Studies of neutron detection and backgrounds with the DRIFT-IIa dark matter detector

S. Burgos; J. Forbes; C. Ghag; M. Gold; V. A. Kudryavtsev; T. B. Lawson; D. Loomba; P. Majewski; D. Muna; A. St J. Murphy; G. G. Nicklin; S. M. Paling; A. Petkov; S. J.S. Plank; M. Robinson; N. Sanghi; N. J.T. Smith; D. P. Snowden-Ifft; N. J.C. Spooner; T. J. Sumner; J. Turk; E. Tziaferi

doi:10.1016/j.astropartphys.2007.08.007

Studies of neutron detection and backgrounds with the DRIFT-IIa dark matter detector

S. Burgos, J. Forbes, C. Ghag, M. Gold, V. A. Kudryavtsev, T. B. Lawson, D. Loomba, P. Majewski, D. Muna, A. St J. Murphy, G. G. Nicklin, S. M. Paling, A. Petkov, S. J.S. Plank, M. Robinson, N. Sanghi, N. J.T. Smith, D. P. Snowden-Ifft, N. J.C. Spooner, T. J. SumnerJ. Turk, E. Tziaferi

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Data from the DRIFT-IIa directional dark matter experiment are presented, collected during a near continuous 6 month running period. A detailed calibration analysis comparing data from gamma-ray, X-ray and neutron sources to a GEANT4 Monte Carlo simulations reveals an efficiency for detection of neutron induced recoils of 94 ± 2(stat.) ± 5(sys.)%. Software-based cuts, designed to remove non-nuclear recoil events, are shown to reject ⁶⁰Co gamma-rays with a rejection factor of better than 8 × 10^-6 for all energies above threshold. An unexpected event population has been discovered and is shown here to be due to the alpha-decay of ²²²Rn daughter nuclei that have attached to the central cathode. A limit on the flux of neutrons (<4 neutrons recoils day^-1) in the Boulby Underground Laboratory is derived from analysis of unshielded and shielded data.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	409-421
Number of pages	13
Journal	Astroparticle Physics
Volume	28
Issue number	4-5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.astropartphys.2007.08.007
Publication status	Published - Dec 2007
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Dark matter
Directionality
DRIFT
Negative ion TPC
Neutralino
Radon detection
WIMP

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10.1016/j.astropartphys.2007.08.007

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Burgos, S., Forbes, J., Ghag, C., Gold, M., Kudryavtsev, V. A., Lawson, T. B., Loomba, D., Majewski, P., Muna, D., Murphy, A. S. J., Nicklin, G. G., Paling, S. M., Petkov, A., Plank, S. J. S., Robinson, M., Sanghi, N., Smith, N. J. T., Snowden-Ifft, D. P., Spooner, N. J. C., ... Tziaferi, E. (2007). Studies of neutron detection and backgrounds with the DRIFT-IIa dark matter detector. Astroparticle Physics, 28(4-5), 409-421. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.astropartphys.2007.08.007

@article{5f6ce0250bef4d639530a5e233ae3691,

title = "Studies of neutron detection and backgrounds with the DRIFT-IIa dark matter detector",

abstract = "Data from the DRIFT-IIa directional dark matter experiment are presented, collected during a near continuous 6 month running period. A detailed calibration analysis comparing data from gamma-ray, X-ray and neutron sources to a GEANT4 Monte Carlo simulations reveals an efficiency for detection of neutron induced recoils of 94 ± 2(stat.) ± 5(sys.)%. Software-based cuts, designed to remove non-nuclear recoil events, are shown to reject 60Co gamma-rays with a rejection factor of better than 8 × 10-6 for all energies above threshold. An unexpected event population has been discovered and is shown here to be due to the alpha-decay of 222Rn daughter nuclei that have attached to the central cathode. A limit on the flux of neutrons (<4 neutrons recoils day-1) in the Boulby Underground Laboratory is derived from analysis of unshielded and shielded data.",

keywords = "Dark matter, Directionality, DRIFT, Negative ion TPC, Neutralino, Radon detection, WIMP",

author = "S. Burgos and J. Forbes and C. Ghag and M. Gold and Kudryavtsev, {V. A.} and Lawson, {T. B.} and D. Loomba and P. Majewski and D. Muna and Murphy, {A. St J.} and Nicklin, {G. G.} and Paling, {S. M.} and A. Petkov and Plank, {S. J.S.} and M. Robinson and N. Sanghi and Smith, {N. J.T.} and Snowden-Ifft, {D. P.} and Spooner, {N. J.C.} and Sumner, {T. J.} and J. Turk and E. Tziaferi",

year = "2007",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1016/j.astropartphys.2007.08.007",

language = "English",

volume = "28",

pages = "409--421",

journal = "Astroparticle Physics",

issn = "0927-6505",

number = "4-5",

}

Burgos, S, Forbes, J, Ghag, C, Gold, M, Kudryavtsev, VA, Lawson, TB, Loomba, D, Majewski, P, Muna, D, Murphy, ASJ, Nicklin, GG, Paling, SM, Petkov, A, Plank, SJS, Robinson, M, Sanghi, N, Smith, NJT, Snowden-Ifft, DP, Spooner, NJC, Sumner, TJ, Turk, J & Tziaferi, E 2007, 'Studies of neutron detection and backgrounds with the DRIFT-IIa dark matter detector', Astroparticle Physics, vol. 28, no. 4-5, pp. 409-421. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.astropartphys.2007.08.007

TY - JOUR

T1 - Studies of neutron detection and backgrounds with the DRIFT-IIa dark matter detector

AU - Burgos, S.

AU - Forbes, J.

AU - Ghag, C.

AU - Gold, M.

AU - Kudryavtsev, V. A.

AU - Lawson, T. B.

AU - Loomba, D.

AU - Majewski, P.

AU - Muna, D.

AU - Murphy, A. St J.

AU - Nicklin, G. G.

AU - Paling, S. M.

AU - Petkov, A.

AU - Plank, S. J.S.

AU - Robinson, M.

AU - Sanghi, N.

AU - Smith, N. J.T.

AU - Snowden-Ifft, D. P.

AU - Spooner, N. J.C.

AU - Sumner, T. J.

AU - Turk, J.

AU - Tziaferi, E.

PY - 2007/12

Y1 - 2007/12

N2 - Data from the DRIFT-IIa directional dark matter experiment are presented, collected during a near continuous 6 month running period. A detailed calibration analysis comparing data from gamma-ray, X-ray and neutron sources to a GEANT4 Monte Carlo simulations reveals an efficiency for detection of neutron induced recoils of 94 ± 2(stat.) ± 5(sys.)%. Software-based cuts, designed to remove non-nuclear recoil events, are shown to reject 60Co gamma-rays with a rejection factor of better than 8 × 10-6 for all energies above threshold. An unexpected event population has been discovered and is shown here to be due to the alpha-decay of 222Rn daughter nuclei that have attached to the central cathode. A limit on the flux of neutrons (<4 neutrons recoils day-1) in the Boulby Underground Laboratory is derived from analysis of unshielded and shielded data.

AB - Data from the DRIFT-IIa directional dark matter experiment are presented, collected during a near continuous 6 month running period. A detailed calibration analysis comparing data from gamma-ray, X-ray and neutron sources to a GEANT4 Monte Carlo simulations reveals an efficiency for detection of neutron induced recoils of 94 ± 2(stat.) ± 5(sys.)%. Software-based cuts, designed to remove non-nuclear recoil events, are shown to reject 60Co gamma-rays with a rejection factor of better than 8 × 10-6 for all energies above threshold. An unexpected event population has been discovered and is shown here to be due to the alpha-decay of 222Rn daughter nuclei that have attached to the central cathode. A limit on the flux of neutrons (<4 neutrons recoils day-1) in the Boulby Underground Laboratory is derived from analysis of unshielded and shielded data.

KW - Dark matter

KW - Directionality

KW - DRIFT

KW - Negative ion TPC

KW - Neutralino

KW - Radon detection

KW - WIMP

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=36048976870&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.astropartphys.2007.08.007

DO - 10.1016/j.astropartphys.2007.08.007

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:36048976870

SN - 0927-6505

VL - 28

SP - 409

EP - 421

JO - Astroparticle Physics

JF - Astroparticle Physics

IS - 4-5

ER -

Studies of neutron detection and backgrounds with the DRIFT-IIa dark matter detector

Abstract

Keywords

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