814 research outputs found
The distribution of DNA translocation times in solid-state nanopores
Abstract This paper systematically investigates the effects of solution viscosity, applied voltage and DNA chain length on the distribution of DNA translocation times through 8 ± 2 nm diameter silicon nitride nanopores. Linear dsDNA translocation events were selected based on the magnitude of current blockage and accumulated into scatter plots of current blockage and event duration (translocation time). The translocation time distribution was fitted to the solution of a Smoluchowski-type equation for 1D biased diffusion to a sink. The DNA drifting speed under bias and diffusion constant were extracted from the fits as functions of solution viscosity, applied voltage and DNA chain length. Combined with the Einstein-Smoluchowski relation, this model allowed evaluation of the viscous drag force on DNA molecules. This model also allowed estimation of the uncertainty in determining the DNA chain length due to the influence of friction on the spread of translocation times in a nanopore measurement. The data analysis suggests that the simple 1D biased diffusion model fits the experimental data well for a wide range of conditions. Some deviations from predicted behavior were observed and show where additional phenomena are likely to contribute to the distribution of DNA translocation times
Beam-Based Alignment of the NuMI Target Station Components at FNAL
The Neutrinos at the Main Injector (NuMI) facility is a conventional
horn-focused neutrino beam which produces muon neutrinos from a beam of mesons
directed into a long evacuated decay volume. The relative alignment of the
primary proton beam, target, and focusing horns affects the neutrino energy
spectrum delivered to experiments. This paper describes a check of the
alignment of these components using the proton beam.Comment: higher resolution figures available on Fermilab Preprint Server (see
SPIRES entry), accepted for publication in Nucl. Instr. and Meth.
Experimental constraints on a dark matter origin for the DAMA annual modulation effect
A claim for evidence of dark matter interactions in the DAMA experiment has
been recently reinforced. We employ a new type of germanium detector to
conclusively rule out a standard isothermal galactic halo of Weakly Interacting
Massive Particles (WIMPs) as the explanation for the annual modulation effect
leading to the claim. Bounds are similarly imposed on a suggestion that dark
pseudoscalars mightlead to the effect. We describe the sensitivity to light
dark matter particles achievable with our device, in particular to
Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Model candidates.Comment: v4: introduces recent results from arXiv:0807.3279 and
arXiv:0807.2926. Sensitivity to pseudoscalars is revised in light of the
first. Discussion on the subject adde
Results from a Search for Light-Mass Dark Matter with a P-type Point Contact Germanium Detector
We report on several features present in the energy spectrum from an ultra
low-noise germanium detector operated at 2,100 m.w.e. By implementing a new
technique able to reject surface events, a number of cosmogenic peaks can be
observed for the first time. We discuss several possible causes for an
irreducible excess of bulk-like events below 3 keVee, including a dark matter
candidate common to the DAMA/LIBRA annual modulation effect, the hint of a
signal in CDMS, and phenomenological predictions. Improved constraints are
placed on a cosmological origin for the DAMA/LIBRA effect.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures. v2: submitted version. Minimal changes in
wording, one reference adde
An improved measurement of muon antineutrino disappearance in MINOS
We report an improved measurement of muon anti-neutrino disappearance over a
distance of 735km using the MINOS detectors and the Fermilab Main Injector
neutrino beam in a muon anti-neutrino enhanced configuration. From a total
exposure of 2.95e20 protons on target, of which 42% have not been previously
analyzed, we make the most precise measurement of the anti-neutrino
"atmospheric" delta-m squared = 2.62 +0.31/-0.28 (stat.) +/- 0.09 (syst.) and
constrain the anti-neutrino atmospheric mixing angle >0.75 (90%CL). These
values are in agreement with those measured for muon neutrinos, removing the
tension reported previously.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures. In submission to Phys.Rev.Let
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Search for the disappearance of muon antineutrinos in the NuMI neutrino beam
We report constraints on antineutrino oscillation parameters that were obtained by using the two MINOS detectors to measure the 7% muon antineutrino component of the NuMI neutrino beam. In the Far Detector, we select 130 events in the charged-current muon antineutrino sample, compared to a prediction of 136.4 ± 11.7(stat)^(+10.2)_(-8.9)(syst) events under the assumption │Δm^2│ = 2.32 X 10^(-3) eV^2, sin^2(2θ) = 1.0
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Improved Search for Muon-Neutrino to Electron-Neutrino Oscillations in MINOS
We report the results of a search for ν_e appearance in a ν_μ beam in the MINOS long-baseline neutrino experiment. With an improved analysis and an increased exposure of 8.2×10^(20) protons on the NuMI target at Fermilab, we find 2sin^2(θ_(23))sin^2(2θ_(13))<0.12(0.20) at 90% confidence
level for δ=0 and the normal (inverted) neutrino mass hierarchy, with a best-fit of 2sin^2(θ_(23))sin^2(2θ_(13))=0.041^(+0.047)_(-0.031)(0.079^(+0.071)_(-0.053).
The θ_(13)= 0 hypothesis is disfavored by the MINOS data
at the 89% confidence level
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