Journal: Physical Review C
Bio
Luiz Leal works at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the Nuclear Data group of the Nuclear Energy and Fuel Cycle Division. In the past he worked at Argonne National Laboratory from 1990 to 1993 and at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) from 1993 to 2015. From 2015 to 2023 he worked at the Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), France. Throughout his career. He has actively collaborated with faculty members and co-advised students in many universities, in the US and abroad. He is a Fellow of the American Nuclear Society (ANS) and 2016 Reactor Physics Division (RPD) recipient of the Eugene P. Wigner Reactor Physicist Award and the 2023 ANS Seaborg Medal recipient. Luiz is a member of the Cross Section Evaluation Working Group (CSEWG). Luiz received a PhD from the Nuclear Engineering Department of the University of Tennessee in 1990. Luiz received the "Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches (HDR)" from the Université Paris-Sud, France in 2016. This is the highest academic degree in Europe, in particular France.
Professional Experience
2023- Distinguished R&D Staff, Nuclear Data Group, Reactor and Nuclear Energy and Fuel Cycle Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN
2020-2023 In charge of Scientific Excellence at the Neutronics and criticality risk department, Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), France.
2015-2020 Deputy Head of Neutron Laboratory Laboratoire d'expertise et de recherche en neutronique des réacteurs (LN), Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), France
2004-2015 Distinguished R&D Staff Nuclear Data and Criticality Safety Group, Reactor and Nuclear Systems Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN
2001-2004 Senior Research Development Staff Member Nuclear Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN
Acted as the technical director of the nuclear data activities in support of the DOE Nuclear Criticality Safety Program.
1996-2001 Senior Nuclear Engineer Radiation Information Analysis Section and Leader, Nuclear Data Group, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN. In this capacity had the overall responsibility for nuclear data measurement and evaluation at the Oak Ridge Linear Accelerator (ORELA) and also responsible for nuclear data evaluations presently in the US Evaluated Nuclear Data Files.
1993-1996 Nuclear Engineer Radiation Information Analysis Section, Nuclear Data Group, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN
1990-1993 Nuclear Engineer Theory and Analyses Group of the Reactor Analysis Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL
Awards
2023 ANS Seaborg Medal Recipient
2016 Reactor Physics Division (RPD) recipient of the Eugene P. Wigner Reactor Physicist Award.
2010 ANS Fellow
2010 Technical Excellence Award winner in the Criticality Safety Division of the American Nuclear Society.
Education
Université Paris-Sud, France: Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches (HDR), July 2016
The University of Tennessee: PhD in Nuclear Engineering, May 1990
Federal University of Rio de Janeiro: MSc in Nuclear Engineering, June 1980
Federal University of Rio de Janeiro: BSc in Physics, December 1977
Professional Affiliations
ANS member
Publications
Journal: Nuclear Data Sheets
Journal: Nuclear Science and Engineering
Journal: Annals of Nuclear Energy
Other Publications
D.P. Barry, A.M. Lewis, L. Leal, and J.M. Brown, "A new 103Rh Unresolved Resonance Region evaluation," Annals of Nuclear Energy 188 (2023) 109751, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2023.109751.
C. Jeannesson, L. Leal, C. Jouanne, and M. Coste-Delclaux, "Methodology for an efficient statistical cross sections sampling in the unresolved resonance range," Annals of Nuclear Energy 166 (2022) 108794, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2021.108794.
Luiz Leal, “An approach for performing resolved and unresolved resonance evaluation based on few or none experimental data available: Application to unstable and short-lived isotopes,” Annals of Nuclear Energy 158 (2021) 108261, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2021.108261.
Luiz Leal, Nicolas Leclaire, Devin Barry, Amanda Lewis, Peter Schillebeeckx, Stefan Kopecky, Cristian Mihailescu, "Testing of a New 103Rh Resolved Resonance Evaluation," Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Vol. 125, Washington, D.C., November 30–December 3, 2021, Pages 700-703.
Luiz Leal, Vladimir Sobes, Federico Rocchi, Danila Roubtsov, Jimmy Chow, and Cristian Massimi, “Resonance evaluation of Gadolinium Isotopes,” EPJ Web of Conferences 239, 11004 (2020) https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202023911004.
Luiz Leal, Vaibhav Jaiswal, and Alexander I. Kolesnikov, “High-resolution neutron time-of-flight measurements for light water at the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS), Oak Ridge National laboratory,” EPJ Web of Conferences 239, 14005 (2020), https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202023914005.
Kemal Ramic, Carl Wendorff, Yongqiang Cheng, Alexander I. Kolesnikov, Doug L. Abernathy, Luke Daemen, Goran Arbanas, Luiz Leal, Yaron Danon, Li (Emily) Liu, "Thermal scattering law of (C2H4)n : Integrating experimental data with DFT calculations," Annals of Nuclear Energy 120 (2018) 778–787, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2018.06.029.
C. Jeannesson, L. Leal, C. Jouanne, and M. Coste-Delclaux, “Unresolved Resonance Range processing and probability tables generation in the GAIA2 system,” EPJ Web of Conferences 239, 10001 (2020), https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202023910001.
Vaibhav Jaiswal, Luiz Leal, and Alexander I. Kolesnikov, “Analysis of the time-of-flight neutron scattering cross-section data for light water measured at the SEQUOIA spectrometer, Spallation Neutron Source (SNS),” EPJ Web Conferences 239, 14007 (2020), https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202023914007.
Michal Kostal, Martin Schulc, Evzen Novak, Tomas Czakoj, Zdenek Matej, Frantisek Cvachovec, Filip Mravec, Bohumil Jansky, and Luiz Leal, “Validation of heavy water cross section using AmBe neutron source,” EPJ Web of Conferences 239, 18008 (2020), https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202023918008.
Vladimir Sobes, Luiz Leal, Benoit Forget, and Barry Ganapol, “From Nuclear Data to Reactor Design,” Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc. 122, 749-752 (2020).
Chris W. Chapman , Goran Arbanas , Alexander I. Kolesnikov , Luiz Leal ,Yaron Danon , Carl Wendorff , Kemal Ramić , Li Liu, and Farzad Rahnema, “Methodology for Generating Covariance Data of Thermal Neutron Scattering Cross Sections,” Nucl. Sci. Eng. Received April 20, 2020 and accepted for Publication June 30, 2020.
L. Leal, N. Leclaire, F. Fernex, A. Jinaphanh, I. Duhamel, “Nuclear data and applications at the nuclear safety and radioprotection institute: Analysis, evaluation and application,” Annals of Nuclear Energy 134 (2019) 244–249.
Luiz Leal, “Resonance parameter covariance representation: file32 versus file33,” EPJ Nuclear Sci. Technol. 4, 17 (2018).
Luiz Leal, Sophie Pignet, Nicolas Leclaire, Isabelle Duhamel, and Gary Harms, "Differential and Integral Data Evaluation for Titanium: An Application to Criticality Safety," Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Vol. 117, Washington, D.C., October 29–November 2, 2017.
Luiz Leal, Adimir Santos, Evgeny Ivanov, and Tatiana Ivanova, “Impact of 235U Resonance Parameter Evaluation in the Reactivity Prediction”, Nucl. Sci. Eng. 187 (2), 127-141, May 2017.
Luiz Leal, Evgeny Ivanov, Gilles Noguere, Arjan Plompen, and Stefan Kopecky, “Resonance parameter and covariance evaluation for 16O up to 6 MeV,” EPJ Nuclear Sci. Technol. 2, 43 (2016).
Luiz Leal, “AN OVERVIEW ON THE ROLE OF NUCLEAR DATA: ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION,” Invited Eugene P. Wigner Reactor Physicist Award Winer,” Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc. 115, November 6-10 (2016).
C. van der Hoeven, E. Schneider, and L. Leal, “Generation of Improved Isotopic Molybdenum Covariances from Elemental Cross-Section Data Using SAMMY,” Nucl. Sci. Eng. 179, 1-21, (2015).
L. Leal, A. Daskalakis, Y. Danon, A. Negret, and A. Plompen, “R-matrix Evaluation of 56Fe Including Elastic, Inelastic, and Angular Dependent Cross Sections,” WINS 2014 Workshop on Elastic and Inelastic Neutron Scattering, Dresden, Germany, December 3-5, 2014.
Andrew Holcomb, Luiz Leal, Farzad Rahnema, Dorothea Wiarda, and Goran Arbanas, “Reconstructing Double-Differential and Energy Energy-Differential Resonance Cross-Sections Using the R-Matrix Limited Formalism in the AMPX Code,” Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc. 111, 887–890 (2014).
Vladimir Sobes, Luiz Leal, and Goran Arbanas, “Nuclear Data Adjustment with SAMMY Based on Integral Experiments,” Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc. 111, 843–845 (2014).
L. Leal, V. Sobes, M. Pigni, K. Guber, G. Arbanas, D. Wiarda, M. Dunn, E. Ivanov, T. Ivanova, and E. Letang, “ORNL Nuclear Data Evaluation Accomplishments for FY 2014,” Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc. 111, 780–783 (2014).
Vladimir Sobes, Luiz Leal, and Goran Arbanas, “User’s Guide to SAMINT: A Code for Nuclear Data Adjustment with SAMMY Based on Integral Experiments,” ORNL/TM-2014/245, August 2014.
P. Pereslavtsev, U. Fischer, A. Konobeyev, V. Sobes, L. Leal, “New Evaluation of n+63,65Cu Nuclear Cross Section Data up to 200 MeV Neutron Energy” Nuclear Data Sheets Volume 118, April 2014, Pages 158–160.
M. T. Pigni, L. C. Leal, M. E. Dunn, K. H. Guber, A. Trkov, G. Žerovnik, F. Emiliani, S. Kopecky, C. Lampoudis, P. Schillebeeckx, P. Siegler, “Evaluation of Tungsten Neutron Cross Sections in the Resolved Resonance Region,” Nuclear Data Sheets Volume 118, April 2014, pages 118-147.
Gašper Žerovnik, Andrej Trkov, and Luiz C. Leal, “Challenges and solutions for random sampling of parameters with extremely large uncertainties and analysis of the 232Th resonance covariances,” Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A Accelerators Spectrometers Detectors and Associated Equipment April 2014, Volume 74, pages 339–343.
L. Leal, A. Kahler, G. Noguere, O. Bouland, and Y. Penneliau, “Resonance Evaluations of 235U for the CIELO Project,” NEMEA-7/CIELO – International Collaboration on Nuclear Data, Geel, Belgium, November 5-8, 2013.
L. Leal, R. Sayer, A. Kahler, R. MacFarlane, and T. Ivanova, “Resonance Evaluations for 56Fe, and 16O for the CIELO Project,” NEMEA-7/CIELO – International Collaboration on Nuclear Data, Geel, Belgium, November 5-8, 2013.
L. Leal, A. Kahler, G. Noguere, and T. Iavanova, “Overview of the Resonance Evaluations for 16O, 56Fe, 235U, and 239Pu for the CIELO Project,” NEMEA-7/CIELO – International Collaboration on Nuclear Data, Geel, Belgium, November 5-8, 2013.
B. A. Khuwaileh, G. Arbanas, M. L. Williams, L. C. Leal, H. Abdel-Khalik, and M. E. Dunn, “The Effect of Implicit Self-Shielding on the Inverse Sensitivity/Uncertainty Method for Thermal Reactors,” Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc. 109, 804-807 (2013).
G. Arbanas, B. A. Khuwaileh, M. Williams, L. C. Leal, M. E. Dunn, and H. S. Abdel-Khalik, “Integral Benchmark Experiments in the Inverse Sensitivity/Uncertainty Computations,” Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc. 109, 808-811 (2013).
V. Sobes, L. Leal, and B. Forget, “Coupled Differential and Integral Data Analysis for Improved Uncertainty Quantification,” in Proceedings of the 2013 ANS Winter Meeting and Nuclear Technology Expo, Washington, D.C., November 10-14, 2013.
M. T. Pigni, L. C. Leal, M. E. Dunn, K. H. Guber, F. Emiliani, S. Kopecky, C. Lampoudis, P. Schillebeeckx, and P. Siegler, “Evaluation of Tungsten Neutron Cross Sections in the Resolved Resonance Region,” International Conference on Nuclear Data for Science and Technology (ND 2013), New York, New York, March 4-8, 2013.
V. Sobes, L. Leal, K. Guber, B. Forget, S. Kopecky, P. Schillebeeckx, and P. Siegler, “New Resolved Resonance Region Evaluation for 63,65Cu for Nuclear Criticality Safety Program,” International Conference on Nuclear Data for Science and Technology (ND 2013), New York, New York, March 4-8, 2013.
L. C. Leal, G. Noguere, C. de Saint Jean, and A. C. Kahler, “239Pu Resonance Evaluation for Thermal Benchmark System Calculations,” International Conference on Nuclear Data for Science and Technology (ND 2013), New York, New York, March 4-8, 2013.
L. C. Leal, Y. Danon, D. Williams, and M. Jandel, “235U Resolved Resonance Evaluation for Benchmark Calculations in the Intermediate Energy Region,” in Proceedings of the 2013 ANS Annual Meeting, Atlanta, Georgia, June 16-20, 2013.
L. Leal et al., “ORNL Resolved Resonance Covariance Generation for ENDF/B-VII.1,” Nuclear Data Sheets, 113, 3101-3119, November 2012.
L. Leal, R. MacFarlane, A. Plompen, A. Negret, and C. Borcea, “56Fe Resonance Evaluation Up to 1.5 MeV,” WINS 2012, Boston, Massachusetts, September 17-19, 2012.
M. E. Dunn, L. C. Leal, K. H. Guber, G. Arbanas, D. Wiarda, R. O. Sayer, H. Derrien, and J. Harvey, “Resonance Region Cross-Section Data Advancements for Nuclear Criticality Safety Applications,” in Proceedings of ICNC 2011, Edinburgh, U.K., September 19-22, 2011.
K. H. Guber, L. C. Leal, C. Lampoudis, S. Kopecky, P. Schillebeeckx, F. Emiliani, R. Wynants, and P. Siegler, “New Improved Nuclear Data for Nuclear Criticality and Safety,” in Proceedings of ICNC 2011, Edinburgh, U.K., September 19-22, 2011.
L. C. Leal, K. H. Guber, G. Arbanas, D. Wiarda, P. E. Koehler, and A. Kahler, “Resonance Evaluation of 48Ti Including Covariance for Criticality Safety Applications,” in Proceedings of ICNC 2011, Edinburgh, U.K., September 19-22, 2011.
G. Arbanas, M. E. Dunn, N. M. Larson, L. C. Leal, M. L. Williams, B. Becker, and R. Dagan, “Computation of Temperature-Dependent Legendre Moments of a Double-Differential Elastic Cross Section,” in Proceedings of the International Conference on Mathematics and Computational Methods Applied to Nuclear Science and Engineering (M&C 2011), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, May 8-12, 2011.
L. Leal and K. Shibata, Assessment of the Unresolved Resonance Treatment for Cross-section and Covariance Representation, Nuclear Science/NEA/WPEC-32, NEA/NSC/WPEC/DOC(2011)430, a report by the working Party of International Evaluation Co-operation of the NEA Nuclear Science Committee, Nuclear Energy Agency, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, April 2011.
L. C. Leal, C. De Saint Jean, and G. Noguere, “Comparison of Resonance Parameter Covariance Generation Using CONRAD and SAMMY Computer Codes,” Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc. 102, 506-508 (2010).
K. H. Guber, H. Derrien, L. C. Leal, G. Arbanas, D. Wiarda, P. Koehler, and J. A. Harvey, “Astrophysical Reaction Rates for 58,60Ni(n,γ) from New Neutron Capture Cross Section Measurements,” Phys. Rev. C 82, 057601 (2010).
B. Habert, C. De Saint Jean, L. C. Leal, and Y. Rugama, “Retroactive Generation of Covariance Matrix of Nuclear Model Parameters Using Marginalization Techniques,” Nucl. Sci. Eng. 166(3), 276-287, November 2010.