ENDF nuclear data in the physical, biological, and medical sciences.

PURPOSE

This paper gives an overview of recent advances in the ENDF (Evaluated Nuclear Data File) database of neutron, proton, and photonuclear cross sections. ENDF nuclear data aim to provide accurate and comprehensive representations of all reaction processes that need to be simulated in radiation transport applications. The paper reviews some of the most importance capabilities embodied in the ENDF/B-VII.0 database released a few years ago, and describes new capabilities being developed for the forthcoming ENDF/B-VII.1 release planned for later in 2011.

CONCLUSION

Illustrative examples are given for nuclear reactions of particular importance to Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) simulations of biological and medical applications. The examples show the utility of these evaluated ENDF data for simulating energy deposition and transport, for therapy and for radiation protection applications.