The MATHUSLA test stand

Abstract

The rate of muons from LHC pp collisions reaching the surface above the ATLAS interaction point is measured as a function of the ATLAS luminosity and compared with expected rates from decays of W and Z bosons and b- and c-quark jets. In addition, data collected during periods without beams circulating in the LHC provide a measurement of the background from cosmic ray inelastic backscattering that is compared to simulation predictions. Data were recorded during 2018 in a 2.5 × 2.5 × 6.5 m3 active volume MATHUSLA test stand detector unit consisting of two scintillator planes, one at the top and one at the bottom, which defined the trigger, and six layers of RPCs between them, grouped into three (x,y)-measuring layers separated by 1.74 m from each other. Triggers selecting both upward-going tracks and downward-going tracks were used.