nuSTORM at CERN: Feasibility Study

The Neutrinos from Stored Muons, nuSTORM, facility has been designed to deliver a definitive neutrino-nucleus scattering programme using beams of $\bar{\nu}_e$ and $\bar{\nu}_\mu$ from the decay of muons confined within a storage ring. The facility is unique, it will be capable of storing $\mu^\pm$ beams with a central momentum of between 1 GeV/c and 6 GeV/c and a momentum spread of 16%. This specification will allow neutrino-scattering measurements to be made over the kinematic range of interest to the DUNE and Hyper-K collaborations. At nuSTORM, the flavour composition of the beam and the neutrino-energy spectrum are both precisely known. The storage-ring instrumentation will allow the neutrino flux to be determined to a precision of 1% or better. By exploiting sophisticated neutrino-detector techniques such as those being developed for the near detectors of DUNE and Hyper-K, the nuSTORM facility will: Serve the future long- and short-baseline neutrino-oscillation programmes by providing definitive measurements of $\bar{\nu}_e A$ and $\bar{\nu}_{\mu} A$ scattering cross-sections with percent-level precision; Provide a probe that is 100% polarised and sensitive to isospin to allow incisive studies of nuclear dynamics and collective effects in nuclei; Deliver the capability to extend the search for light sterile neutrinos beyond the sensitivities that will be provided by the FNAL Short Baseline Neutrino (SBN) programme; and Create an essential test facility for the development of muon accelerators to serve as the basis of a multi-TeV lepton-antilepton collider. To maximise its impact, nuSTORM should be implemented such that data-taking begins by $\approx 2027/28$ when the DUNE and Hyper-K collaborations will each be accumulating data sets capable of determining oscillation probabilities with percent-level precision. With its existing proton-beam infrastructure, CERN is uniquely well-placed to implement nuSTORM. The feasibility of implementing nuSTORM at CERN has been studied by a CERN Physics Beyond Colliders study group. The muon storage ring has been optimised for the neutrino-scattering programme to store muon beams with momenta in the range 1 GeV to 6 GeV. The implementation of nuSTORM exploits an existing fast-extraction from the SPS that delivers beam to the LHC and to HiRadMat. A summary of the proposed implementation of nuSTORM at CERN is presented along with an indicative cost estimate and a preliminary discussion of a possible time-line for the implementation

SPS Beam Dump Facility - Comprehensive Design Study

The proposed Beam Dump Facility (BDF) is foreseen to be located in the North Area of the Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS). It is designed to be able to serve both beam-dump-like and fixed-target experiments. The SPS and the new facility would offer unique possibilities to enter a new era of exploration at the intensity frontier. Possible options include searches for very weakly interacting particles predicted by Hidden Sector models, and flavour physics measurements. Following the first evaluation of the BDF in 2014–2016, CERN management launched a Comprehensive Design Study over three years for the BDF. The BDF study team has executed an in-depth feasibility study of proton delivery to target, the target complex, and the underground experimental area, including prototyping of key subsystems and evaluations of radiological aspects and safety. A first iteration of detailed integration and civil engineering studies has been performed to produce a realistic schedule and cost. This document gives a detailed overview of the proposed facility together with the results of the in-depth studies, and draws up a road map and project plan for a three years Technical Design Report phase and a five–six years construction phase.The proposed Beam Dump Facility (BDF) is foreseen to be located in the North Area of the Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS). It is designed to be able to serve both beam-dump-like and fixed-target experiments. The SPS and the new facility would offer unique possibilities to enter a new era of exploration at the intensity frontier. Possible options include searches for very weakly interacting particles predicted by Hidden Sector models, and flavour physics measurements. Following the first evaluation of the BDF in 2014–2016, CERN management launched a Comprehensive Design Study over three years for the BDF. The BDF study team has executed an in-depth feasibility study of proton delivery to target, the target complex, and the underground experimental area, including prototyping of key subsystems and evaluations of radiological aspects and safety. A first iteration of detailed integration and civil engineering studies has been performed to produce a realistic schedule and cost. This document gives a detailed overview of the proposed facility together with the results of the in-depth studies, and draws up a road map and project plan for a three years Technical Design Report phase and a five–six years construction phase

Analysis of proton bunch parameters in the AWAKE experiment

Abstract A precise characterization of the incoming proton bunch parameters is required to accurately simulate the self-modulation process in the Advanced Wakefield Experiment (AWAKE). This paper presents an analysis of the parameters of the incoming proton bunches used in the later stages of the AWAKE Run 1 data-taking period. The transverse structure of the bunch is observed at multiple positions along the beamline using scintillating or optical transition radiation screens. The parameters of a model that describes the bunch transverse dimensions and divergence are fitted to represent the observed data using Bayesian inference. The analysis is tested on simulated data and then applied to the experimental data.</jats:p

Measurement of the emittance of accelerated electron bunches at the AWAKE experiment

The vertical plane transverse emittance of accelerated electron bunches at the AWAKE experiment at CERN has been determined, using three different methods of data analysis. This is a proof-of-principle measurement using the existing AWAKE electron spectrometer to validate the measurement technique. Large values of the geometric emittance, compared to that of the injection beam, are observed (\sim \SI{0.5}{\milli\metre\milli\radian} compared with \sim \SI{0.08}{\milli\metre\milli\radian}), which is in line with expectations of emittance growth arising from plasma density ramps and large injection beam bunch size. Future iterations of AWAKE are anticipated to operate in conditions where emittance growth is better controlled, and the effects of the imaging systems of the existing and future spectrometer designs on the ability to measure the emittance are discussed. Good performance of the instrument down to geometric emittances of approximately \SI{1e-4}{\milli\metre\milli\radian} is required, which may be possible with improved electron optics and imaging