The 2x2 Demonstrator: A DUNE ND-LAr Prototype Update*

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is a next-generation long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment which uses a variety of innovative detectors to pursue wide-reaching physics goals. DUNE's liquid argon near detector, ND-LAr, is a one such detector, combining Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LArTPC) technology, pixel-based charge readout, and a modular structure. This novel design enhances the experiment's abilities to address challenges related to neutrino event pile-up and helps to constrain systematic uncertainties for neutrino oscillation analyses. DUNE ND-LAr is prototyped in the 2x2 Demonstrator, which is being installed in the Neutrinos at the Main Injector (NuMI) neutrino beamline at Fermilab (scheduled to begin data taking in 2024). The 2x2 Demonstrator will collect DUNE's first neutrino data and produce DUNE's first neutrino physics analyses, a true milestone for the experiment. This talk covers the 2x2 Demonstrator's unique detector components and physics goals, as well as an explanation of how it will validate key DUNE ND-LAr design capabilities.