PNNL

Abstract

Ultra-low background experiments, such as neutrinoless double beta decay, carried out deep underground to escape cosmic ray backgrounds can nonetheless be limited in sensitivity by cosmogenically induced signals. This limit can either be produced directly during operation from cosmic muon events in the detector volume, or can be produced by radioactive decay of cosmogenically generated radionuclides created while the detector materials were above ground. An accurate knowledge of the production of the latter source of background is of paramount importance in order to be able to interpret the results of low-background experiments.