Neutron Benchmarking Working Group

To improve the accuracy of the Monte Carlo simulations used to estimate the rare-event-search background due to muon-induced high-energy neutrons in deep underground laboratories. Currently, this entails ongoing efforts to:

• Understand data recorded by the Neutron Multiplicity Meter (NMM) using a Geant4 detector model and publish high-multiplicity results (NMM);
• Better constrain the flux of radiogenic and muon-induced neutrons using data from the USD liquid-scintillator neutron detector at Soudan (USD Neutron Detector);
• Measure the medium- to high-energy neutron flux in the Davis cavern (Davis Cavern, long-term);
• Fully instrument the NMM (and other LBCF experiments) with timing signals from the Soudan veto shield (Soudan Veto Shield);
  • Acquire correlated veto-shield and NMM data;
  • Measure the distance between NMM high-energy neutrons and muons in the veto shield;
• Conduct simulations that will inform next-generation neutron-detector and -veto designs (Detector Development, long-term);
• Develop a FLUKA model for understanding NMM data and for comparison with Geant4 (FLUKA Sim of NMM);
• Develop a He3 neutron-capture detector for monitoring reactor neutrons at MIT (He3 NCDs at MIT);
• Detection of medium- to high-energy neutrons with the FaNS technique (FaNS);
• Detailed understanding of muon-induced neutron yield in lead using the ZEPLIN-III muon veto (ZEPLIN-III Neutrons); and
• Reach out to members of other collaborations (e.g., LVD and Edelweiss) who share common interests.

This working group used to share the NMM project's Friday time slot (from 11 am to 12 pm EST). Detailed NMM analysis discussion now occurs on Tuesdays at 2:30 pm EST (same esnet connection info), together with discussion of ongoing veto-shield analysis projects. Agendas and minutes are available from the NMM meetings page.

Thus, the AARM Neutron Benchmarking Working Group now owns the Friday time slot. On an ~monthly basis, we will have broad-interest summary meetings in which one or more of above listed projects will report on recent developments.

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The NMM/Veto-shield E-book

• Geant4 Studies
  • Neutron Yield in Scintillator vs. Muon Energy - Melinda
• USD Liquid Scintillator Neutron Detector
  • Data Analysis Update - Chao (Nov 2, 2012)
  • Status Update - Chao (May 10, 2013)
• NCDs at MIT
  • NCD Introductory Slides - Julien (Feb 8, 2013)
  • NCD Status Update - Julien (May 31, 2013)
  • NCD Simulation - Adam (TBA)
• FaNS at NIST Gaithersburg
  • LRT 2013 - Tom (Apr 10, 2013)
• Measurement & Simulation of the Muon-induced Neutron Yield in Lead (using the ZEPLIN-III muon veto)
  • LRT 2013 - Lea (Apr 12, 2013)

• The NMM Home Page
• The NMM TWiki