First Tests of Gaseous Detectors Made of a Resistive Mesh

We describe here various detectors designs: GEM type, MICROMEGAStype, PPACtype as well as cascaded detectors made of a resistive mesh manufactured from a resistive Kapton foil, (20 microns thick, resistivity a few MOhm per square) by a laser drilling technique. As in any other micropattern detectors the maximum achievable gas gain of these detectors is restricted by the Raether limit, however, the resistive mesh makes them and the front end electronics fully spark protected. This approach could be an alternative or complimentary to the ongoing efforts in developing MICROMEGAS and GEMs with resistive anode readout plates and can be especially beneficial in the case of micropattern detectors combined with a micropixel-type integrated front end electronic

An improved design of spark-protected microstrip gas counters (R-MSGC)

We have developed microstrip gas counters manufactured on standard printed circuit board and having the following features: resistive cathode strips, thin (10 micron) metallic anode strips and electrodes protected against surface discharges by a Coverlay layer at their edges. These features allow the detector to operate at gas gains as high as can be achieve with the best microstrip gas counters manufactured on glass substrates. We believe that after further developments this type of detectors can compete in some applications with other micropattern detectors, for example MICROMEGAS.Comment: Presented at the 7th RD51 Collaboration meeting, CERN, April 201

Possible, alternative explanations of the T2K observation of the nu_e appearance from an initial nu_mu

An alternative explanation to the emergence of sin^2(2 theta_13) > 0 is discussed. It is pointed out that the recorded T2K events might have been due to some other new physics in the neutrino sector, related to the LSND/MiniBooNE sterile neutrino anomalies, for which there is nowadays a growing evidence. The presently running ICARUS detector with the CNGS beam will be able to distinguish between these two possible sources of the effectComment: 5 pages, 1 figur

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

Dynamics of the solar photosphere: THEMIS observations

We present the results of 2D narrow- and broad-band photometry of quiet granulation field as observed at the center of the Sun by the THEMIS telescope in IPM mode. The broad-band spectral images have beenused to derive geometrical and statistical properties of the pattern produced by convective flows rising from deep layers of the Sun. The narrow-band spectral observations, in the C I 538.0 nm, Fe I 537.9 nm, and Fe I 557.6 nm photospheric lines, have been used to calculate velocity and intensity maps at different heights in the solar atmosphere. The autocorrelation functions of the velocity fields at different heights suggest that, near the solar surface, the dynamics resemble the behavior of a complex out-of-Equilibrium system, characterized by a dynamical heterogeneity. Conversely, in the middle photosphere, where only one characteristic time exists, the dynamical heterogeneity disappears. Moreover, the characteristic scales, derived from photospheric velocity maps by means of wavelet and information entropy analysis, show a dependence of their properties on the formation height of photospheric lines and an enlargement of the velocity features with height

Long-term response of stratospheric ozone and temperature to solar variability

The long-term variability in stratospheric ozone mass mixing ratio (O3) and temperature (T) from 1979 to 2013 is investigated using the latest reanalysis product delivered by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), i.e., ERA-Interim. Moreover, using the Mg II index time series for the same time period, the response of the stratosphere to the 11-year Schwabe solar cycle is investigated. Results reveal the following features: (i) upward (downward) trends characterize zonally averaged O3 anomalies in the upper (middle to lower stratosphere) stratosphere, while prevailing downward trends affect the T field. Mg II index data exhibit a weaker 24th solar cycle (though not complete) when compared with the previous two; (ii) correlations between O3 and Mg II, T and Mg II, and O3 and T are consistent with photochemical reactions occurring in the stratosphere and large-scale transport; and (iii) wavelet cross-spectra between O3 and Mg II index show common power for the 11-year period, particularly in tropical regions around 30-50 hPa, and different relative phase in the upper and lower stratosphere. A comprehensive insight into the actual processes accounting for the observed correlation between ozone and solar UV variability would be gained from an improved bias correction of ozone measurements provided by different satellite instruments, and from the observations of the time behavior of the solar spectral irradiance

Demonstration of new possibilities of multilayer technology on resistive microstrip/ microdot detectors

The first successful attempts to optimize the electric field in Resistive Microstrip Gas Chamber and resistive microdot detectors using additional field shaping strips located inside the detector substrate are describedComment: Presented at the RD-51 mmini week, CERN, June 201

Detection of the primary scintillation light from dense Ar, Kr and Xe with novel photosensitive gaseous detectors

The detection of primary scintillation light in combination with the charge or secondary scintillation signals is an efficient technique to determine the events t=0 as well as particle / photon separation in large mass TPC detectors filled with noble gases and/or condensed noble gases. The aim of this work is to demonstrate that costly photo-multipliers could be replaced by cheap novel photosensitive gaseous detectors: wire counters, GEMs or glass capillary tubes coupled with CsI photocathodes. We have performed systematic measurements with Ar, Kr and Xe gas at pressures in the range of 1-50 atm as well as some preliminary measurements with liquid Xe and liquid Ar. With the gaseous detectors we succeeded in detecting scintillation light produced by 22 keV X-rays with an efficiency of close to 100%. We also detected the scintillation light produced by bs (5 keV deposit energy) with an efficiency close to 25%. Successful detection of scintillation from 22 keV gammas open new experimental possibilities not only for nTOF and ICARUS experiments, but also in others, like WIMPs search through nuclear recoil emission

The Successful Operation of Hole-type Gaseous Detectors at Cryogenic Temperatures

We have demonstrated that hole-type gaseous detectors, GEMs and capillary plates, can operate up to 77 K. For example, a single capillary plate can operate at gains of above 10E3 in the entire temperature interval between 300 until 77 K. The same capillary plate combined with CsI photocathodes could operate perfectly well at gains (depending on gas mixtures) of 100-1000. Obtained results may open new fields of applications for capillary plates as detectors of UV light and charge particles at cryogenic temperatures: noble liquid TPCs, WIMP detectors or LXe scintillating calorimeters and cryogenic PETs.Comment: Presented at the IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium, Roma, 200