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. Stj. 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

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. Stj. 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

School of Physics and Astronomy

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Abstract / Description of output

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 (

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	409-421
Journal	Astroparticle Physics
Volume	28
Publication status	Published - 1 Dec 2007

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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., 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, 409-421. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2007APh....28..409B

@article{b994bcc081cb4674b7bc7f0c1c085986,

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 (",

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. Stj.} 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,

day = "1",

language = "English",

volume = "28",

pages = "409--421",

journal = "Astroparticle Physics",

publisher = "Elsevier",

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Burgos, S, Forbes, J, Ghag, C, Gold, M, Kudryavtsev, VA, Lawson, TB, Loomba, D, Majewski, P, Muna, D, Murphy, AS, 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, pp. 409-421. <http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2007APh....28..409B>

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. Stj.

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 - 2007/12/1

Y1 - 2007/12/1

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 (

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 (

M3 - Article

VL - 28

SP - 409

EP - 421

JO - Astroparticle Physics

JF - Astroparticle Physics

ER -

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

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