1,322 research outputs found
Mid-infrared laser light nulling experiment using single-mode conductive waveguides
Aims: In the context of space interferometry missions devoted to the search
of exo-Earths, this paper investigates the capabilities of new single mode
conductive waveguides at providing modal filtering in an infrared and
monochromatic nulling experiment; Methods: A Michelson laser interferometer
with a co-axial beam combination scheme at 10.6 microns is used. After
introducing a Pi phase shift using a translating mirror, dynamic and static
measurements of the nulling ratio are performed in the two cases where modal
filtering is implemented and suppressed. No additional active control of the
wavefront errors is involved. Results: We achieve on average a statistical
nulling ratio of 2.5e-4 with a 1-sigma upper limit of 6e-4, while a best null
of 5.6e-5 is obtained in static mode. At the moment, the impact of external
vibrations limits our ability to maintain the null to 10 to 20 seconds.;
Conclusions: A positive effect of SM conductive waveguide on modal filtering
has been observed in this study. Further improvement of the null should be
possible with proper mechanical isolation of the setup.Comment: Accepted in A&A, 7 pages, 5 figure
The performance of the LHCf detector for hadronic showers
The Large Hadron Collider forward (LHCf) experiment has been designed to use
the LHC to benchmark the hadronic interaction models used in cosmic-ray
physics. The LHCf experiment measures neutral particles emitted in the very
forward region of LHC collisions. In this paper, the performances of the LHCf
detectors for hadronic showers was studied with MC simulations and beam tests.
The detection efficiency for neutrons is from 60% to 70% above 500 GeV. The
energy resolutions are about 40% and the position resolution is 0.1 to 1.3mm
depend on the incident energy for neutrons. The energy scale determined by the
MC simulations and the validity of the MC simulations were examined using 350
GeV proton beams at the CERN-SPS.Comment: 15pages, 19 figure
Measurement of forward neutral pion transverse momentum spectra for = 7TeV proton-proton collisions at LHC
The inclusive production rate of neutral pions in the rapidity range greater
than has been measured by the Large Hadron Collider forward (LHCf)
experiment during LHC \,TeV proton-proton collision operation in
early 2010. This paper presents the transverse momentum spectra of the neutral
pions. The spectra from two independent LHCf detectors are consistent with each
other and serve as a cross check of the data. The transverse momentum spectra
are also compared with the predictions of several hadronic interaction models
that are often used for high energy particle physics and for modeling
ultra-high-energy cosmic-ray showers.Comment: 18 Pages, 10 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.
Integrated optics for astronomical interferometry - VI. Coupling the light of the VLTI in K band
Our objective is to prove that integrated optics (IO) is not only a good
concept for astronomical interferometry but also a working technique with high
performance. We used the commissioning data obtained with the dedicated K-band
integrated optics two-telescope beam combiner which now replaces the fiber
coupler MONA in the VLTI/VINCI instrument. We characterize the behaviour of
this IO device and compare its properties to other single mode beam combiner
like the previously used MONA fiber coupler. The IO combiner provides a high
optical throughput, a contrast of 89% with a night-to-night stability of a few
percent. Even if a dispersive phase is present, we show that it does not bias
the measured Fourier visibility estimate. An upper limit of 0.005 for the
cross-talk between linear polarization states has been measured. We take
advantage of the intrinsic contrast stability to test a new astronomical
prodecure for calibrating diameters of simple stars by simultaneously fitting
the instrumental contrast and the apparent stellar diameters. This method
reaches an accuracy with diameter errors of the order of previous ones but
without the need of an already known calibrator. These results are an important
step of integrated optics and paves the road to incoming imaging interferometer
projects
Measurement of forward photon production cross-section in proton-proton collisions at = 13 TeV with the LHCf detector
In this paper, we report the production cross-section of forward photons in
the pseudorapidity regions of and ,
measured by the LHCf experiment with proton--proton collisions at =
13 TeV. The results from the analysis of 0.191 of data
obtained in June 2015 are compared to the predictions of several hadronic
interaction models that are used in air-shower simulations for
ultra-high-energy cosmic rays. Although none of the models agree perfectly with
the data, EPOS-LHC shows the best agreement with the experimental data among
the models.Comment: 21 pages, 4 figure
Searching for faint companions with VLTI/PIONIER. I. Method and first results
Context. A new four-telescope interferometric instrument called PIONIER has
recently been installed at VLTI. It provides improved imaging capabilities
together with high precision. Aims. We search for low-mass companions around a
few bright stars using different strategies, and determine the dynamic range
currently reachable with PIONIER. Methods. Our method is based on the closure
phase, which is the most robust interferometric quantity when searching for
faint companions. We computed the chi^2 goodness of fit for a series of binary
star models at different positions and with various flux ratios. The resulting
chi^2 cube was used to identify the best-fit binary model and evaluate its
significance, or to determine upper limits on the companion flux in case of non
detections. Results. No companion is found around Fomalhaut, tau Cet and
Regulus. The median upper limits at 3 sigma on the companion flux ratio are
respectively of 2.3e-3 (in 4 h), 3.5e-3 (in 3 h) and 5.4e-3 (in 1.5 h) on the
search region extending from 5 to 100 mas. Our observations confirm that the
previously detected near-infrared excess emissions around Fomalhaut and tau Cet
are not related to a low-mass companion, and instead come from an extended
source such as an exozodiacal disk. In the case of del Aqr, in 30 min of
observation, we obtain the first direct detection of a previously known
companion, at an angular distance of about 40 mas and with a flux ratio of
2.05e-2 \pm 0.16e-2. Due to the limited u,v plane coverage, its position can,
however, not be unambiguously determined. Conclusions. After only a few months
of operation, PIONIER has already achieved one of the best dynamic ranges
world-wide for multi-aperture interferometers. A dynamic range up to about
1:500 is demonstrated, but significant improvements are still required to reach
the ultimate goal of directly detecting hot giant extrasolar planets.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in A&
PIONIER: a visitor instrument for the VLTI
PIONIER is a 4-telescope visitor instrument for the VLTI, planned to see its
first fringes in 2010. It combines four ATs or four UTs using a pairwise ABCD
integrated optics combiner that can also be used in scanning mode. It provides
low spectral resolution in H and K band. PIONIER is designed for imaging with a
specific emphasis on fast fringe recording to allow closure-phases and
visibilities to be precisely measured. In this work we provide the detailed
description of the instrument and present its updated status.Comment: Proceedings of SPIE conference Optical and Infrared Interferometry II
(Conference 7734) San Diego 201
Double Spin Asymmetries A_NN and A_SS at sqrt{s}=200 GeV in Polarized Proton-Proton Elastic Scattering at RHIC
We present the first measurements of the double spin asymmetries A_NN and
A_SS at sqrt{s}=200 GeV, obtained by the pp2pp experiment using polarized
proton beams at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). The data were
collected in the four momentum transfer t range 0.01<|t|<0.03 (GeV/c)^2. The
measured asymmetries, which are consistent with zero, allow us to estimate
upper limits on the double helicity-flip amplitudes phi_2 and phi_4 at small t
as well as on the difference Delta(sigma_T) between the total cross sections
for transversely polarized protons with antiparallel or parallel spin
orientations.Comment: 13 pages with 3 figures. Final version accepted by Phys. Lett.
Measurement of zero degree single photon energy spectra for sqrt(s) = 7TeV proton-proton collisions at LHC
In early 2010, the Large Hadron Collider forward (LHCf) experiment measured
very forward neutral particle spectra in LHC proton-proton collisions. From a
limited data set taken under the best beam conditions (low beam-gas background
and low occurance of pile-up events), the single photon spectra at sqrt(s)=7TeV
and pseudo-rapidity (eta) ranges from 8.81 to 8.99 and from 10.94 to infinity
were obtained for the first time and are reported in this paper. The spectra
from two independent LHCf detectors are consistent with one another and serve
as a cross check of the data. The photon spectra are also compared with the
predictions of several hadron interaction models that are used extensively for
modeling ultra high energy cosmic ray showers. Despite conservative estimates
for the systematic errors, none of the models agree perfectly with the
measurements. A notable difference is found between the data and the DPMJET
3.04 and PYTHIA 8.145 hadron interaction models above 2TeV where the models
predict higher photon yield than the data. The QGSJET II-03 model predicts
overall lower photon yield than the data, especially above 2TeV in the rapidity
range 8.81<eta<8.99
First Measurement of A_N at sqrt(s)=200 GeV in Polarized Proton-Proton Elastic Scattering at RHIC
We report on the first measurement of the single spin analyzing power (A_N)
at sqrt(s)=200GeV, obtained by the pp2pp experiment using polarized proton
beams at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). Data points were measured
in the four momentum transfer t range 0.01 < |t| < 0.03 (GeV/c)^2. Our result,
averaged over the whole t-interval is about one standard deviation above the
calculation, which uses interference between electromagnetic spin-flip
amplitude and hadronic non-flip amplitude, the source of A_N. The difference
could be explained by an additional contribution of a hadronic spin-flip
amplitude to A_N.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures. New values of polarization errors. Final version
submitted to Phys. Lett.
- …