10 research outputs found
Proton driver optimization for new generation neutrino superbeams to search for sub-leading numu->nue oscillations ( angle)
We perform a systematic study of particle production and neutrino yields for
different incident proton energies and baselines , with the aim of
optimizing the parameters of a neutrino beam for the investigation of
-driven neutrino oscillations in the range allowed by
Superkamiokande results. We study the neutrino energy spectra in the
``relevant'' region of the first maximum of the oscillation at a given baseline
. We find that to each baseline corresponds an ``optimal'' proton energy
which minimizes the required integrated proton intensity needed to
observe a fixed number of oscillated events. In addition, we find that the
neutrino event rate in the relevant region scales approximately linearly with
the proton energy. Hence, baselines and proton energies can be
adjusted and the performance for neutrino oscillation searches will remain
approximately unchanged provided that the product of the proton energy times
the number of protons on target remains constant. We apply these ideas to the
specific cases of 2.2, 4.4, 20, 50 and 400 GeV protons. We simulate focusing
systems that are designed to best capture the secondary pions of the
``optimal'' energy. We compute the expected sensitivities to
for the various configurations by assuming the existence
of new generation accelerators able to deliver integrated proton intensities on
target times the proton energy of the order of ${\cal O}(5\times 10^{23})\rm\
GeV\times\rm pot/year$.Comment: 39 pages, 17 figure
Neutrino Probes of the Nature of Light Dark Matter
Dark matter particles gravitationally trapped inside the Sun may annihilate
into Standard Model particles, producing a flux of neutrinos. The prospects of
detecting these neutrinos in future multi-\kton{} neutrino detectors designed
for other physics searches are explored here. We study the capabilities of a
34/100 \kton{} liquid argon detector and a 100 \kton{} magnetized iron
calorimeter detector. These detectors are expected to determine the energy and
the direction of the incoming neutrino with unprecedented precision allowing
for tests of the dark matter nature at very low dark matter masses, in the
range of 5-50 GeV. By suppressing the atmospheric background with angular cuts,
these techniques would be sensitive to dark matter - nucleon spin dependent
cross sections at the fb level, reaching down to a few ab for the most
favorable annihilation channels and detector technology.Comment: Minor changes and clarifications, matches JCAP versio
Apparent Lorentz violation with superluminal Majorana neutrinos at OPERA?
From the data release of OPERA - CNGS experiment, and publicly announced on
23 September 2011, we cast a phenomenological model based on a Majorana
neutrino state carrying a fictitious imaginary mass term, already discussed by
Majorana in 1932. This mass term can be induced by the interaction with the
matter of the Earth's crust during the 735 Km travel. Within the experimental
errors, we prove that the model fits with OPERA, MINOS and supernova SN1987a
data. Possible violations to Lorentz invariance due to quantum gravity effects
have been considered.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure, 1 table, updated with new data, new figure. Higgs
mass expected at (273.56 {\pm} 0.01) Ge
Underground Neutrino Detectors for Particle and Astroparticle Science: the Giant Liquid Argon Charge Imaging ExpeRiment (GLACIER)
The current focus of the CERN program is the Large Hadron Collider (LHC),
however, CERN is engaged in long baseline neutrino physics with the CNGS
project and supports T2K as recognized CERN RE13, and for good reasons: a
number of observed phenomena in high-energy physics and cosmology lack their
resolution within the Standard Model of particle physics; these puzzles include
the origin of neutrino masses, CP-violation in the leptonic sector, and baryon
asymmetry of the Universe. They will only partially be addressed at LHC. A
positive measurement of would certainly give a
tremendous boost to neutrino physics by opening the possibility to study CP
violation in the lepton sector and the determination of the neutrino mass
hierarchy with upgraded conventional super-beams. These experiments (so called
``Phase II'') require, in addition to an upgraded beam power, next generation
very massive neutrino detectors with excellent energy resolution and high
detection efficiency in a wide neutrino energy range, to cover 1st and 2nd
oscillation maxima, and excellent particle identification and
background suppression. Two generations of large water Cherenkov
detectors at Kamioka (Kamiokande and Super-Kamiokande) have been extremely
successful. And there are good reasons to consider a third generation water
Cherenkov detector with an order of magnitude larger mass than Super-Kamiokande
for both non-accelerator (proton decay, supernovae, ...) and accelerator-based
physics. On the other hand, a very massive underground liquid Argon detector of
about 100 kton could represent a credible alternative for the precision
measurements of ``Phase II'' and aim at significantly new results in neutrino
astroparticle and non-accelerator-based particle physics (e.g. proton decay).Comment: 31 pages, 14 figure
Large underground, liquid based detectors for astro-particle physics in Europe: scientific case and prospects
This document reports on a series of experimental and theoretical studies
conducted to assess the astro-particle physics potential of three future
large-scale particle detectors proposed in Europe as next generation
underground observatories. The proposed apparatus employ three different and,
to some extent, complementary detection techniques: GLACIER (liquid Argon TPC),
LENA (liquid scintillator) and MEMPHYS (\WC), based on the use of large mass of
liquids as active detection media. The results of these studies are presented
along with a critical discussion of the performance attainable by the three
proposed approaches coupled to existing or planned underground laboratories, in
relation to open and outstanding physics issues such as the search for matter
instability, the detection of astrophysical- and geo-neutrinos and to the
possible use of these detectors in future high-intensity neutrino beams.Comment: 50 pages, 26 figure
The ICARUS Experiment
The 760-ton ICARUS T600 detector has completed a successful three-year physics run at the underground LNGS laboratories, searching for atmospheric neutrino interactions and, with the CNGS neutrino beam from CERN, performing a sensitive search for LSND-like anomalous ν e appearance, which contributed to constraining the allowed parameters to a narrow region around Δ m 2 ∼ eV 2 , where all the experimental results can be coherently accommodated at 90% C.L. The T600 detector underwent a significant overhaul at CERN and has now been moved to Fermilab, to be soon exposed to the Booster Neutrino Beam (BNB) to search for sterile neutrinos within the SBN program, devoted to definitively clarifying the open questions of the presently-observed neutrino anomalies. This paper will address ICARUS’s achievements, its status, and plans for the new run and the ongoing analyses, which will be finalized for the next physics run at Fermilab
Neutrino oscillations: status, prospects and opportunities at a neutrino factory
We review the current status of neutrino oscillations after 1258 days of Super-Kamiokande, assess their future prospects over the next 10 years as the next generation of experiments come on-line, and discuss the longer-term opportunities presented by a neutrino factory. We also give an introduction to the see-saw mechanism and its application to atmospheric and solar neutrinos