On particle production for high energy neutrino beams

Analytical formulae for the calculation of secondary particle yields in p-A interactions are given. These formulae can be of great practical importance for fast calculations of neutrino fluxes and for designing new neutrino beam-lines. The formulae are based on a parameterization of the inclusive invariant cross sections for secondary particle production measured in p-Be interactions. Data collected in different energy ranges and kinematic regions are used. The accuracy of the fit to the data with the empirical formulae adopted is within the experimental uncertainties. Prescriptions to extrapolate this parameterization to finite targets and to targets of different materials are given. The results obtained are then used as an input for the simulation of neutrino beams. We show that our approach describes well the main characteristics of measured neutrino spectra at CERN. Thus it may be used in fast simulations aiming at the optimisation of the proposed long-baseline neutrino beams at CERN and FNAL. In particular we will show our predictions for the CNGS beam from CERN to Gran Sasso.Comment: 18 pages, 10 figures. Submitted to The European Physics Journal

Prospects of measuring sin⁡22Θ13\sin^2 2\Theta_{13} and the sign of Δm2\Delta m^2 with a massive magnetized detector for atmospheric neutrinos

The pattern of oscillation parameters emerging from current experimental data can be further elucidated by the observation of matter effects. In contrast to planned experiments with conventional neutrino beams, atmospheric neutrinos offer the possibility to search for Earth-induced matter effects with very long baselines. Resonant matter effects are asymmetric on neutrinos and anti-neutrinos, depending on the sign of $\Delta m^2$. In a three-generation oscillation scenario, this gives access to the mass hierarchy of neutrinos, while the size of the asymmetry would measure the admixture of electron neutrinos to muon/tau neutrino oscillations (the mixing angle $\Theta_{13}$). The sensitivity to these effects is discussed after the detailed simulation of a realistic experiment based on a massive detector for atmospheric neutrinos with charge identification. We show how a detector, which measure and distinguish between $\nu_\mu$ and $\bar{\nu}_\mu$ charged current events, might be sensitive to matter effects using atmospheric neutrinos, provided the mixing angle $\Theta_{13}$ is large enough.Comment: (8 pages, 8 figures, submitted to Eur.Phys.J.C

An instrument for low-level measurements of the leakage current from high-voltage biased detectors

Resistive Plates Chambers (RPC) are detectors biased at High-Voltage (HV) in excess of 4 kV. When fired by a particle, they develop a large signal current that can be read across a small resistance, 100 Omega or so. A characterization has been made of their ageing as a function of the behaviour of their leakage current with time. An array of 10 detectors has been developed for this purpose. We present the instrument designed and built to perform a continuous and automatic monitoring of the leakage current from each detector of the array, while the system is taking data. For the particular biasing set-up adopted, the current has been measured in series to the terminal connected to the HV of every channel. Since the small value of the currents, order of tens of nA, a special circuit solution and special precautions have been adopte

Neutrino hierarchy from CP-blind observables with high density magnetized detectors

High density magnetized detectors are well suited to exploit the outstanding purity and intensities of novel neutrino sources like Neutrino Factories and Beta Beams. They can also provide independent measurements of leptonic mixing parameters through the observation of atmospheric muon-neutrinos. In this paper, we discuss the combination of these observables from a multi-kton iron detector and a high energy Beta Beam; in particular, we demonstrate that even with moderate detector granularities the neutrino mass hierarchy can be determined for $\theta_{13}$ values greater than 4$^\circ$.Comment: 16 pages, 7 figures. Added a new section discussing systematic errors (sec 5.2); sec.5.1 and 4 have been extended. Version to appear in EPJ

Identifying the Neutrino mass Ordering with INO and NOvA

The relatively large value of $\theta_{13}$ established recently by the Daya Bay reactor experiment opens the possibility to determine the neutrino mass ordering with experiments currently under construction. We investigate synergies between the NOvA long-baseline accelerator experiment with atmospheric neutrino data from the India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO). We identify the requirements on energy and direction reconstruction and detector mass for INO necessary for a significant sensitivity. If neutrino energy and direction reconstruction at the level of 10% and 10 degree can be achieved by INO a determination of the neutrino mass ordering seems possible around 2020.Comment: 18 pages, 8 figures, minor improvements and clarifications, new panel in fig. 7, version to appear in JHEP, typo in eq. 4 correcte

Response of microchannel plates to single particles and to electromagnetic showers

We report on the response of microchannel plates (MCPs) to single relativistic particles and to electromagnetic showers. Particle detection by means of secondary emission of electrons at the MCP surface has long been proposed and is used extensively in ion time-of-flight mass spectrometers. What has not been investigated in depth is their use to detect the ionizing component of showers. The time resolution of MCPs exceeds anything that has been previously used in calorimeters and, if exploited effectively, could aid in the event reconstruction at high luminosity colliders. Several prototypes of photodetectors with the amplification stage based on MCPs were exposed to cosmic rays and to 491 MeV electrons at the INFN-LNF Beam-Test Facility. The time resolution and the efficiency of the MCPs are measured as a function of the particle multiplicity, and the results used to model the response to high-energy showers.Comment: Paper submitted to NIM

Response of microchannel plates in ionization mode to single particles and electromagnetic showers

Hundreds of concurrent collisions per bunch crossing are expected at future hadron colliders. Precision timing calorimetry has been advocated as a way to mitigate the pileup effects and, thanks to their excellent time resolution, microchannel plates (MCPs) are good candidate detectors for this goal. We report on the response of MCPs, used as secondary emission detectors, to single relativistic particles and to electromagnetic showers. Several prototypes, with different geometries and characteristics, were exposed to particle beams at the INFN-LNF Beam Test Facility and at CERN. Their time resolution and efficiency are measured for single particles and as a function of the multiplicity of particles. Efficiencies between 50% and 90% to single relativistic particles are reached, and up to 100% in presence of a large number of particles. Time resolutions between 20ps and 30ps are obtained.Comment: 20 pages, 9 figures. Paper submitted to NIM