Cosmogenic backgrounds to 0νββ in EXO-200

J. B. Albert; D. J. Auty; P. S. Barbeau; D. Beck; V. Belov; M. Breidenbach; T. Brunner; A. Burenkov; G. F. Cao; C. Chambers; B. Cleveland; M. Coon; A. Craycraft; T. Daniels; M. Danilov; S. J. Daugherty; J. Davis; S. Delaquis; A. Der Mesrobian-Kabakian; R. Devoe; T. Didberidze; J. Dilling; A. Dolgolenko; M. J. Dolinski; M. Dunford; W. Fairbank; J. Farine; W. Feldmeier; S. Feyzbakhsh; P. Fierlinger; D. Fudenberg; R. Gornea; K. Graham; G. Gratta; C. Hall; S. Herrin; M. Hughes; M. J. Jewell; A. Johnson; T. N. Johnson; S. Johnston; A. Karelin; L. J. Kaufman; R. Killick; T. Koffas; S. Kravitz; R. Krücken; A. Kuchenkov; K. S. Kumar; D. S. Leonard; C. Licciardi; Y. H. Lin; J. Ling; R. Maclellan; M. G. Marino; B. Mong; D. Moore; O. Njoya; R. Nelson; A. Odian; I. Ostrovskiy; A. Piepke; A. Pocar; C. Y. Prescott; F. Retière; P. C. Rowson; J. J. Russell; A. Schubert; D. Sinclair; E. Smith; V. Stekhanov; M. Tarka; T. Tolba; R. Tsang; K. Twelker; J. L. Vuilleumier; A. Waite; J. Walton; T. Walton; M. Weber; L. J. Wen; U. Wichoski; J. Wood; L. Yang; Y. R. Yen; O. Ya Zeldovich

doi:10.1088/1475-7516/2016/04/029

Cosmogenic backgrounds to 0νββ in EXO-200

J. B. Albert, D. J. Auty, P. S. Barbeau, D. Beck, V. Belov, M. Breidenbach, T. Brunner, A. Burenkov, G. F. Cao, C. Chambers, B. Cleveland, M. Coon, A. Craycraft, T. Daniels, M. Danilov, S. J. Daugherty, J. Davis, S. Delaquis, A. Der Mesrobian-Kabakian, R. DevoeT. Didberidze, J. Dilling, A. Dolgolenko, M. J. Dolinski, M. Dunford, W. Fairbank, J. Farine, W. Feldmeier, S. Feyzbakhsh, P. Fierlinger, D. Fudenberg, R. Gornea, K. Graham, G. Gratta, C. Hall, S. Herrin, M. Hughes, M. J. Jewell, A. Johnson, T. N. Johnson, S. Johnston, A. Karelin, L. J. Kaufman, R. Killick, T. Koffas, S. Kravitz, R. Krücken, A. Kuchenkov, K. S. Kumar, D. S. Leonard, C. Licciardi, Y. H. Lin, J. Ling, R. Maclellan, M. G. Marino, B. Mong, D. Moore, O. Njoya, R. Nelson, A. Odian, I. Ostrovskiy, A. Piepke, A. Pocar, C. Y. Prescott, F. Retière, P. C. Rowson, J. J. Russell, A. Schubert, D. Sinclair, E. Smith, V. Stekhanov, M. Tarka, T. Tolba, R. Tsang, K. Twelker, J. L. Vuilleumier, A. Waite, J. Walton, T. Walton, M. Weber, L. J. Wen, U. Wichoski, J. Wood, L. Yang, Y. R. Yen, O. Ya Zeldovich

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

25 Scopus citations

Abstract

As neutrinoless double-beta decay experiments become more sensitive and intrinsic radioactivity in detector materials is reduced, previously minor contributions to the background must be understood and eliminated. With this in mind, cosmogenic backgrounds have been studied with the EXO-200 experiment. Using the EXO-200 TPC, the muon flux (through a flat horizontal surface) underground at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) has been measured to be Φ = 4.07 ± 0.14 (sys) ± 0.03 (stat) × 10^-7 cm^-2 s^-1, with a vertical intensity of I_v = 2.97^+0.14_-0.13 (sys) ± 0.02 (stat) × 10^-7 cm^-2 s^-1 sr^-1. Simulations of muon-induced backgrounds identified several potential cosmogenic radionuclides, though only ¹³⁷Xe is a significant background for the ¹³⁶Xe 0νββ search with EXO-200. Muon-induced neutron backgrounds were measured using γ-rays from neutron capture on the detector materials. This provided a measurement of ¹³⁷Xe yield, and a test of the accuracy of the neutron production and transport simulations. The independently measured rates of ¹³⁶Xe neutron capture and of ¹³⁷Xe decay agree within uncertainties. Geant4 and FLUKA simulations were performed to estimate neutron capture rates, and these estimates agreed to within ∼ 40% or better with measurements. The ability to identify ¹³⁶Xe(n,γ) events will allow for rejection of ¹³⁷Xe backgrounds in future 0νββ analyses.

Original language	English
Article number	029
Journal	Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Volume	2016
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/1475-7516/2016/04/029
State	Published - Apr 15 2016

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 IOP Publishing Ltd and Sissa Medialab srl .

Funding

Funders	Funder number
National Science Foundation Arctic Social Science Program	1307362
National Science Foundation Arctic Social Science Program

Keywords

cosmic ray experiments
double beta decay
neutrino experiments

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Access to Document

10.1088/1475-7516/2016/04/029

Cite this

Albert, J. B., Auty, D. J., Barbeau, P. S., Beck, D., Belov, V., Breidenbach, M., Brunner, T., Burenkov, A., Cao, G. F., Chambers, C., Cleveland, B., Coon, M., Craycraft, A., Daniels, T., Danilov, M., Daugherty, S. J., Davis, J., Delaquis, S., Mesrobian-Kabakian, A. D., ... Zeldovich, O. Y. (2016). Cosmogenic backgrounds to 0νββ in EXO-200. Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, 2016(4), Article 029. https://doi.org/10.1088/1475-7516/2016/04/029

@article{d764c30e72a745cb8d81a7ecad344b53,

title = "Cosmogenic backgrounds to 0νββ in EXO-200",

abstract = "As neutrinoless double-beta decay experiments become more sensitive and intrinsic radioactivity in detector materials is reduced, previously minor contributions to the background must be understood and eliminated. With this in mind, cosmogenic backgrounds have been studied with the EXO-200 experiment. Using the EXO-200 TPC, the muon flux (through a flat horizontal surface) underground at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) has been measured to be Φ = 4.07 ± 0.14 (sys) ± 0.03 (stat) × 10-7 cm-2 s-1, with a vertical intensity of Iv = 2.97+0.14-0.13 (sys) ± 0.02 (stat) × 10-7 cm-2 s-1 sr-1. Simulations of muon-induced backgrounds identified several potential cosmogenic radionuclides, though only 137Xe is a significant background for the 136Xe 0νββ search with EXO-200. Muon-induced neutron backgrounds were measured using γ-rays from neutron capture on the detector materials. This provided a measurement of 137Xe yield, and a test of the accuracy of the neutron production and transport simulations. The independently measured rates of 136Xe neutron capture and of 137Xe decay agree within uncertainties. Geant4 and FLUKA simulations were performed to estimate neutron capture rates, and these estimates agreed to within ∼ 40% or better with measurements. The ability to identify 136Xe(n,γ) events will allow for rejection of 137Xe backgrounds in future 0νββ analyses.",

keywords = "cosmic ray experiments, double beta decay, neutrino experiments",

author = "Albert, {J. B.} and Auty, {D. J.} and Barbeau, {P. S.} and D. Beck and V. Belov and M. Breidenbach and T. Brunner and A. Burenkov and Cao, {G. F.} and C. Chambers and B. Cleveland and M. Coon and A. Craycraft and T. Daniels and M. Danilov and Daugherty, {S. J.} and J. Davis and S. Delaquis and Mesrobian-Kabakian, {A. Der} and R. Devoe and T. Didberidze and J. Dilling and A. Dolgolenko and Dolinski, {M. J.} and M. Dunford and W. Fairbank and J. Farine and W. Feldmeier and S. Feyzbakhsh and P. Fierlinger and D. Fudenberg and R. Gornea and K. Graham and G. Gratta and C. Hall and S. Herrin and M. Hughes and Jewell, {M. J.} and A. Johnson and Johnson, {T. N.} and S. Johnston and A. Karelin and Kaufman, {L. J.} and R. Killick and T. Koffas and S. Kravitz and R. Kr{\"u}cken and A. Kuchenkov and Kumar, {K. S.} and Leonard, {D. S.} and C. Licciardi and Lin, {Y. H.} and J. Ling and R. Maclellan and Marino, {M. G.} and B. Mong and D. Moore and O. Njoya and R. Nelson and A. Odian and I. Ostrovskiy and A. Piepke and A. Pocar and Prescott, {C. Y.} and F. Reti{\`e}re and Rowson, {P. C.} and Russell, {J. J.} and A. Schubert and D. Sinclair and E. Smith and V. Stekhanov and M. Tarka and T. Tolba and R. Tsang and K. Twelker and Vuilleumier, {J. L.} and A. Waite and J. Walton and T. Walton and M. Weber and Wen, {L. J.} and U. Wichoski and J. Wood and L. Yang and Yen, {Y. R.} and Zeldovich, {O. Ya}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2016 IOP Publishing Ltd and Sissa Medialab srl .",

year = "2016",

month = apr,

day = "15",

doi = "10.1088/1475-7516/2016/04/029",

language = "English",

volume = "2016",

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Albert, JB, Auty, DJ, Barbeau, PS, Beck, D, Belov, V, Breidenbach, M, Brunner, T, Burenkov, A, Cao, GF, Chambers, C, Cleveland, B, Coon, M, Craycraft, A, Daniels, T, Danilov, M, Daugherty, SJ, Davis, J, Delaquis, S, Mesrobian-Kabakian, AD, Devoe, R, Didberidze, T, Dilling, J, Dolgolenko, A, Dolinski, MJ, Dunford, M, Fairbank, W, Farine, J, Feldmeier, W, Feyzbakhsh, S, Fierlinger, P, Fudenberg, D, Gornea, R, Graham, K, Gratta, G, Hall, C, Herrin, S, Hughes, M, Jewell, MJ, Johnson, A, Johnson, TN, Johnston, S, Karelin, A, Kaufman, LJ, Killick, R, Koffas, T, Kravitz, S, Krücken, R, Kuchenkov, A, Kumar, KS, Leonard, DS, Licciardi, C, Lin, YH, Ling, J, Maclellan, R, Marino, MG, Mong, B, Moore, D, Njoya, O, Nelson, R, Odian, A, Ostrovskiy, I, Piepke, A, Pocar, A, Prescott, CY, Retière, F, Rowson, PC, Russell, JJ, Schubert, A, Sinclair, D, Smith, E, Stekhanov, V, Tarka, M, Tolba, T, Tsang, R, Twelker, K, Vuilleumier, JL, Waite, A, Walton, J, Walton, T, Weber, M, Wen, LJ, Wichoski, U, Wood, J, Yang, L, Yen, YR & Zeldovich, OY 2016, 'Cosmogenic backgrounds to 0νββ in EXO-200', Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, vol. 2016, no. 4, 029. https://doi.org/10.1088/1475-7516/2016/04/029

TY - JOUR

T1 - Cosmogenic backgrounds to 0νββ in EXO-200

AU - Albert, J. B.

AU - Auty, D. J.

AU - Barbeau, P. S.

AU - Beck, D.

AU - Belov, V.

AU - Breidenbach, M.

AU - Brunner, T.

AU - Burenkov, A.

AU - Cao, G. F.

AU - Chambers, C.

AU - Cleveland, B.

AU - Coon, M.

AU - Craycraft, A.

AU - Daniels, T.

AU - Danilov, M.

AU - Daugherty, S. J.

AU - Davis, J.

AU - Delaquis, S.

AU - Mesrobian-Kabakian, A. Der

AU - Devoe, R.

AU - Didberidze, T.

AU - Dilling, J.

AU - Dolgolenko, A.

AU - Dolinski, M. J.

AU - Dunford, M.

AU - Fairbank, W.

AU - Farine, J.

AU - Feldmeier, W.

AU - Feyzbakhsh, S.

AU - Fierlinger, P.

AU - Fudenberg, D.

AU - Gornea, R.

AU - Graham, K.

AU - Gratta, G.

AU - Hall, C.

AU - Herrin, S.

AU - Hughes, M.

AU - Jewell, M. J.

AU - Johnson, A.

AU - Johnson, T. N.

AU - Johnston, S.

AU - Karelin, A.

AU - Kaufman, L. J.

AU - Killick, R.

AU - Koffas, T.

AU - Kravitz, S.

AU - Krücken, R.

AU - Kuchenkov, A.

AU - Kumar, K. S.

AU - Leonard, D. S.

AU - Licciardi, C.

AU - Lin, Y. H.

AU - Ling, J.

AU - Maclellan, R.

AU - Marino, M. G.

AU - Mong, B.

AU - Moore, D.

AU - Njoya, O.

AU - Nelson, R.

AU - Odian, A.

AU - Ostrovskiy, I.

AU - Piepke, A.

AU - Pocar, A.

AU - Prescott, C. Y.

AU - Retière, F.

AU - Rowson, P. C.

AU - Russell, J. J.

AU - Schubert, A.

AU - Sinclair, D.

AU - Smith, E.

AU - Stekhanov, V.

AU - Tarka, M.

AU - Tolba, T.

AU - Tsang, R.

AU - Twelker, K.

AU - Vuilleumier, J. L.

AU - Waite, A.

AU - Walton, J.

AU - Walton, T.

AU - Weber, M.

AU - Wen, L. J.

AU - Wichoski, U.

AU - Wood, J.

AU - Yang, L.

AU - Yen, Y. R.

AU - Zeldovich, O. Ya

PY - 2016/4/15

Y1 - 2016/4/15

N2 - As neutrinoless double-beta decay experiments become more sensitive and intrinsic radioactivity in detector materials is reduced, previously minor contributions to the background must be understood and eliminated. With this in mind, cosmogenic backgrounds have been studied with the EXO-200 experiment. Using the EXO-200 TPC, the muon flux (through a flat horizontal surface) underground at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) has been measured to be Φ = 4.07 ± 0.14 (sys) ± 0.03 (stat) × 10-7 cm-2 s-1, with a vertical intensity of Iv = 2.97+0.14-0.13 (sys) ± 0.02 (stat) × 10-7 cm-2 s-1 sr-1. Simulations of muon-induced backgrounds identified several potential cosmogenic radionuclides, though only 137Xe is a significant background for the 136Xe 0νββ search with EXO-200. Muon-induced neutron backgrounds were measured using γ-rays from neutron capture on the detector materials. This provided a measurement of 137Xe yield, and a test of the accuracy of the neutron production and transport simulations. The independently measured rates of 136Xe neutron capture and of 137Xe decay agree within uncertainties. Geant4 and FLUKA simulations were performed to estimate neutron capture rates, and these estimates agreed to within ∼ 40% or better with measurements. The ability to identify 136Xe(n,γ) events will allow for rejection of 137Xe backgrounds in future 0νββ analyses.

AB - As neutrinoless double-beta decay experiments become more sensitive and intrinsic radioactivity in detector materials is reduced, previously minor contributions to the background must be understood and eliminated. With this in mind, cosmogenic backgrounds have been studied with the EXO-200 experiment. Using the EXO-200 TPC, the muon flux (through a flat horizontal surface) underground at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) has been measured to be Φ = 4.07 ± 0.14 (sys) ± 0.03 (stat) × 10-7 cm-2 s-1, with a vertical intensity of Iv = 2.97+0.14-0.13 (sys) ± 0.02 (stat) × 10-7 cm-2 s-1 sr-1. Simulations of muon-induced backgrounds identified several potential cosmogenic radionuclides, though only 137Xe is a significant background for the 136Xe 0νββ search with EXO-200. Muon-induced neutron backgrounds were measured using γ-rays from neutron capture on the detector materials. This provided a measurement of 137Xe yield, and a test of the accuracy of the neutron production and transport simulations. The independently measured rates of 136Xe neutron capture and of 137Xe decay agree within uncertainties. Geant4 and FLUKA simulations were performed to estimate neutron capture rates, and these estimates agreed to within ∼ 40% or better with measurements. The ability to identify 136Xe(n,γ) events will allow for rejection of 137Xe backgrounds in future 0νββ analyses.

KW - cosmic ray experiments

KW - double beta decay

KW - neutrino experiments

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84963849984&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84963849984&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1088/1475-7516/2016/04/029

DO - 10.1088/1475-7516/2016/04/029

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84963849984

SN - 1475-7516

VL - 2016

JO - Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics

JF - Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics

IS - 4

M1 - 029

ER -

Cosmogenic backgrounds to 0νββ in EXO-200

Abstract

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