Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.5194/gmd-16-449-2023
Licence creative commons licence
Title (Primary) URANOS v1.0 – the Ultra Rapid Adaptable Neutron-Only Simulation for environmental research
Author Köhli, M.; Schrön, M.; Zacharias, S.; Schmidt, U.
Source Titel Geoscientific Model Development
Year 2023
Department MET
Volume 16
Issue 2
Page From 449
Page To 477
Language englisch
Topic T5 Future Landscapes
Data and Software links https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6578668
https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/THPNZW
Abstract The understanding of neutron transport by Monte Carlo simulations led to major advancements towards precise interpretation of measurements. URANOS (Ultra Rapid Neutron-Only Simulation) is a free software package which has been developed in the last few years in cooperation with particle physics and environmental sciences, specifically for the purposes of cosmic-ray neutron sensing (CRNS). Its versatile user interface and input/output scheme tailored for CRNS applications offers hydrologists straightforward access to model individual scenarios and to directly perform advanced neutron transport calculations. The geometry can be modeled layer-wise, whereas in each layer a voxel geometry is extruded using a two-dimensional map from pixel images representing predefined materials and allowing for the construction of objects on the basis of pixel graphics without a three-dimensional editor. It furthermore features predefined cosmic-ray neutron spectra and detector configurations and also allows for a replication of important site characteristics of study areas – from a small pond to the catchment scale. The simulation thereby gives precise answers to questions like from which location do neutrons originate? How do they propagate to the sensor? What is the neutron's response to certain environmental changes? In recent years, URANOS has been successfully employed by a number of studies, for example, to calculate the cosmic-ray neutron footprint, signals in complex geometries like mobile applications on roads, urban environments and snow patterns.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=24372
Köhli, M., Schrön, M., Zacharias, S., Schmidt, U. (2023):
URANOS v1.0 – the Ultra Rapid Adaptable Neutron-Only Simulation for environmental research
Geosci. Model Dev. 16 (2), 449 - 477 10.5194/gmd-16-449-2023