Single and multiple muons and the generation of neutrons in the LVD experiment

The large geometric factor and good spatial resolution of the Large Volume Detector (LVD) ensures statistically significant and highly accurate measurements of muon trajectories and determination of the multiplicity of muon groups. The developed algorithm allows us to reconstruct 2 × 10⁶ muon events (single muons and muon groups). Characteristics of muon groups are obtained and the specific yield of neutrons produced by single muons, muon groups, and showers is determined.     

Cosmic-ray muon and atmospheric neutrino fluxes at very high energies

Estimates of cosmic-ray muon and atmospheric neutrino fluxes at TeV energies are obtained taking into account a “prompt” production of muons and neutrinos through charmed-particle decays and a “direct” lepton-pair production through the Drell-Yan mechanism and resonances. It is found that the contribution of charmed particles to the muon flux is equal to that from the conventional sources (pion and kaon decays) at 60 TeV, and the same equality can take place at 10 and 1 TeV for muon and electron neutrinos, respectively (for particles coming to sea level in the vertical direction). This “direct” production contribution to muon and neutrino fluxes is estimated very arbitrarily, but it cannot be excluded that this contribution is equal to that from the conventional source at energies of 0.5 and 0.05 PeV for muons and muon neutrinos, respectively. Currently, the estimates of the “prompt” and the “direct” contributions to cosmic-ray muons and atmospheric neutrinos are only qualitative. This is true especially for the “direct” contribution. Nevertheless, it seems reasonable to attract attention to these potentially important sources of atmospheric muons and neutrinos.     

Investigation of the spectrum of high-energy muons by the method of multiple interactions on the basis of data from the Baksan underground scintillation telescope

Experimental data obtained with the aid of the Baksan underground scintillation telescope over a long period of its operation are analyzed with the aim of searches for an excess flux of ultrahigh-energy (≥100 TeV)muons. The multiple-interaction method, which is based on the ideas of the pair-meter technique, is used to analyze the energy spectrum of the muons. The phenomenological parameters of this method and its sensitivity to the shape of the spectrum are discussed. The experimental distributions are compared with the results of calculations for various versions of the muon spectrum. The possibility of separating ultrahigh-energy muons that fly in the vicinity of the axis of extensive air showers is assessed on the basis of the integrated number of recorded and simulated events featuring large energy depositions.     

MARTA: a high-energy cosmic-ray detector concept for high-accuracy muon measurement

A new concept for the direct measurement of muons in air showers is presented. The concept is based on resistive plate chambers (RPCs), which can directly measure muons with very good space and time resolution. The muon detector is shielded by placing it under another detector able to absorb and measure the electromagnetic component of the showers such as a water-Cherenkov detector, commonly used in air shower arrays. The combination of the two detectors in a single, compact detector unit provides a unique measurement that opens rich possibilities in the study of air showers.     

Are dimuonic events with the same sign an indication that heavy leptons are produced in neutrino experiments?

The recent observation in neutrino experiments of dimuonic events with the same charge of the muons is interpreted as an indication that single charged and neutral heavy leptons are produced in these experiments. A simple phenomenological model based on quark-lepton analogy makes it possible to explain the strong suppression of trimuonic events compared with the dimuonic events of the same sign, the amount of the suppression depending only on the mass of the neutral muon. A natural possibility is discussed for including the block of the muon family of leptons (2) introduced here into the minimal vectorlike model of Fritzsch, Gell-Mann, and Minkowski with six quarks; the list of good properties of this model is then augmented by an effective mechanism of generation of dimuonic events with the same sign of the muon charge and trimuonic events.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 8, pp. 37–41, August, 1977.I thank N. V. Mikheev for discussions.     

Role of very-high-energy muons in generation of penetrating cascades in the Pamir experiment

The question of processes responsible for some unusual events with the energy deposition over 100 TeV recorded in X-ray emulsion chambers (XECs) of the Pamir experiment is still open. Among the events of this type are penetrating cascades in deep lead XECs. The evaluations show that these events can be qualitatively explained by multiple interactions of muons with energies in the PeV range. In this work, the expected number of penetrating cascades induced in the Pamir XECs by very-high-energy muons is calculated for different muon generation processes in the atmosphere.     

Beam envelope equations for cooling of muons in solenoid fields

Muon cooling is a critical component of the proposed muon collider and neutrino factory. Previous studies of cooling channels have tracked single muons through the channel, which requires many particles for good statistics and does not lend itself to an understanding of channel dynamics. In this paper, a system of moment equations are derived which captures the major aspects of cooling: interactions with material and acceleration by radio frequency (rf) cavities. A general analysis of solenoid lattice types compares well with prior simulations and indicates new directions for study.     

Properties of giant air showers and the problem of estimating the primary-particle energy

The main errors in energy estimation in individual events detected at the Yakutsk EAS array are analyzed. The data on the fraction of muons are considered. For inclined showers with energies exceeding 10¹⁹ eV, it is much larger than the value given by approximation at lower energies. This difference may be due to new processes arising upon interaction between particles with such energies, which leads to a significant increase in the muon component in the total primary-particle energy.     

Lateral distribution of EAS muons measured for the primary cosmic ray energy around 100 TeV

The muonic component of the extensive air showers (EAS) is of great importance for the astroparticle physics. It carries the information about the properties of primary cosmic ray (CR) particles, such as their mass, and electromagnetic and hadronic nature. It provides a sensitive test for the hadronic interaction models, which are inevitable for describing the cascade shower development of cosmic rays in EAS experiments. The YangBaJing Hybrid Array (YBJ-HA) experiment has been in operation since the end of 2016. Surface detectors are used for the measurements of primary energy, angular direction and core position of a shower event, while underground muon detectors are used for measuring the density of muons at various locations. Using the data obtained by the YBJ-HA experiment,this work reports the first measurement of the lateral muon distribution for the primary cosmic ray energy in the 100TeV region. The punch-through effect is evaluated via MC simulation.     

大俘获立体角的内靶超导螺线管表面muon源的设计研究

高通量μ子源是国际上μ子科学研究的重要条件。在中国散裂中子源的高能质子应用区中,运用蒙特卡罗工具Geant4和G4beamline软件设计了使用内靶超导螺线管俘获高通量表面μ子的束线。与传统的分离靶和基于四极磁铁的收集系统相比,大孔径超导螺线管可以将收集效率提高两个量级。通过对不同靶材的粒子产率进行分析得出石墨是最佳靶材,然后比较俘获螺线管与束流的不同偏转角度下收集的表面μ的产率,提出了合理的较高产率的俘获和输运螺线管的设计方案,并与常规磁铁方案比较,最终在衰变螺线管端口的表面μ通量高达108/s。     

Reconstruction of cosmic and beam-halo muons with the CMS detector

The powerful muon and tracker systems of the CMS detector together with dedicated reconstruction software allow precise and efficient measurement of muon tracks originating from proton-proton collisions. The standard muon reconstruction algorithms, however, are inadequate to deal with muons that do not originate from collisions. This note discusses the design, implementation, and performance results of a dedicated cosmic muon track reconstruction algorithm, which features pattern recognition optimized for muons that are not coming from the interaction point, i.e., cosmic muons and beam-halo muons. To evaluate the performance of the new algorithm, data taken during Cosmic Challenge phases I and II were studied and compared with simulated cosmic data. In addition, a variety of more general topologies of cosmic muons and beam-halo muons were studied using simulated data to demonstrate some key features of the new algorithm.     

J/ψ→μ+μ- reconstruction in the CMS experiment

In this paper the J/ψ→μ+μ- reconstruction performance in the CMS experiment at the LHC is studied in detail by using B5→ J/ψψ →μμКК events. The reconstruction efficiencies of J/ψ mesons and their decay muons are obtained as a function of the transverse momentum PT and the pseudo-rapidity η. We also study the muon trigger efficiency for this channel with the planned Level-1 trigger and High Level Trigger selection criteria. It was observed that the muon reconstruction efficiency decreases when the two decay muons have a small or large 3D angular separation, which further affects the overall J/ψ reconstruction efficiency.     

Cosmic ray studies with the L3-cosmics program at CERN

The L3 detector at the CERN electron-positron collider had a muon spectrometer which was employed during the last years of LEP operation for cosmic ray studies. The results of this program include a precise muon spectrum and charge ratio between 20 GeV and 3 TeV, a limit on TeV primary antiprotons from a study of the Moon’s shadow, the (possible) observation of a are signal from a fixed position in the northern hemisphere through muons, a solar anisotropy of 200 GeV protons, and other results. Negative limits on muons associated with known H.E. gamma sources or gamma bursts, the search for anomalous H.E. interaction or decay events such as reported from the Kolar Gold Fields, and a search for muons correlated with a solar are are also noted.     

Frictional accumulation of negative muons and its application

A novel method is proposed for the efficient conversion of intermediate energy negative muons into a low-energy muon beam. It is based on using an electric field to eject muons from a moderator consisting of a large number of thin carbon foils placed perpendicularly to the axis of a high-field solenoid. High-energy muons are made to slow down within the moderator to an energy where further slowing down is inhibited by the electric field acceleration between the foils. The muons accumulate at low energy within the moderator hopping from one foil to the next until they come out as a low-energy muon beam. The resulting phase compression factor exceeds 1000. Efficient initial injection of the muons into the moderator is obtained either by letting the muons enter it in a direction opposite to the acceleration force or by producing the muons within a magnetic trap containing the moderator. A practical configuration based on the second scheme is presented. By implementing the method into the most intense muon production configurations a new pathway is opened that may ultimately compete with other schemes in the selection of the optimal source for high-energy muon colliders.     

The source of trimuon events in neutrino scattering

A comprehensive study indicates that equally likely sources for trimuon events neutrino scattering are (a) charged heavy lepton production (with decay to three muons) and (b) simultaneous production of a neutral lepton (with decay to two muons) and a heavy quark (with decay to one muon). The sequential decay of a heavy quark to two muons is less likely. An intriguing model yielding simultaneous M⁰ and b quark production is proposed.     

Restoration of parameters of high-energy cascades in Cherenkov water calorimeter with a dense array of quasispherical modules

A problem concerning the restoration of the parameters of a cascade shower with an unknown axis originating by muons in a Cherenkov water calorimeter is considered. A method for estimating the direction and geometric position of the cascade’s axis, which is based on the analysis of responses of quasispherical modules, and the criteria of selection of the events with cascades among the events with a large energy liberation are proposed. The method and the criteria are tested on events with cascades generated by near-horizontal muons of high energies detected by a DECOR coordinate-track detector. The preliminary results of measurements of the energy spectrum of cascade showers are presented.     

Fission of Th and U in the interaction with negative muons

Muon-induced fission of ²³²Th and ²³⁸U was studied, measuring the time correlation between stopping muons, fission events and electrons.

The measured muon lifetimes are τ_μ(²³²Th) = 77.3±0.3 ns and τ_μ(²³⁸U) = 77.1±0.2 ns. After prompt fission the muon was found to be attached predominantly to the heavy fragment with a lifetime for ²³²Th of 132±7 ns and for ²³⁸U of 134±4 ns. The probability for muon conversion was found to be a few percent per fission event.

Indications were found that the muonic shape isomer is populated in ²³⁸U when the nucleus is excited in a radiationless muonic transition.     

Narrow muon bundles from muon pair production in rock

We revise the process of muon pair production by high-energy muons in rock using the recently published cross-section. The three-dimensional Monte Carlo code MUSIC has been used to obtain the characteristics of the muon bundles initiated via this process. We have compared them with those of conventional muon bundles initiated in the atmosphere and shown that large underground detectors, capable of collecting hundreds of thousands of multiple muon events, can discriminate statistically muon induced bundles from conventional ones. However, we find that the enhancement of the measured muon decoherence function over that predicted at small distances, recently reported by the MACRO experiment, cannot be explained by the effect of muon pair production alone, unless its cross-section is underestimated by a factor of 3.     

Shape isomer excitation by mu-minus atomic capture?

The possibility of excitation of the ²³⁸U shape-isomer by the atomic cascade of a negative muon has been investigated by a search for back-decay γ-rays. No candidates for such γ-rays have been found with yields greater than 1% per stopping muon, indicating that the probability of the isomer excitation by muons is less than 3%. The lifetime of a μ^? bound to ²³⁸U has been determined from capture γ-rays to be 79.1 ± 0.5 ns, which also set the upper limit of this probability to 7–15%.     

Radio-frequency muon spin resonance (RFμSR) experiments on condensed matter

In this paper we present an overview of the radio-frequency muon spin resonance (RFμSR) technique, an analogue to continuous-wave NMR, and an introduction to time-integral (TI) and time-differential (TD) RFμSR on muons in diamagnetic or in paramagnetic environments. The general form of the resonance line for TI-RFμSR as well as the expression for the time-dependence of the longitudinal muon spin polarization at resonance are given. Since RFμSR does not require phase coherence of the muon spin ensemble, this technique allows us to investigate muon species that are generated by transitions from, or in the course of reactions of, a precursor muon species even if in transverse-field (TF) μSR measurements the signal is lost due to dephasing. This ability of RFμSR is clearly demonstrated by measurements on doped Si. In this example, at low temperatures, a very pronounced signal from a muon species in diamagnetic environment has been found in RFμSR measurements, whereas in TFμSR experiments only a very small signal from muons in diamagnetic environment could be detected and a large fraction of the implanted muons escaped detection. These findings could be interpreted in terms of the delayed formation of a diamagnetic muonium-dopant complex, and, due to the large diamagnetic RFμSR signal, the RFμSR technique is a unique tool to study how the variation of parameters and experimental conditions such as illumination affects formation and behavior of these complexes. First results obtained on illuminated boron doped Si are reported. However, as illustrated by the example of experiments on the muonated radical in solid C₆₀, results from conventional TI-RFμSR cannot always be interpreted unambiguously since different parameters, namely the fraction of muons forming the investigated muon species, the longitudinal and the transverse relaxation rates, have similar effects on height and shape of the RFμSR resonance line. These ambiguities, however, may be resolved by collecting time-differential data. With this extension RFμSR becomes a very powerful complementary method to TFμSR in the studies of dynamic effects.