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arXiv · 1006.3098

A detection system to measure muon-induced neutrons for direct Dark Matter searches

V. Yu. Kozlov·E. Armengaud·C. Augier·A. Benoit·L. Berge·O. Besida·J. Blumer·A. Broniatowski·V. Brudanin·A. Chantelauze·M. Chapellier·G. Chardin·F. Charlieux·S. Collin·X. Defay·M. De Jesus·P. Di Stefano·Y. Dolgorouki·J. Domange·L. Dumoulin·K. Eitel·J. Gascon·G. Gerbier·M. Gros·M. Hannawald·S. Herve·A. Juillard·H. Kluck·R. Lemrani·P. Loaiza·A. Lubashevskiy·S. Marnieros·X. -F. Navick·E. Olivieri·P. Pari·B. Paul·S. Rozov·V. Sanglard·S. Scorza·S. Semikh·A. S. Torrento-Coello·L. Vagneron·M-A. Verdier·E. Yakushev
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Abstract

Muon-induced neutrons constitute a prominent background component in a number of low count rate experiments, namely direct searches for Dark Matter. In this work we describe a neutron detector to measure this background in an underground laboratory, the Laboratoire Souterrain de Modane. The system is based on 1 m3 of Gd-loaded scintillator and it is linked with the muon veto of the EDELWEISS-II experiment for coincident muon detection. The system was installed in autumn 2008 and passed since then a number of commissioning tests proving its full functionality. The data-taking is continuously ongoing and a count rate of the order of 1 muon-induced neutron per day has been achieved.

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V. Yu. Kozlov, E. Armengaud, C. Augier, A. Benoit, L. Berge, O. Besida, J. Blumer, A. Broniatowski, V. Brudanin, A. Chantelauze, M. Chapellier, G. Chardin, F. Charlieux, S. Collin, X. Defay, M. De Jesus, P. Di Stefano, Y. Dolgorouki, J. Domange, L. Dumoulin, K. Eitel, J. Gascon, G. Gerbier, M. Gros, M. Hannawald, S. Herve, A. Juillard, H. Kluck, R. Lemrani, P. Loaiza, A. Lubashevskiy, S. Marnieros, X. -F. Navick, E. Olivieri, P. Pari, B. Paul, S. Rozov, V. Sanglard, S. Scorza, S. Semikh, A. S. Torrento-Coello, L. Vagneron, M-A. Verdier, E. Yakushev. 2010-06-15. A detection system to measure muon-induced neutrons for direct Dark Matter searches. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.astropartphys.2010.06.001

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