16 research outputs found
Underground Neutrino Detectors for Particle and Astroparticle Science: the Giant Liquid Argon Charge Imaging ExpeRiment (GLACIER)
The current focus of the CERN program is the Large Hadron Collider (LHC),
however, CERN is engaged in long baseline neutrino physics with the CNGS
project and supports T2K as recognized CERN RE13, and for good reasons: a
number of observed phenomena in high-energy physics and cosmology lack their
resolution within the Standard Model of particle physics; these puzzles include
the origin of neutrino masses, CP-violation in the leptonic sector, and baryon
asymmetry of the Universe. They will only partially be addressed at LHC. A
positive measurement of would certainly give a
tremendous boost to neutrino physics by opening the possibility to study CP
violation in the lepton sector and the determination of the neutrino mass
hierarchy with upgraded conventional super-beams. These experiments (so called
``Phase II'') require, in addition to an upgraded beam power, next generation
very massive neutrino detectors with excellent energy resolution and high
detection efficiency in a wide neutrino energy range, to cover 1st and 2nd
oscillation maxima, and excellent particle identification and
background suppression. Two generations of large water Cherenkov
detectors at Kamioka (Kamiokande and Super-Kamiokande) have been extremely
successful. And there are good reasons to consider a third generation water
Cherenkov detector with an order of magnitude larger mass than Super-Kamiokande
for both non-accelerator (proton decay, supernovae, ...) and accelerator-based
physics. On the other hand, a very massive underground liquid Argon detector of
about 100 kton could represent a credible alternative for the precision
measurements of ``Phase II'' and aim at significantly new results in neutrino
astroparticle and non-accelerator-based particle physics (e.g. proton decay).Comment: 31 pages, 14 figure
Improved Limits on Millicharged Particles Using the ArgoNeuT Experiment at Fermilab
A search for millicharged particles, a simple extension of the standard
model, has been performed with the ArgoNeuT detector exposed to the Neutrinos
at the Main Injector beam at Fermilab. The ArgoNeuT Liquid Argon Time
Projection Chamber detector enables a search for millicharged particles through
the detection of visible electron recoils. We search for an event signature
with two soft hits (MeV-scale energy depositions) aligned with the upstream
target. For an exposure of the detector of protons on
target, one candidate event has been observed, compatible with the expected
background. This search is sensitive to millicharged particles with charges
between and and with masses in the range from GeV
to GeV. This measurement provides leading constraints on millicharged
particles in this large unexplored parameter space region.Comment: Version accepted by PR
First Measurement of Electron Neutrino Scattering Cross Section on Argon
We report the first electron neutrino cross section measurements on argon,
based on data collected by the ArgoNeuT experiment running in the GeV-scale
NuMI beamline at Fermilab. A flux-averaged total and
a lepton angle differential cross section are extracted using 13 and
events identified with fully-automated selection and
reconstruction. We employ electromagnetic-induced shower characterization and
analysis tools developed to identify -like events among
complex interaction topologies present in ArgoNeuT data ( GeV and GeV).
The techniques are widely applicable to searches for electron-flavor appearance
at short- and long-baseline using liquid argon time projection chamber
technology. Notably, the data-driven studies of GeV-scale
interactions presented in this Letter probe an energy
regime relevant for future DUNE oscillation physics.Comment: added acknowledgement
First measurement of the cross section for and induced single charged pion production on argon using ArgoNeuT
We report on the first cross section measurement of charged-current single
charged pion production by neutrinos and antineutrinos on argon. This analysis
was performed using the ArgoNeuT detector exposed to the NuMI beam at Fermilab.
The measurements are presented as functions of muon momentum, muon angle, pion
angle, and angle between muon and pion. The flux-averaged cross sections are
measured to be for neutrinos at a mean energy of 9.6 GeV and
for antineutrinos at a mean energy of 3.6 GeV with
the charged pion momentum above 100 MeV/. The results are compared with
several model predictions
Design and construction of the MicroBooNE detector
This paper describes the design and construction of the MicroBooNE liquid
argon time projection chamber and associated systems. MicroBooNE is the first
phase of the Short Baseline Neutrino program, located at Fermilab, and will
utilize the capabilities of liquid argon detectors to examine a rich assortment
of physics topics. In this document details of design specifications, assembly
procedures, and acceptance tests are reported
Neutrino-nucleus cross sections for oscillation experiments
Neutrino oscillations physics is entered in the precision era. In this
context accelerator-based neutrino experiments need a reduction of systematic
errors to the level of a few percent. Today one of the most important sources
of systematic errors are neutrino-nucleus cross sections which in the
hundreds-MeV to few-GeV energy region are known with a precision not exceeding
20%. In this article we review the present experimental and theoretical
knowledge of the neutrino-nucleus interaction physics. After introducing
neutrino oscillation physics and accelerator-based neutrino experiments, we
overview general aspects of the neutrino-nucleus cross sections, both
theoretical and experimental views. Then we focus on these quantities in
different reaction channels. We start with the quasielastic and
quasielastic-like cross section, putting a special emphasis on multinucleon
emission channel which attracted a lot of attention in the last few years. We
review the main aspects of the different microscopic models for this channel by
discussing analogies and differences among them.The discussion is always driven
by a comparison with the experimental data. We then consider the one pion
production channel where data-theory agreement remains very unsatisfactory. We
describe how to interpret pion data, then we analyze in particular the puzzle
related to the impossibility of theoretical models and Monte Carlo to
simultaneously describe MiniBooNE and MINERvA experimental results. Inclusive
cross sections are also discussed, as well as the comparison between the
and cross sections, relevant for the CP violation
experiments. The impact of the nuclear effects on the reconstruction of
neutrino energy and on the determination of the neutrino oscillation parameters
is reviewed. A window to the future is finally opened by discussing projects
and efforts in future detectors, beams, and analysis