Adjoint-based Sensitivity Analysis for High-Energy Density Radiaitive Transfer using Flux-Limited Diffusion

Abstract: Uncertainty quantification and sensitivity analyses are a vital component for predictive modeling in the sciences and engineering. The adjoint approach to sensitivity analysis requires solving a primary system of equations and a mathematically related set of adjoint equations. The information contained in the equations can be combined to produce sensitivity information in a computationally efficient manner. In this work, sensitivity analyses are performed on systems described by flux-limited radiative diffusion using the adjoint approach. The sensitivities computed are shown to agree with standard perturbation theory, and can be obtained in significantly less computational time.