CNGS beam monitor with the LVD detector

The importance of an adequate CNGS beam monitor at the Gran Sasso Laboratory has been stressed in many papers. Since the number of internal v(mu) CC and NC interactions in the various detectors will not allow to collect statistics rapidly, one should also be able to detect the v(mu) CC interactions in the upstream rock. In this study, we have investigated the performances of the LVD detector as a monitor for the CNGS neutrino beam. Thanks to its wide area (13 x 11 m(2) orthogonal to the beam direction) LVD can detect about 120 muons per day originated by v(mu) CC interactions in the rock. The LVD total mass is similar to2 kt. This allows to get 30 more CNGS events per day as internal (NC + CC) v(mu) interactions, for a total of similar to150 events/day. A 3% statistical error can be reached in 7 days. Taking into account the time characteristics of the CNGS beam, the cosmic muon background can be reduced to a negligible level, of the order of 1.5 events/day. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.