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Oliver, S., Vijande, J., Tejedor-Aguilar, N., Miro, R., Rovira-Escutia, J. J., Ballester, F., et al. (2023). Monte Carlo flattening filter design to high energy intraoperative electron beam homogenization. Radiat. Phys. Chem., 212, 111102–6pp.
Abstract: Intraoperative radiotherapy using mobile linear accelerators is used for a wide variety of malignancies. However, when large fields are used in combination with high energies, a deterioration of the flatness dose profile is measured with respect to smaller fields and lower energies. Indeed, for the LIAC HWL of Sordina, this deterioration is observed for the 12 MeV beam combined with 10 cm (or larger) diameter applicator. Aimed to solve this problem, a flattening filter has been designed and validated evaluating the feasibility of its usage at the upper part of the applicator. The design of the filter was based on Monte Carlo simulations because of its accuracy in modeling components of clinical devices, among other purposes. The LIAC 10 cm diameter applicator was modeled and simulated independently by two different research groups using two different MC codes, reproducing the heterogeneity of the 12 MeV energy beam. Then, an iterative process of filter design was carried out. Finally, the MC designed conical filter with the optimal size and height to obtain the desired flattened beam was built in-house using a 3D printer. During the experimental validation of the applicator-filter, percentage depth dose, beam profiles, absolute and peripheral dose measurements were performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the filter addition in the applicator. These measurements conclude that the beam has been flattened, from 5.9% with the standard configuration to 1.6% for the configuration with the filter, without significant increase of the peripheral dose. Consequently, the new filter-applicator LIAC configuration can be used also in a conventional surgery room. A reduction of 16% of the output dose and a reduction of 1.1 mm in the D50 of the percentage depth dose was measured with respect to the original configuration. This work is a proof-of-concept that demonstrates that it is possible to add a filter able to flatten the beam delivered by the Sordina LIAC HWL. Future studies will focus on more refined technical solutions fully compatible with the integrity of the applicator, including its sterilization, to be safely introduced in the clinical practice.
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BABAR Collaboration(Lees, J. P. et al), Martinez-Vidal, F., & Oyanguren, A. (2019). Search for B- -> Lambda(p)over-bar nu(nu)over-bar with the BABAR experiment. Phys. Rev. D, 100(11), 111101–8pp.
Abstract: A search for the rare flavor-changing neutral current process B- -> Lambda(p) over bar nu(nu) over bar using data from the BABAR experiment has been performed. A total of 424 fb(-1) of e(+) e(-) collision data collected at the center-of-mass energy of the Upsilon(4S) resonance is used in this study, corresponding to a sample of (471 +/- 3) x 10(6) B (B) over bar pairs. Signal B- -> Lambda(p) over bar nu(nu) over bar candidates arc identified by fast fully reconstructing a B+ decay in one of many possible exclusive decays to hadronic final states, then examining detector activity that is not associated with this reconstructed B+ decay for evidence of a signal B- -> Lambda(p) over bar nu(nu) over bar decay. The data yield is found to be consistent with the expected background contribution under a null signal hypothesis, resulting in an upper limit of B(B- -> Lambda(p) over bar nu(nu) over bar) < 3.0 x 10(-5) at the 90% confidence level.
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Barrientos, L., Borja-Lloret, M., Casana, J. V., Hueso-Gonzalez, F., Ros, A., Roser, J., et al. (2023). System characterization and performance studies with MACACO III Compton camera. Radiat. Phys. Chem., 208, 110922–13pp.
Abstract: The IRIS group of IFIC-Valencia has developed a Compton camera prototype. The system detectors are made of Lanthanum (III) bromide scintillator crystals coupled to silicon photomultipliers. Two models of silicon photomultipliers arrays with different micro pixel pitch (25 and 50 μm) have been chosen as possible candidates to improve the response of the new system. Characterization studies with a 22Na point-like source have indicated that the 25 μm photodetector provided better performance in terms of energy resolution (5.2% FWHM at 511 keV) and angular resolution (6.9 degrees FWHM at 1275 keV), and more stability with temperature variations. In addition, MACACO III imaging capabilities have been assessed using a structure composed of thirty-seven 22Na point-like sources. Furthermore, in order to evaluate possible ways of improving the system performance, several studies have been carried out by means of simulations both in realistic and performance improved conditions. In this work, the system performance is evaluated for its future application in different areas.
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Viegas, R., Roser, J., Barrientos, L., Borja-Lloret, M., Casaña, J. V., Lopez, J. G., et al. (2023). Characterization of a Compton camera based on the TOFPET2 ASIC. Radiat. Phys. Chem., 202, 110507–11pp.
Abstract: The use of Compton cameras for medical imaging and its interest as a hadron therapy treatment monitoring has increased in the last decade with the development of silicon photomultipliers. MACACOp is a Compton camera prototype designed and assembled at the IRIS group of IFIC-Valencia. This Compton camera is based on monolithic Lanthanum (III) Bromide crystals and silicon photomultipliers, and employs the novel TOFPET2 ASIC as readout electronics. This system emerged as an alternative to MACACO II prototype, with the aim of improving its limited time resolution. To test the performance of the ASIC in a Compton camera setup, the prototype was characterized, both in laboratory and in-beam. A time resolution of 1.5 ns was obtained after time corrections, which improves greatly the performance of the MACACO II. Moreover, the results obtained at high photon energies demonstrate the ability of the system to obtain 1 mm displacements of the reconstructed spots. The results reinforce the potential of the system as a monitoring device for hadron therapy.
Keywords: Compton camera; Hadron therapy; LaBr3; PETsys TOFPET2; Silicon photomultipliers
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Agostini, P. et al, & Mandal, S. (2021). The Large Hadron-Electron Collider at the HL-LHC. J. Phys. G, 48(11), 110501–364pp.
Abstract: The Large Hadron-Electron Collider (LHeC) is designed to move the field of deep inelastic scattering (DIS) to the energy and intensity frontier of particle physics. Exploiting energy-recovery technology, it collides a novel, intense electron beam with a proton or ion beam from the High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC). The accelerator and interaction region are designed for concurrent electron-proton and proton-proton operations. This report represents an update to the LHeC's conceptual design report (CDR), published in 2012. It comprises new results on the parton structure of the proton and heavier nuclei, QCD dynamics, and electroweak and top-quark physics. It is shown how the LHeC will open a new chapter of nuclear particle physics by extending the accessible kinematic range of lepton-nucleus scattering by several orders of magnitude. Due to its enhanced luminosity and large energy and the cleanliness of the final hadronic states, the LHeC has a strong Higgs physics programme and its own discovery potential for new physics. Building on the 2012 CDR, this report contains a detailed updated design for the energy-recovery electron linac (ERL), including a new lattice, magnet and superconducting radio-frequency technology, and further components. Challenges of energy recovery are described, and the lower-energy, high-current, three-turn ERL facility, PERLE at Orsay, is presented, which uses the LHeC characteristics serving as a development facility for the design and operation of the LHeC. An updated detector design is presented corresponding to the acceptance, resolution, and calibration goals that arise from the Higgs and parton-density-function physics programmes. This paper also presents novel results for the Future Circular Collider in electron-hadron (FCC-eh) mode, which utilises the same ERL technology to further extend the reach of DIS to even higher centre-of-mass energies.
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Abraham, R. M. et al, & Garcia Soto, A. (2022). Tau neutrinos in the next decade: from GeV to EeV. J. Phys. G, 49(11), 110501–148pp.
Abstract: Tau neutrinos are the least studied particle in the standard model. This whitepaper discusses the current and expected upcoming status of tau neutrino physics with attention to the broad experimental and theoretical landscape spanning long-baseline, beam-dump, collider, and astrophysical experiments. This whitepaper was prepared as a part of the NuTau2021 Workshop.
Keywords: tau neutrinos; neutrino experiments; tau neutrino theory
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Oliver, S., Rodriguez Bosca, S., & Gimenez-Alventosa, V. (2024). Enabling particle transport on CAD-based geometries for radiation simulations with penRed. Comput. Phys. Commun., 298, 109091–11pp.
Abstract: Geometry construction is a fundamental aspect of any radiation transport simulation, regardless of the Monte Carlo code being used. Typically, this process is tedious, time-consuming, and error-prone. The conventional approach involves defining geometries using mathematical objects or surfaces. However, this method comes with several limitations, especially when dealing with complex models, particularly those with organic shapes. Furthermore, since each code employs its own format and methodology for defining geometries, sharing and reproducing simulations among researchers becomes a challenging task. Consequently, many codes have implemented support for simulating over geometries constructed via Computer-Aided Design (CAD) tools. Unfortunately, this feature is lacking in penRed and other PENELOPE physics-based codes. Therefore, the objective of this work is to implement such support within the penRed framework. New version program summary Program Title: Parallel Engine for Radiation Energy Deposition (penRed) CPC Library link to program files: https://doi.org/10.17632/rkw6tvtngy.2 Developer's repository link: https://github.com/PenRed/PenRed Code Ocean capsule: https://codeocean.com/capsule/1041417/tree Licensing provisions: GNU Affero General Public License v3 Programming language: C++ standard 2011. Journal reference of previous version: V. Gimenez-Alventosa, V. Gimenez Gomez, S. Oliver, PenRed: An extensible and parallel Monte-Carlo framework for radiation transport based on PENELOPE, Computer Physics Communications 267 (2021) 108065. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpc.2021.108065. Does the new version supersede the previous version?: Yes Reasons for the new version: Implements the capability to simulate on CAD constructed geometries, among many other features and fixes. Summary of revisions: All changes applied through the code versions are summarized in the file CHANGELOG.md in the repository package. Nature of problem: While Monte Carlo codes have proven valuable in simulating complex radiation scenarios, they rely heavily on accurate geometrical representations. In the same way as many other Monte Carlo codes, penRed employs simple geometric quadric surfaces like planes, spheres and cylinders to define geometries. However, since these geometric models offer a certain level of flexibility, these representations have limitations when it comes to simulating highly intricate and irregular shapes. Anatomic structures, for example, require detailed representations of organs, tissues and bones, which are difficult to achieve using basic geometric objects. Similarly, complex devices or intricate mechanical systems may have designs that cannot be accurately represented within the constraints of such geometric models. Moreover, when the complexity of the model increases, geometry construction process becomes more difficult, tedious, time-consuming and error-prone [2]. Also, as each Monte Carlo geometry library uses its own format and construction method, reproducing the same geometry among different codes is a challenging task. Solution method: To face the problems stated above, the objective of this work is to implement the capability to simulate using irregular and adaptable meshed geometries in the penRed framework. This kind of meshes can be constructed using Computer-Aided Design (CAD) tools, the use of which is very widespread and streamline the design process. This feature has been implemented in a new geometry module named “MESH_BODY” specific for this kind of geometries. This one is freely available and usable within the official penRed package1. It can be used since penRed version 1.9.3b and above.
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KM3NeT Collaboration(Aiello, S. et al), Alves Garre, S., Calvo, D., Carretero, V., Garcia Soto, A., Gozzini, S. R., et al. (2024). Embedded software of the KM3NeT central logic board. Comput. Phys. Commun., 296, 109036–15pp.
Abstract: The KM3NeT Collaboration is building and operating two deep sea neutrino telescopes at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea. The telescopes consist of latices of photomultiplier tubes housed in pressure-resistant glass spheres, called digital optical modules and arranged in vertical detection units. The two main scientific goals are the determination of the neutrino mass ordering and the discovery and observation of high-energy neutrino sources in the Universe. Neutrinos are detected via the Cherenkov light, which is induced by charged particles originated in neutrino interactions. The photomultiplier tubes convert the Cherenkov light into electrical signals that are acquired and timestamped by the acquisition electronics. Each optical module houses the acquisition electronics for collecting and timestamping the photomultiplier signals with one nanosecond accuracy. Once finished, the two telescopes will have installed more than six thousand optical acquisition nodes, completing one of the more complex networks in the world in terms of operation and synchronization. The embedded software running in the acquisition nodes has been designed to provide a framework that will operate with different hardware versions and functionalities. The hardware will not be accessible once in operation, which complicates the embedded software architecture. The embedded software provides a set of tools to facilitate remote manageability of the deployed hardware, including safe reconfiguration of the firmware. This paper presents the architecture and the techniques, methods and implementation of the embedded software running in the acquisition nodes of the KM3NeT neutrino telescopes. Program summary Program title: Embedded software for the KM3NeT CLB CPC Library link to program files: https://doi.org/10.17632/s847hpsns4.1 Licensing provisions: GNU General Public License 3 Programming language: C Nature of problem: The challenge for the embedded software in the KM3NeT neutrino telescope lies in orchestrating the Digital Optical Modules (DOMs) to achieve the synchronized data acquisition of the incoming optical signals. The DOMs are the crucial component responsible for capturing neutrino interactions deep underwater. The embedded software must configure and precisely time the operation of each DOM. Any deviation or timing mismatch could compromise data integrity, undermining the scientific value of the experiment. Therefore, the embedded software plays a critical role in coordinating, synchronizing, and operating these modules, ensuring they work in unison to capture and process neutrino signals accurately, ultimately advancing our understanding of fundamental particles in the Universe. Solution method: The embedded software on the DOMs provides a solution based on a C-based bare-metal application, operating without a real-time embedded OS. It is loaded into the RAM during FPGA configuration, consuming less than 256 kB of RAM. The software architecture comprises two layers: system software and application. The former offers OS-like features, including a multitasking scheduler, firmware updates, peripheral drivers, a UDP-based network stack, and error handling utilities. The application layer contains a state machine ensuring consistent program states. It is navigated via slow control events, including external inputs and autonomous responses. Subsystems within the application code control specific acquisition electronics components via the associated driver abstractions. Additional comments including restrictions and unusual features: Due to the operation conditions of the neutrino telescope, where access is restricted, the embedded software implements a fail-safe procedure to reconfigure the firmware where the embedded software runs.
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Martin Lozano, V., Sanda Seoane, R. M., & Zurita, J. (2023). Z'-explorer 2.0: Reconnoitering the dark matter landscape. Comput. Phys. Commun., 288, 108729–14pp.
Abstract: We introduce version 2.0 of Z'-explorer, a software tool that provides a simple, fast, and user-friendly test of models with an extra U (1) gauge boson (Z') against experimental LHC results. The main novelty of the second version is the inclusion of missing energy searches, as the first version only included final states into SM particles. Hence Z'-explorer 2.0 is able to test dark matter models where the Z' acts as an s-channel mediator between the Standard Model and the dark sector, a widespread benchmark employed by the ATLAS and CMS experimental collaborations. To this end, we perform here the first public reinterpretation of the most recent ATLAS mono-jet search with 139 fb-1. In addition, the corresponding searches in the visible final states have also been updated. We illustrate the power of our code by re -obtaining public plots and also showing novel results. In particular, we study the cases where the Z' couples strongly to top quarks (top-philic), where dark matter couples with a mixture of vector and axial-vector couplings, and also perform a scan in the parameter space of a string inspired Stuckelberg model. Z'-explorer 2.0 is publicly available on GitHub. Program summary Program Title: Z'-explorer 2.0 CPC Library link to program files: https://doi .org /10 .17632 /k7tdp8kwgf .2 Developer's repository link: https://github .com /ro -sanda /Z--explorer-2 .0 Licensing provisions: GPLv3 Programming language: C++ and bash Nature of problem: New SM neutral gauge bosons, Z', are ubiquitously present in models of New Physics. In order to confront these models versus a large and ever-growing library of LHC searches, Z'-explorer 1.0 had already included all final states including Standard Model particles. Notably, the previous version of this tool lacked the so-called invisible final states manifested as a momentum imbalance in the transverse plane (“missing energy”). These searches help to probe mediators into a dark sector, where a dark matter candidate resides. Solution method: Z'-explorer encodes the production cross sections for Z' bosons at the LHC as a function of their mass, allowing for a fast evaluation of the exclusion limits. This version of Z'-explorer includes a careful validation of the latest search with one energetic jet (mono-jet) performed by the ATLAS collaboration. Hence one can now test if a given point in parameter space is excluded by both visible and invisible searches. The modular structure of the code has been kept, which allows for potential additions (low-energy constraints, flavor, extrapolation to future colliders).
Keywords: LHC; New physics; Exclusion limits; Dark matter
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Figueroa, D. G., Florio, A., Torrenti, F., & Valkenburg, W. (2023). CosmoLattice: A modern code for lattice simulations of scalar and gauge field dynamics in an expanding universe. Comput. Phys. Commun., 283, 108586–13pp.
Abstract: This paper describes CosmoGattice, a modern package for lattice simulations of the dynamics of interacting scalar and gauge fields in an expanding universe. CosmoGattice incorporates a series of features that makes it very versatile and powerful: i) it is written in C++ fully exploiting the object oriented programming paradigm, with a modular structure and a clear separation between the physics and the technical details, ii) it is MPI-based and uses a discrete Fourier transform parallelized in multiple spatial dimensions, which makes it specially appropriate for probing scenarios with well -separated scales, running very high resolution simulations, or simply very long ones, iii) it introduces its own symbolic language, defining field variables and operations over them, so that one can introduce differential equations and operators in a manner as close as possible to the continuum, iv) it includes a library of numerical algorithms, ranging from O(delta t(2)) to O(delta t(10)) methods, suitable for simulating global and gauge theories in an expanding grid, including the case of 'self-consistent' expansion sourced by the fields themselves. Relevant observables are provided for each algorithm (e.g. energy densities, field spectra, lattice snapshots) and we note that, remarkably, all our algorithms for gauge theories (Abelian or non-Abelian) always respect the Gauss constraint to machine precision. Program summary Program Title:: CosmoGattice CPC Library link to program files: https://doi .org /10 .17632 /44vr5xssc6 .1 Developer's repository link: http://github .com /cosmolattice /cosmolattice Licensing provisions: MIT Programming language: C++, MPI Nature of problem: The phenomenology of high energy physics in the early universe is typically characterized by non-linear dynamics, which cannot be captured accurately with analytical techniques. In order to fully understand the non-linearities developed in a given scenario, one needs to carry out lattice simulations. A number of public packages for lattice simulations have appeared over the years, but most of them are only capable of simulating scalar fields. However, realistic models of particle physics do contain other kind of field species, such as (Abelian or non-Abelian) gauge fields, whose non-linear dynamics can also play a relevant role in the early universe. Tensor modes representing gravitational waves are also naturally expected in many scenarios. Solution method: CosmoGattice represents a modern code for lattice simulations of scalar-gauge field theories in an expanding universe. It allows for the simulation of the evolution of interacting (singlet) scalar fields, charged scalar fields under U(1) and/or SU(2) gauge groups, and the corresponding associated Abelian and/or non-Abelian gauge fields. From version 1.1 onward, CosmoGattice also allows to simulate the production of gravitational waves. Simulations can be done either in a flat space-time background, or in a homogeneous and isotropic (spatially flat) expanding FLRW background. CosmoGattice provides symplectic integrators, with accuracy ranging from O (delta t(2)) up to O(delta t(10)), to simuate the non-linear dynamics of the appropriate fields in comoving three-dimensional lattices. The code is parallelized with MPI, and uses a discrete Fourier Transform parallelized in multiple spatial dimensions, which makes it a very powerful code for probing physical problems with well-separated scales. Moreover, the code has been designed as a `platform' to implement any system of dynamical equations suitable for discretization on a lattice.
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