面向宇宙线成分和能谱测量的新型ZnS(Ag)闪烁体热中子探测器

摘要

对EAS(广延大气簇射)在地面产生的热中子的测量为研究"膝"区原初宇宙线的成分和能量提供了一种新方法.在PRISMA-YBJ阵列取得成功后,2017年3月,在西藏大学(海拔3650 m)安装了一种新的热中子探测阵列.阵列由16台 EN-探测器组成,使用一种新型的掺B2O3的ZnS(Ag)闪烁体,用天然的硼化合物进行热中子捕获.主要用于测量EAS的两种重要成分:强子和电子.本文中,主要介绍探测技术的原理、阵列的部署以及阵列的初步运行结果.%EAS thermal neutrons measurement gives additional valuable advantages to study energy and mass composition of primary cosmic rays especially above the knee region. After success of the PRISMA-YBJ experiment we built a new EAS thermal neutron detection array at Tibet University, Lasa, China (3 650 m a.s.l.) in March,2017. This prototype array consists of 16 EAS EN-detectors measuring two main EAS components:hadronic and electromagnetic ones. These detectors use a thin layer of a novel type of ZnS(Ag) scintillator alloyed with natural boron compound for thermal neutron capture. In this paper,we introduce principle of the detection technique, deployment of the array, and the test results obtained with the array.