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Abstract
In this study we explore the possibility of using the existing structure of a running
experiment, the LVD supernova observatory at the INFN Gran Sasso National Laboratory,
as an active shield and veto for the muon-induced background. In our vision LVD could
become (without affecting in any way its main purpose of SN neutrino telescope) a
host for a relatively compact but massive experiment looking for rare events. The
empty volume that can be obtained removing 2 modules from the most internal part of
the detector is 2.1m x 6.2m x 2.8m; we will call it LVD Core Facility (LVD-CF). We
have evaluated the active vetoing and shielding power of LVD, with a detailed MC simulation
(based on Geant4) of the detector and the rock that surrounds it. The results show
that the flux of neutrons that are not associated with a visible muon in LVD is very
low; it results reduced by a factor 50, equivalent to the one present in a much deeper
underground laboratory, i.e. Sudbury. Moreover we present the results of on-going
measurements about the gamma contamination inside the LVD-CF: it is reduced by a factor
greater than 10 with respect to the one measured outside the LVD detector.
Comments 5 pages, 4 figures, to appear in the proceedings of the
Identification of Dark Matter conference (IDM2008), Stockholm, Sweden, 18-22
August, 2008