Pynic (Pythong Nuclear Interaction Calculator): New Tool to Predict Neutron Activation Analysis Experiments at TRIGA

Neutron activation analysis is a useful, effective and nondestructive technique used to identify unknown elements in a given sample of any type. When an element is irradiated in a nuclear reactor it is exposed to neutron flux. Neutrons interact with the sample elements and most of them will capture (absorb) the neutrons. This results in a formation of a new type of elements that in the process gain the energy by absorption of a neutron thus resulting in that element’s nucleus be in its excited state. Every such a nucleus tends naturally to return to its ground state during which process it emits that extra energy in the form of gamma rays. The emitted gamma rays have specific energies that are unique to the element exposed to activation (by neutrons).

In this poster we present the framework of PyNIC (Python Nuclear Interaction Calculator). PyNIC is a new computational tool developed to predict the neutron activation analysis experiments in TRIGA. This tool is able to provide details on gamma rays unique energy levels for a number of elements. In addition, the tool is developed to also provide an accurate prediction of the radiation dose a sample attains while being irradiated in TRIGA. This very useful tool has been already tested for various types of elements showing well agreement with the experimental measurements.