Publications Details

Using Muons to Image the Subsurface

Bonal, Nedra B.; Cashion, Avery T.; Cieslewski, Grzegorz C.; Dorsey, Daniel J.; Foris, Adam J.; Miller, Timothy J.; Roberts, Barry L.; Su, Jiann-Cherng S.; Dreesen, Wendi; Green, J.A.; Schwellenbach, David

Muons are subatomic particles that can penetrate the earth’s crust several kilometers and may be useful for subsurface characterization. The absorption rate of muons depends on the density of the materials through which they pass. Muons are more sensitive to density variation than other phenomena, including gravity, making them beneficial for subsurface investigation. Measurements of muon flux rate at differing directions provide density variations of the materials between the muon source (cosmic rays and neutrino interactions) and the detector, much like a CAT scan. Currently, muon tomography can resolve features to the sub-meter scale.