ParShield: A computer program for calculating attenuation parameters of the gamma rays and the fast neutrons

This study aims to present a new computer program called ParShield which determines the neutron and gamma-ray shielding parameters. This program can calculate the total mass attenuation coefficients (mu(t)), the effective atomic numbers (Z(eff)) and the effective electron densities (N-eff) for gamma rays and it can also calculate the effective removal cross-sections (Sigma(R)) for fast neutrons for mixtures and compounds. The results obtained for the gamma rays by using ParShield were compared with the results calculated by the WinXcom program and the measured results. The obtained values of (Sigma(R)) were tested by comparing them with the measured results,the manually calculated results and with the results obtained by using MERCSFN program and an excellent agreement was found between them. The ParShield program can be used as a fast and effective tool to choose and compare the shielding materials, especially for the determination of (Z(eff)) and (N-eff), there is no other programs in the literature which can calculate. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.