Measurement of Muon-induced High-energy Neutrons from Rock in an Underground Gd-doped Water Detector

TL;DR

This study measures and confirms the rate of high-energy neutrons induced by muons in an underground water detector, validating simulation models and neutron spectra measurements at depth.

Contribution

First measurement of muon-induced high-energy neutron rates in an underground water detector using Gd-doped water, validating simulation predictions and neutron spectra measurements.

Findings

Measured neutron capture rate matches simulation predictions

Validates the neutron flux and spectrum measurements at depth

Supports the accuracy of the detection technique and models used

Abstract

We present a measurement of the rate of correlated neutron captures in the WATCHBOY detector, deployed at a depth of approximately 390 meters water equivalent (m.w.e.) in the Kimballton Underground Research Facility (KURF). WATCHBOY consists of a cylindrical 2 ton water target doped with 0.1% gadolinium, surrounded by a 40 ton undoped water hermetic shield. We present a comparison of our results with the expected rate of correlated neutron captures arising from high-energy neutrons incident on the outside of the WATCHBOY shield, predicted by a hybrid FLUKA/GEANT4-based simulation. The incident neutron energy distribution used in the simulation was measured by a fast neutron spectrometer, the 1.8-ton Multiplicity and Recoil Spectrometer (MARS) detector, at the same depth. We find that the measured detection rate of two correlated neutrons is consistent with that predicted by simulation. The result lends additional confidence in the detection technique used by MARS, and therefore in the MARS spectra as measured at three different depths. Confirmation of the fast neutron flux and spectrum is important as it helps validate the scaling models used to predict the fast neutron fluxes at different overburdens.