1. WP1: Measurement of the backgrounds in the EU underground sites Dr. Matthias Laubenstein Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso ITALY J1 General Meeting Paris (France) February 20 th, 2007

2. Feb. 20th, 2007J1 General meeting - Paris (France)2  J1-WP1 Review of objectives and general organization  status of the activities - neutrons - gamma rays - radon  outlook for next six months Summary

3. Feb. 20th, 2007J1 General meeting - Paris (France)3 J1-WP1 : Review of objectives and general organization main objective: characterization of the relevant backgrounds (neutrons, gamma rays, muons, radon) in the 4 UG Labs - collecting available existing data - performing new, dedicated measurements The final deliverable will be a database containing information on old and new measurements of the background components.

4. Feb. 20th, 2007J1 General meeting - Paris (France)4 Status of the activities Boulby: new gamma and radon measurements have been recorded by a group from the Silesia University in a visit partially funded by a TA program and reported in the BUS 2006 meeting; LNGS: new measurements of the gamma background in hall B have been carried out with a portable HPGe detector; the setup for a high statistics measurement of the fast neutron flux is taking data in hall A; routine measurements of the average annual radon concentration in selected areas are carried out, together with the real-time monitoring;

5. Feb. 20th, 2007J1 General meeting - Paris (France)5 Status of the activities LSC: radon measurements are ongoing; the gamma ray and radon survey by the group from the Silesia University in the framework of the TA will be carried out in summer 2007; LSM: radon measurements are ongoing (new ultra sensitive monitor, status?); a new neutron monitor has been set up and tested; within a TA activity it should go around in all 4 UG labs within 2007/2008;

6. Feb. 20th, 2007J1 General meeting - Paris (France)6 The document, prototype of the database, created under the guidance of Nicola Ferrari is now being converted into a real searcheable database. It must be updated with the latest measurements and results, as well as with the most up-to-date publication list. A plan for the last campaign of background measurements within the duration of the ILIAS contract will be made available in coordiination between the 4 UG labs. Status of database

7. Feb. 20th, 2007J1 General meeting - Paris (France)7 Neutrons LocationmeasurementPublication LNGSILIAS: measurement of fast neutron spectrum with liquid scintillator - ongoing in preparation BoulbyILIAS: measurement of fast neutron spectrum with Gd-loaded liquid scintillator LSCILIAS: planned with LSM system LSMILIAS: measurement of neutron spectrum with 3He proportional counters and different shieldings

8. Feb. 20th, 2007J1 General meeting - Paris (France)8 Gamma rays LocationmeasurementPublication All labs ILIAS: measurement of  -rays with movable Ge detector in all labs - ongoing LNGS ILIAS: measurement of  -rays with NaI and HPGe detector at LNGS - ongoing LSM ILIAS: measurement of  -rays with movable Ge detector Internal note available

9. Feb. 20th, 2007J1 General meeting - Paris (France)9 Gamma rays : measurement with portable HPGe detector in all labs The results of the researchers from the University of Silesia (Poland), who have carried out a programme of Ge detector and Radon background measurements at LNGS and Boulby will be presented at the ILIAS general meeting in Chambéry (France), on February 27th. Measurements planned in LSC and LSM during 2007/2008.

10. Feb. 20th, 2007J1 General meeting - Paris (France)10 LNGS: a total number of 18 measurements of the gamma background in various locations inside LNGS have been carried out with a 16 kg NaI detector. The calculation of the absolute fluxes will be done in 2007. In the meantime new measurements have been carried out in hall B and will be carried out in halls A & C and compared to the data taken before the Commissioner's works had begun. Samples of all materials used in those works have been taken, measured by gamma spectroscopy and archived. Radon emanation measurements from the floor resin are planned for 2007 with a commercial device. Gamma rays: measurements at LNGS with portable NaI and HPGe detectors

11. Feb. 20th, 2007J1 General meeting - Paris (France)11 Muons locationmeasurementpublication LNGSMeasurements from MACRO detectorAp. J. 411 (1993) 301 Phys. Rev. D 52, 7 (1993) Phys. Rev. D 56 (1997) 1421 Phys. Rev. D 59 (1998) 012003 LNGSMeasurements from LVD detectorHep-ex-9806001 Hep-ex-9905048 Boulbyflux using ZEPLIN I Compton vetoRobinson et al., NIMA 511 (2003), 347 LSM?? PyhasalmiMeasurements at different depthsNIM A 554 (2005) LSC?? Please send information on muon measurements in the lab if available.

12. Feb. 20th, 2007J1 General meeting - Paris (France)12 Radon At LNGS, the Rn in the air of the lab is continuously monitored on-line and integrated on several months. It varies from approximately 50 Bq/m3 to 150 Bq/m3 in the ventilated areas, but it can reach 800-1000 Bq/m3 in non-ventilated corners. The monitoring of the Rn is the water of the Gran Sasso massive is ongoing since several years. At LSC, Rn is being monitored at all the experimental halls. Periodic measurements of radon concentration has been performed at different points. The results show a mean value of 64 Bq/m 3 for the radon concentration in Hall A and 70 Bq/m 3 in Hall B. At Boulby, Rn measurements are less urgent than in other laboratories due to the low U, Th content. Typical levels are of the order of 5 Bq/m 3. A RAD-7 radon detector is operational inside the low background laboratory. Other investigations of radon levels, radon-progeny plate-out / deposition and additional n-flux due to associated (α, n) reactions are planned in the near future. At LSM a new system of radon purification by adsorption in charcoal is working since 2005, the volume of clean air for this system is 125 m 3 /h and the activity of 222 Rn is 15 mBq/m 3. Please send some examples of Rn monitoring in the lab if available.

13. Feb. 20th, 2007J1 General meeting - Paris (France)13

14. Feb. 20th, 2007J1 General meeting - Paris (France)14 MilestoneReference peopleExpectation Include all published data in web- based database A. Formicola, M. LaubensteinMarch/April 2007 Neutrons: LNGS liq. Scint. new measurement first data G.L. Rasellibefore Apr. 2007 Neutrons: Boulby liq. Scint. new measurement first data V. Kudryavtsevbefore Apr. 2007 Gamma rays: completion of new measurements with portable Ge detectors In all labs and writing of a report J. Kisielend of summer 2007 LNGS: extraction of absolute gamma fluxes from NaI data C. Tomei, M. Laubenstein, A. Formicola Next J1 meeting Measurements of backgrounds in the new LSC ?? Outlook for the next six months

15. Feb. 20th, 2007J1 General meeting - Paris (France)15 MilestoneReference peopleExpectation Collect Rn monitoring data from all labs M. Laubenstein, A. Formicola Next J1 meeting new neutron measurements with 3 He proportional counters in all the labs F. Piquemal, P. Loizaend of 2007