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Bai, X.

Publications and source records attributed to Bai, X..

At least 181 records · Page 10
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

Long- and short-range correlations and their event-scale dependence in high-multiplicity pp collisions at $ \sqrt{s} $ = 13 TeV

Two-particle angular correlations are measured in high-multiplicity proton-proton collisions at √s = 13 TeV by the ALICE Collaboration. The yields of particle pairs at short-(Δη ~ 0) and long-range (1.6 < |Δη| < 1.8) in pseudorapidity are extracted on the near-side (Δ~ 0). They are reported as a function of transverse momentum (p T ) in the range 1 < p T < 4 GeV/c. Furthermore, the event-scale dependence is studied for the first time by requiring the presence of high-p T leading particles or jets for varying p T thresholds. The results demonstrate that the long-range “ridge” yield, possibly related to the collective behavior of the system, is present in events with high-p T processes as well. The magnitudes of the short- and long-range yields are found to grow with the event scale. The results are compared to EPOS LHC and PYTHIA 8 calculations, with and without string-shoving interactions. It is found that while both models describe the qualitative trends in the data, calculations from EPOS LHC show a better quantitative agreement for the p T dependency, while overestimating the event-scale dependency.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2021

LeptonInjector and LeptonWeighter: A neutrino event generator and weighter for neutrino observatories

In this work, we present a high-energy neutrino event generator, called LeptonInjector, alongside an event weighter, called LeptonWeighter. Both are designed for large-volume Cherenkov neutrino telescopes such as IceCube. The neutrino event generator allows for quick and flexible simulation of neutrino events within and around the detector volume, and implements the leading Standard Model neutrino interaction processes relevant for neutrino observatories: neutrino-nucleon deep-inelastic scattering and neutrino-electron annihilation. In this paper, we discuss the event generation algorithm, the weighting algorithm, and the main functions of the publicly available code, with examples. Program summary: Program Titles: LeptonInjector and LeptonWeighter CPC Library link to program files: https://doi.org/10.17632/662gkpjfd9.1 Developer's repository links: https://github.com/icecube/LeptonInjector and https://github.com/icecube/LeptonWeighter Licensing provisions: GNU Lesser General Public License, version 3. Programming Language: C++11 External Routines: • Boost • HDF5 • nuflux (https://github.com/icecube/nuflux) • nuSQuIDS (https://github.com/arguelles/nuSQuIDS) • Photospline (https://github.com/icecube/photospline) • SuiteSparse (https://github.com/DrTimothyAldenDavis/SuiteSparse) Nature of problem: LeptonInjector: Generate neutrino interaction events of all possible topologies and energies throughout and around a detector volume. LeptonWeighter: Reweight Monte Carlo events, generated by a set of LeptonInjector Generators, to any desired physical neutrino flux or cross section. Solution method: LeptonInjector: Projected ranges of generated leptons and the extent of the detector, in terms of column depth, are used to inject events in and around the detector volume. Event kinematics follow distributions provided in cross section files. LeptonWeighter: Event generation probabilities are calculated for each Generator, which are then combined into a generation weight and used to calculate an overall event weight.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Measurement of beauty and charm production in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 5.02 TeV via non-prompt and prompt D mesons

The pT-differential production cross sections of prompt and non-prompt (produced in beauty-hadron decays) D mesons were measured by the ALICE experiment at midrapidity (|y| < 0.5) in proton-proton collisions at s√ = 5.02 TeV. The data sample used in the analysis corresponds to an integrated luminosity of (19.3 ± 0.4) nb -1 . D mesons were reconstructed from their decays D 0 → K - π + , D + → K - π + π + , and D$^+_s$→ φπ + → K - K + π + and their charge conjugates. Compared to previous measurements in the same rapidity region, the cross sections of prompt D + and D$^+_s$ mesons have an extended pT coverage and total uncertainties reduced by a factor ranging from 1.05 to 1.6, depending on pT, allowing for a more precise determination of their pT-integrated cross sections. The results are well described by perturbative QCD calculations. The fragmentation fraction of heavy quarks to strange mesons divided by the one to non-strange mesons, f s /(f u + f d ), is compatible for charm and beauty quarks and with previous measurements at different centre-of-mass energies and collision systems. The $b\bar{b}$ production cross section per rapidity unit at midrapidity, estimated from non-prompt D-meson measurements, is d$σ_{b\bar{b}}$/d$y$| |y|<0.5 = $34.5 ± 2.4(stat)^{+4.7}_{-2.9}$(tot.syst) μb. It is compatible with previous measurements at the same centre-of-mass energy and with the cross section pre- dicted by perturbative QCD calculations.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Measurements of mixed harmonic cumulants in Pb–Pb collisions at √ s NN = 5.02 TeV

Correlations between moments of different flow coefficients are measured in Pb–Pb collisions at √ s NN = 5.02 TeV recorded with the ALICE detector. These new measurements are based on multiparticle mixed harmonic cumulants calculated using charged particles in the pseudorapidity region |η| < 0.8 with the transverse momentum range 0.2 < p T < 5.0 GeV/c. The centrality dependence of correlations between two flow coefficients as well as the correlations between three flow coefficients, both in terms of their second moments, are shown. In addition, a collection of mixed harmonic cumulants involving higher moments of v 2 and v 3 is measured for the first time, where the characteristic signature of negative, positive and negative signs of four-, six- and eight-particle cumulants are observed, respectively. The measurements are compared to the hydrodynamic calculations using iEBE-VISHNU with AMPT and TRENTo initial conditions. It is shown that the measurements carried out using the LHC Run 2 data in 2015 have the precision to explore the details of initial-state fluctuations and probe the nonlinear hydrodynamic response of v 2 and v 3 to their corresponding initial anisotropy coefficients and ε 2 and ε 3 . These new studies on correlations between three flow coefficients as well as correlations between higher moments of two different flow coefficients will pave the way to tighten constraints on initial-state models and help to extract precise information on the dynamic evolution of the hot and dense matter created in heavy-ion collisions at the LHC.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Search for GeV neutrino emission during intense gamma-ray solar flares with the IceCube Neutrino Observatory

Solar flares convert magnetic energy into thermal and nonthermal plasma energy, the latter implying particle acceleration of charged particles such as protons. Additionally, protons are injected out of the coronal acceleration region and can interact with dense plasma in the lower solar atmosphere, producing mesons that subsequently decay into gamma rays and neutrinos at O(MeV-GeV) energies. We present the results of the first search for GeV neutrinos emitted during solar flares carried out with the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. While the experiment was originally designed to detect neutrinos with energies between 10 GeV and a few PeV, a new approach allowing for a O(GeV) energy threshold will be presented. The resulting limits allow us to constrain some of the theoretical estimates of the expected neutrino flux.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

IceCube-Gen2: the window to the extreme Universe

The observation of electromagnetic radiation from radio to γ-ray wavelengths has provided a wealth of information about the Universe. However, at PeV (10 15 eV) energies and above, most of the Universe is impenetrable to photons. New messengers, namely cosmic neutrinos, are needed to explore the most extreme environments of the Universe where black holes, neutron stars, and stellar explosions transform gravitational energy into non-thermal cosmic rays. These energetic particles havemillions of times higher energies than those produced in the most powerful particle accelerators on Earth. As neutrinos can escape from regions otherwise opaque to radiation, they allow an unique view deep into exploding stars and the vicinity of the event horizons of black holes. The discovery of cosmic neutrinos with IceCube has opened this new window on the Universe. IceCube has been successful in finding first evidence for cosmic particle acceleration in the jet of an active galactic nucleus. Yet, ultimately, its sensitivity is too limited to detect even the brightest neutrino sources with high significance, or to detect populations of less luminous sources. In thiswhite paper, we present an overview of a next-generation instrument, IceCube-Gen2, which will sharpen our understanding of the processes and environments that govern the Universe at the highest energies. IceCube-Gen2 is designed to: (a) Resolve the high-energy neutrino sky from TeV to EeV energies (b) Investigate cosmic particle acceleration through multi-messenger observations (c) Reveal the sources and propagation of the highest energy particles in the Universe (d) Probe fundamental physics with high-energy neutrinos IceCube-Gen2 will enhance the existing IceCube detector at the South Pole. It will increase the annual rate of observed cosmic neutrinos by a factor of ten compared to IceCube, and will be able to detect sources five times fainter than its predecessor. Furthermore, through the addition of a radio array, IceCube- Gen2 will extend the energy range by several orders of magnitude compared to IceCube. Construction will take 8 years and cost about $350M. The goal is to have IceCube-Gen2 fully operational by 2033. IceCube-Gen2 will play an essential role in shaping the new era of multimessenger astronomy, fundamentally advancing our knowledge of the highenergy Universe. Overall, this challenging mission can be fully addressed only through the combination of the information from the neutrino, electromagnetic, and gravitational wave emission of high-energy sources, in concert with the new survey instruments across the electromagnetic spectrum and gravitational wave detectors which will be available in the coming years.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

The PRad windowless gas flow target

In this work, we report on a windowless, high-density, gas flow target at Jefferson Lab that was used to measure $r_p$, the root-mean-square charge radius of the proton. To our knowledge, this is the first such system used in a fixed-target experiment at a (non-storage ring) electron accelerator. The target achieved its design goal of an areal density of 2$\times$10$^{18}$ atoms/cm$^2$, with the gas uniformly distributed over the 4 cm length of the cell and less than 1% residual gas outside the cell. This design eliminated scattering from the end caps of the target cell, a problem endemic to previous measurements of the proton charge radius in electron scattering experiments, and permitted a precise, model-independent extraction of $r_p$ by reaching unprecedentedly low values of $Q^2$, the square of the electron's transfer of four-momentum to the proton.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2021

Production of light-flavor hadrons in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}~=~7\text { and }\sqrt{s} = 13 \, \text { TeV} $

The production of \(\pi ^{\pm }\) , \(\mathrm{K}^{\pm }\) , \(\mathrm{K}^{0}_{S}\) , \(\mathrm{K}^{*}(892)^{0}\) , \(\mathrm{p}\) , \(\phi (1020)\) , \(\Lambda \) , \(\Xi ^{-}\) , \(\Omega ^{-}\) , and their antiparticles was measured in inelastic proton–proton (pp) collisions at a center-of-mass energy of \(\sqrt{s}\) = 13 TeV at midrapidity ( \(|y|<0.5\) ) as a function of transverse momentum ( \(p_{\mathrm{T}}\) ) using the ALICE detector at the CERN LHC. Furthermore, the single-particle \(p_{\mathrm{T}}\) distributions of \(\mathrm{K}^{0}_{S}\) , \(\Lambda \) , and \(\overline{\Lambda }\) in inelastic pp collisions at \(\sqrt{s} = 7\) TeV are reported here for the first time. The \(p_{\mathrm{T}}\) distributions are studied at midrapidity within the transverse momentum range \(0\le p_{\mathrm{T}}\le 20\) GeV/ c , depending on the particle species. The \(p_{\mathrm{T}}\) spectra, integrated yields, and particle yield ratios are discussed as a function of collision energy and compared with measurements at lower \(\sqrt{s}\) and with results from various general-purpose QCD-inspired Monte Carlo models. A hardening of the spectra at high \(p_{\mathrm{T}}\) with increasing collision energy is observed, which is similar for all particle species under study. The transverse mass and \(x_{\mathrm{T}}\equiv 2p_{\mathrm{T}}/\sqrt{s}\) scaling properties of hadron production are also studied. As the collision energy increases from \(\sqrt{s}\) = 7–13 TeV, the yields of non- and single-strange hadrons normalized to the pion yields remain approximately constant as a function of \(\sqrt{s}\) , while ratios for multi-strange hadrons indicate enhancements. The \(p_\mathrm{{T}}\) -differential cross sections of \(\pi ^{\pm }\) , \(\mathrm {K}^{\pm }\) and \(\mathrm {p}\) ( \(\overline{\mathrm{p}}\) ) are compared with next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculations, which are found to overestimate the cross sections for \(\pi ^{\pm }\) and \(\mathrm{p}\) ( \(\overline{\mathrm{p}}\) ) at high \(p_\mathrm{{T}}\) .

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2021

Follow-up of Astrophysical Transients in Real Time with the IceCube Neutrino Observatory

In multi-messenger astronomy, rapid investigation of interesting transients is imperative. As an observatory with a 4π steradian field of view, and ~99% uptime, the IceCube Neutrino Observatory is a unique facility to follow up transients, as well as to provide valuable insights for other observatories and inform their observational decisions. Since 2016, IceCube has been using low-latency data to rapidly respond to interesting astrophysical events reported by the multi-messenger observational community. Here, we describe the pipeline used to perform these followup analyses, and provide a summary of the 58 analyses performed as of July 2020. We find no significant signal in the first 58 analyses performed. Finally, the pipeline has helped inform various electromagnetic observation strategies, and has constrained neutrino emission from potential hadronic cosmic accelerators.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Detection of a particle shower at the Glashow resonance with IceCube

The Glashow resonance describes the resonant formation of a W - boson during the interaction of a high-energy electron antineutrino with an electron, peaking at an antineutrino energy of 6.3 petaelectronvolts (PeV) in the rest frame of the electron. Whereas this energy scale is out of reach for currently operating and future planned particle accelerators, natural astrophysical phenomena are expected to produce antineutrinos with energies beyond the PeV scale. Here we report the detection by the IceCube neutrino observatory of a cascade of high-energy particles (a particle shower) consistent with being created at the Glashow resonance. A shower with an energy of 6.05 ± 0.72 PeV (determined from Cherenkov radiation in the Antarctic Ice Sheet) was measured. Features consistent with the production of secondary muons in the particle shower indicate the hadronic decay of a resonant W - boson, confirm that the source is astrophysical and provide improved directional localization. The evidence of the Glashow resonance suggests the presence of electron antineutrinos in the astrophysical flux, while also providing further validation of the standard model of particle physics. Its unique signature indicates a method of distinguishing neutrinos from antineutrinos, thus providing a way to identify astronomical accelerators that produce neutrinos via hadronuclear or photohadronic interactions, with or without strong magnetic fields. As such, knowledge of both the flavour (that is, electron, muon or tau neutrinos) and charge (neutrino or antineutrino) will facilitate the advancement of neutrino astronomy.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2021

First measurement of quarkonium polarization in nuclear collisions at the LHC

The polarization of inclusive J/ψ and Υ(1S) produced in Pb–Pb collisions at √ s NN = 5.02 TeV at the LHC is measured with the ALICE detector. The study is carried out by reconstructing the quarkonium through its decay to muon pairs in the rapidity region 2.5 < y < 4 and measuring the polar and azimuthal angular distributions of the muons. The polarization parameters λ θ , λ φ and λ θφ are measured in the helicity and Collins-Soper reference frames, in the transverse momentum interval 2 < p T < 10 GeV/c and p T < 15 GeV/c for the J/ψ and Υ(1S), respectively. The polarization parameters for the J/ψ are found to be compatible with zero, within a maximum of about two standard deviations at low p T , for both reference frames and over the whole p T range. The values are compared with the corresponding results obtained for pp collisions at √s = 7 and 8 TeV in a similar kinematic region by the ALICE and LHCb experiments. Although with much larger uncertainties, the polarization parameters for Υ(1S) production in Pb–Pb collisions are also consistent with zero

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Searches for neutrinos from cosmic-ray interactions in the Sun using seven years of IceCube data

Cosmic-ray interactions with the solar atmosphere are expected to produce particle showers which in turn produce neutrinos from weak decays of mesons. These solar atmospheric neutrinos (SAνs) have never been observed experimentally. A detection would be an important step in understanding cosmic-ray propagation in the inner solar system and the dynamics of solar magnetic fields. SAνs also represent an irreducible background to solar dark matter searches and a detection would allow precise characterization of this background. In this work, we present the first experimental search based on seven years of data collected from May 2010 to May 2017 in the austral winter with the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. An unbinned likelihood analysis is performed for events reconstructed within 5 degrees of the center of the Sun. No evidence for a SAν flux is observed. After inclusion of systematic uncertainties, we set a 90% upper limit of 1.02 +0.20 -0.18 ·10 -13 GeV-1cm -2 s -1 at 1 TeV.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Measurements of the time-dependent cosmic-ray Sun shadow with seven years of IceCube data: Comparison with the Solar cycle and magnetic field models

Observations of the time-dependent cosmic-ray Sun shadow have been proven as a valuable diagnostic for the assessment of solar magnetic field models. Here, seven years of IceCube data are compared to solar activity and solar magnetic field models. A quantitative comparison of solar magnetic field models with IceCube data on the event rate level is performed for the first time. Additionally, a first energy-dependent analysis is presented and compared to recent predictions. We use seven years of IceCube data for the moon and the Sun and compare them to simulations on data rate level. The simulations are performed for the geometrical shadow hypothesis for the moon and the Sun and for a cosmic-ray propagation model governed by the solar magnetic field for the case of the Sun. We find that a linearly decreasing relationship between Sun shadow strength and solar activity is preferred over a constant relationship at the 6.4σ level. We test two commonly used models of the coronal magnetic field, both combined with a Parker spiral, by modeling cosmic-ray propagation in the solar magnetic field. Both models predict a weakening of the shadow in times of high solar activity as it is also visible in the data. We find tensions with the data on the order of 3σ for both models, assuming only statistical uncertainties. The magnetic field model CSSS fits the data slightly better than the PFSS model. This is generally consistent with what is found previously by the Tibet AS-γ Experiment; a deviation of the data from the two models is, however, not significant at this point. Regarding the energy dependence of the Sun shadow, we find indications that the shadowing effect increases with energy during times of high solar activity, in agreement with theoretical predictions.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Centrality dependence of J /ψ and ψ (2S) production and nuclear modification in p-Pb collisions at \( \sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}} \) = 8 . 16 TeV

The inclusive production of the J/ ψ and ψ (2S) charmonium states is studied as a function of centrality in p-Pb collisions at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair \( \sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}} \) = 8 . 16 TeV at the LHC. The measurement is performed in the dimuon decay channel with the ALICE apparatus in the centre-of-mass rapidity intervals – 4 . 46 < y cms < – 2 . 96 (Pb-going direction) and 2 . 03 < y cms < 3 . 53 (p-going direction), down to zero transverse momentum ( p T ). The J/ ψ and ψ (2S) production cross sections are evaluated as a function of the collision centrality, estimated through the energy deposited in the zero degree calorimeter located in the Pb-going direction. The p T -differential J/ ψ production cross section is measured at backward and forward rapidity for several centrality classes, together with the corresponding average \( \left\langle {p}_{\mathrm{T}}\right\rangle \) and \( \left\langle {p}_{\mathrm{T}}^2\right\rangle \) values. The nuclear effects affecting the production of both charmonium states are studied using the nuclear modification factor. In the p-going direction, a suppression of the production of both charmonium states is observed, which seems to increase from peripheral to central collisions. In the Pb-going direction, however, the centrality dependence is different for the two states: the nuclear modification factor of the J/ ψ increases from below unity in peripheral collisions to above unity in central collisions, while for the ψ (2S) it stays below or consistent with unity for all centralities with no significant centrality dependence. The results are compared with measurements in p-Pb collisions at \( \sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}} \) = 5 . 02 TeV and no significant dependence on the energy of the collision is observed. Finally, the results are compared with theoretical models implementing various nuclear matter effects.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Simulations of Events for the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) Dark Matter Experiment

The LUX-ZEPLIN dark matter search aims to achieve a sensitivity to the WIMP-nucleon spin-independent cross-section down to (1–2) ×10−12 pb at a WIMP mass of 40 GeV/ c 2 . This paper describes the simulations framework that, along with radioactivity measurements, was used to support this projection, and also to provide mock data for validating reconstruction and analysis software. Of particular note are the event generators, which allow us to model the background radiation, and the detector response physics used in the production of raw signals, which can be converted into digitized waveforms similar to data from the operational detector. Inclusion of the detector response allows us to process simulated data using the same analysis routines as developed to process the experimental data.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗