NEXT Collaboration(Azevedo, C. D. R. et al), Gomez-Cadenas, J. J., Alvarez, V., Benlloch-Rodriguez, J. M., Botas, A., Carcel, S., et al. (2018). Microscopic simulation of xenon-based optical TPCs in the presence of molecular additives. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A, 877, 157–172.
Abstract: We introduce a simulation framework for the transport of high and low energy electrons in xenon-based optical time projection chambers (OTPCs). The simulation relies on elementary cross sections (electron-atom and electron-molecule) and incorporates, in order to compute the gas scintillation, the reaction/quenching rates (atom-atom and atom-molecule) of the first 41 excited states of xenon and the relevant associated excimers, together with their radiative cascade. The results compare positively with observations made in pure xenon and its mixtures with CO2 and CF4 in a range of pressures from 0.1 to 10 bar. This work sheds some light on the elementary processes responsible for the primary and secondary xenon-scintillation mechanisms in the presence of additives, that are of interest to the OTPC technology.
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NEXT Collaboration(Trindade, A. M. F. et al), Alvarez, V., Benlloch-Rodriguez, J. M., Botas, A., Carcel, S., Carrion, J. V., et al. (2018). Study of the loss of xenon scintillation in xenon-trimethylamine mixtures. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A, 905, 22–28.
Abstract: This work investigates the capability of TMA ((CH3)(3)N) molecules to shift the wavelength of Xe VUV emission (160-188 nm) to a longer, more manageable, wavelength (260-350 nm). Light emitted from a Xe lamp was passed through a gas chamber filled with Xe-TMA mixtures at 800 Torr and detected with a photomultiplier tube. Using bandpass filters in the proper transmission ranges, no reemitted light was observed experimentally. Considering the detection limit of the experimental system, if reemission by TMA molecules occurs, it is below 0.3% of the scintillation absorbed in the 160-188 nm range. An absorption coefficient value for xenon VUV light by TMA of 0.43 +/- 0.03 cm(-1) Torr(-1) was also obtained. These results can be especially important for experiments considering TMA as a molecular additive to Xe in large volume optical time projection chambers.
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NEXT Collaboration(Felkai, R. et al), Sorel, M., Lopez-March, N., Gomez-Cadenas, J. J., Alvarez, V., Benlloch-Rodriguez, J. M., et al. (2018). Helium-Xenon mixtures to improve the topological signature in high pressure gas xenon TPCs. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A, 905, 82–90.
Abstract: Within the framework of xenon-based double beta decay experiments, we propose the possibility to improve the background rejection of an electroluminescent Time Projection Chamber (EL TPC) by reducing the diffusion of the drifting electrons while keeping nearly intact the energy resolution of a pure xenon EL TPC. Based on state-of-the-art microscopic simulations, a substantial addition of helium, around 10 or 15 %, may reduce drastically the transverse diffusion down to 2.5 mm/root m from the 10.5 mm/root m of pure xenon. The longitudinal diffusion remains around 4 mm/root m. Light production studies have been performed as well. They show that the relative variation in energy resolution introduced by such a change does not exceed a few percent, which leaves the energy resolution practically unchanged. The technical caveats of using photomultipliers close to an helium atmosphere are also discussed in detail.
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NEXT Collaboration(Jones, B. J. P. et al), Carcel, S., Carrion, J. V., Diaz, J., Martin-Albo, J., Martinez, A., et al. (2022). The dynamics of ions on phased radio-frequency carpets in high pressure gases and application for barium tagging in xenon gas time projection chambers. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A, 1039, 167000–19pp.
Abstract: Radio-frequency (RF) carpets with ultra-fine pitches are examined for ion transport in gases at atmospheric pressures and above. We develop new analytic and computational methods for modeling RF ion transport at densities where dynamics are strongly influenced by buffer gas collisions. An analytic description of levitating and sweeping forces from phased arrays is obtained, then thermodynamic and kinetic principles are used to calculate ion loss rates in the presence of collisions. This methodology is validated against detailed microscopic SIMION simulations. We then explore a parameter space of special interest for neutrinoless double beta decay experiments: transport of barium ions in xenon at pressures from 1 to 10 bar. Our computations account for molecular ion formation and pressure dependent mobility as well as finite temperature effects. We discuss the challenges associated with achieving suitable operating conditions, which lie beyond the capabilities of existing devices, using presently available or near-future manufacturing techniques.
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MiniBooNE Collaboration(Aguilar-Arevalo, A. A. et al), & Sorel, M. (2010). Measurement of the neutrino neutral-current elastic differential cross section on mineral oil at E-nu similar to 1 GeV. Phys. Rev. D, 82(9), 092005–16pp.
Abstract: We report a measurement of the flux-averaged neutral-current elastic differential cross section for neutrinos scattering on mineral oil (CH2) as a function of four-momentum transferred squared, Q(2). It is obtained by measuring the kinematics of recoiling nucleons with kinetic energy greater than 50 MeV which are readily detected in MiniBooNE. This differential cross-section distribution is fit with fixed nucleon form factors apart from an axial mass M-A that provides a best fit for M-A = 1.39 +/- 0.11 GeV. Using the data from the charged-current neutrino interaction sample, a ratio of neutral-current to charged-current quasielastic cross sections as a function of Q(2) has been measured. Additionally, single protons with kinetic energies above 350 MeV can be distinguished from neutrons and multiple nucleon events. Using this marker, the strange quark contribution to the neutral-current axial vector form factor at Q(2) – 0, Delta s, is found to be Delta s = 0.08 +/- 0.26.
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MiniBooNE Collaboration(Aguilar-Arevalo, A. A. et al), & Sorel, M. (2010). Event Excess in the MiniBooNE Search for (nu)over-bar(mu) -> (nu)over-bar(e) Oscillations. Phys. Rev. Lett., 105(18), 181801–5pp.
Abstract: The MiniBooNE experiment at Fermilab reports results from a search for (nu) over bar (mu) -> (nu) over bar (e) oscillations, using a data sample corresponding to 5.66 x 10(20) protons on target. An excess of 20.9 +/- 14.0 events is observed in the energy range 475 < E-nu(QE) < 1250 MeV, which, when constrained by the observed <(nu)over bar>(mu) events, has a probability for consistency with the background-only hypothesis of 0.5%. On the other hand, fitting for (nu) over bar (mu) -> (nu) over bar (e) oscillations, the best-fit point has chi(2) probability of 8.7%. The data are consistent with (nu) over bar (mu) -> (nu) over bar (e) oscillations in the 0.1 to 1.0 eV(2) Delta m(2) range and with the evidence for antineutrino oscillations from the Liquid Scintillator Neutrino Detector at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
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MiniBooNE Collaboration(Aguilar-Arevalo, A. A. et al), & Sorel, M. (2010). First measurement of the muon neutrino charged current quasielastic double differential cross section. Phys. Rev. D, 81(9), 092005–22pp.
Abstract: A high-statistics sample of charged-current muon neutrino scattering events collected with the MiniBooNE experiment is analyzed to extract the first measurement of the double differential cross section (d(2)sigma/dT(mu)dcos theta(mu)) for charged-current quasielastic (CCQE) scattering on carbon. This result features minimal model dependence and provides the most complete information on this process to date. With the assumption of CCQE scattering, the absolute cross section as a function of neutrino energy (sigma[E-nu]) and the single differential cross section (d sigma/dQ(2)) are extracted to facilitate comparison with previous measurements. These quantities may be used to characterize an effective axial-vector form factor of the nucleon and to improve the modeling of low-energy neutrino interactions on nuclear targets. The results are relevant for experiments searching for neutrino oscillations.
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MiniBooNE Collaboration(Aguilar-Arevalo, A. A. et al), & Sorel, M. (2010). Search for core-collapse supernovae using the MiniBooNE neutrino detector. Phys. Rev. D, 81(3), 032001–6pp.
Abstract: We present a search for core-collapse supernovae in the Milky Way galaxy, using the MiniBooNE neutrino detector. No evidence is found for core-collapse supernovae occurring in our Galaxy in the period from December 14, 2004 to July 31, 2008, corresponding to 98% live time for collection. We set a limit on the core-collapse supernova rate out to a distance of 13.4 kpc to be less than 0.69 supernovae per year at 90% C. L.
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MiniBooNE Collaboration(Aguilar-Arevalo, A. A. et al), & Sorel, M. (2010). Measurement of v(mu) and (v)over-bar(mu) induced neutral current single pi(0) production cross sections on mineral oil at E-v similar to O (1 GeV). Phys. Rev. D, 81(1), 013005–14pp.
Abstract: MiniBooNE reports the first absolute cross sections for neutral current single pi(0) production on CH2 induced by neutrino and antineutrino interactions measured from the largest sets of NC pi(0) events collected to date. The principal result consists of differential cross sections measured as functions of pi(0) momentum and pi(0) angle averaged over the neutrino flux at MiniBooNE. We find total cross sections of (4.76 +/- 0.05(stat) +/- 0.76(sys)) X 10(-40) cm(2)/nucleon at a mean energy of < E-v > = 808 MeV and (1.48 +/- 0.05(stat) +/- 0.23(sys)) X 10(-40) cm(2)/nucleon at a mean energy of < E-v > = 664 MeV for v(mu) and (v) over bar (mu) induced production, respectively. In addition, we have included measurements of the neutrino and antineutrino total cross sections for incoherent exclusive NC 1 pi(0) production corrected for the effects of final state interactions to compare to prior results.
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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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