GEANT4 Tutorial: Simulations of Nuclear Reactions and Medical Isotope Applications

This research project, which has been carried out at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), has two main objectives. The first objective has been to master the use of GEANT4 (G4), understanding the internal structure of the software and the main classes used to develop a G4 application. This work culminates with the elaboration of a tutorial document for G4 beginners, with applications in nuclear and medical physics. The second objective is the direct application of G4 in two significant areas of physics. One of them is the simulation of photonuclear reactions, such as the 197Au(γ,n)196Au reaction. These simulations allow us to calculate cross sections, produce distributions and compare the results with other software such as PHITS and experimental data. The second application is in the field of cancer radiotherapy, specifically the effects of the Auger electron (AE) emitter Tb-155 on a prostate cancer cell. Using the recent G4-DNA extension that includes a complete nuclear model, we are investigating the potential of Tb-155 AE emissions to produce DNA damage, both direct and indirect, in different cellular compartments. This damage is measured by energy depositions in DNA material, producing single and double strand brakes. We also study how condensation of chromatin into chromosomes, representing different cell cycles, affects DNA damage. These G4 applications will serve as practical examples in the tutorial document.