Bulletin of the American Physical Society
APS April Meeting 2014
Volume 59, Number 5
Saturday–Tuesday, April 5–8, 2014; Savannah, Georgia
Session U12: Neutrino Experimental Considerations |
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Sponsoring Units: DPF Chair: Robert Bernstein, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory Room: 100 |
Monday, April 7, 2014 3:30PM - 3:42PM |
U12.00001: Studies of the cosmic ray flux in MicroBooNE Katherine Woodruff We present a characterization of the cosmic ray rate in MicroBooNE, a 170-ton Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (TPC) being built at Fermilab. In order to verify computer simulations of the rates and angular dependence of cosmic muons, we have built a plastic-scintillator detector at the Liquid Argon Test Facility, where MicroBooNE will be located during its run. This will allow us to determine the cosmic ray muon flux through the TPC active volume independently of the MicroBooNE reconstruction efficiency. Preliminary results will be presented. [Preview Abstract] |
Monday, April 7, 2014 3:42PM - 3:54PM |
U12.00002: The Coherent Elastic Neutrino Nucleus Scattering (CENNS) Experiment at Fermilab Robert Cooper Low energy neutrinos ($<$ 50 MeV) with a wavelength larger than target nuclei can engage in coherent elastic scattering with low momentum transfer. Coherent scattering is important in supernovae, low-$Q^2$ weak nuclear form factors, and low-energy tests of the Standard Model. Despite a large interaction cross section, it has remained unobserved because of its low energy deposition and neutron backgrounds. The CENNS collaboration is proposing to deploy a 1-ton, single-phase, liquid argon detector for a first measurement of coherent neutrino scattering near the booster neutrino beam (BNB) at Fermilab. By placing the detector near the beam target in a far off-axis position, a flux of low-energy neutrinos is produced with a similar energy spectrum as stopped pion sources. The proximity to the BNB introduces a potential background of beam-correlated neutrons whose elastic scatters are indistinguishable from the neutrino signal. In this talk, I will describe the proposed detector, our completed beam-correlated neutron background measurements, and upcoming shielding and background neutron studies. [Preview Abstract] |
Monday, April 7, 2014 3:54PM - 4:06PM |
U12.00003: Neutron Background Characterization for a Coherent Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering experiment at SNS Mark Gerling Coherent Neutrino Nucleus Scattering (CNNS) is a theoretical well-grounded, but as-yet unverified process. The Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) may provide an optimal platform for detection of CNNS, possibly with existing detector technology. A proto-collaboration of groups from several institutions has come together to investigate this option and propose an experiment for the first-time observation of CNNS. Currently, the largest risk to such an experiment comes from an unknown background of beam-induced high-energy neutrons that penetrate the existing SNS concrete shielding. We have deployed a neutron scatter camera at the SNS during beam operation and performed preliminary measurements of the neutron backgrounds at a promising experimental location. In order to measure neutrons as high as 100 MeV, we needed to make modifications to the neutron scatter camera and expand its capabilities beyond its standard operating range of 1-14MeV. We have identified sources of high-energy neutrons and continue to investigate other possible locations that may allow a successful CNNS experiment to go forward. The imaging capabilities of the neutron scatter camera will allow more optimal shielding designs that take into account neutron flux anisotropies at the selected experiment locations. [Preview Abstract] |
Monday, April 7, 2014 4:06PM - 4:18PM |
U12.00004: Cosmogenic Backgrounds for Double Beta Decay Joshua Albert $^{136}$Xe is a very promising candidate isotope for neutrino-less double-beta decay searches, so reducing backgrounds that can mimic signals of this rare decay is a critical task for current and future experiments, such as EXO-200 and nEXO. One important category of backgrounds are those induced by neutrons produced by cosmic ray muons. These backgrounds can be studied in EXO-200 by selecting data shortly after the muon panels are triggered, making a ``neutron enriched'' data sample. This data is then checked against Monte Carlo simulations of these backgrounds. The results and insights from this study will be discussed. [Preview Abstract] |
Monday, April 7, 2014 4:18PM - 4:30PM |
U12.00005: Simulation of the detector response of the 1-kton option of WATCHMAN Marc Bergevin WATCHMAN (WATer CHerenkov Monitoring of AntiNeutrinos) is a new US based experiment that will exploit the low energy antineutrino signal from reactors, supernova and decay-at-rest antineutrino beams to pursue a broad physics program. WATCHMAN aims to be the first detector in the world to detect low energy antineutrinos in water, by adding a gadolinium dopant that increases the efficiency for the final-state neutron arising from the antineutrino interactions on protons in the water. In this talk, I will provide an overview of the expected detector response to the different low-energy physics - including reactor antineutrinos, fast-neutron contamination, radionuclide contamination and U/Th contamination. I will also discuss expected rates for each of these processes at the current preferred underground installation-site, the Fairport mine in Painesville Ohio. I will focus on the unique advantages of the gadolinium dopant, which enables WATCHMAN to significantly reduce the background contamination and allows a lower energy threshold compared to other Water Cherenkov Imaging detectors. [Preview Abstract] |
Monday, April 7, 2014 4:30PM - 4:42PM |
U12.00006: Measurements of neutron spectra underground relevant for remote detection of antineutrinos Caleb Roecker, Peter Marleau, Mark Gerling, Jim Brennan High energy neutrons ($\ge$100 MeV) created through muon spallation have the potential to bypass the shielding of large rare event detectors. As such they present an unknown background for the long range antineutrino detector WATCHMAN. We have built and are operating a capture-gate Gd-doped scintillation detector for measuring the background neutron spectrum at the Kimbalton Underground Research Facility (KURF). The detector measures the joint response of high energy neutron scatter events and neutron capture events allowing for a large dynamic range of neutron energies from 30 to hundreds of MeV. To amplify the number of neutrons for capture we use a lead multiplier in the center of the detector. At KURF we plan on taking measurements at $\sim$300, 600, and 1450 m.w.e. Using the measured and Geant4\footnote{S. Agostinelli, et al. Nucl. Inst. And Meth. A., \textbf{53}, 250 (2003)}$^,$\footnote{J. Allison, et al. IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci., \textbf{53}, 270 (2006)} simulated response we plan on unfolding the neutron energy spectrum and rate as a function of overburden. This information will allow for the calculation of an important background for WATCHMAN and provide a lower bound on the depth requirement for future remote reactor monitoring deployments. [Preview Abstract] |
Monday, April 7, 2014 4:42PM - 4:54PM |
U12.00007: Measurement of cosmogenic radioisotope production on water at the Kimballton Underground Research Facility Morgan Askins The next generation of large water detectors, such as the kiloton-scale Water Cherenkov Monitor for Antineutrinos (WATCHMAN) and the megaton-scale Japanese Hyper-K project, aim to pursue a diverse physics program including low energy antineutrino physics. Muogenic backgrounds in water have been measured by the Superkamiokande collaboration, but for reactor and other low energy antineutrinos these backgrounds are only weakly constrained and may prove important for large water-based reactor-antineutrino detectors. The WATCHMAN collaboration has deployed a water Cherenkov detector to measure the rate of long-lived $\beta$-$n$ radioisotopes - $^8$He, $^9$Li, $^{11}$Li - produced by cosmic ray interactions in water. Our emphasis is on measuring those $\beta$-$n$ decay isotopes which mimic the positron-neutron signal from inverse beta decay of antineutrinos on protons. Our detector is a 2 ton cylindrical target of pure water doped with gadolinium for neutron identification, surrounded by a 1.4-meter thick pure water muon veto and neutron/gamma shield. Presented here are the preliminary results of data taken beginning July 2013 at the KURF mine in Virginia at a depth of approximately 300 meters water equivalent with intermittent periods of detector off time. [Preview Abstract] |
Monday, April 7, 2014 4:54PM - 5:06PM |
U12.00008: Determination of Detection Efficiency in Double Chooz Experiment Guang Yang Double Chooz Experiment is designed to perform a very precise measurement of the neutrino oscillation mixing angle theta-13. The Double Chooz detector system consists of a main detector, an outer veto system and several calibration systems. The main detector has a cylindrical structure. It consists of the target vessel, a liquid scintillator loaded with Gd, surrounded by the gamma-catcher, a non-loaded liquid scintillator. A buffer region of non-scintillating liquid surrounds the gamma-catcher and serves to host 390 photomultiplier tubes and to decrease the level of accidental background. The Inner Veto region is outside the buffer, and the Outer Veto system covers all detector components. The detector is calibrated with light sources, radioactive point sources, cosmics and natural radioactivity. Far detector is operational and the near detector is under construction. Neutron detection efficiency is one of the major systematic components in the measurement of anti-neutrino disappearance. Neutrons from inverse beta decay and an untagged 252Cf source are the tools used to determine fractions of neutron captures on Gd, as well as neutron capture time and neutron delayed energy systematics. Details will be presented in the talk along with most recent oscillation results. [Preview Abstract] |
Monday, April 7, 2014 5:06PM - 5:18PM |
U12.00009: NO$\nu$A $\nu_{e}$ Appearance Analysis and Near Detector Spectrum Daniel Pershey The NO$\nu$A experiment has developed an analysis to measure the $\nu_{\mu}\rightarrow\nu_e$ conversion rate using the NUMI beam at Fermilab. The experiment has recently started taking data and is finalizing initial physics analyses with Monte Carlo studies. An overview of the $\nu_e$ appearance analysis is discussed. Specifically, a method used to decompose the near detector neutrino spectrum is shown. [Preview Abstract] |
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