy, prediction speed, and scalability in comparison to the multidimensional interpolation. Among all the ML techniques, deep neural networks (DNNs) have proven to be the best selection with sufficient accuracy, high robustness, good memory efficiency, great scalability, and superior flexibility. DNNs have been trained for all isotopes in this work and systematic Griffin testing is ongoing to ensure the feasibility of this ROM technique for predicting cross section and reducing memory requirements without a significant sacrifice in computational performance.

42 - ENGINEERING↗

Data-driven surrogates for high dimensional models using Gaussian process regression on the Grassmann manifold

This paper introduces a surrogate modeling scheme based on Grassmannian manifold learning to be used for cost-efficient predictions of high-dimensional stochastic systems. The method exploits subspace-structured features of each solution by projecting it onto a Grassmann manifold. This point-wise linear dimensionality reduction harnesses the structural information to assess the similarity between solutions at different points in the input parameter space. The method utilizes a solution clustering approach in order to identify regions of the parameter space over which solutions are sufficiently similarly such that they can be interpolated on the Grassmannian. In this clustering, the reduced-order solutions are partitioned into disjoint clusters on the Grassmann manifold using the eigen-structure of properly defined Grassmannian kernels and, the Karcher mean of each cluster is estimated. Then, the points in each cluster are projected onto the tangent space with origin at the corresponding Karcher mean using the exponential mapping. For each cluster, a Gaussian process regression model is trained that maps the input parameters of the system to the reduced solution points of the corresponding cluster projected onto the tangent space. Using this Gaussian process model, the full-field solution can be efficiently predicted at any new point in the parameter space. In certain cases, the solution clusters will span disjoint regions of the parameter space. In such cases, for each of the solution clusters we utilize a second, density-based spatial clustering to group their corresponding input parameter points in the Euclidean space. The proposed method is applied to two numerical examples. Here, the first is a nonlinear stochastic ordinary differential equation with uncertain initial conditions where the surrogate is used to predict the time history solution. The second involves modeling of plastic deformation in a model amorphous solid using the Shear Transformation Zone theory of plasticity, where the proposed surrogate is used to predict the full strain field of a material specimen under large shear strains.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Quasar Identification Using Multivariate Probability Density Estimated from Nonparametric Conditional Probabilities

Nonparametric estimation for a probability density function that describes multivariate data has typically been addressed by kernel density estimation (KDE). A novel density estimator recently developed by Farmer and Jacobs offers an alternative high-throughput automated approach to univariate nonparametric density estimation based on maximum entropy and order statistics, improving accuracy over univariate KDE. This article presents an extension of the single variable case to multiple variables. The univariate estimator is used to recursively calculate a product array of one-dimensional conditional probabilities. In combination with interpolation methods, a complete joint probability density estimate is generated for multiple variables. Good accuracy and speed performance in synthetic data are demonstrated by a numerical study using known distributions over a range of sample sizes from 100 to 10 6 for two to six variables. Performance in terms of speed and accuracy is compared to KDE. The multivariate density estimate developed here tends to perform better as the number of samples and/or variables increases. As an example application, measurements are analyzed over five filters of photometric data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 17. The multivariate estimation is used to form the basis for a binary classifier that distinguishes quasars from galaxies and stars with up to 94% accuracy.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Improving the Precision of First-Principles Calculation of Parton Physics from Lattice Quantum Chromodynamics

Large momentum effective theory (LaMET) provides a general framework for computing the multi-dimensional partonic structure of the proton from first principles using lattice quantum chromodynamics (QCD). In this effective field theory approach, LaMET predicts parton distributions through a power expansion and perturbative matching of a class of Euclidean observables—quasi-distributions—evaluated at large proton momenta. Recent advances in lattice renormalization, such as the hybrid scheme with leading renormalon resummation, together with improved matching kernel that incorporates higher-loop corrections and resummations, have enhanced both the perturbative and power accuracy of LaMET, enabling a reliable quantification of theoretical uncertainties. Moreover, the Coulomb-gauge correlator approach further simplifies lattice analyses and improves the precision of transverse-momentum-dependent structures, particularly in the non-perturbative region. State-of-the-art LaMET calculations have already yielded certain parton observables with important phenomenological impact. In addition, the recently proposed kinematically enhanced lattice interpolation operators promise access to unprecedented proton momenta with greatly improved signal-to-noise ratios, which will extend the range of LaMET prediction and further suppress the power corrections. The remaining challenges, such as controlling excited-state contamination in lattice matrix elements and extracting gluonic distributions, are expected to benefit from emerging lattice techniques for ground-state isolation and noise reduction. Thus, lattice QCD studies of parton physics have entered an exciting stage of precision control and systematic improvement, which will have a broader impact for nuclear and particle experiments.

Zhao, Yong [Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Arg↗

Efficient 3-D velocity model building using joint inline and crossline plane-wave wave-equation migration velocity analyses

SUMMARY Wave-equation migration velocity analysis (WEMVA) is an image-domain inversion method for velocity model building. Automatic plane-wave WEMVA (PWEMVA) calculates the moveouts of plane-wave common-image gathers (CIGs) by searching a best-fitting parabola with semblance analysis and backprojects residual CIG moveouts into wavefield wave paths with a reflection tomographic kernel. However, 3-D PWEMVA is very computationally expensive because 3-D reflection tomographic inversion requires at least five 3-D reverse-time migrations per iteration and stores two types of source wavefields at model boundaries. We develop a joint inline and crossline PWEMVA method for efficient 3-D velocity model building. We alternatively implement the inline and crossline PWEMVAs with a constraint for each other, in which we iteratively construct the 3-D velocity model update through 1-D spline interpolation of 2-D gradients. The inline and crossline joint inversion is practical since PWEMVA only inverts for low-wavenumber velocity perturbations along wave paths, and the method can take less than 1 per cent of the computational cost of full 3-D PWEMVA. To construct unaliased plane waves for our joint inline and crossline PWEMVA, we develop a 3-D data interpolation method in the frequency–wavenumber (FK) domain to recover regularly and randomly missing traces. The method minimizes the misfit on sufficiently localized data subsets with iterative optimal step lengths and a gradient preconditioner that iteratively selects dominant dips along different azimuths. In numerical experiments, we use a 3-D synthetic seismic data set and a land 3-D field seismic data set acquired at the Farnsworth CO2-EOR (enhanced oil recovery) field to demonstrate the efficacy of our velocity model building and data interpolation methods.

Liu, Xuejian↗

Determining the leading-order contact term in neutrinoless double β decay

We present a method to determine the leading-order (LO) contact term contributing to the nn → ppe - e - amplitude through the exchange of light Majorana neutrinos. Our approach is based on the representation of the amplitude as the momentum integral of a known kernel (proportional to the neutrino propagator) times the generalized forward Compton scattering amplitude n ( p 1 ) n ( p 2 ) W + ( k ) → \( p\left({p}_1^{\prime}\right)p\left({p}_2^{\prime}\right){W}^{-}(k) \) , in analogy to the Cottingham formula for the electromagnetic contribution to hadron masses. We construct model-independent representations of the integrand in the low- and high-momentum regions, through chiral EFT and the operator product expansion, respectively. We then construct a model for the full amplitude by interpolating between these two regions, using appropriate nucleon factors for the weak currents and information on nucleon-nucleon ( NN ) scattering in the 1 S 0 channel away from threshold. By matching the amplitude obtained in this way to the LO chiral EFT amplitude we obtain the relevant LO contact term and discuss various sources of uncertainty. We validate the approach by computing the analog I = 2 NN contact term and by reproducing, within uncertainties, the charge-independence-breaking contribution to the 1 S 0 NN scattering lengths. While our analysis is performed in the \( \overline{\mathrm{MS}} \) scheme, we express our final result in terms of the scheme-independent renormalized amplitude \( {\mathcal{A}}_{\nu}\left(\left|\mathbf{p}\right|,\left|\mathbf{p}^{\prime}\right|\right) \) at a set of kinematic points near threshold. We illustrate for two cutoff schemes how, using our synthetic data for \( {\mathcal{A}}_{\nu } \) , one can determine the contact-term contribution in any regularization scheme, in particular the ones employed in nuclear-structure calculations for isotopes of experimental interest.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Progress on Demonstration of a MOOSE-Based Coupled Capability for Hot Channel Factors in Fast Reactors

Hot channel factors (HCFs) are computed values that account for the impact on predicted peak fuel, cladding, and coolant temperatures due to uncertainties in the as-built reactor’s material properties and geometry as well as uncertainties due to modeling approximations. Reduction in computed HCF values via reduction or elimination of modeling approximations may translate to significant economic savings if the reactor power can be raised due to the extra temperature margin gained. While limited historical datasets exist for sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFRs), there are no available HCF data for lead-cooled fast reactors (LFRs) outside of work generated previously within NEAMS. The computation of HCFs involves insights from reactor physics, thermal fluids and heat conduction calculations to determine how the peak temperatures respond to various uncertainties in the design. Due to the significant advantages for multi-physics coupling offered by the MOOSE framework, Griffin (MOOSE-based reactor physics code), MOOSE Heat Conduction Module, and Cardinal (MOOSE-wrapped multi-physics application which includes the NekRS thermal fluids code) are being coupled together using the MOOSE MultiApp System to develop a highfidelity multi-physics modeling capability for HCF simulations. This high-fidelity coupling workflow may also be beneficial for other fast reactor applications in the future. In previous work, Griffin and NekRS were individually assessed to ensure the necessary capabilities were in place. This work describes initial efforts to couple the codes (including folding in the MOOSE Heat Conduction Module) and determining the workflow for the perturbed calculations which will leverage the Stochastic Tools Module (STM). To our knowledge, this is the first coupling of Griffin and NekRS as well as the first exploratory use of Stochastic Tools Module for Cardinal. In this report, the neutronics code Griffin, the heat conduction solver in MOOSE, and the MOOSE-wrapped application containing NekRS (Cardinal) are linked together to demonstrate the coupled capability. Griffin and Cardinal are linked dynamically by specifying shared libraries. Different coupling hierarchies are tested for selecting the most appropriate coupling strategy. A coupling scheme is selected based on the efficiency of calculation and ease of data communication. Multiple tests are performed to choose suitable mesh structure, model configurations, scheme setup and boundary conditions to avoid loss of energy due to data interpolation between different modules or weak imposition of fluxes in finite element codes. Computational experiments are performed to study the tolerance control of each type of iteration to avoid false convergence. The coupled capability is demonstrated in both single pin and 7-pin models based on LFR materials and geometry. The study finds that the use of too large a time step size in the heat conduction module can lead to temperature oscillation even though the heat conduction equation does not have a time-derivative kernel, but only the time-dependent boundary condition. A 7-pin model without duct region achieved good convergence in the coupled calculation while a 7 pin model with duct region experienced data communication issues which need to be resolved.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Bootstrapping the String Kawai-Lewellen-Tye Kernel

We show that a generalized version of the 4-point string theory KLT double-copy map is the most general solution to the minimal-rank double-copy bootstrap in effective field theory. This follows from significant restrictions of the 4-point map resulting from the 6-point bootstrap analysis. The generalized 4-point double-copy map is defined by a function with only two parameters times a simple function that is symmetric in s,t,u. The two parameters can be interpreted as independent choices of α', one for each of the two sets of amplitudes double-copied with the map. Specifically, each of those two sets of amplitudes must obey either the string monodromy relations or the field theory KK & BCJ relations; there are no other options. We propose a closed form of the new double-copy map that interpolates between the original KLT string double-copy and the open & closed string period integrals. The construction clarifies the "single-valued projection" property of the Riemann zeta-function values for the 4-point string theory double copy.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Early arrival waveform inversion using data uncertainties and matching filters with application to near-surface seismic refraction data

We develop an early arrival waveform inversion (EAWI) technique for high-resolution near-surface velocity estimation by iteratively updating the P-wave velocity model to minimize the difference between the observed and calculated seismic refraction data. Traditional EAWI uses a least-squares penalty function and an acoustic forward-modeling engine. Conventional least-squares error is sensitive to data with low signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) and iterations of EAWI stop at a local-minimum data misfit or at the preassigned maximum number of iterations. These stopping criteria can result in overfitting the data. In addition, fitting the elastic field data with an acoustic modeling engine can introduce artifacts in velocity estimation, especially in land data with significant elastic effects. To overcome these challenges, we develop a robust EAWI (REAWI) method by (1) incorporating the data uncertainties into the penalty function and (2) mitigating the elastic effects using a matching filter workflow. The data uncertainties are estimated from waveform reciprocal errors. When full-waveform reciprocity is not available, trace interpolation is applied. The proposed method prevents closely fitting data with low S/N, avoids overall overfitting by stopping the iterations when a normalized chi-square ([Formula: see text]) waveform misfit of one is achieved, and is less affected by elastic effects. Numerical examples and application to near-surface refraction data at a groundwater contamination site suggest that the final REAWI models are more accurate than the corresponding EAWI models, at the same level of misfit. This is the first known application of a matching filter workflow to real land data. The final REAWI models satisfy an appropriate misfit between the real data and predicted elastic P-wave data, making this approach in this respect equivalent to elastic waveform inversion. We also develop a method to analyze model constraint by examining the energy of the wavefield Fréchet derivative thereby avoiding the influence of the data residuals in traditional Fréchet kernels.

Geochemistry & Geophysics↗

General field evaluation in high-order meshes on GPUs

Robust and scalable function evaluation at any arbitrary point in the finite/spectral element mesh is required for querying the partial differential equation solution at points of interest, comparison of solution between different meshes, and Lagrangian particle tracking. This is a challenging problem, particularly for high-order unstructured meshes partitioned in parallel with MPI, as it requires identifying the element that overlaps a given point and computing the corresponding reference space coordinates. Here, we present a robust and efficient technique for general field evaluation in large-scale high-order meshes with quadrilaterals and hexahedra. In the proposed method, a combination of globally partitioned and processor-local maps are used to first determine a list of candidate MPI ranks, and then locally candidate elements that could contain a given point. Next, element-wise bounding boxes further reduce the list of candidate elements. Finally, Newton’s method with trust region is used to determine the overlapping element and corresponding reference space coordinates. Since GPU-based architectures have become popular for accelerating computational analyses using meshes with tensor-product elements, specialized kernels have been developed to utilize the proposed methodology on GPUs. The method is also extended to enable general field evaluation on surface meshes. The paper concludes by demonstrating the use of the proposed method in various applications ranging from mesh-to-mesh transfer during r-adaptivity to Lagrangian particle tracking.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Integration of Online Cross-Section Generation Capability with Depletion and Transient Solvers in Griffin

Griffin is a Multiphysics Object-Oriented Simulation Environment (MOOSE)-based reactor multiphysics analysis application jointly developed by Argonne and Idaho National Laboratories under the DOENE Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) program. In FY25, an online crosssection generation capability based on the Self-Shielding Application Programming Interface (SSAPI) was demonstrated for TRISO-fueled reactor problems under steady-state conditions. This fiscal year, that capability was extended to support depletion and transient multiphysics calculations, enabling high-fidelity analyses that generate self-shielded cross sections on the fly from the actual evolving composition and temperature states rather than from pre-tabulated libraries. For depletion, a two-way coupling was established in which SSAPI computes compact-averaged self-shielded cross sections that the depletion solver then uses to advance the Bateman equations, with the updated compositions returned to SSAPI at each step; the depletion module was refactored to support both library-based and SSAPI-based cross sections, and additional logic was added to track daughter isotopes and to exclude minor isotopes for efficiency. For transient analysis, the SSAPI multigroup library was extended with the kinetics data required for time-dependent calculations, the Improved Quasi-Static (IQS) scheme was coupled with SSAPI, and several supporting capabilities were implemented, including a self-shielding treatment that lets control rods and drums move within a self-shielded model, which had previously been impossible and had ruled out rod- and drum-movement transients with on-the-fly cross sections altogether, a new mixing scheme for delayed-neutron precursor decay constants, a checkpoint-based restart workflow, and performance improvements such as pointwise cross-section interpolation and the bypassing of unnecessary Dancoff factor calculations. The implemented capabilities were verified against Serpent Monte Carlo solutions. For depletion, a prismatic pin-cell problem based on a Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) Very High Temperature Reactor benchmark showed excellent agreement, with eigenvalue differences within 200 pcm over the entire burnup range (up to 140 MWD/kgU) and fission-product and actinide inventories agreeing to within 0.8% and 2.5%, respectively; a heat-pipe microreactor assembly problem with a much higher fuel loading confirmed the same behavior and quantified the bias introduced when the multigroup equivalence effect is neglected. For transient analysis, a pin-cell problem with a step reactivity insertion and temperature feedback reproduced the analytically expected asymptotic power and showed close agreement between the direct and IQS solutions, and a two-dimensional microreactor core problem with control-drum rotation exercised the new moving-drum self-shielding treatment and demonstrated successful coupling of the online crosssection generation with both the direct and IQS transient methods. The capability was further exercised on a full-core pebble-bed problem, in which Griffin was coupled with the System Analysis Module (SAM) to simulate load-following operation of the gPBR with the Doppler feedback resolved at the TRISO fuel kernel temperature. These developments in Griffin provide a convenient, high-fidelity approach to cross-section generation for advanced thermal reactors with geometrically complex and highly heterogeneous configurations, including TRISO-fueled prismatic and pebble-bed systems, and support steady-state, depletion, and transient multiphysics calculations. They also enable self-shielded cross sections to be evaluated directly at the actual coupled state of the system, thereby establishing a foundation for high-fidelity, fully coupled multiphysics analysis of advanced reactors

Park, H.↗