23 research outputs found
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Cosmogenic neutron production at the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory
Neutrons produced in nuclear interactions initiated by cosmic-ray muons present an irreducible background to many rare-event searches, even in detectors located deep underground. Models for the production of these neutrons have been tested against previous experimental data, but the extrapolation to deeper sites is not well understood. Here we report results from an analysis of cosmogenically produced neutrons at the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory. A specific set of observables are presented, which can be used to benchmark the validity of geant4 physics models. In addition, the cosmogenic neutron yield, in units of 10-4 cm2/(g·μ), is measured to be 7.28±0.09(stat)-1.12+1.59(syst) in pure heavy water and 7.30±0.07(stat)-1.02+1.40(syst) in NaCl-loaded heavy water. These results provide unique insights into this potential background source for experiments at SNOLAB
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Measurement of neutron production in atmospheric neutrino interactions at the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory
Neutron production in GeV-scale neutrino interactions is a poorly studied
process. We have measured the neutron multiplicities in atmospheric neutrino
interactions in the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory experiment and compared them
to the prediction of a Monte Carlo simulation using GENIE and a minimally
modified version of GEANT4. We analyzed 837 days of exposure corresponding to
Phase I, using pure heavy water, and Phase II, using a mixture of Cl in heavy
water. Neutrons produced in atmospheric neutrino interactions were identified
with an efficiency of and , for Phase I and II respectively.
The neutron production is measured as a function of the visible energy of the
neutrino interaction and, for charged current quasi-elastic interaction
candidates, also as a function of the neutrino energy. This study is also
performed classifying the complete sample into two pairs of event categories:
charged current quasi-elastic and non charged current quasi-elastic, and
and . Results show good overall agreement between data and
Monte Carlo for both phases, with some small tension with a statistical
significance below for some intermediate energies
Impact of caloric and dietary restriction regimens on markers of health and longevity in humans and animals: a summary of available findings
Considerable interest has been shown in the ability of caloric restriction (CR) to improve multiple parameters of health and to extend lifespan. CR is the reduction of caloric intake - typically by 20 - 40% of ad libitum consumption - while maintaining adequate nutrient intake. Several alternatives to CR exist. CR combined with exercise (CE) consists of both decreased caloric intake and increased caloric expenditure. Alternate-day fasting (ADF) consists of two interchanging days; one day, subjects may consume food ad libitum (sometimes equaling twice the normal intake); on the other day, food is reduced or withheld altogether. Dietary restriction (DR) - restriction of one or more components of intake (typically macronutrients) with minimal to no reduction in total caloric intake - is another alternative to CR. Many religions incorporate one or more forms of food restriction. The following religious fasting periods are featured in this review: 1) Islamic Ramadan; 2) the three principal fasting periods of Greek Orthodox Christianity (Nativity, Lent, and the Assumption); and 3) the Biblical-based Daniel Fast. This review provides a summary of the current state of knowledge related to CR and DR. A specific section is provided that illustrates related work pertaining to religious forms of food restriction. Where available, studies involving both humans and animals are presented. The review includes suggestions for future research pertaining to the topics of discussion
Tests of Lorentz invariance at the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory
Experimental tests of Lorentz symmetry in systems of all types are critical
for ensuring that the basic assumptions of physics are well-founded. Data from
all phases of the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory, a kiloton-scale heavy water
Cherenkov detector, are analyzed for possible violations of Lorentz symmetry in
the neutrino sector. Such violations would appear as one of eight possible
signal types in the detector: six seasonal variations in the solar electron
neutrino survival probability differing in energy and time dependence, and two
shape changes to the oscillated solar neutrino energy spectrum. No evidence for
such signals is observed, and limits on the size of such effects are
established in the framework of the Standard Model Extension, including 40
limits on perviously unconstrained operators and improved limits on 15
additional operators. This makes limits on all minimal, Dirac-type Lorentz
violating operators in the neutrino sector available for the first time
Search for hep solar neutrinos and the diffuse supernova neutrino background using all three phases of the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory
A search has been performed for neutrinos from two sources, the hep reaction in the solar pp fusion chain and the νe component of the diffuse supernova neutrino background (DSNB), using the full dataset of the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory with a total exposure of 2.47 kton-years after fiducialization. The hep search is performed using both a single-bin counting analysis and a likelihood fit. We find a best-fit flux that is compatible with solar model predictions while remaining consistent with zero flux, and set a one-sided upper limit of φhep<30×103 cm-2 s-1 [90% credible interval (CI)]. No events are observed in the DSNB search region, and we set an improved upper bound on the νe component of the DSNB flux of φνeDSNB<19 cm-2 s-1 (90% CI) in the energy range 22.9<Eν<36.9 MeV
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Cherenkov and scintillation light separation in organic liquid scintillators
The CHErenkov/Scintillation Separation experiment (CHESS) has been used to demonstrate the separation of Cherenkov and scintillation light in both linear alkylbenzene (LAB) and LAB with 2 g/L of PPO as a fluor (LAB/PPO). This is the first successful demonstration of Cherenkov light detection from the more challenging LAB/PPO cocktail and improves on previous results for LAB. A time resolution of 338 ± 12 ps FWHM results in an efficiency for identifying Cherenkov photons in LAB/PPO of 70 ± 3 % and 63 ± 8 % for time- and charge-based separation, respectively, with scintillation contamination of 36 ± 5 % and 38 ± 4 %. LAB/PPO data is consistent with a rise time of τr= 0.72 ± 0.33 ns
Experiment to demonstrate separation of Cherenkov and scintillation signals
The ability to separately identify the Cherenkov and scintillation light components produced in scintillating mediums holds the potential for a major breakthrough in neutrino detection technology, allowing development of a large, low-threshold, directional detector with a broad physics program. The CHESS (CHErenkov/Scintillation Separation) experiment employs an innovative detector design with an array of small, fast photomultiplier tubes and state-of-the-art electronics to demonstrate the reconstruction of a Cherenkov ring in a scintillating medium based on photon hit time and detected photoelectron density. This paper describes the physical properties and calibration of CHESS along with first results. The ability to reconstruct Cherenkov rings is demonstrated in a water target, and a time precision of 338±12ps FWHM is achieved. Monte Carlo-based predictions for the ring imaging sensitivity with a liquid scintillator target predict an efficiency for identifying Cherenkov hits of 94±1% and 81±1% in pure linear alkyl benzene (LAB) and LAB loaded with 2 g/L of a fluor, PPO, respectively, with a scintillation contamination of 12±1% and 26±1%