A consistent Monte Carlo treatment of radiation responses in and around critical configurations

In the last years an innovative Monte Carlo approach for calculating radiation responses in and around critical assemblies such as reactor cores and criticality safety configurations has been developed. The approach operates within the source-iteration scheme and is designed to estimate deep penetration quantities whilst avoiding decoupling. It can thus be employed to calculate responses far from the reactor core or from the critical configuration and/or spatially limited responses near or within the core/critical configuration. Super histories are required to hold the fundamental mode steady. The state-of-the-art is summarized and indications are given on how to implement such an approach in general distribution Monte Carlo criticality codes. (Author)