[Neutron] McStas 2.3 released!

[Peter Kjær Willendrup]

Dear all,


McStas 2.3 has been released and is ready for download via http://downloads.mcstas.org/mcstas-2.3

Selected, important highligts from the release are listed below. The full list of changes is also available at http://mcstas.org/CHANGES_McStas.


  *   General:
     *   As of McStas 2.3, we support a new binary event file format: "MCPL" (Monte Carlo Particle List), developed by Thomas Kittelmann, ESS. The format aims to allow easier interchange of particle event data between monte carlo codes, and read/write functionality has been implemented for MCNP, Geant4 and McStas.
     *   Interoperability with Mantid has been improved, as OFF-based detectors can be used to define detector geometries in Mantid-oriented simulation runs. See https://github.com/McStasMcXtrace/McCode/wiki/McStas-and-Mantid for more documentation on the use.
  *   Infrastructure:
     *   To build McStas from GitHub, you will now need a CMake version >= 3.0
     *   At the ILL, Emmanuel Farhi has set up a nice web-service called cif2hkl, which allows to generate Laz/Lau structure data files from CIF files. See http://barns.ill.fr/cif2hkl.html
     *   A new e-Learning infrastructure for neutron scattering has been set up at https://www.e-neutrons.org . Among other things, it features a web-simulator powered by McStas. Once you have signed up, you will have access to many interesting things, among these this "close to complete" list of McStas instruments that can be run on the web: https://www.e-neutrons.org/mcstas-distrib
  *   Components:
     *   New component SASview_model.comp by Jakob Garde and Torben Nielsen allows to use SASview scattering kernels from within McStas. See also the test instrument templateSasView.instr
     *   New components MCPL_input and MCPL_output by Erik Knudsen. Used to read and write MCPL binary event files. See corresponding test instruments below.
     *   New component Refractor.comp by Emmanuel Farhi and Bob Cubitt, ILL. Implements a single bulk material shape that can be used as a prism or lens.
     *   PerfectCrystal.comp by Markus Appel, ILL / FAU Erlangen-Nuernberg. Perfect crystal component, primarily for use as monochromator and analyzer in backscattering spectrometers. Reflections are simulated using a Darwin, Ewald or Gaussian profile. Doppler movement of the monochromator is supported.
     *   MultiDiskChopper.comp by Markus Appel, ILL / FAU Erlangen-Nuernberg. Models a disk chopper with a freely configurable slit pattern. For simple applications, use the DiskChopper component instead.
     *   Updated version of Sample_nxs from Mirko Boin (HZB), including more nxs material definitions.
     *   Bugfix to ESS_moderator from Jan Saroun (RESTRAX/Simres): missing focusing/direction cosine inserted. Please note that this component does not implement "engineering reality" and currently uses a coordinate system centered on the moderator assembly. An updated moderator component which references the "Moderator focus coordinate system" will be released later during the spring of 2016.
  *   Instruments:
     *   New test instrument templateSasView.instr, documenting use of SASview_model.comp
     *   New test instruments Test_MCPL_input.instr and Test_MCPL_output.instr, documenting use of the MCPL components
     *   New test instrument Test_PowderN_Res.instr, demonstrates difference of using 'banana, theta' and 'banana, divergence' in Monitor_nD - and can be used to show influence of sample size on detected line with in diffractometers.
     *   New test instrument LLB_6T2.instr by Xavier Fabreges, LLB. Model of the LLB 6T2 thermal single crystal diffractometer.
     *   New ILL_IN13.instr by E. Farhi and A. Dennison, ILL. Models the IN13 Thermal neutron backscattering spectrometer.
     *   New SAFARI_MPISI.instr by Deon Marais, Necsa. Models the SAFARI instrument 'Materials Probe for Internal Strain Investigations'
     *   New SAFARI_PITSI.instr by Deon Marais, Necsa. Models the SAFARI instrument 'Powder Instrument for Transition in Structure Investigations'

IMPORTANT: Please ensure to use our "migration scripts" for McStas 2.0 and 1.12c if you want these to co-exist with 2.3. See https://github.com/McStasMcXtrace/McCode/tree/master/tools/migration-tool


Greetings from the McStas team - hope you will enjoy this new release! :-)

Peter Willendrup


Peter Kjær Willendrup
Senior Research Engineer, Special Advisor

DTU Physics



Technical University of Denmark



[cid:image002.gif at 01CCCAF1.5E6331F0]


Department of Physics
Fysikvej

Building 307

DK-2800 Kongens Lyngby

Direct +45 2125 4612

Mobil +45 2125 4612
Fax +45 4593 2399


pkwi at fysik.dtu.dk<mailto:pkwi at fysik.dtu.dk>

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