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. Sumner

J. Turk, E. Tziaferi

Occidental College
University of Edinburgh
University of New Mexico
University of Sheffield
Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
Imperial College London

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

DRIFT
Dark matter
Directionality
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 = "DRIFT, Dark matter, Directionality, 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 - DRIFT

KW - Dark matter

KW - Directionality

KW - Negative ion TPC

KW - Neutralino

KW - Radon detection

KW - WIMP

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/36048976870

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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