39 research outputs found
An improved method for measuring muon energy using the truncated mean of dE/dx
The measurement of muon energy is critical for many analyses in large
Cherenkov detectors, particularly those that involve separating
extraterrestrial neutrinos from the atmospheric neutrino background. Muon
energy has traditionally been determined by measuring the specific energy loss
(dE/dx) along the muon's path and relating the dE/dx to the muon energy.
Because high-energy muons (E_mu > 1 TeV) lose energy randomly, the spread in
dE/dx values is quite large, leading to a typical energy resolution of 0.29 in
log10(E_mu) for a muon observed over a 1 km path length in the IceCube
detector. In this paper, we present an improved method that uses a truncated
mean and other techniques to determine the muon energy. The muon track is
divided into separate segments with individual dE/dx values. The elimination of
segments with the highest dE/dx results in an overall dE/dx that is more
closely correlated to the muon energy. This method results in an energy
resolution of 0.22 in log10(E_mu), which gives a 26% improvement. This
technique is applicable to any large water or ice detector and potentially to
large scintillator or liquid argon detectors.Comment: 12 pages, 16 figure
All-particle cosmic ray energy spectrum measured with 26 IceTop stations
We report on a measurement of the cosmic ray energy spectrum with the IceTop
air shower array, the surface component of the IceCube Neutrino Observatory at
the South Pole. The data used in this analysis were taken between June and
October, 2007, with 26 surface stations operational at that time, corresponding
to about one third of the final array. The fiducial area used in this analysis
was 0.122 km^2. The analysis investigated the energy spectrum from 1 to 100 PeV
measured for three different zenith angle ranges between 0{\deg} and 46{\deg}.
Because of the isotropy of cosmic rays in this energy range the spectra from
all zenith angle intervals have to agree. The cosmic-ray energy spectrum was
determined under different assumptions on the primary mass composition. Good
agreement of spectra in the three zenith angle ranges was found for the
assumption of pure proton and a simple two-component model. For zenith angles
{\theta} < 30{\deg}, where the mass dependence is smallest, the knee in the
cosmic ray energy spectrum was observed between 3.5 and 4.32 PeV, depending on
composition assumption. Spectral indices above the knee range from -3.08 to
-3.11 depending on primary mass composition assumption. Moreover, an indication
of a flattening of the spectrum above 22 PeV were observed.Comment: 38 pages, 17 figure
The L 98-59 System: Three Transiting, Terrestrial-Size Planets Orbiting A Nearby M Dwarf
We report the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) discovery of three terrestrial-size planets transiting L 98-59 (TOI-175, TIC 307210830)—a bright M dwarf at a distance of 10.6 pc. Using the Gaia-measured distance and broadband photometry, we find that the host star is an M3 dwarf. Combined with the TESS transits from three sectors, the corresponding stellar parameters yield planet radii ranging from 0.8 R⊕ to 1.6 R⊕. All three planets have short orbital periods, ranging from 2.25 to 7.45 days with the outer pair just wide of a 2:1 period resonance. Diagnostic tests produced by the TESS Data Validation Report and the vetting package DAVE rule out common false-positive sources. These analyses, along with dedicated follow-up and the multiplicity of the system, lend confidence that the observed signals are caused by planets transiting L 98-59 and are not associated with other sources in the field. The L 98-59 system is interesting for a number of reasons: the host star is bright (V = 11.7 mag, K = 7.1 mag) and the planets are prime targets for further follow-up observations including precision radial-velocity mass measurements and future transit spectroscopy with the James Webb Space Telescope; the near-resonant configuration makes the system a laboratory to study planetary system dynamical evolution; and three planets of relatively similar size in the same system present an opportunity to study terrestrial planets where other variables (age, metallicity, etc.) can be held constant. L 98-59 will be observed in four more TESS sectors, which will provide a wealth of information on the three currently known planets and have the potential to reveal additional planets in the system
Measurement of J/Ψ production in pp collisions at √s=7 TeV
The production of J/psi mesons in proton-proton collisions at root s = 7 TeV is studied with the LHCb detector at the LHC. The differential cross-section for prompt J/psi production is measured as a function of the J/psi transverse momentum p(T) and rapidity y in the fiducial region p(T) is an element of [0; 14] GeV/c and y is an element of [2.0; 4.5]. The differential cross-section and fraction of J/psi from b-hadron decays are also measured in the same p(T) and y ranges. The analysis is based on a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.2 pb(-1). The measured cross-sections integrated over the fiducial region are 10.52 +/- 0.04 +/- 1.40(-2.20)(+1.64) mu b for prompt J/psi production and 1.14 +/- 0.01 +/- 0.16 mu b for J/psi from b-hadron decays, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. The prompt J/psi production cross-section is obtained assuming no J/psi polarisation and the third error indicates the acceptance uncertainty due to this assumption
The 2dF-SDSS LRG and QSO Survey: the spectroscopic QSO catalogue
We present the final spectroscopic QSO catalogue from the 2dF-SDSS LRG and
QSO (2SLAQ) Survey. This is a deep, 18<g<21.85 (extinction corrected), sample
aimed at probing in detail the faint end of the broad line AGN luminosity
distribution at z<2.6. The candidate QSOs were selected from SDSS photometry
and observed spectroscopically with the 2dF spectrograph on the
Anglo-Australian Telescope. This sample covers an area of 191.9 deg^2 and
contains new spectra of 16326 objects, of which 8764 are QSOs, and 7623 are
newly discovered (the remainder were previously identified by the 2QZ and SDSS
surveys). The full QSO sample (including objects previously observed in the
SDSS and 2QZ surveys) contains 12702 QSOs. The new 2SLAQ spectroscopic data set
also contains 2343 Galactic stars, including 362 white dwarfs, and 2924 narrow
emission line galaxies with a median redshift of z=0.22. We present detailed
completeness estimates for the survey, based on modelling of QSO colours,
including host galaxy contributions. This calculation shows that at g~21.85 QSO
colours are significantly affected by the presence of a host galaxy up to
redshift z~1 in the SDSS ugriz bands. In particular we see a significant
reddening of the objects in g-i towards fainter g-band magnitudes. This
reddening is consistent with the QSO host galaxies being dominated by a stellar
population of age at least 2-3 Gyr. The full catalogue, including completeness
estimates, is available on-line at http://www.2slaq.info/