Performance of the Gas Gain Monitoring system of the CMS RPC muon detector and effective working point fine tuning

The Gas Gain Monitoring (GGM) system of the Resistive Plate Chamber (RPC) muon detector in the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment provides fast and accurate determination of the stability in the working point conditions due to gas mixture changes in the closed loop recirculation system. In 2011 the GGM began to operate using a feedback algorithm to control the applied voltage, in order to keep the GGM response insensitive to environmental temperature and atmospheric pressure variations. Recent results are presented on the feedback method used and on alternative algorithms

Low-energy quenching of positronium by helium

Very low-energy scattering of orthopositronium by helium has been investigated for simultaneous study of elastic cross section and pick-off quenching rate using a model exchange potential. The present calculational scheme, while agrees with the measured cross section of Skalsey et al, reproduces successfully the parameter ^ 1Z_{\makebox{eff}}, the effective number of electrons per atom in a singlet state relative to the positron. Together with the fact that this model potential also leads to an agreement with measured medium energy cross sections of this system, this study seems to resolve the long-standing discrepancy at low energies among different theoretical calculations and experimental measurements.Comment: 4 latex pages, 3 postscript figure

CMS endcap RPC gas gap production for upgrade

The CMS experiment will install a RE4 layer of 144 new Resistive Plate Chambers (RPCs) on the existing york YE3 at both endcap regions to trigger high momentum muons from the proton-proton interaction. In this paper, we present the detailed procedures used in the production of new RPC gas gaps adopted in the CMS upgrade. Quality assurance is enforced as ways to maintain the same quality of RPC gas gaps as the existing 432 endcap RPC chambers that have been operational since the beginning of the LHC operation

The Upgrade of the CMS RPC System during the First LHC Long Shutdown

The CMS muon system includes in both the barrel and endcap region Resistive Plate Chambers (RPC). They mainly serve as trigger detectors and also improve the reconstruction of muon parameters. Over the years, the instantaneous luminosity of the Large Hadron Collider gradually increases. During the LHC Phase 1 (~first 10 years of operation) an ultimate luminosity is expected above its design value of 10^34/cm^2/s at 14 TeV. To prepare the machine and also the experiments for this, two long shutdown periods are scheduled for 2013-2014 and 2018-2019. The CMS Collaboration is planning several detector upgrades during these long shutdowns. In particular, the muon detection system should be able to maintain a low-pT threshold for an efficient Level-1 Muon Trigger at high particle rates. One of the measures to ensure this, is to extend the present RPC system with the addition of a 4th layer in both endcap regions. During the first long shutdown, these two new stations will be equipped in the region |eta|<1.6 with 144 High Pressure Laminate (HPL) double-gap RPCs operating in avalanche mode, with a similar design as the existing CMS endcap chambers. Here, we present the upgrade plans for the CMS RPC system for the fist long shutdown, including trigger simulation studies for the extended system, and details on the new HPL production, the chamber assembly and the quality control procedures.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures, presented by M.Tytgat at the XI workshop on Resistive Plate Chambers and Related Detectors (RPC2012), INFN - Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, February 5-10, 201

Simulation of the CMS Resistive Plate Chambers

The Resistive Plate Chamber (RPC) muon subsystem contributes significantly to the formation of the trigger decision and reconstruction of the muon trajectory parameters. Simulation of the RPC response is a crucial part of the entire CMS Monte Carlo software and directly influences the final physical results. An algorithm based on the parametrization of RPC efficiency, noise, cluster size and timing for every strip has been developed. Experimental data obtained from cosmic and proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=7$ TeV have been used for determination of the parameters. A dedicated validation procedure has been developed. A good agreement between the simulated and experimental data has been achieved.Comment: to be published in JINS

Study of Sorption Capacity and Surface Morphology of Carbon Nanomaterials/Chitosan Based Aerogels

In this research aerogels were synthesized by homogenization of carbon nanotubes and chitosan under ultrasonic treatment and active magnetic stirring, followed by freeze-drying in order to remove the liquid from its structure. Freeze-drying is characterized by a certain ratio of pressure and temperature at which the solid phase, in our case – the ice, turns into a gas without passing through a liquid phase. Freezedrying was carried out at a temperature of –15 °C and a pressure of 30–40 Pa. After freeze-drying which lasted for 20 h, the as-obtained aerogels were carbonized at temperature of 800 °C in an inert atmosphere. Surface morphology of resulting aerogels was studied using scanning electron microscopy. The hydrophobicity and sorption capacity of these aerogels to organic liquids characterized by different densities were investigated. In addition, composite aerogels with the presence of graphene nano-platelets in the structure were obtained and the influence of introduction of graphene nanoplatelets on aerogel’s properties was analyzed. It was found that composite aerogels based on graphene and carbon nanotubes with chitosan as a glue matrix are characterized by a better-developed porosity of surface with a smaller pore sizes, and their sorption capacity for organic liquids is higher compared with the aerogels based on carbon nanotubes