No abstract available

[en] An experiment observing underground muons originating from cosmic-ray air showers is under preparation. The aim is to cover area of about 200-300 m², and the detector setup is capable of measuring the muon multiplicity and their lateral distribution. The detector is placed at the depth of about 85 m which gives a threshold energy of muons of about 45 GeV. The prototype detector is expected to be running in the beginning of 2006, and the full-size detector by the end of 2007

[en] The BSUIN (Baltic Sea Underground Innovation Network) aims to enhance the accessibility of the underground laboratories in the Baltic Sea region for innovation, business and science. One of the BSUIN project activities is characterization of natural background radiation (NBR) in underground facilities. In this talk results from NBR measurements performed in Callio Lab, Pyhäsalmi, Finland, at the depth of 4100 m w.e. will be presented. The in-situ gamma spectra were collected with the use of HPGe semiconductor spectrometer, whereas the concentration of radon were measured with RAD7 electronic detector. In addition, the water and rock samples were taken for laboratory analysis in Institute of Physics, University of Silesia, Poland. The concentration radioisotopes in water samples were performed by using a liquid scintillation α/β counter (LSC) and α-particle spectrometry, while the concentration of radioisotopes in rock samples were performed by using laboratory gamma ray spectrometry and also α-particle spectrometry.

[en] A new underground laboratory, Callio Lab, has been established to manage the non-mining related operations in the Pyhäsalmi mine in Pyhäjärvi, Finland. The very deep laboratory space, called Lab 2 of Callio Lab, has been finished in spring 2016 at the depth of 1430 meters (4100 m.w.e.) and it has the area of approximately 120 m² and the height of 8 meters. We present the structure of Callio Lab and the main technical characteristics of the deep Lab 2. We also review the current activities related to astroparticle and radiation physics, such as EMMA muon observatory and C-14 liquid scintillator research. An Open Call process has been opened to invite new scientific experiments to Callio Lab. (paper)

No abstract available

[en] A new low-background laboratory has been constructed in the Pyhäsalmi mine in central Finland and was commissioned in the beginning of 2017. The underground experimental hall is located at a depth of 1436 m corresponding to about 4100 m of water equivalent (m.w.e.). We describe the equipment of the laboratory and the backgrounds arising from the natural rock radioactivity and the flux of cosmic ray muons at the experimental hall location. The high-sensitivity experiments operating at the low-background laboratory are briefly described.

[en] EMMA (Experiment with MultiMuon Array) is a new approach to study the composition of cosmic rays at the knee region (1 – 10 PeV). The array will measure the multiplicity and lateral distribution of the high-energy muon component of an air shower and its arrival direction on an event-by-event basis. The array operates in the Pyhäsalmi Mine, Finland, at a depth of 75 metres (or 210 m.w.e) corresponding to the cut-off energy of approximately 50 GeV for vertical muons. The data recording with a partial array has started and preliminary results of the first test runs are presented.

[en] EMMA (Experiment with Multi-Muon Array) is an underground detector array designed for cosmic-ray composition studies around the knee energy (or ∼ 1 — 10 PeV). It operates at the shallow depth in the Pyhasalmi mine, Finland. The array consists of eleven independent detector stations ∼ 15 m² each. Currently seven stations are connected to the DAQ and the rest will be connected within the next few months. EMMA will determine the multiplicity, the lateral density distribution and the arrival direction of high-energy muons event by event. The preliminary estimates concerning its performance together with an example of measured muon multiplicities are presented. (paper)

[en] The first measurements of the Experiment with MultiMuon Array (EMMA) have been analyzed for the selection of the Extensive Air Showers (EAS). Test data were recorded with an underground muon tracking station and a satellite station separated laterally by 10 metres. Events with tracks distributed over all of the tracking detector area and even extending over to the satellite station are identified as EAS. The recorded multiplicity spectrum of the events is in general agreement with CORSIKA EAS simulation and demonstrates the array's capability of EAS detection.

[en] A series of measurements has been started where the ¹⁴C concentration is determined from several liquid scintillator samples. A dedicated setup has been designed and constructed with the aim of measuring concentrations smaller than 10⁻¹⁸. Measurements take place in two underground laboratories: in the Baksan Neutrino Observatory, Russia, and in the new Callio Lab in the Pyhäsalmi mine, Finland. Low-energy neutrino detection with a liquid scintillator requires that the intrinsic ¹⁴C concentration in the liquid is extremely low. In the Borexino CTF detector the concentration of 2 × 10⁻¹⁸ has been achieved being the lowest value ever measured. In principle, the older the oil or gas source that the liquid scintillator is derived from and the deeper it situates, the smaller the ¹⁴C concentration is supposed to be. This, however, is not generally the case and the concentration is probably due to the U and Th content of the local environment. (paper)