ADGEN: ADjoint GENerator for computer models

This paper presents the development of a FORTRAN compiler and an associated supporting software library called ADGEN. ADGEN reads FORTRAN models as input and produces and enhanced version of the input model. The enhanced version reproduces the original model calculations but also has the capability to calculate derivatives of model results of interest with respect to any and all of the model data and input parameters. The method for calculating the derivatives and sensitivities is the adjoint method. Partial derivatives are calculated analytically using computer calculus and saved as elements of an adjoint matrix on direct assess storage. The total derivatives are calculated by solving an appropriate adjoint equation. ADGEN is applied to a major computer model of interest to the Low-Level Waste Community, the PRESTO-II model. PRESTO-II sample problem results reveal that ADGEN correctly calculates derivatives of response of interest with respect to 300 parameters. The execution time to create the adjoint matrix is a factor of 45 times the execution time of the reference sample problem. Once this matrix is determined, the derivatives with respect to 3000 parameters are calculated in a factor of 6.8 that of the reference model for each response of interest. For a single 3000 for determining these derivatives by parameter perturbations. The automation of the implementation of the adjoint technique for calculating derivatives and sensitivities eliminates the costly and manpower-intensive task of direct hand-implementation by reprogramming and thus makes the powerful adjoint technique more amenable for use in sensitivity analysis of existing models. 20 refs., 1 fig., 5 tabs