This article is an introduction to the Monte Carlo method as used in particle transport. After a description at an elementary level of the mathematical basis of the method, the Boltzmann equation and its physical meaning are presented, followed by Monte Carlo integration and random sampling, and by a general description of the main aspects and components of a typical Monte Carlo particle transport code. In particular, the most common biasing techniques are described, as well as the concepts of estimator and detector. After a discussion of the different types of errors, the issue of Quality Assurance is briefly considered.

In nuclear resonance fluorescence (NRF) measurements, resonances are excited by an external photon beam leading to the emission of gamma rays with specific energies that are characteristic of the emitting isotope. NRF promises the unique capability of directly quantifying a specific isotope without the need for unfolding the combined responses of several fissile isotopes as is required in other measurement techniques. We have analyzed the potential of NRF as a non-destructive analysis technique for quantitative measurements of Pu isotopes in spent nuclear fuel (SNF). Given the low concentrations of 239Pu in SNF and its small integrated NRF cross sections, the main challenge in achieving precise and accurate measurements lies in accruing sufficient counting statistics in a reasonable measurement time. Using analytical modeling, and simulations with the radiation transport code MCNPX that has been experimentally tested recently, the backscatter and transmission methods were quantitatively studied for differing photon sources and radiation detector types. Resonant photon count rates and measurement times were estimated for a range of photon source and detection parameters, which were used to determine photon source and gamma-ray detector requirements. The results indicate that systems based on a bremsstrahlung source and present detector technology are not practical for high-precision …

It used to happen often, to us accelerator radiation protection staff, to be asked by a new radiation worker: ?How much dose am I still allowed?? And we smiled looking at the shocked reaction to our answer: ?You are not allowed any dose?. Nowadays, also thanks to improved training programs, this kind of question has become less frequent, but it is still not always easy to convince workers that staying below the exposure limits is not sufficient. After all, radiation is still the only harmful agent for which this is true: for all other risks in everyday life, from road speed limits to concentration of hazardous chemicals in air and water, compliance to regulations is ensured by keeping below a certain value. It appears that a tendency is starting to develop to extend the radiation approach to other pollutants (1), but it will take some time before the new attitude makes it way into national legislations.

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We present a measurement of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix element |V{sub cb}| and the form-factor slope {rho}{sup 2} in {bar B} {yields} D{ell}{sup -} {bar {nu}}{sub {ell}} decays based on 460 million B{bar B} events recorded at the {Gamma}(4S) resonance with the BABAR detector. {bar B} {yields} D{ell}{sup -} {bar {nu}}{sub {ell}} decays are selected in events in which a hadronic decay of the second B meson is fully reconstructed. We measure the differential decay rate and determine G(1)|V{sub cb}| = (43.0 {+-} 1.9 {+-} 1.4) x 10{sup -3} and {rho}{sup 2} = 1.20 {+-}0.09 {+-} 0.04, where G(1) is the hadronic form factor at the point of zero recoil. We also determine the exclusive branching fractions and find {Beta}(B{sup -} {yields} D{sup 0} {ell}{sup -}{bar {nu}}{sub {ell}}) = (2.31 {+-} 0.08 {+-} 0.09)% and {Beta}(B{sup 0} {yields} D{sup +} {ell}{sup -} {bar {nu}}{sub {ell}}) = (2.23 {+-} 0.11 {+-} 0.11)%.

Using 467 fb{sup -1} of e{sup +}e{sup -} annihilation data collected with the BABAR detector, they measure {Beta}({tau}{sup -} {yields} {mu}{sup -}{bar {nu}}{sub {mu}}{nu}{sub {tau}})/{Beta}({tau}{sup -} {yields} e{sup -} {bar {nu}}{sub e}{nu}{sub {tau}}) = (0.9796 {+-} 0.0016 {+-} 0.0036), {Beta}({tau}{sup -} {yields} {pi}{sup -} {nu}{sub {tau}})/{Beta}({tau}{sup -} {yields} e{sup -}{bar {nu}}{sub e}{nu}{sub {tau}}) = (0.5945 {+-} 0.0014 {+-} 0.0061), and {Beta}({tau}{sup -} {yields} K{sup -}{nu}{sub {tau}})/{Beta}({tau}{sup -} {yields} e{sup -}{bar {nu}}{sub e}{nu}{sub {tau}}) = (0.03882 {+-} 0.00032 {+-} 0.00057), where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. From these precision {tau} measurements, they test the Standard Model assumption of {mu}-e and {tau}-{mu} charge current lepton universality and provide determinations of |V{sub us}| experimentally independent of the decay of a kaon.