Can Water and Hydrocarbon Materials Effectively Shield Muons at Sea-Level?

[Jr_Particle_Hunters]

Hi!

If water and hydrocarbon rich materials are good at absorbing cosmic radiation, would they also work for shielding muons at sea-level?

What about gamma rays and electrons created by muon decay at sea-level...what would be good shields against those?

Thanks!

 

[mfb]

If water and hydrocarbon rich materials are good at absorbing cosmic radiation

Who said that?
They can be an interesting part of shielding concepts, but many materials have a similar performance. They are not very good for muons. Heavier elements are better as muon shields, but the only realistic useful shielding is hundreds of meters of rock, i. e. going into a mine.

What about gamma rays and electrons created by muon decay at sea-level...what would be good shields against those?

Everything that shields against muons will block the muon decay products easily. Decays and other interactions close to detectors have to be handled separately.

What do you want to do?

 

[Jr_Particle_Hunters]

Who said that?
They can be an interesting part of shielding concepts, but many materials have a similar performance. They are not very good for muons. Heavier elements are better as muon shields, but the only realistic useful shielding is hundreds of meters of rock, i. e. going into a mine.Everything that shields against muons will block the muon decay products easily. Decays and other interactions close to detectors have to be handled separately.

What do you want to do?

We are doing a science project to test different kinds of shielding against cosmic and background radiation in a cloud chamber. Could you please help us with some suggestions?

 

[mfb]

Well you won't build a relevant shield against muons from cosmic rays. Shielding against radioactive materials nearby works, but activity from the shielding itself has to be taken into account.

 

[Jr_Particle_Hunters]

Well you won't build a relevant shield against muons from cosmic rays. Shielding against radioactive materials nearby works, but activity from the shielding itself has to be taken into account.

What about trying to shield against electrons passing through the chamber (electrons that are created by muons decaying and interacting just outside the chamber)?

 

[mfb]

If the electrons are created sufficiently far away from the chamber, that is possible. What do you expect as rate of those electrons?

 

[Jr_Particle_Hunters]

If the electrons are created sufficiently far away from the chamber, that is possible. What do you expect as rate of those electrons?

We only know the rate of muons, but don't know the rate of how often muons create high energy electrons near sea level.

 

[mfb]

You know the muon lifetime and you can look up the energy distribution.