Gamma and Neutron Massive Irradiation Test of the ATLAS MDT Chambers

MDT chambers, the precision tracking system of the ATLAS muon spectrometer, have to operate for 10 years in the harsh LHC background environment mainly due to low energy photons and neutrons. The expected overall maximum count rate is 500 Hz/cm(2). Moreover the upgrades for S-LHC will involve fluxes ten times higher than that at LHC. To study the behavior of MDT chambers under massive irradiation of gammas and neutrons at level of S-LHC, three extensive tests were performed at the ENEA-Casaccia Research Centre Facilities, irradiating several test detectors. The results about the drift properties, gas gain and tracking performances, both at high rates and after massive irradiation, are given