Bounding the Time Delay between High-energy Neutrinos and Gravitational-wave Transients from Gamma-ray Bursts

We derive a conservative coincidence time window for joint searches of gravita-tional-wave (GW) transients and high-energy neutrinos (HENs, with energies above 100GeV), emitted by gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). The last are among the most interesting astrophysical sources for coincident detections with current and near-future detectors. We take into account a broad range of emission mechanisms. We take the upper limit of GRB durations as the 95% quantile of the T90's of GRBs observed by BATSE, obtaining a GRB duration upper limit of ~150s. Using published results on high-energy (>100MeV) photon light curves for 8 GRBs detected by Fermi LAT, we verify that most high-energy photons are expected to be observed within the first ~150s of the GRB. Taking into account the breakout-time of the relativistic jet produced by the central engine, we allow GW and HEN emission to begin up to 100s before the onset of observable gamma photon production. Using published precursor time differences, we calculate a time upper bound for precursor activity, obtaining that 95% of precursors occur within ~250s prior to the onset of the GRB. Taking the above different processes into account, we arrive at a time window of tHEN - tGW ~ [-500s,+500s]. Considering the above processes, an upper bound can also be determined for the expected time window of GW and/or HEN signals coincident with a detected GRB, tGW - tGRB ~ tHEN - tGRB ~ [-350s,+150s]

Architecture and performance of the KM3NeT front-end firmware

The KM3NeT infrastructure consists of two deep-sea neutrino telescopes being deployed in the Mediterranean Sea. The telescopes will detect extraterrestrial and atmospheric neutrinos by means of the incident photons induced by the passage of relativistic charged particles through the seawater as a consequence of a neutrino interaction. The telescopes are configured in a three-dimensional grid of digital optical modules, each hosting 31 photomultipliers. The photomultiplier signals produced by the incident Cherenkov photons are converted into digital information consisting of the integrated pulse duration and the time at which it surpasses a chosen threshold. The digitization is done by means of time to digital converters (TDCs) embedded in the field programmable gate array of the central logic board. Subsequently, a state machine formats the acquired data for its transmission to shore. We present the architecture and performance of the front-end firmware consisting of the TDCs and the state machine

Event reconstruction for KM3NeT/ORCA using convolutional neural networks

The KM3NeT research infrastructure is currently under construction at two locations in the Mediterranean Sea. The KM3NeT/ORCA water-Cherenkov neutrino detector off the French coast will instrument several megatons of seawater with photosensors. Its main objective is the determination of the neutrino mass ordering. This work aims at demonstrating the general applicability of deep convolutional neural networks to neutrino telescopes, using simulated datasets for the KM3NeT/ORCA detector as an example. To this end, the networks are employed to achieve reconstruction and classification tasks that constitute an alternative to the analysis pipeline presented for KM3NeT/ORCA in the KM3NeT Letter of Intent. They are used to infer event reconstruction estimates for the energy, the direction, and the interaction point of incident neutrinos. The spatial distribution of Cherenkov light generated by charged particles induced in neutrino interactions is classified as shower- or track-like, and the main background processes associated with the detection of atmospheric neutrinos are recognized. Performance comparisons to machine-learning classification and maximum-likelihood reconstruction algorithms previously developed for KM3NeT/ORCA are provided. It is shown that this application of deep convolutional neural networks to simulated datasets for a large-volume neutrino telescope yields competitive reconstruction results and performance improvements with respect to classical approaches

Event reconstruction for KM3NeT/ORCA using convolutional neural networks

The KM3NeT research infrastructure is currently under construction at two locations in the Mediterranean Sea. The KM3NeT/ORCA water-Cherenkov neutrino de tector off the French coast will instrument several megatons of seawater with photosensors. Its main objective is the determination of the neutrino mass ordering. This work aims at demonstrating the general applicability of deep convolutional neural networks to neutrino telescopes, using simulated datasets for the KM3NeT/ORCA detector as an example. To this end, the networks are employed to achieve reconstruction and classification tasks that constitute an alternative to the analysis pipeline presented for KM3NeT/ORCA in the KM3NeT Letter of Intent. They are used to infer event reconstruction estimates for the energy, the direction, and the interaction point of incident neutrinos. The spatial distribution of Cherenkov light generated by charged particles induced in neutrino interactions is classified as shower-or track-like, and the main background processes associated with the detection of atmospheric neutrinos are recognized. Performance comparisons to machine-learning classification and maximum-likelihood reconstruction algorithms previously developed for KM3NeT/ORCA are provided. It is shown that this application of deep convolutional neural networks to simulated datasets for a large-volume neutrino telescope yields competitive reconstruction results and performance improvements with respect to classical approaches

Bounding the time delay between high-energy neutrinos and gravitational-wave transients from gamma-ray bursts

We derive a conservative coincidence time window for joint searches of gravitational-wave (GW) transients and high-energy neutrinos (HENs, with energies ≳100 GeV), emitted by gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). The last are among the most interesting astrophysical sources for coincident detections with current and near-future detectors. We take into account a broad range of emission mechanisms. We take the upper limit of GRB durations as the 95% quantile of the T_(90’)s of GRBs observed by BATSE, obtaining a GRB duration upper limit of ∼150 s. Using published results on high-energy (>100 MeV) photon light curves for 8 GRBs detected by Fermi LAT, we verify that most high-energy photons are expected to be observed within the first ∼150 s of the GRB. Taking into account the breakout-time of the relativistic jet produced by the central engine, we allow GW and HEN emission to begin up to 100 s before the onset of observable gamma photon production. Using published precursor time differences, we calculate a time upper bound for precursor activity, obtaining that 95% of precursors occur within ∼250 s prior to the onset of the GRB. Taking the above different processes into account, we arrive at a time window of t_(HEN) − t_(GW) ∈ [−500 s, +500 s]. Considering the above processes, an upper bound can also be determined for the expected time window of GW and/or HEN signals coincident with a detected GRB, t_(GW) − t_(GRB) ≈ t_(HEN) − t_(GRB) ∈ [−350 s, +150 s]. These upper bounds can be used to limit the coincidence time window in multimessenger searches, as well as aiding the interpretation of the times of arrival of measured signals

Multimessenger Sources of Gravitational Waves and High-energy Neutrinos: Science Reach and Analysis Method

International audienceSources of gravitational waves are often expected to be observable through several messengers, such as gamma-rays, X-rays, optical, radio, and/or neutrino emission. The simultaneous observation of electromagnetic or neutrino emission with a gravitational-wave signal could be a crucial aspect for the first direct detection of gravitational waves. Furthermore, combining gravitational waves with electromagnetic and neutrino observations will enable the extraction of scientific insight that was hidden from us before. We discuss the method that enables the joint search with the LIGO-Virgo-IceCube-ANTARES global network, as well as its methodology, science reach, and outlook for the next generation of gravitational-wave detectors

Investigation of a light Dark Boson existence: The New JEDI project

International audienceSeveral experiments around the world are looking for a new particle, named Dark Boson, which may do the link between the Ordinary Matter (which forms basically stars, planets, interstellar gas...) and the Hidden Sectors of the Universe. This particle, if it exists, would act as the messenger of a new fundamental interaction of nature. In this paper, the underlying Dark Sectors theory will be introduced first. A non-exhaustive summary of experimental studies carried out to date and foreseen in the incoming years will be presented after,including the 8Be anomaly. The last section will provide a status of the New JEDI**** project which aims to investigate the existence or not of a Dark Boson in the MeV range

Investigation of a light Dark Boson existence: The New JEDI project

International audienceSeveral experiments around the world are looking for a new particle, named Dark Boson, which may do the link between the Ordinary Matter (which forms basically stars, planets, interstellar gas...) and the Hidden Sectors of the Universe. This particle, if it exists, would act as the messenger of a new fundamental interaction of nature. In this paper, the underlying Dark Sectors theory will be introduced first. A non-exhaustive summary of experimental studies carried out to date and foreseen in the incoming years will be presented after,including the 8Be anomaly. The last section will provide a status of the New JEDI**** project which aims to investigate the existence or not of a Dark Boson in the MeV range

Investigation of a light Dark Boson existence: The New JEDI project

International audienceSeveral experiments around the world are looking for a new particle, named Dark Boson, which may do the link between the Ordinary Matter (which forms basically stars, planets, interstellar gas...) and the Hidden Sectors of the Universe. This particle, if it exists, would act as the messenger of a new fundamental interaction of nature. In this paper, the underlying Dark Sectors theory will be introduced first. A non-exhaustive summary of experimental studies carried out to date and foreseen in the incoming years will be presented after,including the 8Be anomaly. The last section will provide a status of the New JEDI**** project which aims to investigate the existence or not of a Dark Boson in the MeV range