Gluon polarization in the nucleon from quasi-real photoproduction of high-pT hadron pairs

We present a determination of the gluon polarization Delta G/G in the nucleon, based on the helicity asymmetry of quasi-real photoproduction events, Q^2<1(GeV/c)^2, with a pair of large transverse-momentum hadrons in the final state. The data were obtained by the COMPASS experiment at CERN using a 160 GeV polarized muon beam scattered on a polarized 6-LiD target. The helicity asymmetry for the selected events is = 0.002 +- 0.019(stat.) +- 0.003(syst.). From this value, we obtain in a leading-order QCD analysis Delta G/G=0.024 +- 0.089(stat.) +- 0.057(syst.) at x_g = 0.095 and mu^2 =~ 3 (GeV}/c)^2.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figure

The COMPASS Experiment at CERN

The COMPASS experiment makes use of the CERN SPS high-intensitymuon and hadron beams for the investigation of the nucleon spin structure and the spectroscopy of hadrons. One or more outgoing particles are detected in coincidence with the incoming muon or hadron. A large polarized target inside a superconducting solenoid is used for the measurements with the muon beam. Outgoing particles are detected by a two-stage, large angle and large momentum range spectrometer. The setup is built using several types of tracking detectors, according to the expected incident rate, required space resolution and the solid angle to be covered. Particle identification is achieved using a RICH counter and both hadron and electromagnetic calorimeters. The setup has been successfully operated from 2002 onwards using a muon beam. Data with a hadron beam were also collected in 2004. This article describes the main features and performances of the spectrometer in 2004; a short summary of the 2006 upgrade is also given.Comment: 84 papes, 74 figure

Measurement of the Spin Structure of the Deuteron in the DIS Region

We present a new measurement of the longitudinal spin asymmetry A_1^d and the spin-dependent structure function g_1^d of the deuteron in the range 1 GeV^2 < Q^2 < 100 GeV^2 and 0.004< x <0.7. The data were obtained by the COMPASS experiment at CERN using a 160 GeV polarised muon beam and a large polarised 6-LiD target. The results are in agreement with those from previous experiments and improve considerably the statistical accuracy in the region 0.004 < x < 0.03.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, subm. to PLB, revised: author list, Fig. 4, details adde

Mating and aggregative behaviors among basal hexapods in the Early Cretaceous

Among the many challenges in paleobiology is the inference and reconstruction of behaviors that rarely, if ever, leave a physical trace on the environment that is suitable for fossilization. Of particular significance are those behaviors tied to mating and courtship, individual interactions critical for species integrity and continuance, as well as those for dispersal, permitting the taxon to expand its distribution as well as access new habitats in the face of local or long-term environmental change. In this context, two recently discovered fossils from the Early Cretaceous amber of Spain (ca. 105 mya) give a detailed view of otherwise fleeting ethologies in Collembola. These occurrences are phylogenetically spaced across the class, and from species representing the two major clades of springtailsÐSymphypleona and Entomobryomorpha. Specifically, we report unique evidence from a symphypleonan male (Pseudosminthurides stoechus SaÂnchez-GarcõÂa & Engel, 2016) with modified antennae that may have functioned as a clasping organ for securing females during mating on water's surface, and from an aggregation of entomobryomorphan individuals (Proisotoma communis Sánchez-García & Engel, 2016) purportedly representing a swarming episode on the forest floor. We demonstrate that the mating behavioral repertoire in P. stoechus, which is associated with considerable morphological adaptations, likely implied elaborate courtship and maneuvering for guarantee sperm transfer in an epineustic species. These discoveries reveal significant behaviors consistent with modern counterparts and a generalized stasis for some ancient hexapod ethologies associated with complex mating and courtship and social or pre-social aggregations, so critical to specific constancy and dispersal

Implementation of the Dead-Time Free F1 TDC in the COMPASS Detector Readout

In the scope of the COMPASS experiment a multi-purpose, high rate capable TDC with digitisation width of 60 ps has been developed. The integration into the readout system and the flexible input of the CATCH readout driver is presented

The COMPASS data acquisition system

A fully pipelined and massively parallel data acquisition system has been developed for the COMPASS experiment at CERN. The main requirements are to read 250000 detector channels at a trigger rate of up to 100 kHz. Such high rates are only possible when using a hit selection mechanism on the front-end combined with dead-time free readout. For this purpose, a time-to-digital converter (TDC) chip has been developed and is used for all time measurement applications in COMPASS. Distributed, field programmable gate array (FPGA)-based readout-driver modules handle parallel front-end initialization, synchronous trigger and control-signal distribution, and local event building at a processing speed of 160 Mbyte/s. Each of the 160 readout-driver modules connects to 16 front-end boards through independent twisted pair cables (CAT 7, 600 MHz) or optical fibers using an industrial (ESCON), self synchronizing link at 40 Mbyte/s. Automatic configuration through unique module and link identification ensures the flexibility and scalability to very large detector systems. The preprocessed data are transmitted through optical fibers at 160 Mbyte/s to the master event building system. Here global event building is realized on high-performance personal computers (PCs) and Gigabit ethernet network components. The complete events are sent to the central data recording at the CERN main site at an average rate of 40 Mbyte/s and stored in an object oriented database. A reduced system was set up for the commissioning run of COMPASS in 2000. Operation of the full system starts in July 2001. (11 refs)

The DAQ of the COMPASS experiment

COMPASS is a fixed target experiment at CERN's SPS. In 2002, a first physics run was completed with 260 TB of data recorded, corresponding to 5 billion events. The data acquisition architecture is based on custom frontends, buffers based on PCI cards, and server PCs networked via Gigabit Ethernet. A custom timing and trigger distribution system provides unique event identification and time synchronization. Results on the performance of the system and an outlook to improvements using online filtering will be given. 12 Refs

The large size straw drift chambers of the COMPASS experiment

Straw drift chambers are used for the Large Area Tracking (LAT) of the Common Muon and Proton Apparatus for Structure and Spectroscopy (COMPASS) at CERN. An active area of 130 m2 in total is covered by 12 440 straw tubes, which are arranged in 15 double layers. The design has been optimized with respect to spatial resolution, rate capability, low material budget and compactness of the detectors. Mechanical and electrical design considerations of the chambers are discussed as well as new production techniques. The mechanical precision of the chambers has been determined using a CCD X-ray scanning apparatus. Results about the performance during data taking in COMPASS are described