n_TOF Collaboration(Massimi, C. et al.), Domingo-Pardo, C., Giubrone, G., & Tain, J. L. (2017). Neutron spectroscopy of Mg-26 states: Constraining the stellar neutron source Ne-22(alpha, n)Mg-25. Phys. Lett. B, 768, 1–6.
Abstract: This work reports on accurate, high-resolution measurements of the Mg-25(n, gamma)Mg-26 and Mg-25(n, tot) cross sections in the neutron energy range from thermal to about 300 keV, leading to a significantly improved Mg-25(n, gamma)Mg-26 parametrization. The relevant resonances for n+Mg-25 were characterized from a combined R-matrix analysis of the experimental data. This resulted in an unambiguous spin/parity assignment of the corresponding excited states in Mg-26. With this information experimental upper limits of the reaction rates for Ne-22(alpha, n)Mg-25 and Ne-22(alpha, gamma)Mg-26 were established, potentially leading to a significantly higher (alpha, n)/(alpha, gamma) ratio than previously evaluated. The impact of these results has been studied for stellar models in the mass range 2 to 25 M-circle dot. (C) 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V.
|
Double Chooz collaboration(Abrahao, T. et al), & Novella, P. (2018). Novel event classification based on spectral analysis of scintillation waveforms in Double Chooz. J. Instrum., 13, P01031–26pp.
Abstract: Liquid scintillators are a common choice for neutrino physics experiments, but their capabilities to perform background rejection by scintillation pulse shape discrimination is generally limited in large detectors. This paper describes a novel approach for a pulse shape based event classification developed in the context of the Double Chooz reactor antineutrino experiment. Unlike previous implementations, this method uses the Fourier power spectra of the scintillation pulse shapes to obtain event-wise information. A classification variable built from spectral information was able to achieve an unprecedented performance, despite the lack of optimization at the detector design level. Several examples of event classification are provided, ranging from differentiation between the detector volumes and an efficient rejection of instrumental light noise, to some sensitivity to the particle type, such as stopping muons, ortho-positronium formation, alpha particles as well as electrons and positrons. In combination with other techniques the method is expected to allow for a versatile and more efficient background rejection in the future, especially if detector optimization is taken into account at the design level.
|
Nygren, D. R., Jones, B. J. P., Lopez-March, N., Mei, Y., Psihas, F., & Renner, J. (2018). Neutrinoless double beta decay with 82SeF6 and direct ion imaging. J. Instrum., 13, P03015–23pp.
Abstract: We present a new neutrinoless double beta decay concept: the high pressure selenium hexafluoride gas time projection chamber. A promising new detection technique is outlined which combines techniques pioneered in high pressure xenon gas, such as topological discrimination, with the high Q-value afforded by the double beta decay isotope Se-82. The lack of free electrons in SeF6 mandates the use of an ion TPC. The microphysics of ion production and drift, which have many nuances, are explored. Background estimates are presented, suggesting that such a detector may achieve background indices of better than 1 count per ton per year in the region of interest at the 100 kg scale, and still better at the ton-scale.
|
NEXT Collaboration(Monrabal, F. et al), Laing, A., Alvarez, V., Benlloch-Rodriguez, J. M., Carcel, S., Carrion, J. V., et al. (2018). The NEXT White (NEW) detector. J. Instrum., 13, P12010–38pp.
Abstract: Conceived to host 5 kg of xenon at a pressure of 15 bar in the fiducial volume, the NEXT-White apparatus is currently the largest high pressure xenon gas TPC using electroluminescent amplification in the world. It is also a 1:2 scale model of the NEXT-100 detector for Xe-136 beta beta 0 nu decay searches, scheduled to start operations in 2019. Both detectors measure the energy of the event using a plane of photomultipliers located behind a transparent cathode. They can also reconstruct the trajectories of charged tracks in the dense gas of the TPC with the help of a plane of silicon photomultipliers located behind the anode. A sophisticated gas system, common to both detectors, allows the high gas purity needed to guarantee a long electron lifetime. NEXT-White has been operating since October 2016 at the Laboratorio Subterraneo de Canfranc (LSC), in Spain. This paper describes the detector and associated infrastructures, as well as the main aspects of its initial operation.
|
NEXT Collaboration(Rogers, L. et al), Alvarez, V., Benlloch-Rodriguez, J. M., Botas, A., Carcel, S., Carrion, J. V., et al. (2018). High voltage insulation and gas absorption of polymers in high pressure argon and xenon gases. J. Instrum., 13, P10002–19pp.
Abstract: High pressure gas time projection chambers (HPGTPCs) are made with a variety of materials, many of which still await proper characterization in high pressure noble gas environments. As HPGTPCs increase in size toward ton-scale detectors, assemblies become larger and more complex, creating a need for detailed understanding of how structural supports and high voltage insulators behave. This includes identification of materials with predictable mechanical properties and without surface charge accumulation that may lead to field deformation or sparking. This paper explores the mechanical and electrical effects of high pressure gas environments on insulating polymers PTFE, HDPE, PEEK, POM and UHMW in argon and xenon, including studying gas absorption, swelling and high voltage insulation strength.
|
de Salas, P. F., Gariazzo, S., Mena, O., Ternes, C. A., & Tortola, M. (2018). Neutrino Mass Ordering From Oscillations and Beyond: 2018 Status and Future Prospects. Front. Astron. Space Sci., 5, 36–50pp.
Abstract: The ordering of the neutrino masses is a crucial input for a deep understanding of flavor physics, and its determination may provide the key to establish the relationship among the lepton masses and mixings and their analogous properties in the quark sector. The extraction of the neutrino mass ordering is a data-driven field expected to evolve very rapidly in the next decade. In this review, we both analyse the present status and describe the physics of subsequent prospects. Firstly, the different current available tools to measure the neutrino mass ordering are described. Namely, reactor, long-baseline (accelerator and atmospheric) neutrino beams, laboratory searches for beta and neutrinoless double beta decays and observations of the cosmic background radiation and the large scale structure of the universe are carefully reviewed. Secondly, the results from an up-to-date comprehensive global fit are reported: the Bayesian analysis to the 2018 publicly available oscillation and cosmological data sets provides strong evidence for the normal neutrino mass ordering vs. the inverted scenario, with a significance of 3.5 standard deviations. This preference for the normal neutrino mass ordering is mostly due to neutrino oscillation measurements. Finally, we shall also emphasize the future perspectives for unveiling the neutrinomass ordering. In this regard, apart from describing the expectations from the aforementioned probes, we also focus on those arising from alternative and novel methods, as 21 cm cosmology, core-collapse supernova neutrinos and the direct detection of relic neutrinos.
|
ATLAS Collaboration(Aad, G. et al), Amoros, G., Cabrera Urban, S., Castillo Gimenez, V., Costa, M. J., Escobar, C., et al. (2011). Search for quark contact interactions in dijet angular distributions in pp collisions at sqrt(s)=7 TeV measured with the ATLAS detector. Phys. Lett. B, 694(4-5), 327–345.
Abstract: Dijet angular distributions from the first LHC pp collisions at center-of-mass energy root s = 7 TeV have been measured with the ATLAS detector. The dataset used for this analysis represents an integrated luminosity of 3.1 pb(-1). Dijet chi distributions and centrality ratios have been measured up to dijet masses of 2.8 TeV, and found to be in good agreement with Standard Model predictions. Analysis of the chi distributions excludes quark contact interactions with a compositeness scale Lambda below 3.4 TeV, at 95% confidence level, significantly exceeding previous limits.
|
Meloni, D., Morisi, S., & Peinado, E. (2011). Neutrino phenomenology and stable dark matter with A(4). Phys. Lett. B, 697(4), 339–342.
Abstract: We present a model based on the A(4) non-Abelian discrete symmetry leading to a predictive five-parameter neutrino mass matrix and providing a stable dark matter candidate. We found an interesting correlation among the atmospheric and the reactor angles which predicts theta(23) similar to pi/4for very small reactor angle and deviation from maximal atmospheric mixing for large theta(13). Only normal neutrino mass spectrum is possible and the effective mass entering the neutrinoless double beta decay rate is constrained to be vertical bar m(ee)vertical bar > 4 x 10(-4) eV.
|
Morisi, S., & Peinado, E. (2011). Admixture of quasi-Dirac and Majorana neutrinos with tri-bimaximal mixing. Phys. Lett. B, 701(4), 451–457.
Abstract: We propose a realization of the so-called bimodal/schizophrenic model proposed recently. We assume 54, the permutation group of four objects as flavor symmetry giving tri-bimaximal lepton mixing at leading order. In these models the second massive neutrino state is assumed quasi-Dirac and the remaining neutrinos are Majorana states. In the case of inverse mass hierarchy, the lower bound on the neutrinoless double beta decay parameter m(ee) is about two times that of the usual lower bound, within the range of sensitivity of the next generation of experiments.
|
AGATA Collaboration(Akkoyun, S. et al), Algora, A., Barrientos, D., Domingo-Pardo, C., Egea, F. J., Gadea, A., et al. (2012). AGATA-Advanced GAmma Tracking Array. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A, 668, 26–58.
Abstract: The Advanced GAmma Tracking Array (AGATA) is a European project to develop and operate the next generation gamma-ray spectrometer. AGATA is based on the technique of gamma-ray energy tracking in electrically segmented high-purity germanium crystals. This technique requires the accurate determination of the energy, time and position of every interaction as a gamma ray deposits its energy within the detector volume. Reconstruction of the full interaction path results in a detector with very high efficiency and excellent spectral response. The realisation of gamma-ray tracking and AGATA is a result of many technical advances. These include the development of encapsulated highly segmented germanium detectors assembled in a triple cluster detector cryostat, an electronics system with fast digital sampling and a data acquisition system to process the data at a high rate. The full characterisation of the crystals was measured and compared with detector-response simulations. This enabled pulse-shape analysis algorithms, to extract energy, time and position, to be employed. In addition, tracking algorithms for event reconstruction were developed. The first phase of AGATA is now complete and operational in its first physics campaign. In the future AGATA will be moved between laboratories in Europe and operated in a series of campaigns to take advantage of the different beams and facilities available to maximise its science output. The paper reviews all the achievements made in the AGATA project including all the necessary infrastructure to operate and support the spectrometer.
|
