Orrigo, S. E. A., Tain, J. L., Mont-Geli, N., Tarifeño-Saldivia, A., Fraile, L. M., Grieger, M., et al. (2022). Long-term evolution of the neutron rate at the Canfranc Underground Laboratory. Eur. Phys. J. C, 82(9), 814–11pp.
Abstract: We report results on the long-term variation of the neutron counting rate at the Canfranc Underground Laboratory, of importance for several low-background experiments installed there, including rare-event searches. The measurement campaign was performed employing the High Efficiency Neutron Spectrometry Array (HENSA) mounted in Hall A and lasted 412 live days. The present study is the first long-term measurement of the neutron rate with sensitivity over a wide range of neutron energies (from thermal up to 0.1 GeV and beyond) performed in any underground laboratory so far. Data on the environmental variables inside the experimental hall (radon concentration, air temperature, air pressure and humidity) were also acquired during all the measurement campaign. We have investigated for the first time the evolution of the neutron rate for different energies of the neutrons and its correlation with the ambient variables.
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Deo, A. Y., Podolyak, Z., Walker, P. M., Algora, A., Rubio, B., Agramunt, J., et al. (2010). Structures of Po-201 and Rn-205 from EC/beta(+)-decay studies. Phys. Rev. C, 81(2), 024322–8pp.
Abstract: Several low-lying excited states in Rn-205(86)119 and Po-201(84)117 were identified for the first time following EC/beta(+) decay of Fr-205 and At-201, respectively, using gamma-ray and conversion electron spectroscopy at the CERN isotope separator on-line (ISOLDE) facility. The EC/beta(+) branch from Fr-205 was measured to be 1.5(2)%. The excited states of the daughter nuclei are understood in terms of the odd nucleon coupling to the neighboring even-even core. The neutron single-particle energies of the p(3/2) orbital relative to the f(5/2) ground state in Rn-205, and the f(5/2) orbital relative to the p(3/2) ground state in Po-201, were determined to be 31.4(2) and 5.7(3) keV, respectively. We tentatively identify a 13/2(+) isomeric level at 657.1(5) keV in Rn-205. The systematic behavior of the 13/2(+) and 3/2(-) levels is also discussed.
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Modamio, V., Jungclaus, A., Algora, A., Bazzacco, D., Escrig, D., Fraile, L. M., et al. (2010). New high-spin isomer and quasiparticle-vibration coupling in Ir-187. Phys. Rev. C, 81(5), 054304–13pp.
Abstract: The high-spin structure of the Z = 77 nucleus Ir-187 has been studied using the fusion-evaporation reaction W-186(Li-7, (6)n) at a beam energy of 59 MeV. The excitation scheme of this nucleus has been extended by more than 110 new states, including extensions of all previously established rotational bands. The band crossing region of the h(9/2) negative-parity yrast band has been revised and new intrinsic high-K states have been identified. In particular, a 29/2(-) isomeric state [T-1/2 = 1.8(5)mu s] at an excitation energy of 2487 keV has been observed for the first time, and on top of it, a rich level scheme reaching up to spin (59/2(-)) and excitation energies around 7 MeV has been established.
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Jordan, D., Tain, J. L., Algora, A., Agramunt, J., Domingo-Pardo, C., Gomez-Hornillos, M. B., et al. (2013). Measurement of the neutron background at the Canfranc Underground Laboratory LSC. Astropart Phys., 42, 1–6.
Abstract: The energy distribution of the neutron background was measured for the first time at Hall A of the Canfranc Underground Laboratory. For this purpose we used a novel approach based on the combination of the information obtained with six large high-pressure He-3 proportional counters embedded in individual polyethylene blocks of different size. In this way not only the integral value but also the flux distribution as a function of neutron energy was determined in the range from 1 eV to 10 MeV. This information is of importance because different underground experiments show different neutron background energy dependence. The high sensitivity of the setup allowed to measure a neutron flux level which is about four orders of magnitude smaller that the neutron background at sea level. The integral value obtained is Phi(Hall A) = (3.44 +/- 0.35) x 10(-6) cm(-2) s(-1).
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