Cosmogenic 44Ti in meteorites and century scale solar modulation

The galactic cosmic ray (GCR) flux is modulated by solar activity: 11 and 22 year cycles are well established. Meteorites offer the possibility of studying longer cycles in the interplanetary space, due to GCR nuclear interactions. 44Ti cosmogenic isotope produced in meteorites is suitable for detecting a century scale modulation. So far reliable measurements of 44Ti in the samples are scarce, the radioisotope concentration being very low. A gamma-ray sensitive spectrometer has been set up in the underground laboratory of Monte dei Cappuccini. The system consists of a 2 kg HPGe detector inside a 28 kg NaI well. The system has a background of approximately 1 count/day (in coincidence mode) in the 44Ti region. We present here the results obtained on the Rio Negro meteorite, which fell in the year 1934.