Search for spontaneous muon emission from lead nuclei

We describe a possible search for muonic radioactivity from lead nuclei using the base elements ("bricks" composed by lead and nuclear emulsion sheets) of the long-baseline OPERA neutrino experiment. We present the results of a Monte Carlo simulation concerning the expected event topologies and estimates of the background events. Using few bricks, we could reach a good sensitivity level.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figure

Electron/pion separation with an Emulsion Cloud Chamber by using a Neural Network

We have studied the performance of a new algorithm for electron/pion separation in an Emulsion Cloud Chamber (ECC) made of lead and nuclear emulsion films. The software for separation consists of two parts: a shower reconstruction algorithm and a Neural Network that assigns to each reconstructed shower the probability to be an electron or a pion. The performance has been studied for the ECC of the OPERA experiment [1]. The $e/\pi$ separation algorithm has been optimized by using a detailed Monte Carlo simulation of the ECC and tested on real data taken at CERN (pion beams) and at DESY (electron beams). The algorithm allows to achieve a 90% electron identification efficiency with a pion misidentification smaller than 1% for energies higher than 2 GeV

The background in the neutrinoless double beta decay experiment GERDA

The GERmanium Detector Array (GERDA) experiment at the Gran Sasso underground laboratory (LNGS) of INFN is searching for neutrinoless double beta decay of 76Ge. The signature of the signal is a monoenergetic peak at 2039 keV, the Q-value of the decay, Q_bb. To avoid bias in the signal search, the present analysis does not consider all those events, that fall in a 40 keV wide region centered around Q_bb. The main parameters needed for the neutrinoless double beta decay analysis are described. A background model was developed to describe the observed energy spectrum. The model contains several contributions, that are expected on the basis of material screening or that are established by the observation of characteristic structures in the energy spectrum. The model predicts a flat energy spectrum for the blinding window around Q_bb with a background index ranging from 17.6 to 23.8*10^{-3} counts/(keV kg yr). A part of the data not considered before has been used to test if the predictions of the background model are consistent. The observed number of events in this energy region is consistent with the background model. The background at Q-bb is dominated by close sources, mainly due to 42K, 214Bi, 228Th, 60Co and alpha emitting isotopes from the 226Ra decay chain. The individual fractions depend on the assumed locations of the contaminants. It is shown, that after removal of the known gamma peaks, the energy spectrum can be fitted in an energy range of 200 kev around Q_bb with a constant background. This gives a background index consistent with the full model and uncertainties of the same size

Limits on uranium and thorium bulk content in GERDA Phase I detectors

Internal contaminations of $^{238}$U, $^{235}$U and $^{232}$Th in the bulk of high purity germanium detectors are potential backgrounds for experiments searching for neutrinoless double beta decay of $^{76}$Ge. The data from GERDA Phase~I have been analyzed for alpha events from the decay chain of these contaminations by looking for full decay chains and for time correlations between successive decays in the same detector. No candidate events for a full chain have been found. Upper limits on the activities in the range of a few nBq/kg for $^{226}$Ra, $^{227}$Ac and $^{228}$Th, the long-lived daughter nuclides of $^{238}$U, $^{235}$U and $^{232}$Th, respectively, have been derived. With these upper limits a background index in the energy region of interest from $^{226}$Ra and $^{228}$Th contamination is estimated which satisfies the prerequisites of a future ton scale germanium double beta decay experiment.Comment: 2 figures, 7 page

Emulsion sheet doublets as interface trackers for the OPERA experiment

New methods for efficient and unambiguous interconnection between electronic counters and target units based on nuclear photographic emulsion films have been developed. The application to the OPERA experiment, that aims at detecting oscillations between mu neutrino and tau neutrino in the CNGS neutrino beam, is reported in this paper. In order to reduce background due to latent tracks collected before installation in the detector, on-site large-scale treatments of the emulsions ("refreshing") have been applied. Changeable Sheet (CSd) packages, each made of a doublet of emulsion films, have been designed, assembled and coupled to the OPERA target units ("ECC bricks"). A device has been built to print X-ray spots for accurate interconnection both within the CSd and between the CSd and the related ECC brick. Sample emulsion films have been extensively scanned with state-of-the-art automated optical microscopes. Efficient track-matching and powerful background rejection have been achieved in tests with electronically tagged penetrating muons. Further improvement of in-doublet film alignment was obtained by matching the pattern of low-energy electron tracks. The commissioning of the overall OPERA alignment procedure is in progress.Comment: 19 pages, 19 figure

First events from the CNGS neutrino beam detected in the OPERA experiment

The OPERA neutrino detector at the underground Gran Sasso Laboratory (LNGS) was designed to perform the first detection of neutrino oscillations in appearance mode, through the study of nu_mu to nu_tau oscillations. The apparatus consists of a lead/emulsion-film target complemented by electronic detectors. It is placed in the high-energy, long-baseline CERN to LNGS beam (CNGS) 730 km away from the neutrino source. In August 2006 a first run with CNGS neutrinos was successfully conducted. A first sample of neutrino events was collected, statistically consistent with the integrated beam intensity. After a brief description of the beam and of the various sub-detectors, we report on the achievement of this milestone, presenting the first data and some analysis results.Comment: Submitted to the New Journal of Physic

Double Beta Decay: Historical Review of 75 Years of Research

Main achievements during 75 years of research on double beta decay have been reviewed. The existing experimental data have been presented and the capabilities of the next-generation detectors have been demonstrated.Comment: 25 pages, typos adde

Status of the GERDA experiment

The study of neutrinoless double beta (0nbb) decay is the only one presently known approach to the fundamental question if the neutrino is a Majorana particle, i.e. its own anti-particle. The observation of 0nbb decay would prove that lepton number is not conserved, establish that neutrino has a Majorana component and, assuming that light neutrino is the dominating process, provide a method for the determination of its effective mass. GERDA is a new 0nbb decay experiment which is currently taking data at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS) of INFN in Italy. It implements a new shielding concept by operating bare diodes made from Ge with enriched 76Ge in high purity liquid argon supplemented by a water shield. The aim of GERDA is to verify or refute the recent claim of discovery, and, in a second phase, to achieve a two orders of magnitude lower background index than past experiments, to increase the sensitive mass and to collect an exposure of 100 kg yr. The paper will discuss design, physics reach, and status of data taking of GERDA.JRC.D.4-Standards for Nuclear Safety, Security and Safeguard

Study of the effects induced by lead on the emulsion films of the OPERA experiment

The OPERA neutrino oscillation experiment is based on the use of the Emulsion Cloud Chamber (ECC). In the OPERA ECC, nuclear emulsion films acting as very high precision tracking detectors are interleaved with lead plates providing a massive target for neutrino interactions. We report on studies related to the effects occurring from the contact between emulsion and lead. A low radioactivity lead is required in order to minimize the number of background tracks in emulsions and to achieve the required performance in the reconstruction of neutrino events. It was observed that adding other chemical elements to the lead, in order to improve the mechanical properties, may significantly increase the level of radioactivity on the emulsions. A detailed study was made in order to choose a lead alloy with good mechanical properties and an appropriate packing technique so as to have a low enough effective radioactivity.Comment: 19 pages, 11 figure

Preparation of CS-MWNT and its biocompatibility

本研究利用壳聚糖和碳纳米管具有生物活性及对骨细胞的高亲和性，从组成和结构仿生的思路出发，把无机碳纳米管与有机壳聚糖两种材料复合，制备出界面结合好、溶解性好、稳定性好和分散性高的壳聚糖共价接枝碳纳米管复合膜，得到具有生物活性和生物相容性，能够促进骨细胞增殖、分化和引导骨组织器官再生的骨修复材料。 以壳聚糖和多壁碳纳米管为材料，用混酸对多壁碳纳米管表面进行羧基化修饰，使其与含有氨基的壳聚糖发生酰化反应，制备出一种新型的壳聚糖共价接枝碳纳米管复合膜，并探讨温度、pH值、乙酸浓度和材料配比等条件对制备复合膜的影响；采用透射电镜（TEM）、扫描电镜（SEM）、红外光谱（FTIR）、X射线光电子能谱（X...The thought and main points of the design for Carbon nanotubes/chitosan composite were put forward according to structural feature of nature bone which is made of inorganic and organic, since both carbon nanotubes and chitosan are attractive biocompatibility and biological activity to osteoblast. A novel Chitosan grafted multiwalled carbon nanotubes film (CS-MWNT) was prepared through covalently ...学位：理学硕士院系专业：材料学院生物材料系_☆生物医学工程学号：2452007115251