Additives That Prevent Or Reverse Cathode Aging In Drift Chambers With Helium-Isobutane Gas

Noise and Malter breakdown have been studied at high rates in a test chamber having the same cell structure and gas as in the BaBar drift chamber. The chamber was first damaged by exposing it to a high source level at an elevated high voltage, until its operating current at normal voltages was below 0.5nA/cm. Additives such as water or alcohol allowed the damaged chamber to operate at 25 nA/cm, but when the additive was removed the operating point reverted to the original low value. However with 0.02% to 0.05% oxygen or 5% carbon dioxide the chamber could operate at more than 25 nA/cm, and continued to operate at this level even after the additive was removed. This shows for the first time that running with an O2 or CO2 additive at high ionisation levels can cure a damaged chamber from breakdown problems.Comment: There were typos: 0.2%-0.5% oxygen should be 0.02%-0.05% oxygen. Values in the Table were O

Off line Parallax Correction for Neutral Particle Gas Detectors

In a neutral particle gas detector, the parallax error resulting from the perpendicular projection on the detection plane or wire of the radial particle trajectories emanating from a point like source (such as a scattering sample) can significantly spoil the apparent angular resolution of the detector. However, as we will show, the information is not lost. We propose an off line data treatment to restore as much as possible the original scattering information in the case of a one-dimensional parallax effect. The reversibility of parallax follows from the algebraic structure of this effect, which is different from the resolution loss which is essentially irreversible. The interplay between finite resolution and parallax complicates the issue, but this can be resolved

Progress in the development of a S RETGEM-based detector for an early forest fire warning system

In this paper we present a prototype of a Strip Resistive Thick GEM photosensitive gaseous detector filled with Ne and ethylferrocene vapours at a total pressure of 1 atm for an early forest fire detection system. Tests show that it is one hundred times more sensitive than the best commercial ultraviolet flame detectors and therefore, it is able to reliably detect a flame of 1.5x1.5x1.5 m3 at a distance of about 1km. An additional and unique feature of this detector is its imaging capability, which in combination with other techniques, may significantly reduce false fire alarms when operating in an automatic mode. Preliminary results conducted with air filled photosensitive gaseous detectors are also presented. The approach main advantages include both the simplicity of manufacturing and affordability of construction materials such as plastics and glues specifically reducing detector production cost. The sensitivity of these air filled detectors at certain conditions may be as high as those filled with Ne and EF. Long term test results of such sealed detectors indicate a significant progress in this direction. We believe that our detectors utilized in addition to other flame and smoke sensors will exceptionally increase the sensitivity of forest fire detection systems. Our future efforts will be focused on attempts to commercialize such detectors utilizing our aforementioned findings.Comment: Presented at the International Conference on Micropattern gaseous detectors, Crete, Greece, June 200

Novel Single Photon Detectors for UV Imaging

There are several applications which require high position resolution UV imaging. For these applications we have developed and successfully tested a new version of a 2D UV single photon imaging detector based on a microgap RPC. The main features of such a detectors is the high position resolution - 30 micron in digital form and the high quantum efficiency (1-8% in the spectral interval of 220-140 nm). Additionally, they are spark- protected and can operate without any feedback problems at high gains, close to a streamer mode. In attempts to extend the sensitivity of RPCs to longer wavelengths we have successfully tested the operation of the first sealed parallel-plate gaseous detectors with CsTe photocathodes. Finally, the comparison with other types of photosensitive detectors is given and possible fields of applications are identified.Comment: Presented at the 5th International Workshop on RICH detectors Playa del Carmen, Mexico, November 200

Book Review: Politics and health updated

Book Review: Politics and health update

About Detecting CP-Violating Processes in J/\psi\to \KzKzb Decay

Questions about detecting CP-violating decay process of $J/\psi\to K^0\bar{K}^0\to K_SK_S$ are discussed. Possible background and material regeneration effect are analyzed. The discussion can be directly extended to other vector quarkonium decays, like $\Upsilon$, $\psi (2S)$ and $\phi\to K_S K_S$.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, Late

‘Kangaroo mother care’ to prevent neonatal deaths due to preterm birth complications

Background ‘Kangaroo mother care’ (KMC) includes thermal care through continuous skin-to-skin contact, support for exclusive breastfeeding or other appropriate feeding, and early recognition/response to illness. Whilst increasingly accepted in both high- and low-income countries, a Cochrane review (2003) did not find evidence of KMC’s mortality benefit, and did not report neonatal-specific data

Micromegas in a Bulk

In this paper we present a novel way to manufacture the bulk Micromegas detector. A simple process based on the PCB (Printed Circuit Board) technology is employed to produce the entire sensitive detector. Such fabrication process could be extended to very large area detectors made by the industry. The low cost fabrication together with the robustness of the electrode materials will make it extremely attractive for several applications ranging from particle physics and astrophysics to medicineComment: 6 pages, 4 figure

Aging in gaseous photodetectors

This paper describes the present status of the aging studies in various photosensitive detectors. New experimental data are presented on aging of trimethilamine (TMA) and ethilferrocene (EF) photosensitive vapors as well as on CsI and SbCs photocathodes. A new explanation of the CsI photocathodes aging process based on solid state physics theory is given. Finally, based on our studies, a general conclusion was made that thin polymer depositions on the detector=92s cathode due to the aging can provoke breakdowns through the Malter-type mechanism (or more precisely- an explosive field emission mechanism).Comment: 25 pages in pdf forma