Systematic study of cosmogenic activation with low background Ge spectroscopy at the Kimballton Underground Research Facility

A systematic study of the activation rate of materials due to cosmic rays with the aid of low background Ge spectroscopy is proposed. The next generation of underground physics experiments will require unprecedented control and characterization of the intrinsic radioactive isotopes in their detection mediums and construction materials. One such source is the activation of materials via cosmic ray interactions in the upper atmosphere. We propose to activate materials at high altitude, $\sim $14,000 feet above sea level, by utilizing storage space made available to us by the University of Denver's Meyer-Womble Observatory. Low background Ge spectroscopy will then be performed at the Kimballton Underground Research Facility (KURF), located near the campus of Virginia Tech, to determine the cosmogenic isotope production rates.