Symmetry Determining Equations and Lie Groups of the Neutron Transport Equation

The Grigoriev-Meleshko Method, an indirect Lie group theory method, is used to derive the symmetry determining equations (SDEs) of the neutron transport equation (NTE) and the coupled delayed neutron precursor equations (DNPEs). A solution to the SDEs is a Lie group of transformations that can be used to reduce the order of the NTE and DNPEs or outright solve the equations. We found several solutions of the SDEs and worked through the mathematical algorithm to demonstrate relationships of instantiations of the NTE and its known solutions with the Lie groups. Examples of solutions include the Lie group that allows for the transformation of the differential form of the NTE to the integral form of the NTE; the Lie groups that permit Case’s solution; and the Lie group used to transform from the NTE to the α-eigenvalue form of the NTE.