Measurement and simulation of the muon-induced neutron yield in lead

L. Reichhart; A. Lindote; D. Yu Akimov; H. M. Araújo; E. J. Barnes; V. A. Belov; A. Bewick; A. A. Burenkov; V. Chepel; A. Currie; L. Deviveiros; B. Edwards; V. Francis; C. Ghag; A. Hollingsworth; M. Horn; G. E. Kalmus; A. S. Kobyakin; A. G. Kovalenko; V. A. Kudryavtsev; M. I. Lopes; R. Lüscher; P. Majewski; A. St J. Murphy; F. Neves; S. M. Paling; J. Pinto Da Cunha; R. Preece; J. J. Quenby; P. R. Scovell; C. Silva; V. N. Solovov; N. J.T. Smith; P. F. Smith; V. N. Stekhanov; T. J. Sumner; C. Thorne; R. J. Walker

doi:10.1016/j.astropartphys.2013.06.002

Measurement and simulation of the muon-induced neutron yield in lead

L. Reichhart
, A. Lindote
, D. Yu Akimov
, H. M. Araújo
, E. J. Barnes
, V. A. Belov
, A. Bewick
, A. A. Burenkov
, V. Chepel
, A. Currie
, L. Deviveiros
, B. Edwards
, V. Francis
, C. Ghag
, A. Hollingsworth
, M. Horn
, G. E. Kalmus
, A. S. Kobyakin
, A. G. Kovalenko
, V. A. Kudryavtsev

M. I. Lopes, R. Lüscher, P. Majewski, A. St J. Murphy, F. Neves, S. M. Paling, J. Pinto Da Cunha, R. Preece, J. J. Quenby, P. R. Scovell, C. Silva, V. N. Solovov, N. J.T. Smith, P. F. Smith, V. N. Stekhanov, T. J. Sumner, C. Thorne, R. J. Walker

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

31 Scopus citations

Abstract

Abstract A measurement is presented of the neutron production rate in lead by high energy cosmic-ray muons at a depth of 2850 m water equivalent (w.e.) and a mean muon energy of 260 GeV. The measurement exploits the delayed coincidences between muons and the radiative capture of induced neutrons in a highly segmented tonne scale plastic scintillator detector. Detailed Monte Carlo simulations reproduce well the measured capture times and multiplicities and, within the dynamic range of the instrumentation, the spectrum of energy deposits. By comparing measurements with simulations of neutron capture rates a neutron yield in lead of (5.78-0.28+0.21) ×10^-3 neutrons/muon/(g/cm²) has been obtained. Absolute agreement between simulation and data is of order 25%. Consequences for deep underground rare event searches are discussed.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	67-76
Number of pages	10
Journal	Astroparticle Physics
Volume	47
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.astropartphys.2013.06.002
State	Published - 2013

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Astronomy and Astrophysics

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10.1016/j.astropartphys.2013.06.002

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Reichhart, L., Lindote, A., Akimov, D. Y., Araújo, H. M., Barnes, E. J., Belov, V. A., Bewick, A., Burenkov, A. A., Chepel, V., Currie, A., Deviveiros, L., Edwards, B., Francis, V., Ghag, C., Hollingsworth, A., Horn, M., Kalmus, G. E., Kobyakin, A. S., Kovalenko, A. G., ... Walker, R. J. (2013). Measurement and simulation of the muon-induced neutron yield in lead. Astroparticle Physics, 47, 67-76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.astropartphys.2013.06.002

@article{fa4ea3c1dc1e40e0bfcd37723b84383a,

title = "Measurement and simulation of the muon-induced neutron yield in lead",

abstract = "Abstract A measurement is presented of the neutron production rate in lead by high energy cosmic-ray muons at a depth of 2850 m water equivalent (w.e.) and a mean muon energy of 260 GeV. The measurement exploits the delayed coincidences between muons and the radiative capture of induced neutrons in a highly segmented tonne scale plastic scintillator detector. Detailed Monte Carlo simulations reproduce well the measured capture times and multiplicities and, within the dynamic range of the instrumentation, the spectrum of energy deposits. By comparing measurements with simulations of neutron capture rates a neutron yield in lead of (5.78-0.28+0.21) ×10-3 neutrons/muon/(g/cm2) has been obtained. Absolute agreement between simulation and data is of order 25\%. Consequences for deep underground rare event searches are discussed.",

author = "L. Reichhart and A. Lindote and Akimov, \{D. Yu\} and Ara{\'u}jo, \{H. M.\} and Barnes, \{E. J.\} and Belov, \{V. A.\} and A. Bewick and Burenkov, \{A. A.\} and V. Chepel and A. Currie and L. Deviveiros and B. Edwards and V. Francis and C. Ghag and A. Hollingsworth and M. Horn and Kalmus, \{G. E.\} and Kobyakin, \{A. S.\} and Kovalenko, \{A. G.\} and Kudryavtsev, \{V. A.\} and Lopes, \{M. I.\} and R. L{\"u}scher and P. Majewski and Murphy, \{A. St J.\} and F. Neves and Paling, \{S. M.\} and \{Pinto Da Cunha\}, J. and R. Preece and Quenby, \{J. J.\} and Scovell, \{P. R.\} and C. Silva and Solovov, \{V. N.\} and Smith, \{N. J.T.\} and Smith, \{P. F.\} and Stekhanov, \{V. N.\} and Sumner, \{T. J.\} and C. Thorne and Walker, \{R. J.\}",

note = "Funding Information: The UK groups acknowledge the support of the Science \& Technology Facilities Council (STFC) for the ZEPLIN-III project (in particular, the analysis work presented here was supported by STFC Grant Nos. ST/K006436/1 , ST/K003178/1 , ST/K003208/1 , ST/K006428/1 , ST/K003186/1 , ST/K006444/1 and ST/K006770/1 ) and for maintenance and operation of the underground Palmer Laboratory which is hosted by Cleveland Potash Ltd (CPL) at Boulby Mine, UK. The project would not have been possible without the co-operation of the management and staff of CPL. Additionally, we want to thank the Boulby science facility team for their support during underground aspects of this work. We also acknowledge support from a Joint International Project award, held at ITEP and Imperial College, from the Russian Foundation of Basic Research (08-02-91851 KO\_a) and the Royal Society. LIP–Coimbra acknowledges financial support from Funda{\c c}{\~a}o para a Ci{\^e}ncia e Tecnologia (FCT) through the project-grants CERN/FP/109320/2009 and /116374/2010, and postdoctoral grants SFRH/BPD/27054/2006, /47320/2008, /63096/2009 and /73676/2010. Furthermore, we acknowledge the Edinburgh Compute and Data Facilities for accommodating the heavy usage of the Edinburgh computer cluster {\textquoteleft}Eddie{\textquoteright} for this analysis. This work was supported in part by SC Rosatom, contract contract H.4e.45.90.11.1059 from 10.03.2011. The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with registration number SC005336.",

year = "2013",

doi = "10.1016/j.astropartphys.2013.06.002",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "47",

pages = "67--76",

journal = "Astroparticle Physics",

issn = "0927-6505",

publisher = "Elsevier B.V.",

}

Reichhart, L, Lindote, A, Akimov, DY, Araújo, HM, Barnes, EJ, Belov, VA, Bewick, A, Burenkov, AA, Chepel, V, Currie, A, Deviveiros, L, Edwards, B, Francis, V, Ghag, C, Hollingsworth, A, Horn, M, Kalmus, GE, Kobyakin, AS, Kovalenko, AG, Kudryavtsev, VA, Lopes, MI, Lüscher, R, Majewski, P, Murphy, ASJ, Neves, F, Paling, SM, Pinto Da Cunha, J, Preece, R, Quenby, JJ, Scovell, PR, Silva, C, Solovov, VN, Smith, NJT, Smith, PF, Stekhanov, VN, Sumner, TJ, Thorne, C & Walker, RJ 2013, 'Measurement and simulation of the muon-induced neutron yield in lead', Astroparticle Physics, vol. 47, pp. 67-76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.astropartphys.2013.06.002

TY - JOUR

T1 - Measurement and simulation of the muon-induced neutron yield in lead

AU - Reichhart, L.

AU - Lindote, A.

AU - Akimov, D. Yu

AU - Araújo, H. M.

AU - Barnes, E. J.

AU - Belov, V. A.

AU - Bewick, A.

AU - Burenkov, A. A.

AU - Chepel, V.

AU - Currie, A.

AU - Deviveiros, L.

AU - Edwards, B.

AU - Francis, V.

AU - Ghag, C.

AU - Hollingsworth, A.

AU - Horn, M.

AU - Kalmus, G. E.

AU - Kobyakin, A. S.

AU - Kovalenko, A. G.

AU - Kudryavtsev, V. A.

AU - Lopes, M. I.

AU - Lüscher, R.

AU - Majewski, P.

AU - Murphy, A. St J.

AU - Neves, F.

AU - Paling, S. M.

AU - Pinto Da Cunha, J.

AU - Preece, R.

AU - Quenby, J. J.

AU - Scovell, P. R.

AU - Silva, C.

AU - Solovov, V. N.

AU - Smith, N. J.T.

AU - Smith, P. F.

AU - Stekhanov, V. N.

AU - Sumner, T. J.

AU - Thorne, C.

AU - Walker, R. J.

N1 - Funding Information: The UK groups acknowledge the support of the Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC) for the ZEPLIN-III project (in particular, the analysis work presented here was supported by STFC Grant Nos. ST/K006436/1 , ST/K003178/1 , ST/K003208/1 , ST/K006428/1 , ST/K003186/1 , ST/K006444/1 and ST/K006770/1 ) and for maintenance and operation of the underground Palmer Laboratory which is hosted by Cleveland Potash Ltd (CPL) at Boulby Mine, UK. The project would not have been possible without the co-operation of the management and staff of CPL. Additionally, we want to thank the Boulby science facility team for their support during underground aspects of this work. We also acknowledge support from a Joint International Project award, held at ITEP and Imperial College, from the Russian Foundation of Basic Research (08-02-91851 KO_a) and the Royal Society. LIP–Coimbra acknowledges financial support from Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) through the project-grants CERN/FP/109320/2009 and /116374/2010, and postdoctoral grants SFRH/BPD/27054/2006, /47320/2008, /63096/2009 and /73676/2010. Furthermore, we acknowledge the Edinburgh Compute and Data Facilities for accommodating the heavy usage of the Edinburgh computer cluster ‘Eddie’ for this analysis. This work was supported in part by SC Rosatom, contract contract H.4e.45.90.11.1059 from 10.03.2011. The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with registration number SC005336.

PY - 2013

Y1 - 2013

N2 - Abstract A measurement is presented of the neutron production rate in lead by high energy cosmic-ray muons at a depth of 2850 m water equivalent (w.e.) and a mean muon energy of 260 GeV. The measurement exploits the delayed coincidences between muons and the radiative capture of induced neutrons in a highly segmented tonne scale plastic scintillator detector. Detailed Monte Carlo simulations reproduce well the measured capture times and multiplicities and, within the dynamic range of the instrumentation, the spectrum of energy deposits. By comparing measurements with simulations of neutron capture rates a neutron yield in lead of (5.78-0.28+0.21) ×10-3 neutrons/muon/(g/cm2) has been obtained. Absolute agreement between simulation and data is of order 25%. Consequences for deep underground rare event searches are discussed.

AB - Abstract A measurement is presented of the neutron production rate in lead by high energy cosmic-ray muons at a depth of 2850 m water equivalent (w.e.) and a mean muon energy of 260 GeV. The measurement exploits the delayed coincidences between muons and the radiative capture of induced neutrons in a highly segmented tonne scale plastic scintillator detector. Detailed Monte Carlo simulations reproduce well the measured capture times and multiplicities and, within the dynamic range of the instrumentation, the spectrum of energy deposits. By comparing measurements with simulations of neutron capture rates a neutron yield in lead of (5.78-0.28+0.21) ×10-3 neutrons/muon/(g/cm2) has been obtained. Absolute agreement between simulation and data is of order 25%. Consequences for deep underground rare event searches are discussed.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84880300574

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84880300574#tab=citedBy

U2 - 10.1016/j.astropartphys.2013.06.002

DO - 10.1016/j.astropartphys.2013.06.002

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84880300574

SN - 0927-6505

VL - 47

SP - 67

EP - 76

JO - Astroparticle Physics

JF - Astroparticle Physics

ER -

Measurement and simulation of the muon-induced neutron yield in lead

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