Simulation of the background from 13C(α, n)16O reaction in the JUNO scintillator
The result's identifiers
Result code in IS VaVaI
<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00216208%3A11320%2F25%3A10510532" target="_blank" >RIV/00216208:11320/25:10510532 - isvavai.cz</a>
Result on the web
<a href="https://verso.is.cuni.cz/pub/verso.fpl?fname=obd_publikace_handle&handle=poK-6sJdZl" target="_blank" >https://verso.is.cuni.cz/pub/verso.fpl?fname=obd_publikace_handle&handle=poK-6sJdZl</a>
DOI - Digital Object Identifier
<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-025-14333-4" target="_blank" >10.1140/epjc/s10052-025-14333-4</a>
Alternative languages
Result language
angličtina
Original language name
Simulation of the background from 13C(α, n)16O reaction in the JUNO scintillator
Original language description
Large-scale organic liquid scintillator detectors are highly efficient in the detection of MeV-scale electron antineutrinos. These signal events can be detected through inverse beta decay on protons, which produce a positron accompanied by a neutron. A noteworthy background for antineutrinos coming from nuclear power reactors and from the depths of the Earth (geoneutrinos) is generated by (alpha, n) reactions. In organic liquid scintillator detectors, alpha particles emitted from intrinsic contaminants such as U-238, Th-232, and Pb-210/Po-210, can be captured on C-13 nuclei, followed by the emission of a MeV-scale neutron. Three distinct interaction mechanisms can produce prompt energy depositions preceding the delayed neutron capture, leading to a pair of events correlated in space and time within the detector. Thus, (alpha, n) reactions represent an indistinguishable background in liquid scintillator-based antineutrino detectors, where their expected rate and energy spectrum are typically evaluated via Monte Carlo simulations. This work presents results from the open-source SaG4n software, used to calculate the expected energy depositions from the neutron and any associated de-excitation products. Also simulated is a detailed detector response to these interactions, using a dedicated Geant4-based simulation software from the JUNO experiment. An expected measurable C-13(alpha, n)O-16 event rate and reconstructed prompt energy spectrum with associated uncertainties, are presented in the context of JUNO, however, the methods and results are applicable and relevant to other organic liquid scintillator neutrino detectors.
Czech name
—
Czech description
—
Classification
Type
J<sub>imp</sub> - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database
CEP classification
—
OECD FORD branch
10300 - Physical sciences
Result continuities
Project
<a href="/en/project/EH22_008%2F0004632" target="_blank" >EH22_008/0004632: Fundamental constituents of matter through frontier technologies</a><br>
Continuities
P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)<br>I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace
Others
Publication year
2025
Confidentiality
S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů
Data specific for result type
Name of the periodical
European Physical Journal C
ISSN
1434-6044
e-ISSN
1434-6052
Volume of the periodical
85
Issue of the periodical within the volume
9
Country of publishing house
DE - GERMANY
Number of pages
21
Pages from-to
1080
UT code for WoS article
001614926100001
EID of the result in the Scopus database
2-s2.0-105018460225