Variety of Methodological Approach in Economics

It has been argued by some that the distinction between orthodox economics and heterodox economics does not fit the growing variety in economic theory, unified by a common methodological approach. On the other hand, it remains a central characteristic of heterodox economics that it does not share this methodological approach, but rather represents a range of alternative methodological approaches. The paper explores the evidence, and arguments, for variety in economics at different levels, and a range of issues which arise. This requires in turn a discussion of the meaning of variety in economics at the different levels of reality, methodology, method and theory. It is concluded that there is scope for more, rather than less, variety in economic methodologies, as well as within methodologies. Further, if variety is not to take the form of “anything goes”, then critical discussion by economists of different approaches to economics, and of variety itself, is required

ENDF/B-5 fission product cross section evaluations

Cross section evaluations were made for the 196 fission product nuclides on the ENDF/B-5 data files. Most of the evaluations involve updating the capture cross sections of the important absorbers for fast and thermal reactor systems. This included updating thermal values, resonance integrals, resonance parameter sets, and fast capture cross sections. For the fast capture results generalized least-squares calculations were made with the computer code FERRET. Input for these cross section adjustments included nuclear models calculations and both integral and differential experimental data results. The differential cross sections and their uncertainties were obtained from the CSIRS library. Integral measurement results came from CFRMF and STEK Assemblies 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000. Comparisons of these evaluations with recent capture measurements are shown. 15 figures, 10 tables

DANDE: a linked code system for core neutronics/depletion analysis

This report describes DANDE - a modular neutronics, depletion code system for reactor analysis. It consists of nuclear data processing, core physics, and fuel depletion modules, and allows one to use diffusion and transport methods interchangeably in core neutronics calculations. This latter capability is especially important in the design of small modular cores. Additional unique features include the capability of updating the nuclear data file during a calculation; a detailed treatment of depletion, burnable poisons as well as fuel; and the ability to make geometric changes such as control rod repositioning and fuel relocation in the course of a calculation. The detailed treatment of reactor fuel burnup, fission-product creation and decay, as well as inventories of higher-order actinides is a necessity when predicting the behavior of reactor fuel under increased burn conditions. The operation of the code system is made clear in this report by following a sample problem

Early Tertiary sinistral transpression and fault reactivation in the western Vøring Basin, Norwegian Sea: implications for hydrocarbon exploration and pre-break up deformation in ocean margin basins

The Nyk High is an approximately northeast-trending, Late Cretaceous to early Tertiary structural high situated in the western Vøring Basin, offshore Norway. It is defined by a thick sequence of Upper Cretaceous to lower Tertiary sediments that dip toward the southeast and are cut by normal faults with throws up to 1500 m (4921 ft). Across-fault sediment thickness variations and stratigraphic onlap relationships show that these faults were active during Campanian to early Paleocene extension, prior to the separation of Norway from Greenland ca. 55 Ma. Sediments preserved in the hanging walls of these rift-related normal faults are deformed by two populations of folds: one set is oriented clockwise of the fault strike; the other is oriented parallel to the fault strike. Stratigraphic relationships show that both sets of folds formed subsequent to rifting during the latest Paleocene to the earliest Eocene. We interpret these folds as having developed during minor sinistral transpression, which was partitioned between the northeastsouthwest sinistral strike-slip reactivation of the normal faults and the northwest-southeast coaxial shortening (folding) within the fault hanging walls. The Nyk High is oriented counterclockwise to the inferred line of the continental breakup. We speculate that transpression was driven by north-northwest forces arising from the differential topography along the incipient plate boundary and the presence of hot, buoyant material beneath this elevated axial region. Such deformation will not necessarily impact significantly on source rock maturity or the distribution of reservoir sands but can give rise to unusual structural trap geometries. It is also likely to increase the connectivity of trap-bounding faults