Simulations of surface muon production in graphite targets

• Main Authors: Adriana Bungau, Robert Cywinski, Cristian Bungau, Philip King, James Lord
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: American Physical Society 2013-01-01
• Series: Physical Review Special Topics. Accelerators and Beams
• Online Access: http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevSTAB.16.014701

In this paper we present the results of GEANT4 simulations of the production of surface muons as a function of energy of the incident protons on a graphite target. A validation of the GEANT4 hadronic physics models has been performed by comparing the results with experimental data from the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory, United States. Considering the ISIS muon target as a reference, simulations have been performed to optimize the pion and muon production. Of particular significance, we predict that optimal surface muon production occurs at a relatively modest proton energy of 500 MeV. This will be of importance for the development of future μSR facilities.