Calibration of large neutron detection arrays using cosmic rays

• Published in: Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment, 2020-07, Vol.967 (C), p.163826, Article 163826
• Main Authors: Zhu, K., Tsang, M.B., Dell’Aquila, D., Brown, K.W., Chajecki, Z., Lynch, W.G., Sweany, S., Teh, F.C.E., Tsang, C.Y., Anderson, C., Anthony, A., Barney, J., Crosby, J., Estee, J., Gasparic, I., Jhang, G., Khanal, O.B., Kodali, S., Manfredi, J., Niu, C.Y., Wang, R.S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Calibration; Cosmic rays; NE-213; Neutron detector
• ISSN: 0168-9002; 1872-9576
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2020.163826

Cosmic muons are used to calibrate the position, light output and the relative timing offset of the Large Area Neutron Array (LANA). Each 2×2m2 LANA wall consists of twenty-five horizontal neutron detection bars. Each bar is 2 m long with a cross-section of 6.35×7.62cm2 Pyrex container filled with NE-213 organic scintillation liquid. The average position and time resolution of a bar is found to be about 8 cm and 500 ps FWHM, respectively. Our method provides an accurate, fast and convenient calibration of LANA that can be applied to general scintillation arrays without the use of radioactive sources or beams.