337 research outputs found
Robust vetoes for gravitational-wave burst triggers using known instrumental couplings
The search for signatures of transient, unmodelled gravitational-wave (GW)
bursts in the data of ground-based interferometric detectors typically uses
`excess-power' search methods. One of the most challenging problems in the
burst-data-analysis is to distinguish between actual GW bursts and spurious
noise transients that trigger the detection algorithms. In this paper, we
present a unique and robust strategy to `veto' the instrumental glitches. This
method makes use of the phenomenological understanding of the coupling of
different detector sub-systems to the main detector output. The main idea
behind this method is that the noise at the detector output (channel H) can be
projected into two orthogonal directions in the Fourier space -- along, and
orthogonal to, the direction in which the noise in an instrumental channel X
would couple into H. If a noise transient in the detector output originates
from channel X, it leaves the statistics of the noise-component of H orthogonal
to X unchanged, which can be verified by a statistical hypothesis testing. This
strategy is demonstrated by doing software injections in simulated Gaussian
noise. We also formulate a less-rigorous, but computationally inexpensive
alternative to the above method. Here, the parameters of the triggers in
channel X are compared to the parameters of the triggers in channel H to see
whether a trigger in channel H can be `explained' by a trigger in channel X and
the measured transfer function.Comment: 14 Pages, 8 Figures, To appear in Class. Quantum Gra
The primary cosmic ray composition between 10**15 and 10**16 eV from Extensive Air Showers electromagnetic and TeV muon data
The cosmic ray primary composition in the energy range between 10**15 and
10**16 eV, i.e., around the "knee" of the primary spectrum, has been studied
through the combined measurements of the EAS-TOP air shower array (2005 m
a.s.l., 10**5 m**2 collecting area) and the MACRO underground detector (963 m
a.s.l., 3100 m w.e. of minimum rock overburden, 920 m**2 effective area) at the
National Gran Sasso Laboratories. The used observables are the air shower size
(Ne) measured by EAS-TOP and the muon number (Nmu) recorded by MACRO. The two
detectors are separated on average by 1200 m of rock, and located at a
respective zenith angle of about 30 degrees. The energy threshold at the
surface for muons reaching the MACRO depth is approximately 1.3 TeV. Such muons
are produced in the early stages of the shower development and in a kinematic
region quite different from the one relevant for the usual Nmu-Ne studies. The
measurement leads to a primary composition becoming heavier at the knee of the
primary spectrum, the knee itself resulting from the steepening of the spectrum
of a primary light component (p, He). The result confirms the ones reported
from the observation of the low energy muons at the surface (typically in the
GeV energy range), showing that the conclusions do not depend on the production
region kinematics. Thus, the hadronic interaction model used (CORSIKA/QGSJET)
provides consistent composition results from data related to secondaries
produced in a rapidity region exceeding the central one. Such an evolution of
the composition in the knee region supports the "standard" galactic
acceleration/propagation models that imply rigidity dependent breaks of the
different components, and therefore breaks occurring at lower energies in the
spectra of the light nuclei.Comment: Submitted to Astroparticle Physic
Final results of magnetic monopole searches with the MACRO experiment
We present the final results obtained by the MACRO experiment in the search
for GUT magnetic monopoles in the penetrating cosmic radiation, for the range
. Several searches with all the MACRO sub-detectors
(i.e. scintillation counters, limited streamer tubes and nuclear track
detectors) were performed, both in stand alone and combined ways. No candidates
were detected and a 90% Confidence Level (C.L.) upper limit to the local
magnetic monopole flux was set at the level of cm
s sr. This result is the first experimental limit obtained in
direct searches which is well below the Parker bound in the whole range
in which GUT magnetic monopoles are expected.Comment: 12 pages, Latex, 9 figures and 2 Table
Search for Nucleon Decays induced by GUT Magnetic Monopoles with the MACRO Experiment
The interaction of a Grand Unification Magnetic Monopole with a nucleon can
lead to a barion-number violating process in which the nucleon decays into a
lepton and one or more mesons (catalysis of nucleon decay). In this paper we
report an experimental study of the effects of a catalysis process in the MACRO
detector. Using a dedicated analysis we obtain new magnetic monopole (MM) flux
upper limits at the level of for
, based on the search for
catalysis events in the MACRO data. We also analyze the dependence of the MM
flux limit on the catalysis cross section.Comment: 12 pages, Latex, 10 figures and 2 Table
Search for massive rare particles with MACRO
Massive rare particles have been searched for in the penetrating cosmic
radiation using the MACRO apparatus at the Gran Sasso National Laboratories.
Liquid scintillators, streamer tubes and nuclear track detectors have been used
to search for magnetic monopoles (MMs).
Based on no observation of such signals, stringent flux limits are
established for MMs as slow as a few 10^(-5)c. The methods based on the
scintillator and on the nuclear track subdetectors were also applied to search
for nuclearites. Preliminary results of the searches for charged Q-balls are
also presented.Comment: 20 pages, 9 EPS figures included with epsfi
The Observation of Up-going Charged Particles Produced by High Energy Muons in Underground Detectors
An experimental study of the production of up-going charged particles in
inelastic interactions of down-going underground muons is reported, using data
obtained from the MACRO detector at the Gran Sasso Laboratory. In a sample of
12.2 10^6 single muons, corresponding to a detector livetime of 1.55 y, 243
events are observed having an up-going particle associated with a down-going
muon. These events are analysed to determine the range and emission angle
distributions of the up-going particle, corrected for detection and
reconstruction efficiency. Measurements of the muon neutrino flux by
underground detectors are often based on the observation of through-going and
stopping muons produced in interactions in the rock below the
detector. Up-going particles produced by an undetected down-going muon are a
potential background source in these measurements. The implications of this
background for neutrino studies using MACRO are discussed.Comment: 18 pages, 9 figures. Accepted by Astrop. Physic
New results on solar neutrino fluxes from 192 days of Borexino data
We report the direct measurement of the ^7Be solar neutrino signal rate
performed with the Borexino detector at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran
Sasso. The interaction rate of the 0.862 MeV ^7Be neutrinos is
49+-3(stat)+-4(syst) counts/(day * 100ton). The hypothesis of no oscillation
for ^7Be solar neutrinos is inconsistent with our measurement at the 4sigma
level. Our result is the first direct measurement of the survival probability
for solar nu_e in the transition region between matter-enhanced and
vacuum-driven oscillations. The measurement improves the experimental
determination of the flux of ^7Be, pp, and CNO solar nu_e, and the limit on the
magnetic moment of neutrinos
Measurement of the residual energy of muons in the Gran Sasso underground Laboratories
The MACRO detector was located in the Hall B of the Gran Sasso underground
Laboratories under an average rock overburden of 3700 hg/cm^2. A transition
radiation detector composed of three identical modules, covering a total
horizontal area of 36 m^2, was installed inside the empty upper part of the
detector in order to measure the residual energy of muons. This paper presents
the measurement of the residual energy of single and double muons crossing the
apparatus. Our data show that double muons are more energetic than single ones.
This measurement is performed over a standard rock depth range from 3000 to
6500 hg/cm^2.Comment: 28 pages, 9 figure
The LSC Glitch Group : Monitoring Noise Transients during the fifth LIGO Science Run
The LIGO Scientific Collaboration (LSC) glitch group is part of the LIGO
detector characterization effort. It consists of data analysts and detector
experts who, during and after science runs, collaborate for a better
understanding of noise transients in the detectors. Goals of the glitch group
during the fifth LIGO science run (S5) included (1) offline assessment of the
detector data quality, with focus on noise transients, (2) veto recommendations
for astrophysical analysis and (3) feedback to the commissioning team on
anomalies seen in gravitational wave and auxiliary data channels. Other
activities included the study of auto-correlation of triggers from burst
searches, stationarity of the detector noise and veto studies. The group
identified causes for several noise transients that triggered false alarms in
the gravitational wave searches; the times of such transients were identified
and vetoed from the data generating the LSC astrophysical results.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures, Contribution to 12th Gravitational Wave Data
Analysis Workshop. Changes in response to referee comments. Accepted for
publication in CQ
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