Infrastructure for Detector Research and Development towards the International Linear Collider

The EUDET-project was launched to create an infrastructure for developing and testing new and advanced detector technologies to be used at a future linear collider. The aim was to make possible experimentation and analysis of data for institutes, which otherwise could not be realized due to lack of resources. The infrastructure comprised an analysis and software network, and instrumentation infrastructures for tracking detectors as well as for calorimetry.Comment: 54 pages, 48 picture

ANTARES: the first undersea neutrino telescope

The ANTARES Neutrino Telescope was completed in May 2008 and is the first operational Neutrino Telescope in the Mediterranean Sea. The main purpose of the detector is to perform neutrino astronomy and the apparatus also offers facilities for marine and Earth sciences. This paper describes the design, the construction and the installation of the telescope in the deep sea, offshore from Toulon in France. An illustration of the detector performance is given

3D muography with a gaseous TPC equipped with 2D multiplexed Micromegas

International audiencePotential applications of muon tomography, or muography, as non-invasive scanning method have increased in the last years together with the performance of the particle detectors used for muon detection, known as muon telescopes. A new concept muon telescope is presented, which could enlarge even more the range of application of this technique. It is based on a compact TPC equipped with a 2D pixelized Micromegas detector with multiplexed readout. This detector will overcome some of the constraints of the instruments currently used, as they limited acceptance, while keeping other features required for muography as stability, robustness or portability. Moreover, it will be capable to reconstruct the 3D direction of the incident muons with a single instrument. With its design and features, this kind of detectors can be fitted at boreholes from where they can scan the surroundings, being an interesting technique for mining exploration, geotechnics or monitoring of dykes or bridges which has arouse the interest of industry. In a further phase it is expected to develop a network of these detectors which will allow the 3D reconstruction of the studied object by the combination of the images registered by each of the telescopes. Main features and first tests and results of this new instrument will be presented together with some studies, performed by Monte Carlo simulations, of the capabilities of this muon telescope and the analysis principle

Muon tomography with Micromegas: Archaeology, nuclear safety and new developments for Geotechnics

International audienceMuon tomography, or muography, stands out as a non-invasive technique for the scanning of big objects’ internal structure. It relies on the measurement of the direction changes or absorption of atmospheric muons when crossing the studied object. Proposed several decades ago, the performance achieved in particle detectors in the last years, specially in terms of stability, robustness and precision, has enlarged the possible applications of this technique. Bulk Micromegas represent a well-known technology suitable for the construction of muon telescopes based on these detectors. Thus autonomous and portable instruments have been conceived and constructed at Commissariat à l’Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA), being able to perform muography measurements in-situ, next to the studied objects. At present, a new muon telescope concept is being developed at CEA, combining a Time Projection Chamber (TPC) readout by a 2D multiplexed bulk Micromegas. This new generation of detectors will enlarge the possible application fields of muography, being specially interesting for geotechnics

Why do we flush gas in gaseous detectors?

International audienceThe effects and the origin of the gas degradation in a gaseous detector-based tracker are investigated. The study focused on the so-called T2K gas, which turned out to be highly sensitive to pollutants. In particular the H$_2$O and O$_2$ concentrations were monitored online in different conditions to establish their influence on the gain of the detectors. This pollution was first mitigated by a recirculating and accelerating gas system with the use of a turbine and different absorbers. Further measurements revealed that this pollution originates from a continuous permeation process through the different materials of the gas circuit. In particular, polyurethane-based gas pipes or polyester materials largely increase the level of humidity. As a direct consequence of this work, the gas autonomy of the muon telescopes currently deployed inside the Khufu’s pyramid have been dramatically improved

ANTARES : the first undersea neutrino telescope

The ANTARES Neutrino Telescope was completed in May 2008 and is the first operational Neutrino Telescope in the Mediterranean Sea. The main purpose of the detector is to perform neutrino astronomy and the apparatus also offers facilities for marine and Earth sciences. This paper describes the design, the construction and the installation of the telescope in the deep sea, offshore from Toulon in France. An illustration of the detector performance is given