Comparison of the measured atmospheric muon flux with Monte Carlo simulations for the first KM3NeT detection units

TL;DR

This paper compares measured atmospheric muon flux data from KM3NeT's first detection units with Monte Carlo simulations to validate the simulation models used in neutrino telescope research.

Contribution

It provides the first comparison of atmospheric muon flux measurements at KM3NeT with detailed Monte Carlo simulations, testing the reliability of these models.

Findings

Measured muon flux agrees with simulations within uncertainties

Validates the use of MUPAGE and CORSIKA for neutrino telescope modeling

Demonstrates the effectiveness of the data analysis approach

Abstract

The KM3NeT Collaboration has successfully deployed its first detection units in the Mediterranean Sea in December 2015 (ARCA) and September 2017 (ORCA). The sample of data collected between September 2016 and March 2017 has been used to measure the atmospheric muon flux at two different depths under the sea level: about 3.5\,km with ARCA and about 2.5\,km with ORCA. The atmospheric muon flux represents an abundant signal for a neutrino telescope and can be used to test the reliability of the Monte Carlo simulation chain. In this work, the measurements are compared to Monte Carlo simulations based on MUPAGE and CORSIKA codes. Measured events and simulated events are treated using the same approach, making the comparison reliable.