Monte Carlo calculation of deep penetration benchmark sensitivities

General neutronic and photonic Monte Carlo calculations have by now become quite popular. Monte Carlo calculation of sensitivities, nevertheless, necessitates special methods. Yet these methods have so far been only applied to certain particular problems such as reaction rates in a given spatial region, and are not widely known in the user community. One such method, the Differential Operator Method due to MCG Hall, has been extended to the calculation of sensitivities of point detectors. This incidentally enables the concurrent calculation of the detector response and its sensitivities. A brief exposition of the method is presented, followed by its application to several deeppenetration benchmark experiments for which the sensitivities to iron cross sections of some relevant responses are evaluated.