Application of Muography to Underground Surveys

Abstract

Underground survey has long been dominated by classical mechanics, largely disregarding the potential of particle physics to augment existing techniques. The purpose of this article is to describe a potential of a new imaging technique called muography to apply to surveying underground structures. High-energy muons that are produced via the reaction between primary cosmic rays and the Earthʼs atmosphere can be used as a probe to explore the density distribution in gigantic objects including shallow parts of the Earthʼs crust. Muography has the potential to serve as a useful paradigm to transform our understanding of underground structures as the X-ray transformed our understanding of medicine and the body. Existing results for various underground targets are discussed here, and an outlook regarding anticipated future observations is briefly discussed.