Measurement of beam-correlated background neutrons from the Fermilab Booster Neutrino Beam in ANNIE Phase-I

• Published in: Journal of instrumentation 2020-03, Vol.15 (3), p.P03011-P03011
• Main Authors: Back, A.R., Beacom, J.F., Boschi, T., Carber, D., Catano-Mur, E., Chen, M., Drakopoulou, E., Lodovico, F. Di, Elagin, A., Eisch, J., Fischer, V., Gardiner, S., Griskevich, J., Grzan, D., Hatcher, R., Krennrich, F., Kimmelman, B., Kreymer, A., Lee, W., Locke, S., Long, M., Malek, M., McGivern, C., Moore, E., Needham, M., O'Flaherty, M., Podczerwinski, J., Richards, B., Ritz, J., Sanchez, M. C., Smy, M., Svoboda, R., Tiras, E., Vagins, M., Wang, J., Weatherly, P., Weinstein, A., Wetstein, M., Wu, J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cherenkov detectors; Correlation analysis; Dirt; INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; Neutrino beams; Neutrino detectors; Neutrinos; Neutron detectors (cold, thermal, fast neutrons); Neutrons; Particle identification methods; PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
• ISSN: 1748-0221; 1748-0221
• DOI: 10.1088/1748-0221/15/03/P03011

The Accelerator Neutrino Neutron Interaction Experiment (ANNIE) aims to make a unique measurement of neutron yield from neutrino-nucleus interactions and to perform R&D for the next generation of water-based neutrino detectors. In this paper, we characterize beam-induced neutron backgrounds in the experimental hall at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. It is shown that the background levels are sufficiently low to allow the next stage of the experiment to proceed. These measurements are relevant to other Booster Neutrino Beam (BNB) [1] experiments located adjacent to ANNIE Hall, where dirt neutrons and sky-shine could present similar backgrounds.