Novel Muon Tomography Detector for the Pyramids

Abstract

Cosmic-ray muons which impinge upon the Earth’s surface can be used to image the density of geologi-
cal and man-made materials located above a muon detector. The detectors used for these measurements must be capable of determining the muon rate as a function of the angle of incidence. Applications of this
capability include geological carbon storage, natural gas storage, enhanced oil recovery, compressed air
storage, oil and gas production, tunnel detection, and detection of hidden rooms in man-made structures
such as the pyramids. For these applications, the detector must be small and rugged and have operational
characteristics which enable its use in remote locations, such as low power requirements. A new muon
detector design is now being constructed to make measurements on the Khafre pyramid, in Egypt, to look
for unknown voids that might exist in the structure. The new detector design uses monolithic plates of
scintillator with wavelength-shifting fiber optic readout to obtain location information. This design will
meet the operational requirements, while also providing a geometry that can be modified for different
measurement conditions.