Can muon-induced backgrounds explain the DAMA data?

14th International Conference on Topics in Astroparticle and Underground Physics

物理学;天文学

Klinger, Joel^1,2 ; Kudryavtsev, Vitaly A.^1

Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield

S3 7RH, United Kingdom^1

Sezione di Padova INFN, Padova, Italy^2

关键词: Modulation amplitudes;    Signal modulations;   

Others  :  https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/718/4/042033/pdf
DOI  :  10.1088/1742-6596/718/4/042033

学科分类：天文学(综合)

来源: IOP

【 摘 要 】

We present an accurate simulation of the muon-induced background in the DAMA/LIBRA experiment. Muon sampling underground has been performed using the MUSIC/MUSUN codes and subsequent interactions in the rock around the DAMA/LIBRA detector cavern and the experimental setup including shielding, have been simulated with GEANT4.9.6. In total we simulate the equivalent of 20 years of muon data. We have calculated the total muon-induced neutron flux in the DAMA/LIBRA detector cavern as Φμn= 1.0 ×10-9cm-2s-1, which is consistent with other simulations. After selecting events which satisfy the DAMA/LIBRA signal criteria, our simulation predicts 3.49 ×10-5cpd/kg/keV which accounts for less than 0.3% of the DAMA/LIBRA modulation amplitude. We conclude from our work that muon-induced backgrounds are unable to contribute to the observed signal modulation.