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T2K Collaboration(Abe, K. et al), Antonova, M., Cervera-Villanueva, A., Izmaylov, A., & Novella, P. (2018). Characterization of nuclear effects in muon-neutrino scattering on hydrocarbon with a measurement of final-state kinematics and correlations in charged-current pionless interactions at T2K. Phys. Rev. D, 98(3), 032003–46pp.
Abstract: This paper reports measurements of final-state proton multiplicity, muon and proton kinematics, and their correlations in charged-current pionless neutrino interactions, measured by the T2K ND280 near detector in its plastic scintillator (C8H8) target. The data were taken between years 2010 and 2013, corresponding to approximately 6 x 10(20) protons on target. Thanks to their exploration of the proton kinematics and of imbalances between the proton and muon kinematics, the results offer a novel probe of the nuclear-medium effects most pertinent to the (sub-)GeV neutrino-nucleus interactions that are used in accelerator-based long-baseline neutrino oscillation measurements. These results are compared to many neutrino-nucleus interaction models which all fail to describe at least part of the observed phase space. In case of events without a proton above a detection threshold in the final state, a fully consistent implementation of the local Fermi gas model with multinucleon interactions gives the best description of the data. In the case of at least one proton in the final state, the spectral function model agrees well with the data, most notably when measuring the kinematic imbalance between the muon and the proton in the plane transverse to the incoming neutrino. Within the models considered, only the existence of multinucleon interactions are able to describe the extracted cross section within regions of high transverse kinematic imbalance. The effect of final-state interactions is also discussed.
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NEXT Collaboration(Haefner, J. et al), Benlloch-Rodriguez, J. M., Carcel, S., Carrion, J. V., Martin-Albo, J., Martinez-Vara, M., et al. (2023). Reflectance and fluorescence characteristics of PTFE coated with TPB at visible, UV, and VUV as a function of thickness. J. Instrum., 18(3), P03016–21pp.
Abstract: Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is an excellent diffuse reflector widely used in light collection systems for particle physics experiments. In noble element systems, it is often coated with tetraphenyl butadiene (TPB) to allow detection of vacuum ultraviolet scintillation light. In this work this dependence is investigated for PTFE coated with TPB in air for light of wavelengths of 200 nm, 260 nm, and 450 nm. The results show that TPB-coated PTFE has a reflectance of approximately 92% for thicknesses ranging from 5 mm to 10 mm at 450 nm, with negligible variation as a function of thickness within this range. A cross-check of these results using an argon chamber supports the conclusion that the change in thickness from 5 mm to 10 mm does not affect significantly the light response at 128 nm. Our results indicate that pieces of TPB-coated PTFE thinner than the typical 10 mm can be used in particle physics detectors without compromising the light signal.
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NEMO-3 Collaboration(Argyriades, J. et al), Martin-Albo, J., & Novella, P. (2010). Measurement of the two neutrino double beta decay half-life of Zr-96 with the NEMO-3 detector. Nucl. Phys. A, 847(3-4), 168–179.
Abstract: Using 9.4 g of Zr-96 isotope and 1221 days of data from the NEMO-3 detector corresponding (0 0.031 kg y, the obtained 2 nu beta beta decay half-life measurement is T-1/2(2 nu) = [2.35 +/- 0.14(stat) +/- 0.16(syst)] x 10(19) yr. Different characteristics of the final state electrons have been studied, such as the energy sum, individual electron energy, and angular distribution. The 2v nuclear matrix element is extracted using the measured 2 nu beta beta half-life and is M-2 nu = 0.049 +/- 0.002. Constraints on 0 nu beta beta decay have also been set.
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HARP Collaboration(Apollonio, M. et al), Burguet-Castell, J., Cervera-Villanueva, A., Gomez-Cadenas, J. J., Martin-Albo, J., Novella, P., et al. (2010). Measurements of forward proton production with incident protons and charged pions on nuclear targets at the CERN Proton Synchroton. Phys. Rev. C, 82(4), 045208–33pp.
Abstract: Measurements of the double-differential proton production cross-section d(2 sigma)/dpd Omega in the range of momentum 0.5 GeV/c <= p < 8.0 GeV/c and angle 0.05 rad <= theta < 0.25 rad in collisions of charged pions and protons on beryllium, carbon, aluminium, copper, tin, tantalum, and lead are presented. The data were taken with the large acceptance HARP detector in the T9 beam line of the CERN Proton Synchrotron. Incident particles were identified by an elaborate system of beam detectors and impinged on a target of 5% of a nuclear interaction length. The tracking and identification of the produced particles was performed using the forward spectrometer of the HARP experiment. Results are obtained for the double-differential cross-sections mainly at four incident beam momenta (3, 5, 8, and 12 GeV/c). Measurements are compared with predictions of the GEANT4 and MARS Monte Carlo generators.
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NEXT Collaboration(Fernandes, A. F. M. et al), Alvarez, V., Benlloch-Rodriguez, J. M., Carcel, S., Carrion, J. V., Diaz, J., et al. (2020). Low-diffusion Xe-He gas mixtures for rare-event detection: electroluminescence yield. J. High Energy Phys., 04(4), 034–18pp.
Abstract: High pressure xenon Time Projection Chambers (TPC) based on secondary scintillation (electroluminescence) signal amplification are being proposed for rare event detection such as directional dark matter, double electron capture and double beta decay detection. The discrimination of the rare event through the topological signature of primary ionisation trails is a major asset for this type of TPC when compared to single liquid or double-phase TPCs, limited mainly by the high electron diffusion in pure xenon. Helium admixtures with xenon can be an attractive solution to reduce the electron diffu- sion significantly, improving the discrimination efficiency of these optical TPCs. We have measured the electroluminescence (EL) yield of Xe-He mixtures, in the range of 0 to 30% He and demonstrated the small impact on the EL yield of the addition of helium to pure xenon. For a typical reduced electric field of 2.5 kV/cm/bar in the EL region, the EL yield is lowered by similar to 2%, 3%, 6% and 10% for 10%, 15%, 20% and 30% of helium concentration, respectively. This decrease is less than what has been obtained from the most recent simulation framework in the literature. The impact of the addition of helium on EL statistical fluctuations is negligible, within the experimental uncertainties. The present results are an important benchmark for the simulation tools to be applied to future optical TPCs based on Xe-He mixtures.
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NEXT Collaboration(Woodruff, K. et al), Alvarez, V., Benlloch-Rodriguez, J. M., Carcel, S., Carrion, J. V., Diaz, J., et al. (2020). Radio frequency and DC high voltage breakdown of high pressure helium, argon, and xenon. J. Instrum., 15(4), P04022–15pp.
Abstract: Motivated by the possibility of guiding daughter ions from double beta decay events to single-ion sensors for barium tagging, the NEXT collaboration is developing a program of R&D to test radio frequency (RF) carpets for ion transport in high pressure xenon gas. This would require carpet functionality in regimes at higher pressures than have been previously reported, implying correspondingly larger electrode voltages than in existing systems. This mode of operation appears plausible for contemporary RF-carpet geometries due to the higher predicted breakdown strength of high pressure xenon relative to low pressure helium, the working medium in most existing RF carpet devices. In this paper we present the first measurements of the high voltage dielectric strength of xenon gas at high pressure and at the relevant RF frequencies for ion transport (in the 10MHz range), as well as new DC and RF measurements of the dielectric strengths of high pressure argon and helium gases at small gap sizes. We find breakdown voltages that are compatible with stable RF carpet operation given the gas, pressure, voltage, materials and geometry of interest.
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DUNE Collaboration(Abi, B. et al), Antonova, M., Barenboim, G., Cervera-Villanueva, A., De Romeri, V., Fernandez Menendez, P., et al. (2021). Prospects for beyond the Standard Model physics searches at the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment DUNE Collaboration. Eur. Phys. J. C, 81(4), 322–51pp.
Abstract: The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) will be a powerful tool for a variety of physics topics. The high-intensity proton beams provide a large neutrino flux, sampled by a near detector system consisting of a combination of capable precision detectors, and by the massive far detector system located deep underground. This configuration sets up DUNE as a machine for discovery, as it enables opportunities not only to perform precision neutrino measurements that may uncover deviations from the present three-flavor mixing paradigm, but also to discover new particles and unveil new interactions and symmetries beyond those predicted in the Standard Model (SM). Of the many potential beyond the Standard Model (BSM) topics DUNE will probe, this paper presents a selection of studies quantifying DUNE's sensitivities to sterile neutrino mixing, heavy neutral leptons, non-standard interactions, CPT symmetry violation, Lorentz invariance violation, neutrino trident production, dark matter from both beam induced and cosmogenic sources, baryon number violation, and other new physics topics that complement those at high-energy colliders and significantly extend the present reach.
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T2K Collaboration(Abe, K. et al), Antonova, M., Cervera-Villanueva, A., & Novella, P. (2021). Measurements of (nu)over-bar(mu) and (nu)over-bar(mu) + nu(mu) charged-current cross-sections without detected pions or protons on water and hydrocarbon at a mean anti-neutrino energy of 0.86 GeV. Prog. Theor. Exp. Phys., 2021(4), 043C01–28pp.
Abstract: We report measurements of the flux-integrated (nu) over bar (mu) and (nu) over bar (mu) + nu(mu) charged-current cross -sections on water and hydrocarbon targets using the T2K anti-neutrino beam with a mean beam energy of 0.86 GeV. The signal is defined as the (anti -)neutrino charged-current interaction with one induced mu(+/-) and no detected charged pion or proton. These measurements are performed using a new WAGASCI module recently added to the T2K setup in combination with the INGRID Proton Module. The phase space of muons is restricted to the high-detection efficiency region, p(mu) > 400 MeV/c and theta(mu) < 30 degrees, in the laboratory frame. An absence of pions and protons in the detectable phase spaces of p(pi) > 200 MeV/c, theta(pi) < 70 degrees and p(p) > 600 MeV/c, theta(p) < 70 degrees is required. In this paper, both the <(nu)over bar>(mu), cross-sections and (nu) over bar (mu) + nu(mu), cross-sections on water and hydrocarbon targets and their ratios are provided by using the D'Agostini unfolding method. The results of the integrated (nu) over bar (mu), cross-section measurements over this phase space are sigma(H2O) = (1.082 +/- 0.068(stat.)(+0.145)(-0.128)(syst.)) x 10(-39) cm(2)/nucleon, sigma(CH) = (1.096 +/- 0.054 (stat.)(+0.132)(-0.117)(syst.)) x 10(-39) cm(2) /nucleon, and sigma(H2O)/sigma(CH) = 0.987 +/- 0.078 (stat.)(+0.093)(-0.090)(syst.). The (nu) over bar (mu), + nu(mu), cross-section is sigma(H2O) = (1.155 +/- 0.064(stat.)(+0.148)(-0.129)(syst.)) x 10(-39) cm(2)/nucleon, sigma(CH) = (1.159 +/- 0.049(stat.)(+0.129)(-0.115)(syst.)) x 10(-39) cm(2)/nucleon, and sigma(H2O)/sigma(CH) = 0.996 +/- 0.069(stat.)(+0.083)(-0.078)(syst.).
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DUNE Collaboration(Abud, A. A. et al), Amedo, P., Antonova, M., Barenboim, G., Cervera-Villanueva, A., De Romeri, V., et al. (2023). Highly-parallelized simulation of a pixelated LArTPC on a GPU. J. Instrum., 18(4), P04034–35pp.
Abstract: The rapid development of general-purpose computing on graphics processing units (GPGPU) is allowing the implementation of highly-parallelized Monte Carlo simulation chains for particle physics experiments. This technique is particularly suitable for the simulation of a pixelated charge readout for time projection chambers, given the large number of channels that this technology employs. Here we present the first implementation of a full microphysical simulator of a liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) equipped with light readout and pixelated charge readout, developed for the DUNE Near Detector. The software is implemented with an end-to-end set of GPU-optimized algorithms. The algorithms have been written in Python and translated into CUDA kernels using Numba, a just-in-time compiler for a subset of Python and NumPy instructions. The GPU implementation achieves a speed up of four orders of magnitude compared with the equivalent CPU version. The simulation of the current induced on 103 pixels takes around 1 ms on the GPU, compared with approximately 10 s on the CPU. The results of the simulation are compared against data from a pixel-readout LArTPC prototype.
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K2K Collaboration(Mariani, C. et al), Cervera-Villanueva, A., Tornero-Lopez, A., Burguet-Castell, J., Catala, J., Gomez-Cadenas, J. J., et al. (2011). Measurement of inclusive pi(0) production in the charged-current interactions of neutrinos in a 1.3-GeV wide band beam. Phys. Rev. D, 83(5), 054023–17pp.
Abstract: In this paper, we report on the measurement of the rate of inclusive pi(0) production induced by charged-current neutrino interactions in a C8H8 target at a mean energy of 1.3 GeV in the K2K near detector. Out of a sample of 11 606 charged- current neutrino interactions, we select 479 pi(0) events with two reconstructed photons. We find that the cross section for the inclusive pi(0) production relative to the charged-current quasielastic cross section is (CC)-C-sigma pi(0)/sigma CCQE = 0.426 +/- 0.032 (stat) +/- 0.035 (syst). The energy-dependent cross section ratio is also measured. The results are consistent with previous experiments for exclusive channels on different targets.
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