Muon detection with a dual-readout calorimeter

Muon detection in a copper-based fiber calorimeter is studied by simultaneously measuring the scintillation light and the Cherenkov light generated in the detector. We report on the calorimeter response to muons ranging in energy from 20–300 GeV. Muons penetrate the full depth of a calorimeter and therefore can pass through the readout structure (in this case, bundled fibers, ferrules and PMT windows) generating signals not associated with the calorimeter proper. The availability of two physically separate readout signals makes it possible to recognize and eliminate these effects. A comparison of the scintillator and Cherenkov signals make it also possible to measure, for the first time, the separate contributions from ionization and radiation processes by muons in a massive medium.