ESTIMATION OF THE RADIOACTIVITY INDUCED BY COSMIC RAYS IN THE ROCK SALT CAVERN OF AN UNDERGROUND LABORATORY

摘要

Underground physics laboratories offer an option for the investigations of rare processes as proton decays, neutrinoless double-beta decay, direct measurements of the mass of neutrinos, or processes initiated by neutrinos or dark matter components. A good understanding of the natural radioactivity background is essential for the success of all types of experiments. In this contribution, self-radioactivity and radioactivity induced by reactions of cosmic rays (neutrinos/antineutrinos, muons) and secondary reactions in the sodium and chlorine isotopes in the rocks of the cavern are investigated as sources for radioactive background in underground. All estimations were carried out for the case of depths bellow 1000 m.w.e, but a discussion of the differences in the case of a deeper underground laboratory is done.