Results of wavelet processing of the 2K-capture Kr-78 experiment statistics

Results of a search for Kr-78 double K-capture with the large low-background proportional counter (2005-2008 years) at the Baksan Neutrino Observatory are presented. An experimental method and characteristics of detectors are described. Basic features of the digitized pulses processing using wavelet transform are considered. With due account taken of the analysis of individual noise characteristic it has been shown that the appropriate choice of both wavelet characteristics and sequence of processing algorithms allows one to decrease the background in the energy region of useful events with a unique set of characteristics by ~2000 times. New limit on the half-life of Kr-78 with regard to 2K-capture has been found: T_{1/2} >= 2.4E21 yrs (90% C.L.).Comment: 12 pages, 9 figure

Comparative analysis of spectra of the background of the proportional counter filled with Kr, enriched in Kr-78, and with Kr of natural content

The results of the experiment searching for 2K-capture with large low-background proportional counter are presented. The comparison of spectra of the background of the proportional counter filled with Kr enriched in $^{78}$Kr (8400 hr) and with natural Kr (3039 hr) is given. A new limit on the half-life of $^{78}$Kr with regard to 2K-capture, T$_{1/2}\geq2.0\cdot10^{21}$ yrs (95% C.L.) has been obtained.Comment: 4 pages, 7 postscript figures, talk at the XIV-th Int. School "Particles and Cosmology

Sources of the systematic errors in measurements of Po-214 decay half-life time variations at the Baksan deep underground experiments

The design changes of the Baksan low-background TAU-1 and TAU-2 set-ups allowed to improve a sensitivity of Po-214 half-life (\tau) measurements up to the 2.5 x 10^{-4} are described. Different possible sources of systematic errors influencing on the $\tau$-value are studed. An annual variation of Po-214 half-life time measurements with an amplitude of A=(6.9 \pm 3) x 10^{-4} and a phase of (\phi=93 \pm 10) days was found in a sequence of the week-collected \tau-values obtained from the TAU-2 data sample with total duration of 480 days. 24 hours' variation of the \tau-value measurements with an amplitude of A=(10.0 \pm 2.6) x 10^{-4} and phase of (\phi=1 \pm 0.5) hours was found in a solar day 1 hour step \tau-value sequence formed from the same data sample. It was found that the Po-214 half-life averaged at 480 days is equal to (163.45 \pm 0.04) mks.Comment: 17 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in Journal of Physics of Elementary Particles and Atomic Nucle

Results of a search for daily and annual variations of the Po-214 half-life at the two year observation period

The brief description of installation TAU-2 intended for long-term monitoring of the half-life value $\tau$ ($\tau_{1/2}$) of the $^{214}$Po is presented. The methods of measurement and processing of collected data are reported. The results of analysis of time series values $\tau$ with different time step are presented. Total of measurement time was equal to 590 days. Averaged value of the $^{214}$Po half-life was obtained $\tau=163.46\pm0.04$ $\mu$s. The annual variation with an amplitude $A=(8.9\pm2.3)\cdot10^{-4}$, solar-daily variation with an amplitude $A_{So}=(7.5\pm1.2)\cdot10^{-4}$, lunar-daily variation with an amplitude $A_L=(6.9\pm2.0)\cdot10^{-4}$ and sidereal-daily variation with an amplitude $A_S=(7.2\pm1.2)\cdot10^{-4}$ were found in a series of $\tau$ values. The maximal values of amplitude are observed at the moments when the projections of the installation Earth location velocity vectors toward the source of possible variation achieve its maximal magnitudes.Comment: Talk at The International Workshop on Prospects of Particle Physics: "Neutrino Physics and Astrophysics" February 1 - Ferbuary 8, 2015, Valday,Russia, 7 pages, 12 figure (to be published in PEPAN

Search for 2K(2\nu)-capture of Xe-124

The results of a search for two neutrino mode of double K-capture of Xe-124 using a large copper low-background proportional counter are presented. Data collected during 3220 hours of measurements with 58.6 g of $^{124}$Xe provides us to a new limit on the half-life of Xe-124 regarding 2K-capture at the level: T_{1/2} >= 2.0*10^{21} years at a 90\% confidence level.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, Talk at The International Workshop on Prospects of Particle Physics: "Neutrino Physics and Astrophysics" February 01 - Ferbuary 08, 2015, Valday, Russi

The origin of the background radioactive isotope Xe-127 in the sample of Xe enriched in Xe-124

The results of investigation of Xe-127 radioactive isotope production in the xenon sample enriched in Xe-124, Xe-126, Xe-128 are presented. The isotope is supposed to be the source of the background events in the low-background experiment on search for 2K-capture of Xe-124. In this work we consider two channels of Xe-127 production: the neutron knock-out from Xe-128 nucleus by cosmogenic muons and the neutron capture by Xe-126 nucleus. For the first channel the upper limit of the cross section of Xe-127 production was found to be sigma >= 0.007 barn at 95\% C.L. For the second channel the value obtained for the cross section was found to be equal to sigma =(2.74+-0.4) barn, which coincides well, within the statistical error, with reference value.Comment: Talk at The International Workshop on Prospects of Particle Physics: "Neutrino Physics and Astrophysics" Ferbuary 1 - 8, 2015, Valday,Russia, 4 pages, 5 figures, 1 tabel (to be published in PEPAN

The background simulation of experiment for searching of 2ν2K2\nu2K capture in Xe-124

We describe the Monte Carlo (MC) simulation package of the `2K-CAPTURE' setup and discuss the agreement of its output with data. The `2K-CAPTURE' MC simulates the energy loss of particles in detector and components of the passive shield and generates the resulting response in working volume large proportional counter (LPC). The simulation accounts for absorption, reemission, and scattering of both photons and neutrons and tracks them until they either are absorbed. The algorithm proceeds with a detailed simulation of the electronics chain. The MC is tuned using data collected with radioactive calibration source deployed in the internal channel of the installation. The simulation reproduces the energy response of the detector corresponding to distribution of the generated pointwise clusters of a charge of primary ionization in LPC.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, 1 table, presented at IV international conference on particle physics and astrophysic

Results of measurements of an environment neutron background at BNO INR RAS objects with the helium proportional counter

A method of measurements of the environmental neutron background at the Baksan Neutrino Observatory of the INR RAS are described. Measurements were done by using of a proportional counter filled with mixture of Ar(2 at)+$^3$He(4 at). The results obtained at the surface and the underground laboratory of the BNO INR RAS are presented. It is shown that a neutron background in the underground laboratory at the 4900 m w.e. depth is decreased by $\sim 260$ times without any special shield in a comparison with the Earth surface. A neutron flux density in the 5-1323.5~cm air height region is constant within the determination error and equal to $(7.1\pm0.1_{\rm{stat}}\pm0.3_{\rm{syst}})\times10^{-3}$ s$^{-1}\cdot$cm$^{-2}$.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, 2 table

Comparative study of the double KK-shell-vacancy production in single- and double-electron capture decay

We carried out the comparative study of the signal from the decay of double $K$-shell vacancy production that follows after single $K$-shell electron capture of $^{81}$Kr and double $K$-shell electron capture of $^{78}$Kr. The radiative decay of a the double $1s$ vacancy state was identified by detecting the triple coincidence of two $K$ X-rays and several Auger electrons in the $ECEC$-decay, or by detecting two $K$ X-rays and (Auger electrons + ejected $K$-shell electron) in the $EC$ decay. The number of $K$-shell vacancies per the $K$-electron capture, produced as a result of the shake-off process, has been measured for the decay of $^{81}$Kr. The probability for this decay was found to be $P_{KK}=(5.7\pm0.8)\times10^{-5}$ with a systematic error of $(\Delta P_{KK})_{syst}=\pm0.4 \times10^{-5}$. For the $^{78}{\rm{Kr}}(2\nu2K)$ decay, the comparative study of single- and double-capture decays allowed us to obtain the signal-to-background ratio to be 15/1. The half-life $T_{1/2}^{2\nu2K}(g.s. \rightarrow g.s.) = [1.9^{+1.3}_{-0.7}(stat)\pm0.3(syst)]\times 10^{22}$ y is determined from the analysis of data that have been accumulated over 782 days of live measurements in the experiment that used samples consisted of 170.6 g of $^{78}$Kr.Comment: 17 pages, 9 figures, 1 tabl

Characteristics of a thermal neutrons scintillation detector with the [ZnS(Ag)+6^6LiF] at different conditions of measurements

A construction of a thermal neutron testing detector with a thin [ZnS(Ag)+$^6$LiF] scintillator is described. Results of an investigation of sources of the detector pulse origin and the pulse features in a ground and underground conditions are presented. Measurements of the scintillator own background, registration efficiency and a neutron flux at different objects of the BNO INR RAS were performed. The results are compared with the ones measured by the $^3$He proportional counter.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures, 1 table