Muon-induced neutrons do not explain the DAMA data

Understand

We present an accurate model of the muon-induced background in the DAMA/LIBRA experiment.

• Our work challenges proposed mechanisms which seek to explain the observed DAMA signal modulation with muon-induced backgrounds.
• Muon generation and transport are performed using the MUSIC/MUSUN code, and subsequent interactions in the vicinity of the DAMA detector cavern are simulated with Geant4.
• We estimate the total muon-induced neutron flux in the detector cavern to be $\Phi_n^\nu = 1.0\times10^{-9}$ cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$.