Validation of GEANT4 Monte Carlo models with a highly granular scintillator-steel hadron calorimeter

Abstract

Calorimeters with a high granularity are a fundamentalrequirement of the Particle Flow paradigm. This paper focuses on theprototype of a hadron calorimeter with analog readout, consisting ofthirty-eight scintillator layers alternating with steel absorberplanes. The scintillator plates are finely segmented into tilesindividually read out via Silicon Photomultipliers. The presentedresults are based on data collected with pion beams in the energyrange from 8 GeV to 100 GeV. The fine segmentation of thesensitive layers and the high sampling frequency allow for anexcellent reconstruction of the spatial development of hadronicshowers. A comparison between data and Monte Carlo simulations ispresented, concerning both the longitudinal and lateral developmentof hadronic showers and the global response of the calorimeter. Theperformance of several GEANT4 physics lists with respect tothese observables is evaluated.