On the energy spectrum of cosmogenic neutrons

• Published in: Journal of experimental and theoretical physics 2017-11, Vol.125 (5), p.728-740
• Main Author: Malgin, A. S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Astrophysics; Atomic properties; BONE JOINTS; Classical and Quantum Gravitation; COSMIC MUONS; DEEP INELASTIC SCATTERING; Elementary Particles; ENERGY SPECTRA; Fields; GEV RANGE 01-10; Gravitation; Inelastic scattering; Knee; MASS NUMBER; MEV RANGE 10-100; Muons; NEUTRONS; NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS; Nuclei; Nuclei (nuclear physics); Nucleons; Particle and Nuclear Physics; Particles; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Pions; Quantum Field Theory; QUARK MODEL; Relativity Theory; Solid State Physics
• ISSN: 1063-7761; 1090-6509
• DOI: 10.1134/S1063776117100089

The processes of the generation of cosmogenic neutrons (cg-neutrons) underground are considered. The neutrons produced by cosmic-ray muons in their interactions with matter are called cosmogenic. Deep-inelastic π A -collisions of pions in muon-induced hadronic showers are mainly their source at energies above 30 MeV. The characteristics of the energy spectrum for the generation of cg-neutrons have been determined by invoking the additive quark model of deep-inelastic soft processes and the mechanism for the interactions of high-energy nucleons in a nucleus. The three-component shape of the spectrum is explained, and the energy of the “knee” in the spectrum has been found to depend on the mass number A . The peculiarities of deep-inelastic π A -scattering lead to the conclusion that the spectrum of cg-neutrons steepens sharply at energies above 1 GeV. The calculated quantitative characteristics of the spectrum are compared with those obtained in measurements.