Background Explorer: A Toolkit for Modeling Radioactive Backgrounds in Low Background Detectors
Abstract
Background contributions for the upcoming SuperCDMS SNOLAB experiment are estimated by simulating decay chains of naturally-occurring radioactive elements in the cryostat, readout system, and shielding. Absolute background rates are predicted by normalizing to contamination levels determined by material assay. The current model includes 374 components and assemblies and 864 simulation datasets. We have developed a tool, called Background Explorer, to manage this complex model, which includes a web interface intended to provide insights into relative background contribution levels and help guide detector design decisions related to background control. I will describe the design and use of this system for SuperCDMS, and present version 2, which has been significantly redesigned to facilitate use by a wider variety of low-background experiments.
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is operated by Battelle Memorial Institute under Contract No. DE-AC05-76RL01830 for the U.S. Department of Energy.- Publication:
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APS April Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019APS..APRQ10004L