title: Comparison of background in underground HPGe-detectors in different lead shield configurations.
abstract: In underground HPGe-detector systems where the cosmic ray induced background is low, it is often difficult to assess the location of background sources. In this study, background counting rates of different HPGe-detectors in different lead shields are reported with the aim of better understanding background sources. To further enhance the understanding of the variations of environmental parameters, the background as a function of time over a long period was also studied.
authors.affiliation: European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM), Retieseweg 111, B-2440 Geel, Belgium. mikael.hult@ec.europa.eu
authors.forename: Mikael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hult
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lutter
authors.forename: Ayhan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yüksel
authors.forename: Gerd
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marissens
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Misiaszek
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Rosengård
mesh_terms: D001417:Background Radiation; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005857:Germanium / Q000528:radiation effects*; D007854:Lead / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013051:Spectrometry, Gamma / Q000295:instrumentation*
chemical_list: D005857:Germanium; D007854:Lead
keywords: Activation; Background; HPGe-detector; Radioactivity; Underground laboratory