993 research outputs found
Compton scattering sequence reconstruction algorithm for the liquid xenon gamma-ray imaging telescope (LXeGRIT)
The Liquid Xenon Gamma-Ray Imaging Telescope (LXeGRIT) is a balloon born
experiment sensitive to \g -rays in the energy band of 0.2-20 MeV. The main
detector is a time projection chamber filled with high purity liquid xenon
(LXeTPC), in which the three-dimensional location and energy deposit of
individual \g -ray interactions are accurately measured in one homogeneous
volume. To determine the \g -ray initial direction (Compton imaging), as well
as to reject background, the correct sequence of interactions has to be
determined. Here we report the development and optimization of an algorithm to
reconstruct the Compton scattering sequence and show its performance on Monte
Carlo events and LXeGRIT data.Comment: To appear in: Hard X-Ray, Gamma-Ray, and Neutron Detector Physics II,
2000; Proc. SPIE, vol. 4141; R.B. James & R.C. Schirato, ed
The MEGA Advanced Compton Telescope Project
The goal of the Medium Energy Gamma-ray Astronomy (MEGA) telescope is to
improve sensitivity at medium gamma-ray energies (0.4-50 MeV) by at least an
order of magnitude over that of COMPTEL. This will be achieved with a new
compact design that allows for a very wide field of view, permitting a
sensitive all-sky survey and the monitoring of transient and variable sources.
The key science objectives for MEGA include the investigation of cosmic
high-energy particle accelerators, studies of nucleosynthesis sites using
gamma-ray lines, and determination of the large-scale structure of galactic and
cosmic diffuse background emission. MEGA records and images gamma-ray events by
completely tracking both Compton and pair creation interactions in a tracker of
double-sided silicon strip detectors and a calorimeter of CsI crystals able to
resolve in three dimensions. We present initial laboratory calibration results
from a small prototype MEGA telescope.Comment: 7 pages LaTeX, 5 figures, to appear in New Astronomy Reviews
(Proceedings of the Ringberg Workshop "Astronomy with Radioactivities III"
Study of nuclear recoils in liquid argon with monoenergetic neutrons
For the development of liquid argon dark matter detectors we assembled a
setup in the laboratory to scatter neutrons on a small liquid argon target. The
neutrons are produced mono-energetically (E_kin=2.45 MeV) by nuclear fusion in
a deuterium plasma and are collimated onto a 3" liquid argon cell operating in
single-phase mode (zero electric field). Organic liquid scintillators are used
to tag scattered neutrons and to provide a time-of-flight measurement. The
setup is designed to study light pulse shapes and scintillation yields from
nuclear and electronic recoils as well as from {\alpha}-particles at working
points relevant to dark matter searches. Liquid argon offers the possibility to
scrutinise scintillation yields in noble liquids with respect to the
populations of the two fundamental excimer states. Here we present experimental
methods and first results from recent data towards such studies.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures, proceedings of TAUP 2011, to be published in
Journal of Physics: Conference Series (JCPS
Spectroscopy and Imaging Performance of the Liquid Xenon Gamma-Ray Imaging Telescope (LXeGRIT)
LXeGRIT is a balloon-borne Compton telescope based on a liquid xenon time
projection chamber (LXeTPC) for imaging cosmic \g-rays in the energy band of
0.2-20 MeV. The detector, with 400 cm area and 7 cm drift gap, is filled
with high purity LXe. Both ionization and scintillation light signals are
detected to measure the energy deposits and the three spatial coordinates of
individual \g -ray interactions within the sensitive volume. The TPC has been
characterized with repeated measurements of its spectral and Compton imaging
response to \g -rays from radioactive sources such as \na, \cs, \yt and Am-Be.
The detector shows a linear response to \g -rays in the energy range 511 keV
-4.4 MeV, with an energy resolution (FWHM) of \Delta E/E=8.8% \: \sqrt{1\MeV
/E}. Compton imaging of \yt \g -ray events with two detected interactions is
consistent with an angular resolution of 3 degrees (RMS) at 1.8 MeV.Comment: To appear in: Hard X-Ray, Gamma-Ray and Neutron Detector Physics XI,
2000; Proc. SPIE, vol. 4140; K.A. Flanagan & O.H. Siegmund, ed
On the direct search for spin-dependent WIMP interactions
We examine the current directions in the search for spin-dependent dark
matter. We discover that, with few exceptions, the search activity is
concentrated towards constraints on the WIMP-neutron spin coupling, with
significantly less impact in the WIMP-proton sector. We review the situation of
those experiments with WIMP-proton spin sensitivity, toward identifying those
capable of reestablishing the balance.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure
Scintillation efficiency of liquid xenon for nuclear recoils with the energy down to 5 keV
The scintillation efficiency of liquid xenon for nuclear recoils has been
measured to be nearly constant in the recoil energy range from 140 keV down to
5 keV. The average ratio of the efficiency for recoils to that for gamma-rays
is found to be 0.19+-0.02.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figure
Highly cross-linked bifunctional magnesium porphyrin-imidazolium bromide polymer: Unveiling the key role of co-catalysts proximity for CO2 conversion into cyclic carbonates
Highly cross-linked materials containing an imidazolium salt and magnesium porphyrin, either in the absence
(TSP-Mg-imi) or in the presence (7a and 7b) of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), were synthesized
and used as heterogeneous bifunctional catalysts for the conversion of CO2 into cyclic carbonates. The metalloporphyrin
moiety acts both as a “covalent swelling agent”, generating hybrids with high surface area, and as a
Lewis acid co-catalytic species. TSP-Mg-imi produced excellent conversion and TONMg values, under solvent-free
conditions, even at room temperature and with low catalytic loading (0.003 mol%). In terms of conversion and
TONMg, TSP-Mg-imi exhibited better catalytic performance compared to a reference homogeneous system,
demonstrating that the proximity between the metal centers and the nucleophilic site results in a synergistic
effect during the catalytic cycle. The results of the computational study confirmed both the cooperative function
and the significance of incorporating a co-catalytic species into the system
The Phase Transition to a Square Vortex Lattice in Type-II Superconductors with Fourfold Anisotropy
We investigate the stability of the square vortex lattice which has been
recently observed in experiments on the borocarbide family of superconductors.
Taking into account the tetragonal symmetry of these systems, we add fourfold
symmetric fourth-derivative terms to the Ginzburg-Landau(GL) free energy. At
these terms may be treated perturbatively to lowest order to locate
the transition from a distorted hexagonal to a square vortex lattice. We also
solve for this phase boundary numerically in the strongly type-II limit,
finding large corrections to the lowest-order perturbative results. We
calculate the relative fourfold anisotropy for field in the plane
to be 4.5% at the temperature, , where the transition occurs at
for field along the axis. This is to be compared to the 3.6%
obtained in the perturbative calculation. Furthermore, we find that the phase
boundary in the phase diagram has positive slope near .Comment: 15 pages including 2 figures, LaTe
Templating effect of carbon nanoforms on highly cross-linked imidazolium network: Catalytic activity of the resulting hybrids with Pd nanoparticles
Two different carbon nanoforms (CNFs), namely multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and carbon nanohorns (CNHs), have been chosen as support for the direct polymerization of a bis-vinylimidazolium salt. Transmission electron microscopy analyses revealed a templating effect of the CNFs on the growth of the polymeric network, which perfectly covers their whole surfaces creating a cylindrical or spherical coating for MWCNTs and CNHs, respectively. Subsequently, the CNFs-polyimidazolium have been used as stabilizers for Pd nanoparticles (Pd NPs), and the obtained materials have been characterized by means of analytical and spectroscopic techniques and then employed as easily recoverable and recyclable catalysts for Suzuki and Heck reactions. Quantitative conversions have been obtained in almost all the explored reactions, even employing low loading of catalyst (down to 0.007 mol%). Suzuki reactions were carried out in pure water under aerobic conditions. Both materials showed excellent activity and recyclability for the investigated C-C coupling reactions, with the CNHs-based material resulting slightly more active than the MWCNTs-based one due to a higher superficial exposure of Pd NPs
A survey of energy loss calculations for heavy ions between 1 and 100 keV
The original Lindhard-Scharff-Schi{\o}tt (LSS) theory and the more recent
Tilinin theory for calculating the nuclear and electronic stopping powers of
slow heavy ions are compared with predictions from the SRIM code by Ziegler.
While little discrepancies are present for the nuclear contribution to the
energy loss, large differences are found in the electronic one. When full ion
recoil cascade simulations are tested against the elastic neutron scattering
data available in the literature, it can be concluded that the LSS theory is
the more accurate.Comment: Presented at the 10th International Symposium on Radiation Physics,
17-22 September, 2006, Coimbra, Portugal; style corrections, small change to
fig.
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