241 research outputs found
Quenching Factor for Low Energy Nuclear Recoils in a Plastic Scintillator
Plastic scintillators are widely used in industry, medicine and scientific
research, including nuclear and particle physics. Although one of their most
common applications is in neutron detection, experimental data on their
response to low-energy nuclear recoils are scarce. Here, the relative
scintillation efficiency for neutron-induced nuclear recoils in a
polystyrene-based plastic scintillator (UPS-923A) is presented, exploring
recoil energies between 125 keV and 850 keV. Monte Carlo simulations,
incorporating light collection efficiency and energy resolution effects, are
used to generate neutron scattering spectra which are matched to observed
distributions of scintillation signals to parameterise the energy-dependent
quenching factor. At energies above 300 keV the dependence is reasonably
described using the semi-empirical formulation of Birks and a kB factor of
(0.014+/-0.002) g/MeVcm^2 has been determined. Below that energy the measured
quenching factor falls more steeply than predicted by the Birks formalism.Comment: 8 pages, 9 figure
WIMP-nucleon cross-section results from the second science run of ZEPLIN-III
We report experimental upper limits on WIMP-nucleon elastic scattering cross
sections from the second science run of ZEPLIN-III at the Boulby Underground
Laboratory. A raw fiducial exposure of 1,344 kg.days was accrued over 319 days
of continuous operation between June 2010 and May 2011. A total of eight events
was observed in the signal acceptance region in the nuclear recoil energy range
7-29 keV, which is compatible with background expectations. This allows the
exclusion of the scalar cross-section above 4.8E-8 pb near 50 GeV/c^2 WIMP mass
with 90% confidence. Combined with data from the first run, this result
improves to 3.9E-8 pb. The corresponding WIMP-neutron spin-dependent
cross-section limit is 8.0E-3 pb. The ZEPLIN programme reaches thus its
conclusion at Boulby, having deployed and exploited successfully three liquid
xenon experiments of increasing reach
Measurement of directional range components of nuclear recoil tracks in a fiducialised dark matter detector
We present results from the first measurement of axial range components of fiducialized neutron induced nuclear recoil tracks using the DRIFT directional dark matter detector. Nuclear recoil events are fiducialized in the DRIFT experiment using temporal charge carrier separations between different species of anions in 30:10:1 Torr of CS:CF:O gas mixture. For this measurement, neutron-induced nuclear recoil tracks were generated by exposing the detector to Cf source from different directions. Using these events, the sensitivity of the detector to the expected axial directional signatures were investigated as the neutron source was moved from one detector axis to another. Results obtained from these measurements show clear sensitivity of the DRIFT detector to the axial directional signatures in this fiducialization gas mode
Battery Earth: using the subsurface at Boulby underground laboratory to investigate energy storage technologies
Renewable energy provides a low-carbon alternative to power generation in the UK. However, the resultant supply varies on daily, weekly and seasonal cycles, such that for green energies to be fully exploited new grid-scale energy storage systems must be implemented. Two pilot facilities in Germany and the United States have demonstrated the potential of the Earth as a battery to store compressed air, using off-peak surplus energy. Natural accumulations of salt (halite deposits) in the UK represent a large and untapped natural storage reservoir for compressed air with the ability to provide instantaneous green energy to meet peak demand. To realise the potential of this emerging technology, a detailed knowledge of the relationship between mechanics, chemistry and geological properties is required to optimise cavern design, storage potential and economic feasibility. The variable stresses imposed on the rock matrix by gas storage, combined with the cyclic nature of cavern pressurisation are barriers to deployment that need to be addressed to enable large-scale adoption of schemes. Well-designed field experiments are a lynchpin for advancing research in this area, especially when supported by state-of-the-art characterisation and modelling techniques. The research facility at STFC’s Boulby Underground Laboratory presents the ideal location to tackle these fundamental issues to optimise “Battery Earth”
The ZEPLIN-III dark matter detector: instrument design, manufacture and commissioning
We present details of the technical design and manufacture of the ZEPLIN-III
dark matter experiment. ZEPLIN-III is a two-phase xenon detector which measures
both the scintillation light and the ionisation charge generated in the liquid
by interacting particles and radiation. The instrument design is driven by both
the physics requirements and by the technology requirements surrounding the use
of liquid xenon. These include considerations of key performance parameters,
such as the efficiency of scintillation light collection, restrictions placed
on the use of materials to control the inherent radioactivity levels,
attainment of high vacuum levels and chemical contamination control. The
successful solution has involved a number of novel design and manufacturing
features which will be of specific use to future generations of direct dark
matter search experiments as they struggle with similar and progressively more
demanding requirements.Comment: 25 pages, 19 figures. Submitted to Astropart. Phys. Some figures down
sampled to reduce siz
First data from DM-Ice17
We report the first analysis of background data from DM-Ice17, a direct-detection dark matter experiment
consisting of 17 kg of NaI(Tl) target material. It was codeployed with IceCube 2457 m deep in the South Pole
glacial ice in December 2010 and is the first such detector operating in the Southern Hemisphere. The
background rate in the 6.5–8.0 keVee region is measured to be 7.9 � 0.4 counts=day=keV=kg. This is
consistent with the expected background from the detector assemblies with negligible contributions from
the surrounding ice. The successful deployment and operation of DM-Ice17 establishes the South Pole ice
as a viable location for future underground, low-background experiments in the Southern Hemisphere. The
detector assembly and deployment are described here, as well as the analysis of the DM-Ice17 backgrounds
based on data from the first two years of operation after commissioning, July 2011–June 2013
The ZEPLIN II dark matter detector: data acquisition system and data reduction
ZEPLIN-II is a two-phase (liquid/gas) xenon dark matter detector searching
for WIMP-nucleon interactions. In this paper we describe the data acquisition
system used to record the data from ZEPLIN-II and the reduction procedures
which parameterise the data for subsequent analysis.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figure
Limits on spin-dependent WIMP-nucleon cross-sections from the first ZEPLIN-II data
The first underground data run of the ZEPLIN-II experiment has set a limit on
the nuclear recoil rate in the two-phase xenon detector for direct dark matter
searches. In this paper the results from this run are converted into the limits
on spin-dependent WIMP-proton and WIMP-neutron cross-sections. The minimum of
the curve for WIMP-neutron cross-section corresponds to 0.07 pb at a WIMP mass
of around 65 GeV.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures, to be published in Physics Letters
Single electron emission in two-phase xenon with application to the detection of coherent neutrino-nucleus scattering
We present an experimental study of single electron emission in ZEPLIN-III, a
two-phase xenon experiment built to search for dark matter WIMPs, and discuss
applications enabled by the excellent signal-to-noise ratio achieved in
detecting this signature. Firstly, we demonstrate a practical method for
precise measurement of the free electron lifetime in liquid xenon during normal
operation of these detectors. Then, using a realistic detector response model
and backgrounds, we assess the feasibility of deploying such an instrument for
measuring coherent neutrino-nucleus elastic scattering using the ionisation
channel in the few-electron regime. We conclude that it should be possible to
measure this elusive neutrino signature above an ionisation threshold of
3 electrons both at a stopped pion source and at a nuclear reactor.
Detectable signal rates are larger in the reactor case, but the triggered
measurement and harder recoil energy spectrum afforded by the accelerator
source enable lower overall background and fiducialisation of the active
volume
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