Abstract
The results obtained by studying the background of neutrons produced by cosmic-raymuons in underground experimental facilities intended for rare-event searches and in surrounding rock are presented. The types of this rock may include granite, sedimentary rock, gypsum, and rock salt. Neutron production and transfer were simulated using the Geant4 and SHIELD transport codes. These codes were tuned via a comparison of the results of calculations with experimental data—in particular, with data of the Artemovsk research station of the Institute for Nuclear Research (INR, Moscow, Russia)—as well as via an intercomparison of results of calculations with the Geant4 and SHIELD codes. It turns out that the atomic-number dependence of the production and yield of neutrons has an irregular character and does not allow a description in terms of a universal function of the atomic number. The parameters of this dependence are different for two groups of nuclei—nuclei consisting of alpha particles and all of the remaining nuclei. Moreover, there are manifest exceptions from a power-law dependence—for example, argon. This may entail important consequences both for the existing underground experimental facilities and for those under construction. Investigation of cosmic-ray-induced neutron production in various materials is of paramount importance for the interpretation of experiments conducted at large depths under the Earth’s surface.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
R. I. Enikeev et al., Sov. J. Nucl. Phys. 46, 883 (1987).
N. Yu. Agafonova et al., Bull. Russ. Acad. Sci.: Phys. 73, 628 (2009).
O. Ryazhskaya and G. Zatsepin, in Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Cosmic Rays ICCR, London, UK, 1965, Vol. 2, p. 987.
O. G. Ryazhskaya, Phys. Usp. 56, 296 (2013).
V. N. Ivanchenko (for Greant4 Collab.), Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A 502, 2, 666 (2003).
A. S. Malgin and O. G. Ryazhskaya, Phys. At. Nucl. 71, 1769 (2008).
A. Lindote et al., Astropart. Phys. 31, 366 (2009).
V. S. Barashenkov, Sov. J. Part. Nucl. 9, 315 (1978).
L. B. Bezrukov et al., Acta Phys. Acad. Sci. Hung. 29 (Suppl. 4), 285 (1970).
L. B. Bezrukov et al., Sov. J. Nucl. Phys. 17, 51 (1973).
O. G. Ryazhskaya, Doctoral (Phys. Math.) Disertation (Inst. Nucl. Res. Russ. Acad. Sci., Moscow, 1986).
F. Boehm et al., Phys. Rev. D 62 072002 (2000).
A. V. Dementyev, N. M. Sobolevsky, and Yu. Ya. Stavissky, Nucl. Instrum. MethodsPhys. Res. A 374, 70 (1996).
http://wwwinrru/shield/
R. G. Vassil’kov and V. I. Yurevich, in Proceedings of the 11th Meeting of the International Collaboration on Advanced Neutron Sources ICANS-11, KEK, Tsukuba, Japan, 1990, Vol. 1, p. 340; KEK Report No. 90-25 (1991).
N. Yu. Agafonova and A. S. Malgin, Phys. Rev. D 87, 113013 (2013).
V. A. Kravtsov, Atomic Masses and Nuclear Binding Energies (Atomizdat, Moscow, 1974) [in Russian].
L. P. Abagyan, N. O. Bazazyants, M. N. Nikolaev, and A. M. Tsibulya, Neutron Group Constants for Reactors and Shielding Calculations, The Handbook (Energoizdat, Moscow, 1981) [in Russian].
Proceedings of the 14th International Workshop on Neutrino Telescopes, Venice, Italy, 2011.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Institute for Theoretical and Experimental Physics
Original Russian Text © K.V. Manukovsky, O.G. Ryazhskaya, N.M. Sobolevsky, A.V. Yudin, 2016, published in Yadernaya Fizika, 2016, Vol. 79, No. 4, pp. 417–426.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Manukovsky, K.V., Ryazhskaya, O.G., Sobolevsky, N.M. et al. Neutron production by cosmic-ray muons in various materials. Phys. Atom. Nuclei 79, 631–640 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1134/S106377881603011X
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S106377881603011X