A Beta Beam complex based on the machine upgrades for the LHC

The Beta Beam CERN design is based on the present LHC injection complex and its physics reach is mainly limited by the maximum rigidity of the SPS. In fact, some of the scenarios for the machine upgrades of the LHC, particularly the construction of a fast cycling 1 TeV injector (``Super-SPS''), are very synergic with the construction of a higher $\gamma$ Beta Beam. At the energies that can be reached by this machine, we demonstrate that dense calorimeters can already be used for the detection of $\nu$ at the far location. Even at moderate masses (40 kton) as the ones imposed by the use of existing underground halls at Gran Sasso, the CP reach is very large for any value of $\theta_{13}$ that would provide evidence of $\nu_e$ appearance at T2K or NO$\nu$A ($\theta_{13}\geq 3^\circ$). Exploitation of matter effects at the CERN to Gran Sasso distance provides sensitivity to the neutrino mass hierarchy in significant areas of the $\theta_{13}-\delta$ plane

Sensitivity on Earth Core and Mantle densities using Atmospheric Neutrinos

Neutrino radiography may provide an alternative tool to study the very deep structures of the Earth. Though these measurements are unable to resolve the fine density layer features, nevertheless the information which can be obtained are independent and complementary to the more conventional seismic studies. The aim of this paper is to assess how well the core and mantle averaged densities can be reconstructed through atmospheric neutrino radiography. We find that about a 2% sensitivity for the mantle and 5% for the core could be achieved for a ten year data taking at an underwater km^3 Neutrino Telescope. This result does not take into account systematics related to the details of the experimental apparatus.Comment: 11 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in JCA

EUROnu-WP6 2010 Report

This is a summary of the work done by the Working Package 6 (Physics) of the EU project "EUROnu" during the second year of activity of the project.Comment: 82 pages, 51 eps figure

Characterizing Patients with Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections in Vesicoureteral Reflux: A Pilot Study of the Urinary Proteome

Recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) pose a significant burden on the health care system. Underlying mechanisms predisposing children to UTIs and associated changes in the urinary proteome are not well understood. We aimed to investigate the urinary proteome of a subset of children who have vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) and recurrent UTIs because of their risk of developing infection-related renal damage. Improving diagnostic modalities to identify UTI risk factors would significantly alter the clinical management of children with VUR. We profiled the urinary proteomes of 22 VUR patients with low grade VUR (1-3 out of 5), a history of recurrent UTIs, and renal scarring, comparing them to those obtained from 22 age-matched controls. Urinary proteins were analyzed by mass spectrometry followed by protein quantitation based on spectral counting. Of the 2,551 proteins identified across both cohorts, 964 were robustly quantified, as defined by meeting criteria with spectral count (SC) \u3e /=2 in at least 7 patients in either VUR or control cohort based on optimization of signal-to-noise ratio. Eighty proteins had differential expression between the two cohorts, with 44 proteins significantly upregulated and 36 downregulated (q \u3c 0.075, |FC| \u3e 1.2). Urinary proteins involved in inflammation, acute phase response (APR), modulation of extracellular matrix (ECM), and carbohydrate metabolism were overrepresented among the study cohort

Study of the eightfold degeneracy with a standard β\beta-Beam and a Super-Beam facility

The study of the eightfold degeneracy at a neutrino complex that includes a standard $\beta$-Beam and a Super-Beam facility is presented for the first time in this paper. The scenario where the neutrinos are sent toward a Megaton water Cerenkov detector located at the Fr\'{e}jus laboratory (baseline 130 Km) is exploited. The performance in terms of sensitivity for measuring the continuous ($\theta_{13}$ and $\delta$) and discrete (${sign} [ \Delta m^2_{23} ]$ and ${sign} [\tan (2\theta_{23}) ]$) oscillation parameters for the $\beta$-Beam and Super-Beam alone, and for their combination has been studied. A brief review of the present uncertainties on the neutrino and antineutrino cross-sections is also reported and their impact on the discovery potential discussed

Search for spontaneous muon emission from lead nuclei

We describe a possible search for muonic radioactivity from lead nuclei using the base elements ("bricks" composed by lead and nuclear emulsion sheets) of the long-baseline OPERA neutrino experiment. We present the results of a Monte Carlo simulation concerning the expected event topologies and estimates of the background events. Using few bricks, we could reach a good sensitivity level.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figure

Neutrino hierarchy from CP-blind observables with high density magnetized detectors

High density magnetized detectors are well suited to exploit the outstanding purity and intensities of novel neutrino sources like Neutrino Factories and Beta Beams. They can also provide independent measurements of leptonic mixing parameters through the observation of atmospheric muon-neutrinos. In this paper, we discuss the combination of these observables from a multi-kton iron detector and a high energy Beta Beam; in particular, we demonstrate that even with moderate detector granularities the neutrino mass hierarchy can be determined for $\theta_{13}$ values greater than 4$^\circ$.Comment: 16 pages, 7 figures. Added a new section discussing systematic errors (sec 5.2); sec.5.1 and 4 have been extended. Version to appear in EPJ

Leading order analysis of neutrino induced dimuon events in the CHORUS experiment

We present a leading order QCD analysis of a sample of neutrino induced charged-current events with two muons in the final state originating in the lead-scintillating fibre calorimeter of the CHORUS detector. The results are based on a sample of 8910 neutrino and 430 antineutrino induced opposite-sign dimuon events collected during the exposure of the detector to the CERN Wide Band Neutrino Beam between 1995 and 1998. % with $E_{\mu 1},E_{\mu 2} > 5$ GeV and $Q^2 > 3$ GeV$^2$ collected %between 1995 and 1998. The analysis yields a value of the charm quark mass of \mc = (1.26\pm 0.16 \pm 0.09) \GeVcc and a value of the ratio of the strange to non-strange sea in the nucleon of $\kappa = 0.33 \pm 0.05 \pm 0.05$, improving the results obtained in similar analyses by previous experiments.Comment: Submitted to Nuclear Physics

Measurement of the atmospheric muon depth intensity relation with the NEMO Phase-2 tower

The results of the analysis of the data collected with the NEMO Phase-2 tower, deployed at 3500 m depth about 80 km off-shore Capo Passero (Italy), are presented. Cherenkov photons detected with the photomultipliers tubes were used to reconstruct the tracks of atmospheric muons. Their zenith-angle distribution was measured and the results compared with Monte Carlo simulations. An evaluation of the systematic effects due to uncertainties on environmental and detector parameters is also included. The associated depth intensity relation was evaluated and compared with previous measurements and theoretical predictions. With the present analysis, the muon depth intensity relation has been measured up to 13 km of water equivalent.Comment: submitted to Astroparticle Physic