Noise and Nonlinear Phenomena in Nuclear Systems (Nato Science Series B:, 192)

The main goal of the meeting was to facilitate and encourage the application of recent developments in the physical and mathematical sciences to the analysis of deterministic and stochastic processes in nuclear engineering. In contrast with the rapid growth (triggered by computer developments) of nonlinear analysis in other branches of the physical sciences, the theoretical analysis of nuclear reactors is still based on linearized models of the neutronics and thermal-hydraulic feedback loop, an approach that ignores some intrinsic nonlinearities of the real system. The subject of noise was added because of the importance of the noise technique in detecting abnormalities associated with perturbations of sufficient amplitude to generate nonlinear processes. Consequently the organizers of the meeting invited a group of leading researchers in the field of noise and nonlinear phenomena in nuclear systems to report on recent advances in their area of research. A selected subgroup of researchers in areas outside the reactor field provided enlightenment on new theoretical developments of immediate relevance to nuclear dynamics theory. Front Matter....Pages i-xv Front Matter....Pages 1-1 A Glimpse into the World of Random Walks....Pages 3-18 Stochastic Bifurcations in a Generic Dynamical System: A Qualitative Analysis....Pages 19-28 Unified Theory of Fluctuations and Parametric Noise....Pages 29-39 An Influence Functional Approach for the Elimination of Variables in Stochastic Processes....Pages 41-51 Mixing Properties and Resonances in Chaotic Dynamical Systems....Pages 53-56 Front Matter....Pages 57-57 Application of Stochastic Transport Theory to the Determination of the Statistical Descriptors Used in Noise Analysis....Pages 59-98 Determination of Kinetics Parameters Using Stochastic Methods in a 252 Cf Driven System....Pages 99-106 Solving Low Power Stochastic Equations: Nonlinear Studies....Pages 107-118 Contribution to the Discussion....Pages 119-119 Exact and Inexact, Explicit and Implicit Solution Techniques for the Forward and Backward Kolmogorov Equations....Pages 121-127 Front Matter....Pages 129-129 Some Applications of Stochastic Processes in Neutron Coincidence: Measurements Used in Nuclear Safeguards....Pages 131-141 Application of Statistical Correlation Techniques for Measurement of the Keff of Highly Subcritical Systems....Pages 143-157 Stochastic Aspects of Neutron Multiplication in Fusion Blanket Materials and Spallation Targets....Pages 159-166 Stochastic Calculations of the Effective Density Factor....Pages 167-170 Statistical Correlation Calculation of the Time Constant Alpha in Monte Carlo Simulation of Subcritical Assemblies....Pages 171-176 Front Matter....Pages 177-177 Nonlinear Stochastic Theory and Identification of Nonlinearity in Nuclear Reactors....Pages 179-192 Stochastic Nonlinear Dynamics of Nuclear Power Plants: Noise Effects on Nonlinear Stability....Pages 193-209 The Role of Fluctuations in Nuclear Reactor Transients....Pages 211-225 The Effect of Fuel Depletion on Stochastic Behaviour in Supercritical Systems....Pages 227-239 Backward Kolmogorov Equations with Feedback: Contribution to the Discussion....Pages 241-245 Front Matter....Pages 177-177 Steady State Dynamics of Nonlinear Nuclear Reactor Systems....Pages 247-259 Non-Linear Effects in Structural Vibration Induced Fluctuations....Pages 261-271 Front Matter....Pages 273-273 Bispectrum Estimation Using Overlapped Segments....Pages 275-286 Non Linear AR-Noise Investigated Via a Kalman Filter....Pages 287-295 Characteristics of Adaptiveness and Self-Organizing as Applied to the Non Linear Nuclear Systems....Pages 297-311 The Monte Carlo Simulation of Thermal Noise in Fast Reactors....Pages 313-338 Pump Induced Linear and Non Linear Vibrations at P.W.R....Pages 339-348 Front Matter....Pages 349-349 Variational Methods for Analyzing Limit Cycles in B.W.R.....Pages 351-369 Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos in Boiling Water Reactors....Pages 371-385 Nonlinear Dynamics of Three-Dimensional Point Fission Reactors....Pages 387-397 Phase Plane Analysis of Nuclear-Coupled Density-Wave Oscillations....Pages 399-414 Front Matter....Pages 415-415 Nonlinear Dynamics of the Nuclear Breeding Process....Pages 417-429 Nonlinear Xenon Oscillations....Pages 431-437 Nonlinear Reactor Stability Analysis with Arbitrary Feedback....Pages 439-450 A Stochastic Method for Nuclear Power Plant Diagnosis....Pages 451-456 Stochastic Nuclear Reaction Theory: Breit-Wigner Nuclear Noise....Pages 457-461 Back Matter....Pages 463-465