\textsc{MaGe} - a {\sc Geant4}-based Monte Carlo Application Framework for Low-background Germanium Experiments

TL;DR

MAGE is a GEANT4-based simulation framework designed for modeling ultra-low background germanium detectors in neutrinoless double-beta decay experiments, streamlining development and comparison of experimental setups.

Contribution

The paper introduces a unified, flexible simulation framework that integrates geometry, physics lists, and event generators for germanium-based low-background experiments.

Findings

Reduces duplication of simulation efforts

Facilitates comparison between simulated and real data

Simplifies addition of new detector models

Abstract

We describe a physics simulation software framework, MAGE, that is based on the GEANT4 simulation toolkit. MAGE is used to simulate the response of ultra-low radioactive background radiation detectors to ionizing radiation, specifically the MAJORANA and GERDA neutrinoless double-beta decay experiments. MAJORANA and GERDA use high-purity germanium detectors to search for the neutrinoless double-beta decay of 76Ge, and MAGE is jointly developed between these two collaborations. The MAGE framework contains the geometry models of common objects, prototypes, test stands, and the actual experiments. It also implements customized event generators, GEANT4 physics lists, and output formats. All of these features are available as class libraries that are typically compiled into a single executable. The user selects the particular experimental setup implementation at run-time via macros. The combination of all these common classes into one framework reduces duplication of efforts, eases comparison between simulated data and experiment, and simplifies the addition of new detectors to be simulated. This paper focuses on the software framework, custom event generators, and physics lists.