First measurement of electron neutrino appearance in NOvA

We report results from the first search for νμ→νe transitions by the NOvA experiment. In an exposure equivalent to 2.74×1020 protons on target in the upgraded NuMI beam at Fermilab, we observe 6 events in the Far Detector, compared to a background expectation of 0.99±0.11(syst) events based on the Near Detector measurement. A secondary analysis observes 11 events with a background of 1.07±0.14(syst). The 3.3σ excess of events observed in the primary analysis disfavors 0.1π<δCP<0.5π in the inverted mass hierarchy at the 90% C.L

First measurement of muon-neutrino disappearance in NOvA

This paper reports the first measurement using the NOvA detectors of νμ disappearance in a νμ beam. The analysis uses a 14 kton-equivalent exposure of 2.74×1020 protons-on-target from the Fermilab NuMI beam. Assuming the normal neutrino mass hierarchy, we measure Δm232=(2.52+0.20−0.18)×10−3  eV2 and sin2θ23 in the range 0.38–0.65, both at the 68% confidence level, with two statistically degenerate best-fit points at sin2θ23=0.43 and 0.60. Results for the inverted mass hierarchy are also presented

Structure optimization of PCL foams by using mixtures of CO2 and N2 as blowing agents

The foaming process of poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) with carbon dioxide and nitrogen was investigated from theor. and exptl. view points. CO2 and N2 showed very different behavior, as foaming agents for PCL. This was due to the different transport, chem., and phys. properties of the polymer/gas mixt. that led to different foam morphol. in terms of d., cell no. d., and cell size. The lowest d. (0.03 g/cm3) was obtained with CO2, but the highest no. of cells with N2 Vectra B 950although with a higher d., (0.2 g/cm3). Foam with a low-d. microcellular structure, was obtained when a mixt. of the two gases was employed

Data acquisition and slow control interface for the Mu2e experiment

The Mu2e experiment at the Fermilab Muon Campus will search for the coherent neutrinoless conversion of a muon into an electron in the field of an aluminum nucleus with a sensitivity improvement by a factor of 10000 over existing limits. The Mu2e Trigger and Data Acquisition System (TDAQ) uses otsdaq as the online Data Acquisition System (DAQ) solution. Developed at Fermilab, otsdaq integrates both the artdaq DAQ and the art analysis frameworks for event transfer, filtering, and processing. otsdaq is an online DAQ software suite with a focus on flexibility and scalability and provides a multi-user, web-based, interface accessible through a web browser. The data stream from the detector subsystems is read by a software filter algorithm that selects events which are combined with the data flux coming from a cosmic ray veto system. The Detector Control System (DCS) has been developed using the Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System (EPICS) open source platform for monitoring, controlling, alarming, and archiving. The DCS system has been integrated into otsdaq. A prototype of the TDAQ and the DCS systems has been built at Fermilab's Feynman Computing Center. In this paper, we report on the progress of the integration of this prototype in the online otsdaq software