Muon-induced background in a next-generation dark matter experiment based on liquid xenon

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F68407700%3A90263%2F24%3A00381709" target="_blank" >RIV/68407700:90263/24:00381709 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-024-12768-9" target="_blank" >https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-024-12768-9</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-024-12768-9" target="_blank" >10.1140/epjc/s10052-024-12768-9</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Muon-induced background in a next-generation dark matter experiment based on liquid xenon

Original language description

Muon-induced neutrons can lead to potentially irreducible backgrounds in rare event search experiments. We have investigated the implication of laboratory depth on the muon-induced background in a future dark matter experiment capable of reaching the so-called neutrino floor. Our simulation study focused on a xenon-based detector with 70 tonnes of active mass, surrounded by additional veto systems plus a water shield. Two locations at the Boulby Underground Laboratory (UK) were analysed as examples: an experimental cavern in salt at a depth of 2850 m w. e. (similar to the location of the existing laboratory), and a deeper laboratory located in polyhalite rock at a depth of 3575 m w. e. Our results show that no cosmogenic background events are likely to survive standard analysis cuts for 10 years of operation at either location. The largest background component we identified comes from beta-delayed neutron emission from 17N which is produced from 19F in the fluoropolymer components of the experiment. Our results confirm that a dark matter search with sensitivity to the neutrino floor is viable (from the point of view of cosmogenic backgrounds) in underground laboratories at these levels of rock overburden. This work was conducted in 2019–21 in the context of a feasibility study to investigate the possibility of developing the Boulby Underground Laboratory to host a next-generation dark matter experiment; however, our findings are also relevant for other underground laboratories.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

10304 - Nuclear physics

Project

—

Continuities

—

Publication year

2024

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

European Physical Journal C

ISSN

1434-6044

e-ISSN

1434-6052

Volume of the periodical

84

Issue of the periodical within the volume

5

Country of publishing house

DE - GERMANY

Number of pages

16

Pages from-to

1-16

UT code for WoS article

001217609800004

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85192812866