Low Background Counting Facility at Henderson DUSEL Lots of resources already exist, e.g. 1. Homestake NUSL Reference Design Report WBS 6.1 (Low-level counting facility) 2. NUSL White Paper (Nico, Piepke, Shutt) Lots of experience with ultra-sensitive low-level experiments, e.g. Borexino and the Counting Test Facility (Gran Sasso) SNO experiment BUT not much experience in low background user facilities Funding agencies and Historical Precedent lead to each experiment providing its own screening and purity methods Europe is ahead in organization (ILIAS) And in sites/experiments which are lending out their “old” facilities

A Suite of Devices with varying degrees of cleanliness + sensitivity Ultra-low bkgd: Emphasize sensitivity At least one state-of-the-art “whole body” facility g/g 238 U/ 232 Th multiple ports and flexible staging Leaching/emanation lab g/g Space for the next generation – g/g Novel techniques e.g. HPGe in LN (a la GERDA) g/g ? Traditional low-bkgd counting techniques Emphasize throughput. HPGe with low bkgd shielding and cryostats g/g extending to g/g with NAA Tracking MWPCs for surface beta, alpha Proportional counters for single atom counting of gas samples Pre-screeners NaI, less sensitive HPGe, Radon monitors, Any DUSEL installation of a full-fledged LBC Facility consists of PLUS

Plus the infra-structure to support them Dedicated staff + offices for analysis Sample preparation Underground prep and storage Surface prep and chem lab (including radiochem for NAA) Clean rooms & Radon mitigation & Clean Machining & Washing Station Underground fabrication & utilities Electroformed copper for cryostats and shielding Detector assembly Provide Radon-free air, N2, and LN Ultra-pure water, ultra-pure liquid scintillator Optional Extensions include Secure Lab for sensitive (of a different sort!) applications Shielded Prototyping space Any DUSEL installation of a full-fledged LBC Facility consists of

Figure E-16 from the Homestake Reference Design Secure lab Emanation and leaching laboratory (TBA) Pool 2 Gd-loaded liq. Scint for neutron sensitivity or Mini-Borexino for U/Th down to g/g Pool 1 12 m cube – ultra-pure water NAA Laboratory + general environmental sample handling Built-in liq. Scint acrylic thimble ports read out by PMT’s for U/Th down to g/g

Matthias Laubenstein (Borexino) Talk at Synergies Workshop CTF can lead the way to the next generation ultra-sensitive whole body assay technique

Nonetheless, Henderson needs to make some choices Actual Layout: SnoLab model or Nested clean areas or Simple Tree Multiple screening depths? Or staged downward trend? Accessibility Outreach and Tourists National Security Quality of Life for shift-takers Degree of Centralization Model 1: Complementarity with existing sites Exploit Deep Site characteristics Model 2: Include all possible facilities Exploit economy of scale Degree of Availability Provide screening and assay to the general public? Only to DUSEL participants? Only to the experiment that “owns” the equipment?

DUSEL LBCF does not have to re-invent the wheel Existing counting facilities in the US Best technique may not be “counting” ICPMS, AMS ($$) RBS, PIXE, Auger, SIMS Analysis centers at most Universities User fees – cheaper for University faculty Commercial Labs Longer turn around, more expensive, more standardized “Use for Others” at most national labs (Oak Ridge, LANL, BNL) A few shallow  middle depth sites open for users LBL Bldg72 and Oroville Dam – now LOMO at PNNL - soon Underground screening sites in development stage, with some capacity now WIPP: SEGA running, MEGA/EXO installing Infrastructure thru LANL. Soudan: MINOS/CDMS running  -screening capability in SOLO Protyping facility with active muon veto shield Kimballton: LENS experiment slated for here Ties to NRL. Possible Nat’l Security niche

Screening for existing experiments (and security-related appl.) Underground testing of prototypes for DUSEL technology choices Screening for the proposed experiments Development of new, high purity materials R&D now for a future DUSEL LBCF What needs to be done NOW? The DUSEL sites have a vested interest in this so… How does HUSEP become involved?

Open for use: 40’ x 30’ x 100’ surrounded by active muon veto shield. Office space and infrastructure exists Existing Underground Infrastructure should be Utilized in an Organized Way WIPP Soudan

Solution Propose NOW a multi-site LBCF with proper integration and enough throughput to deal with mounting screening and purity issues Part of this is just building the community and consensus It has already started with Meetings Collaboration DUSEL Solicitation 1 LRT 1 st Topical Workshop: Sudbury, Canada. December nd Topical Workshop: September 30 - October 3, Aussois, FRANCE Synergies Workshop: Minneapolis, MN. July 2005 European: ILIAS already exists. North American: Integration Website (input from Synergies Workshop)

Integrative Website Working toward a cooperative approach to sensitive radiation techniques and low background counting Want your research listed? Click Here to Register!Here PURPOSE 1. Institutions with at least some capacity to serve users will be featured, along with the detectors, sensitivities and support facilities available. This should bring some order to the diverse array of solutions and provide users with means to schedule their research needs. 2. Diverse research fields will be able to learn from each other and create collaborations based on low radioactivity techniques they may have in common by exploring this site. Links to the workshop talks will be a first step since the talks will be given by representatives of the various disciplines, surveying the ways in which they currently use these techniques and how they might benefit from improved sensitivity in the future. To participate in the creation of this community, first register as a member (see bottom left sidebar). You will be sent a member id number which you can use to add resource links, edit your contact information and add functionality to this website. Once you have your id, login by clicking on the "Add to Website" link on the sidebar to the left. Home Members Research Portals Facilities and Scheduling Commercial Suppliers Sources and Standards Counted Materials Database Add to Website

Research Portals Anthropologyhuman civilizations, forensic studies, cultural history, isotope dating Archaeologyhuman ancestry, evolutionary studies, fossils, isotope dating Astrobiologylife in extreme environments Astroparticle and Nuclear Physics double beta decay, dark matter searches, solar neutrinos, neutrino beams, low background screening, ultrapure materials Bioremediationenvironmental cleanup, radiation monitoring Environmental Geochemistry Planetary and Space Science planetary geology, solar system, aurora, solar wind, meteorite studies Geomicrobiology Hydrologyhistory and mapping of water systems Industrial Applications sediment dating, watershed characterization Limnologyocean currents, fish populations Public Healthenvironmental monitoring, radon detection, water testing, EPA Transuranic Chemistry

Underground Sites Shielded Surface Sites Schedule a Sample To schedule a sample, check the available detectors and click here to submit your request.here What's Available? HPGe Alpha counting Beta counting Waste Isolation Pilot Plant(WIPP) WIPP offers its mine operations infrastructure and space in the underground to researchers requiring a deep underground setting with dry conditions and very low levels of naturally occurring radioactive materials. Soudan Underground Mine Soudan Low Background Counting Facility has an active muon veto shield covering an area of 35ft x 40th x 100ft. KimballtonThe Kimballton site is located less than 30 minutes from Virginia Tech Sudbury Neutrino Observatory SNO provides 6010 Meters Water Equivalent(MWE) of shielding from cosmic rays and offers a uniquely low background environment for the next generation of experiments exploring the frontiers of particle physics and astrophysics. LBLBerkeley Lab: Shielded surface facility and Oroville Dam PNNL Pacific Northwest National Lab: Shielded surface and Lower Monumental Dam North American Research Facilities

Participate In the Integration Process EditEdit your contact information EditEdit links in the Research Portals sectionYou have 1 entries in the Research Portals section EditEdit links in the Facilities sectionYou have 0 entries in the Facilities section EditEdit entries in the Detector TablesYou have 0 entries in the Detector Tables EditEdit entries in the Sources and Standards You have 5 entries in the Sources and Standards Section EditEdit entries in the Commercial SitesYou have 1 entries in the Commercial Links FirstName = PriscillaLastName = Cushman = = Professor of Physics Affiliation = University of MinnesotaWebpage = Address = School of Physics and AstronomyAddress2 = 116 Church St SE City = MinneapolisProvince/State = MN Country = USAPhone = Fax = ResearchField = HEP ResearchTechniques = HPGe, beta screening, surface techniquesResearchProjects = CDMS (Cryogenic Dark Matter Search) Member Profile for Current Contact Information for Professor of Physics Priscilla Cushman: