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Coloma, P., Donini, A., Fernandez-Martinez, E., & Hernandez, P. (2012). Precision on leptonic mixing parameters at future neutrino oscillation experiments. J. High Energy Phys., 06(6), 073–27pp.
Abstract: We perform a comparison of the different future neutrino oscillation experiments based on the achievable precision in the determination of the fundamental parameters theta(13) and the CP phase, delta, assuming that theta(13) is in the range indicated by the recent Daya Bay measurement. We study the non-trivial dependence of the error on delta on its true value. When matter effects are small, the largest error is found at the points where CP violation is maximal, and the smallest at the CP conserving points. The situation is different when matter effects are sizable. As a result of this effect, the comparison of the physics reach of different experiments on the basis of the CP discovery potential, as usually done, can be misleading. We have compared various proposed super-beam, beta-beam and neutrino factory setups on the basis of the relative precision of theta(13) and the error on delta. Neutrino factories, both high-energy or low-energy, outperform alternative beam technologies. An ultimate precision on theta(13) below 3% and an error on delta of <= 7 degrees at 1 sigma (1 d.o.f.) can be obtained at a neutrino factory.
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del Aguila, F., Aparici, A., Bhattacharya, S., Santamaria, A., & Wudka, J. (2012). Effective Lagrangian approach to neutrinoless double beta decay and neutrino masses. J. High Energy Phys., 06(6), 146–37pp.
Abstract: Neutrinoless double beta (0 nu beta beta) decay can in general produce electrons of either chirality, in contrast with the minimal Standard Model (SM) extension with only the addition of the Weinberg operator, which predicts two left-handed electrons in the final state. We classify the lepton number violating (LNV) effective operators with two leptons of either chirality but no quarks, ordered according to the magnitude of their contribution to 0 nu beta beta decay. We point out that, for each of the three chirality assignments, e(L)e(L), e(L)e(R) and e(R)e(R), there is only one LNV operator of the corresponding type to lowest order, and these have dimensions 5, 7 and 9, respectively. Neutrino masses are always induced by these extra operators but can be delayed to one or two loops, depending on the number of RH leptons entering in the operator. Then, the comparison of the 0 nu beta beta decay rate and neutrino masses should indicate the effective scenario at work, which confronted with the LHC searches should also eventually decide on the specific model elected by nature. We also list the SM additions generating these operators upon integration of the heavy modes, and discuss simple realistic examples of renormalizable theories for each case.
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Botella-Soler, V., Valderrama, M., Crepon, B., Navarro, V., & Le Van Quyen, M. (2012). Large-Scale Cortical Dynamics of Sleep Slow Waves. PLoS One, 7(2), e30757–10pp.
Abstract: Slow waves constitute the main signature of sleep in the electroencephalogram (EEG). They reflect alternating periods of neuronal hyperpolarization and depolarization in cortical networks. While recent findings have demonstrated their functional role in shaping and strengthening neuronal networks, a large-scale characterization of these two processes remains elusive in the human brain. In this study, by using simultaneous scalp EEG and intracranial recordings in 10 epileptic subjects, we examined the dynamics of hyperpolarization and depolarization waves over a large extent of the human cortex. We report that both hyperpolarization and depolarization processes can occur with two different characteristic time durations which are consistent across all subjects. For both hyperpolarization and depolarization waves, their average speed over the cortex was estimated to be approximately 1 m/s. Finally, we characterized their propagation pathways by studying the preferential trajectories between most involved intracranial contacts. For both waves, although single events could begin in almost all investigated sites across the entire cortex, we found that the majority of the preferential starting locations were located in frontal regions of the brain while they had a tendency to end in posterior and temporal regions.
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Bates, R. L. et al, Bernabeu Verdú, J., Civera, J. V., Gonzalez, F., Lacasta, C., & Sanchez, J. (2012). The ATLAS SCT grounding and shielding concept and implementation. J. Instrum., 7, P03005.
Abstract: This paper describes the design and implementation of the grounding and shielding system for the ATLAS SemiConductor Tracker (SCT). The mitigation of electromagnetic interference and noise pickup through power lines is the critical design goal as they have the potential to jeopardize the electrical performance. We accomplish this by adhering to the ATLAS grounding rules, by avoiding ground loops and isolating the different subdetectors. Noise sources are identified and design rules to protect the SCT against them are described. A rigorous implementation of the design was crucial to achieve the required performance. This paper highlights the location, connection and assembly of the different components that affect the grounding and shielding system: cables, filters, cooling pipes, shielding enclosure, power supplies and others. Special care is taken with the electrical properties of materials and joints. The monitoring of the grounding system during the installation period is also discussed. Finally, after connecting more than four thousand SCT modules to all of their services, electrical, mechanical and thermal within the wider ATLAS experimental environment, dedicated tests show that noise pickup is minimised.
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NEXT Collaboration(Alvarez, V. et al), Agramunt, J., Ball, M., Bayarri, J., Carcel, S., Cervera-Villanueva, A., et al. (2012). SiPMs coated with TPB: coating protocol and characterization for NEXT. J. Instrum., 7, P02010.
Abstract: Silicon photomultipliers (SiPM) are the photon detectors chosen for the tracking read-out in NEXT, a neutrinoless beta beta decay experiment which uses a high pressure gaseous xenon time projection chamber (TPC). The reconstruction of event track and topology in this gaseous detector is a key handle for background rejection. Among the commercially available sensors that can be used for tracking, SiPMs offer important advantages, mainly high gain, ruggedness, cost-effectiveness and radio-purity. Their main drawback, however, is their non sensitivity in the emission spectrum of the xenon scintillation (peak at 175 nm). This is overcome by coating these sensors with the organic wavelength shifter tetraphenyl butadiene (TPB). In this paper we describe the protocol developed for coating the SiPMs with TPB and the measurements performed for characterizing the coatings as well as the performance of the coated sensors in the UV-VUV range.
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