Production of selected cosmogenic radionuclides by muons 1. Fast muons

B. Heisinger, D. Lal, A. J.T. Jull, P. Kubik, S. Ivy-Ochs, S. Neumaier, K. Knie, V. Lazarev, E. Nolte

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

329 Scopus citations

Abstract

To investigate muon-induced nuclear reactions leading to the production of radionuclides, targets made of C9H12, SiO2, Al2O3, Al, S, CaCO3, Fe, Ni, Cu, Gd, Yb and Tl were irradiated with 100 and 190 GeV muons in the NA54 experimental setup at CERN. The radionuclide concentrations were measured with accelerator mass spectrometry and γ-spectroscopy. Results are presented for the corresponding partial formation cross-sections. Several of the long-lived and short-lived radionuclides studied are also produced by fast cosmic ray muons in the atmosphere and at depths underground. Because of their importance to earth sciences investigations, calculations of the depth dependence of production rates by fast cosmic ray muons have been made.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)345-355
Number of pages11
JournalEarth and Planetary Science Letters
Volume200
Issue number3-4
DOIs
StatePublished - 2002

Keywords

  • Cosmogenic elements
  • Cross sections
  • Production
  • Radioactive isotopes
  • Rates

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Geophysics
  • Geochemistry and Petrology
  • Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous)
  • Space and Planetary Science

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