Set run duration based on statistical goals

Users have requested a way to have TOPAS continue running until dose accuracy reaches a user-determined limit (rather than just running a pre-determined number of histories). This feature is now available, and we have done it in a general purpose way, such that run duration tests can depend upon any scored quantity (dose or otherwise).

Because TOPAS supports time features, any accuracy test is only meaningful once the entire run sequence has occurred. Accordingly, the new system works by evaluating various tests only after the entire run sequence is complete (all Histories of all Runs). TOPAS then evaluates the tests, and repeats the entire run sequence until all tests have been satisfied.

The tests are tied to the scoring system. Any scorer can have up to three tests. New parameters are:

d:Sc/MyScorer/RepeatSequenceUntilSumGreaterThan = 1. MeV # type can be d, u or i depending on scoring quantity
d:Sc/MyScorer/RepeatSequenceUntilStandardDeviationLessThan = .004 MeV # type can be d, u or i
i:Sc/MyScorer/RepeatSequenceUntilCountGreaterThan = 1200

The second two tests above are necessary because the StandardDeviation is subject to statistical noise until a reasonable amount of data has been collected. By requiring a minimum Sum or minimum number of Counts, one can insure that there is enough data to use the StandardDeviation.

Tests can be applied to as many scorers as you wish. The entire simulation will repeat until All tests on All scorers are satisfied.

If the scorer has been binned in X, Y, Z, E or T, you must also specify which specific bin should be evaluated, using the parameters:

i:Sc/MyScorer/RepeatSequenceTestXBin = 2
i:Sc/MyScorer/RepeatSequenceTestYBin = 2
i:Sc/MyScorer/RepeatSequenceTestZBin = 2
i:Sc/MyScorer/RepeatSequenceTestEBin = 5
i:Sc/MyScorer/RepeatSequenceTestTimeBin = 0

Remember that the tests will be evaluated only after the entire simulation sequence is complete. You should therefore set So/MySource/NumberOfHistoriesInRun to a value small enough that this end of test will be reached in a reasonable time. The final total number of histories will be that NumberOfHistoriesInRun times the number of times the testing process causes TOPAS to re-run the entire sequence.