Some considerations about cosmogenic production of radioactive isotopes in Ar as target for the next neutrino experiments

TL;DR

This paper discusses the production of radioactive isotopes in argon due to cosmic rays, focusing on muon capture and neutron reactions, to improve background understanding for future neutrino detectors.

Contribution

It provides simulated cross sections for cosmogenic reactions in argon using TALYS and EMPIRE codes, comparing results and existing experimental data.

Findings

Simulated cross sections show similarities and differences between TALYS and EMPIRE.

Cosmogenic reactions contribute to background in argon-based neutrino detectors.

Comparison with experimental data highlights areas for further research.

Abstract

The concept of the LAr TPC technology that is an excellent tracking - calorimeter detector will be used for the next generations of neutrino experiments. In this class of detectors both the scintillation light emitted and the charge produced by the ionization are used to detect and identify the characteristics of the primary particle. The reduction of the radioactive background, the knowledge of the sources and mechanisms of its production as well as the characteristics of the signals have as consequence the increase of the sensitivity of huge detectors and the capability to discriminate between various particles interacting with the detector. Cosmogenic sources of background or activation of different materials become more important in this context. The radioactivity induced by cosmogenic reactions in Ar is discussed by considering muon capture and reactions induced by neutrons as sources of background. The simulated cross sections for the considered nuclear reactions are obtained using TALYS and EMPIRE codes, highlighting the similarities and differences between the results of these nuclear codes and the level of concordance with the few existing experimental data.