CNGS beam monitor with the LVD detector

• Published in: Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment, 2004-01, Vol.516 (1), p.96-103
• Main Authors: Aglietta, M, Antonioli, P, Bari, G, Castagnoli, C, Fulgione, W, Galeotti, P, Garbini, M, Ghia, P.L, Giusti, P, Kemp, E, Malguin, A.S, Menghetti, H, Pesci, A, Pless, I.A, Porta, A, Ryasny, V.G, Ryazhskaya, O.G, Saavedra, O, Sartorelli, G, Selvi, M, Vigorito, C, Votano, L, Yakushev, V.F, Zatsepin, G.T, Zichichi, A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: CNGS beam; Liquid scintillator; LNGS; LVD; Muon transport in rock; Neutrino oscillations; Physics
• ISSN: 0168-9002; 1872-9576
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2003.07.068

The importance of an adequate CNGS beam monitor at the Gran Sasso Laboratory has been stressed in many papers. Since the number of internal ν μ CC and NC interactions in the various detectors will not allow to collect statistics rapidly, one should also be able to detect the ν μ CC interactions in the upstream rock. In this study, we have investigated the performances of the LVD detector as a monitor for the CNGS neutrino beam. Thanks to its wide area ( 13×11 m 2 orthogonal to the beam direction) LVD can detect about 120 muons per day originated by ν μ CC interactions in the rock. The LVD total mass is ∼2 kt . This allows to get 30 more CNGS events per day as internal (NC+CC) ν μ interactions, for a total of ∼150 events/day . A 3% statistical error can be reached in 7 days. Taking into account the time characteristics of the CNGS beam, the cosmic muon background can be reduced to a negligible level, of the order of 1.5 events/day .