Dortmund 2021 – scientific programme

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T: Fachverband Teilchenphysik

T 70: Searches for Dark Matter II

T 70.2: Talk

Wednesday, March 17, 2021, 16:15–16:30, Tt

Modelling muon-induced background for the DARWIN observatory — •Jose Cuenca-García for the DARWIN collaboration — Institute for Astroparticle Physics (IAP), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

The goal of the DARWIN experiment is to become the most powerful WIMP dark matter (DM) detector using tens of tonnes of liquid Xenon as a target inside a sensitive time projection chamber. Although DM experiments are placed deep underground in order to be shielded from the cosmic radiation, muon-induced secondaries, especially neutrons are a relevant contribution to the background. These neutrons are produced by muons via direct spallation of nuclei or by the electromagnetic cascades generated when the muon passes through the rock, the shielding materials or the detector system itself. Since the energy of neutrons can be of the order of several GeV, they can deeply penetrate various materials before being stopped. The study of the muon-induced neutrons is therefore a key part for the design of the vetos around the detector. We present here detailed 3-dim full-chain Geant4 simulations of muons with their interactions producing the neutrons and other potential background sources for the DARWIN science program and estimate how much they can contribute to the total background of various physics channels.