Warszawa, July 3rd Measurements of natural radioactivity in European underground labs within the ILIAS project Jan Kisiel Institute of Physics, University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland

Warszawa, July 3rd ILIAS ( „is an Integrated Infrastructure Initiative that has pulled together all of Europe’s leading infrastructures in Astroparticle Physics” „results from a consultation of the community and an internal reviwe process throught ApPEC” 20 participants + many non contactor institutions Three scientific poles: - Physics in deep Underground laboratories (Gran Sasso, Modane, Canfranc and Boulby) 1 Transnational access activity 3 Networking activities (Deep Underground Science Laboratories, Direct dark matter detection, Search on double beta decay) 2 Joint research activities (Low Background Techniques for Deep Underground Science, Integrated double-beta-decay European Activities) - Gravitational wave detection - Theoretical astroparticle physics

Warszawa, July 3rd What have been done? Gran Sasso Lab. (December 2004): in-situ measurements, radon emission from the surface, water samples measurements, Boulby Lab. (August 2005): in-situ measurements, radon emission from the surface, rock samples measurements, Sieroszowice/Poland, salt chamber: in-situ measurements, radon emission from the surface, rock samples measurements.

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Warszawa, July 3rd Sample Bq/dm ± ± ± ± ± ± 0.3 Sample Bq/dm ± ± ± ± ± ± 0.4 Samples 1-10, 2-9, … were taken in the same place with slightly different methods (radan mobility!) – results are consistent LNGS measurements, Dec’2004 – cont. 222 Rn concentration in the water Liquid scintilator method (measured with Wallac 1414 WinSpectral liquid sintillation Counter, in Katowice), 12 measurements – see map)

Warszawa, July 3rd LNGS, Dec’2004: map of water samples measurements

Warszawa, July 3rd Rn concentration in the air HALL B point Bq/m ± ± ± ± ± ± 5.3 HALL AHALL C point Bq/m ± ± ± ± ± ± 8.1 LNGS measurements, Dec’2004 – cont. Pico-Rad method (Insta-Fluor scinitilator, activate carbon, 48h exposure, 12 mesurements in Halls A, B and C)

Warszawa, July 3rd In situ measurements: HPGe detector (EG&G ORTEC): - 30% relative efficiency, - crystal length 59mm and diameter 58.6mm, - resolution: 0.67keV at 122keV and 1.73keV at 1.33MeV M-1 B32 (ORTEC) software for the determination of radioisotope activity M-1 geometry: detector mounted 1m above the surface, gamma emitters recorded from the area in a radius of 10m to a depth of about 30cm (depending on ground and photon enregy)

Warszawa, July 3rd Sieroszowice: KGHM copper mine with large (15x15x100m) salt coverns at about 1000m underground – possible location of an underground low background laboratory in Poland

Warszawa, July 3rd

Warszawa, July 3rd

Warszawa, July 3rd

Warszawa, July 3rd Net Count Rate [cps] – in situ mesurements Peak Bi keV (Ra226) Ac keV (Th232) K keV Gran Sasso ± ± ± Boulby ± ± ± Sieroszowice ± ± ± 0.003

Warszawa, July 3rd Energy [keV]Gran SassoBoulbySieroszowice (0.05)17.00 (0.01)2.30 (0.02) In situ measurements: GS, Boulby, Sieroszowice Integral background counting rates

Warszawa, July 3rd Ra Bq/kg 214 Pb Bq/kg ( 226 Ra) 214 Bi Bq/kg ( 226 Ra) 212 Pb Bq/kg ( 232 Th) 228 Ac Bq/kg ( 232 Th) 40 K Bq/kg Gran Sasso 35 ± 332 ± 129 ± 17.9 ± ± ± 1 Boulby < 85.3 ± ± ± ± ± 1.3 Sieroszowice < 84.2 ± ± ± ± ± 1.7 In situ measurements: GS, Boubly and Sieroszowice

Warszawa, July 3rd Radon 222 Rn measurements in Boulby: Durridge RAD7 detector has been used in its sniff mode: - looks at the 6MeV alpha particles from the 218 Po decay, - variations of radon emission has been monitored by using 48-hours protocol, 1 hour intervals, - checks of „internal humidity” (detector works correctly if internal humidity < 10%) - mesurements in 4 points: 3 in JIF area + 1 in H area.

Warszawa, July 3rd Radon measurements: Boulby 2005

Warszawa, July 3rd Radon measurements in Boulby: results Mean (from 48 hours measurement) values: - H area: 2.3±1.7Bq/m 3 - JIF area 1 (Box2): 2.5±1.4Bq/m 3 - JIF area 2 (transport hall): 4.2±1.9Bq/m 3 - JIF area 3 (main lab): 2.5±1.9Bq/m 3 Conclusions: - mean values are „practically” the same

Warszawa, July 3rd Future plans (2006): 2 in-situ measurements in 2006 (Modane, Boulby and Canfranc): - use two (not one!) portable detectors, - HPGe detector (EG&G ORTEC) the „old” one, - GX3020 (Canberra Industries): possibility of measurements in different geometries!, with the minimum detectable activity about 0.1Bq/kg, - radon emission measurements, - rock and/or water samples measurements