35 research outputs found
Absolute Momentum Calibration of the HARP TPC
In the HARP experiment the large-angle spectrometer is using a cylindrical
TPC as main tracking and particle identification detector. The momentum scale
of reconstructed tracks in the TPC is the most important systematic error for
the majority of kinematic bins used for the HARP measurements of the
double-differential production cross-section of charged pions in proton
interactions on nuclear targets at large angle. The HARP TPC operated with a
number of hardware shortfalls and operational mistakes. Thus it was important
to control and characterize its momentum calibration. While it was not possible
to enter a direct particle beam into the sensitive volume of the TPC to
calibrate the detector, a set of physical processes and detector properties
were exploited to achieve a precise calibration of the apparatus. In the
following we recall the main issues concerning the momentum measurement in the
HARP TPC, and describe the cross-checks made to validate the momentum scale. As
a conclusion, this analysis demonstrates that the measurement of momentum is
correct within the published precision of 3%.Comment: To be published by JINS
Measurement of the production cross-section of positive pions in the collision of 8.9 GeV/c protons on beryllium
The double-differential production cross-section of positive pions,
, measured in the HARP experiment is presented.
The incident particles are 8.9 GeV/c protons directed onto a beryllium target
with a nominal thickness of 5% of a nuclear interaction length. The measured
cross-section has a direct impact on the prediction of neutrino fluxes for the
MiniBooNE and SciBooNE experiments at Fermilab. After cuts, 13 million protons
on target produced about 96,000 reconstructed secondary tracks which were used
in this analysis. Cross-section results are presented in the kinematic range
0.75 GeV/c < < 6.5 GeV/c and 30 mrad < < 210 mrad in
the laboratory frame.Comment: 39 pages, 21 figures. Version accepted for publication by Eur. Phys.
J.
Large-angle production of charged pions by 3 GeV/c - 12 GeV/c protons on carbon, copper and tin targets
A measurement of the double-differential production cross-section
in proton--carbon, proton--copper and proton--tin collisions in the range of
pion momentum 100 \MeVc \leq p < 800 \MeVc and angle 0.35 \rad \le \theta
<2.15 \rad is presented. The data were taken with the HARP detector in the T9
beam line of the CERN PS. The pions were produced by proton beams in a momentum
range from 3 \GeVc to 12 \GeVc hitting a target with a thickness of 5% of a
nuclear interaction length. The tracking and identification of the produced
particles was done using a small-radius cylindrical time projection chamber
(TPC) placed in a solenoidal magnet. An elaborate system of detectors in the
beam line ensured the identification of the incident particles. Results are
shown for the double-differential cross-sections at four incident proton beam
momenta (3 \GeVc, 5 \GeVc, 8 \GeVc and 12 \GeVc)
Measurement of the production of charged pions by protons on a tantalum target
A measurement of the double-differential cross-section for the production of
charged pions in proton--tantalum collisions emitted at large angles from the
incoming beam direction is presented. The data were taken in 2002 with the HARP
detector in the T9 beam line of the CERN PS. The pions were produced by proton
beams in a momentum range from 3 \GeVc to 12 \GeVc hitting a tantalum target
with a thickness of 5% of a nuclear interaction length. The angular and
momentum range covered by the experiment (100 \MeVc \le p < 800 \MeVc and
0.35 \rad \le \theta <2.15 \rad) is of particular importance for the design
of a neutrino factory. The produced particles were detected using a
small-radius cylindrical time projection chamber (TPC) placed in a solenoidal
magnet. Track recognition, momentum determination and particle identification
were all performed based on the measurements made with the TPC. An elaborate
system of detectors in the beam line ensured the identification of the incident
particles. Results are shown for the double-differential cross-sections
at four incident
proton beam momenta (3 \GeVc, 5 \GeVc, 8 \GeVc and 12 \GeVc). In addition, the
pion yields within the acceptance of typical neutrino factory designs are shown
as a function of beam momentum. The measurement of these yields within a single
experiment eliminates most systematic errors in the comparison between rates at
different beam momenta and between positive and negative pion production.Comment: 49 pages, 31 figures. Version accepted for publication on Eur. Phys.
J.
Large-angle production of charged pions by 3 GeV/c - 12.9 GeV/c protons on beryllium, aluminium and lead targets
Measurements of the double-differential production cross-section
in the range of momentum 100 \MeVc \leq p < 800 \MeVc and angle 0.35 \rad
\leq \theta < 2.15 \rad in proton--beryllium, proton--aluminium and
proton--lead collisions are presented. The data were taken with the HARP
detector in the T9 beam line of the CERN PS. The pions were produced by proton
beams in a momentum range from 3 \GeVc to 12.9 \GeVc hitting a target with a
thickness of 5% of a nuclear interaction length. The tracking and
identification of the produced particles was performed using a small-radius
cylindrical time projection chamber (TPC) placed inside a solenoidal magnet.
Incident particles were identified by an elaborate system of beam detectors.
Results are obtained for the double-differential cross-sections at six incident
proton beam momenta (3 \GeVc, 5 \GeVc, 8 \GeVc, 8.9 \GeVc (Be only), 12 \GeVc
and 12.9 \GeVc (Al only)) and compared to previously available data
Status report of the HARP experiment
The current status of the HARP experiment is shortly described, emphasizing the developments since the previous status report, which was presented in September 2007. The last section of this report is devoted to the comparisons of our large angle results with previously published data and some recent results of an alternative analysis performed by the so-called CDP group
Proposal to study hadron production for the neutrino factory and for the atmospheric neutrino flux
Large-angle production of charged pions with 3-12.9 GeV/c incident protons on nuclear targets
Measurements of the double-differential charged pion production cross-section
in the range of momentum 100 MeV/c < p < 800 MeV/c and angle 0.35 < \theta <
2.15 rad in proton-beryllium, proton-carbon, proton-aluminium, proton-copper,
proton-tin, proton-tantalum and proton-lead collisions are presented. The data
were taken with the large acceptance HARP detector in the T9 beam line of the
CERN PS. The pions were produced by proton beams in a momentum range from 3
GeV/c to 12.9 GeV/c hitting a target with a thickness of 5% of a nuclear
interaction length
Large-angle production of charged pions with 3-12.9 GeV/c incident protons on nuclear targets
Measurements of the double-differential charged pion production cross-section
in the range of momentum 100 MeV/c < p < 800 MeV/c and angle 0.35 < \theta <
2.15 rad in proton-beryllium, proton-carbon, proton-aluminium, proton-copper,
proton-tin, proton-tantalum and proton-lead collisions are presented. The data
were taken with the large acceptance HARP detector in the T9 beam line of the
CERN PS. The pions were produced by proton beams in a momentum range from 3
GeV/c to 12.9 GeV/c hitting a target with a thickness of 5% of a nuclear
interaction length
Photostructured coating on a voltage degrader for a Time Projection Chamber (TPC)
Fibreglass-reinforced epoxy (Stesalit) tubes and rods were coated with a photostructured metal layer system of copper, nickel and gold for a voltage degrader built in a particle detector at CERN, Geneva. The metal layers were applied with galvanotechnical processes involving an original photolithographic exposure in three dimensions to produce a complex electrical circuit design able to provide the correct potential to 420 different conductors. The Stesalit substrate material, even after a first layer of electroless copper, is electrically quite resistive, creating problems for the electrodeposition of the subsequent nickel layer. A mathematical simulation of the plating thickness distribution showed that the electrolytic nickel deposition was suitable for short rods but electroless nickel was needed for the long rods. The functional properties of the metallized Stesalit components are satisfactory: no degradation of the gas quality within the Time Projection Chamber is observed; the potential distribution along the field cage is precise and, under electric fields exceeding 10 kV/cm, the leakages are below 10 nA, indicating very low microdischarge and corona effects