Bulletin of the American Physical Society
APS April Meeting 2016
Volume 61, Number 6
Saturday–Tuesday, April 16–19, 2016; Salt Lake City, Utah
Session S9: Mini-Symposium: Neutrinoless Double-beta DecayFocus
|
Hide Abstracts |
Sponsoring Units: DNP DPF Chair: Jing Liu, University of South Dakota Room: 250A |
Monday, April 18, 2016 1:30PM - 2:06PM |
S9.00001: Interpretations of Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay Invited Speaker: Werner Rodejohann We discuss implications of limits or measurements of neutrinoless double beta decay. The standard mechanism of light neutrino exchange and its connection to neutrino oscillations and efforts to pin down neutrino mass is summarized.\\ \\Then various alternatives to the standard mechanism are discussed, including left-right symmetric and supersymmetric theories at the TeV scale. Distinguishing the mechanisms is possible at colliders, with lepton flavor violation or other approaches. [Preview Abstract] |
Monday, April 18, 2016 2:06PM - 2:18PM |
S9.00002: The {\sc Majorana Demonstrator} Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay Experiment Ralph Massarczyk Neutrinoless double beta decay searches play a major role in determining neutrino properties. The {\sc Majorana} Collaboration is constructing an ultra-low background, modular high-purity Ge detector array to search for this decay in $^\mathrm{76}$Ge. Located at the 4850-ft level of the Sanford Underground Research Facility, the {\sc Demonstrator} detector assembly has the goal to show that it is possible to achieve background rates necessary for future ton-scale experiments. The talk will give a short introduction to the experiment, an overview of the achievements made in detector construction, data analysis and simulation. After the first commissioning phase last year with more than half of the detectors in their final configuration, the current status of the {\sc Demonstrator} will be presented in this talk as well as plans for the future. This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Nuclear Physics, the Particle Astrophysics Program of the National Science Foundation, and the Sanford Underground Research Facility. We acknowledge the support of the U.S. Department of Energy through the LANL/LDRD Program. [Preview Abstract] |
Monday, April 18, 2016 2:18PM - 2:30PM |
S9.00003: Result from, and status of, EXO-200 Ryan MacLellan EXO-200 has provided one of the most sensitive searches for neutrinoless double-beta decay utilizing 175kg of enriched liquid xenon in an ultra-low background time projection chamber. This detector has demonstrated excellent energy resolution and background rejection capabilities. Using the first two years of data, EXO-200 has set a limit of $1.1\times10^{25}$y at 90% C.L. on the neutrinoless double-beta decay half-life of $^{136}$Xe. The experiment has experienced a brief hiatus in data taking during a temporary shutdown of its host facility: the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. EXO-200 expects to resume data taking in earnest this fall with upgraded detector electronics. Results from the analysis of EXO-200 data and an update on the current status of EXO-200 will be presented. [Preview Abstract] |
Monday, April 18, 2016 2:30PM - 2:42PM |
S9.00004: Search for $0\nu\beta\beta$ with CUORE: experiment and cryogenic systems overview Alexey Drobizhev CUORE---the Cryogenic Underground Observatory for Rare Events---is a search for the neutrinoless double beta decay of $^{130}$Te based at the Gran Sasso National Laboratories in Italy. The experiment, currently in its final stages of commissioning, is expected to begin data taking in 2016 and eventually be sensitive to a $\sim$10$^{26}$ y half life after a 5 y live time. The detector consists of an array of 988 5$\times$5$\times$5 cm$^3$ TeO$_2$ crystals (204 kg isotope mass) operated as bolometers at $\sim$10 mK temperatures with Ge NTD readout. Running a $\sim$1 t, $\sim$1 m$^3$ detector at such temperatures necessitated the design and construction of the world's largest and most powerful dilution refrigerator, capable of reaching temperatures $<$10 mK and producing $\sim$~2 mW of cooling power at 100 mK. The cryostat is optimized for noise and vibration isolation, as well as radiopurity. We report the expected and observed performance of the CUORE experiment and, in particular, its cryogenic systems. [Preview Abstract] |
Monday, April 18, 2016 2:42PM - 2:54PM |
S9.00005: Commissioning the Majorana Demonstrator Wenqin Xu The \textsc{Majorana} \textsc{Demonstrator} deploys high purity germanium (HPGe) detector modules to search for neutrinoless double beta (0$\nu\beta\beta$) decay in $^{76}$Ge. The experiment is aimed at demonstrating the technical feasibility and low backgrounds for a next generation Ge-based \BBz\ experiment. The program of testing and commissioning the \textsc{Demonstrator} modules is a critical step to debug and improve the experimental apparatus, to establish and refine operational procedures, and to develop data analysis tools. In this talk, we will discuss our experience commissioning the \textsc{Demonstrator} modules and show how this program leads to successful data-taking. This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Nuclear Physics, the Particle Astrophysics and Nuclear Physics Programs of the National Science Foundation, and the Sanford Underground Research Facility. [Preview Abstract] |
Monday, April 18, 2016 2:54PM - 3:06PM |
S9.00006: The cosmogenic induced background estimation for the M\footnotesize AJORANA \normalsize D\footnotesize EMONSTRATOR \normalsize enriched $^{76}$Ge. Brandon White Neutrino-less double beta (0$\nu \beta \beta$) decay experiments probe for such rare events that the suppression of backgrounds are major experimental concerns. Cosmogenic induced isotopes have the potential to be a major background for such experiments. For the M\footnotesize AJORANA \normalsize D\footnotesize EMONSTRATOR \normalsize Experiment $^{76}$Ge isotope is used as both detector and source. The isotope $^{68}$Ge is cosmogenically produced when the Ge is on the Earth's surface. The decay of this isotope can mimic events in the region of interest. The experiment is located at the 4850 foot level at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, South Dakota to suppress cosmogenic activation. In this talk I will present the calculations of cosmogenic background for the enriched $^{76}$Ge materials used in the M\footnotesize AJORANA \normalsize D\footnotesize EMONSTRATOR \normalsize HPGe detectors. The activation is determined by the surface exposure from the time of production, storage, and delivery of the enriched Ge detectors to the underground experimental site. [Preview Abstract] |
Monday, April 18, 2016 3:06PM - 3:18PM |
S9.00007: PandaX-III: high-pressure gas TPC for Xe136 neutrinoless double beta decay at CJPL Xiangdong Ji The PandaX-III in China’s Jinping Underground Lab is a new neutrinoless double beta decay experiment using Xe136 high-pressure gas TPC. The first phase of the experiment uses a 4 $m^3$ gas detector with symmetric Micromegas charge readout planes. The gas TPC allows full reconstruction of the event topology, capable of distinguishing the two electron events from gamma background with high confidence level. The energy resolution can reach about 3% FWHM at the beta decay Q-value. The detector construction and the experimental lab is currently under active development. In this talk, the current status and future plan are reported. [Preview Abstract] |
Follow Us |
Engage
Become an APS Member |
My APS
Renew Membership |
Information for |
About APSThe American Physical Society (APS) is a non-profit membership organization working to advance the knowledge of physics. |
© 2024 American Physical Society
| All rights reserved | Terms of Use
| Contact Us
Headquarters
1 Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844
(301) 209-3200
Editorial Office
100 Motor Pkwy, Suite 110, Hauppauge, NY 11788
(631) 591-4000
Office of Public Affairs
529 14th St NW, Suite 1050, Washington, D.C. 20045-2001
(202) 662-8700