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Intensity measurements of low energy cosmic ray muons underground

Journal Article · · J. Phys., A (London), v. 6, no. 12, pp. 1960-1973

Intensities of cosmic-ray muons coming to rest in a 444 liter liquid scintillator tank at depths 96, 417, and 985 hg cm/sup -2/ (1 hg cm/sup -2/ = 100 g cm/sup -2/ of matter underground) have been measured to be (7.67 plus or minus 0.4) x10/sup -6/ (7.9 plus or minus 0.5) x 10/sup -8/ and (6.9 plus or minus 0.7)x 1O/ sup -8/ muons cm/sup -2/s-sr/sup -1/ (100 g cm/sup -2/ of rock)/sup -1/ respectively. Ex perimental details are given and the results discussed. It is concluded that the observations can be accounted for in terms of two components: (i) muons produced in the atmosphere and penetrating to the respective depths; and (ii) muons generated locally by the decays of pions which are in turn produced in the hadronic cascades initiated by high-energy muons via photomeson production by the virtual and real photons associated with muons. No new process for low-energy muon production is required at the depths investigated. (auth)

Research Organization:
Tata Inst. of Fundamental Research, Bombay
NSA Number:
NSA-29-019079
OSTI ID:
4316639
Journal Information:
J. Phys., A (London), v. 6, no. 12, pp. 1960-1973, Journal Name: J. Phys., A (London), v. 6, no. 12, pp. 1960-1973; ISSN JPAGB
Country of Publication:
United Kingdom
Language:
English

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