An experimental study of the production of up-going charged particles in inelastic interactions of down-going underground muons is reported, using data obtained from the MACRO detector at the Gran Sasso Laboratory. In a sample of 12.2 x 106 single muons, corresponding to a detector lifetime of 1.55y, 243 events are observed having an up-going particle associated with a down-going muon. These events are analysed to determine the range and emission angle distributions of the up-going particle, corrected for detection and reconstruction efficiency. Measurements of the muon neutrino flux by underground detectors are often based on the observation of through-going and stopping muons produced in νμ interactions in the rock below the detector. Up-going particles produced by an undetected down-going muon are a potential background source in these measurements. The implications of this background for neutrino studies using MACRO are discussed. © 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.
Ambrosio, M., Antolini, R., Aramo, C., Auriemma, G., Baldini, A., Barbarino, G.C., et al. (1998). The observation of up-going charged particles produced by high energy muons in underground detectors. ASTROPARTICLE PHYSICS, 9(2), 105-117 [10.1016/S0927-6505(98)00010-3].
The observation of up-going charged particles produced by high energy muons in underground detectors
Giacomelli G.;Margiotta Neri A.;Sioli M.;Spurio M.
;
1998
Abstract
An experimental study of the production of up-going charged particles in inelastic interactions of down-going underground muons is reported, using data obtained from the MACRO detector at the Gran Sasso Laboratory. In a sample of 12.2 x 106 single muons, corresponding to a detector lifetime of 1.55y, 243 events are observed having an up-going particle associated with a down-going muon. These events are analysed to determine the range and emission angle distributions of the up-going particle, corrected for detection and reconstruction efficiency. Measurements of the muon neutrino flux by underground detectors are often based on the observation of through-going and stopping muons produced in νμ interactions in the rock below the detector. Up-going particles produced by an undetected down-going muon are a potential background source in these measurements. The implications of this background for neutrino studies using MACRO are discussed. © 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
