Muon intensities and angular distributions deep underground

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Abstract
Recent measurements of the intensity of muons below 3000 m.w.e. (metres water equivalent) underground have been combined to give an estimate of the depth-intensity relation and the angular distribution for atmospheric muons down to a maximum depth of approximately 9000 m.w.e. It is found that the vertical intensity can be represented by the expression I(0, h) = 9.8 × 10-7 exp(-h/λ)cm-2sec-1sterad-1 where h is the depth in m.w.e. and λ = 810 ± 50 m.w.e. The corresponding angular distribution at vertical depth h is given by I(θ, h) = I(0, h) secθ exp{-(h/λ)(secθ - 1)} where θ is the zenith angle. The implication of the above angular distribution for the estimate of neutrino fluxes in deep underground cosmic-ray experiments is discussed.
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