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At least 235 records · Page 13

Gluonic Excitations in Mesons

This award provided support for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to work on the GlueX experiment at Jefferson Lab (JLab). The MIT-GlueX group played a leading role in the development of an upgraded particle-identification system and in employing data-driven methods for calibrating GlueX data. In addition, our group focused on advancing the usage of machine learning algorithms and other state-of-the-art data science tools within the domain of nuclear physics research.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Investigation of fast timing capabilities of silicon sensors for the CMS high granularity calorimeter at HL-LHC

The High Granularity Calorimeter (HGCAL) is the technology choice of the CMS collaboration for the endcap calorimetry upgrade planned to cope with the harsh radiation and unprecedented in-time event pileup projected at the High Luminosity-LHC era. In this context, profiting from fast-timing information with a resolution of a few tens of picoseconds embedded in the calorimeter would represent a unique capability for resolving information from individual collisions at the HL-LHC. This will enhance the reconstruction and physics capabilities of the CMS detector in terms of pileup mitigation and particle identification. The HGCAL is realized as a sampling calorimeter that uses silicon sensors as its active elements. Prototype sensors were tested with high-energy electron beams at the CERN SPS, and at the FNAL FTBF test beam facilities. We present the motivation for this studies including the concept and use of fast-timing in the HGCAL, and the measured intrinsic timing capabilities of silicon sensors for electromagnetic showers and minimum-ionizing particles.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Machine learning-based jet and event classification at the Electron-Ion Collider with applications to hadron structure and spin physics

We explore machine learning-based jet and event identification at the future Electron-Ion Collider (EIC). We study the effectiveness of machine learning-based classifiers at relatively low EIC energies, focusing on (i) identifying the flavor of the jet and (ii) identifying the underlying hard process of the event. We propose applications of our machine learning-based jet identification in the key research areas at the future EIC and current Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider program, including enhancing constraints on (transverse momentum dependent) parton distribution functions, improving experimental access to transverse spin asymmetries, studying photon structure, and quantifying the modification of hadrons and jets in the cold nuclear matter environment in electron-nucleus collisions. We establish first benchmarks and contrast the estimated performance of flavor tagging at the EIC with that at the Large Hadron Collider. We perform studies relevant to aspects of detector design including particle identification, charge information, and minimum transverse momentum capabilities. Additionally, we study the impact of using full event information instead of using only information associated with the identified jet. These methods can be deployed either on suitably accurate Monte Carlo event generators, or, for several applications, directly on experimental data. We provide an outlook for ultimately connecting these machine learning-based methods with first principles calculations in quantum chromodynamics.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Low Energy Neutron-induced Charged-particle (Z) (LENZ) instrument development with a focus on pulse shape discrimination for low-energy charged particles

To study neutron-induced charged-particle reactions with high precision, the Low Energy Neutron-induced Charged-particle (Z) instrument (LENZ) was developed at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center. For the interest of measuring (n,p) and (n, α) reactions simultaneously, Pulse Shape Discrimination methods were investigated to identify different charged particles in the energy range of 3 - 20 MeV and improve signal-to-background ratios using Double-sided Silicon Strip Detectors and waveform digitizers. The risetime and pulse shape properties of detected charged particles were characterized for various silicon detector’s thickness with different orientations. During the post-processing of waveforms, we implemented different digital filters for effective particle identifications and improved energy- and timing- resolutions. We validated the optimized digital filters and pulse shape analyses, via measurements with 228 Th and 229 Th calibration sources, proton-induced reactions on a 7 LiF target, and neutron-induced reactions on CH 2 , Ta 2 O 5 , 58 Ni, and 6 LiF/ 59 Ni targets at the time-of-flight facility, LANSCE. In conclusion, the summary of effective thresholds and Figure of Merits on separating different charged particles is reported.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

DEATH-STAR: Silicon and photovoltaic fission fragment detector arrays for light-ion induced fission correlation studies

Here, the Direct Excitation Angular Tracking pHotovoltaic-Silicon Telescope ARray (DEATH-STAR) combines a series of 12 silicon detectors in a ΔE–E configuration for charged particle identification with a large-area array of 56 photovoltaic (solar) cells for detection of fission fragments. The combination of many scattering angles and fission fragment detectors allows for an angular-resolved tool to study reaction cross sections using the surrogate method, anisotropic fission distributions, and angular momentum transfers through stripping, transfer, inelastic scattering, and other direct nuclear reactions. The unique photovoltaic detectors efficiently detect fission fragments while being insensitive to light ions and have a timing resolution of 15.63±0.37 ns. Alpha particles are detected with a resolution of 35.5 keV 1σ at 7.9 MeV. Measured fission fragment angular distributions are also presented.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Modelling detector-specific reconstruction uncertainties in LAr-TPC

The Short-Baseline Neutrino (SBN) program features three Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LAr-TPC) detectors positioned along the Booster Neutrino Beam (BNB) axis: the Short Baseline Neutrino Near Detector, MicroBooNE, and the ICARUS T600. As the largest operational LAr-TPC, ICARUS T600 serves as the far detector, located 600 m from the BNB target. While its primary goal is to record neutrino events, it also detects other ionizing events, including cosmic rays. This work focuses on analyzing and modeling detector-specific reconstruction uncertainties in LAr-TPC. These inefficiencies, identified during the Pattern Recognition phase handled by the PANDORA algorithm, impact subsequent Particle Fits and Offline Analysis. Specifically, inaccuracies in track reconstruction can lead to significant physical consequences, such as erroneous particle energy estimates and poor Particle Identification (PID), reducing the efficiency of neutrino event characterization. A key issue addressed is split tracks, caused by missing hits or incomplete track stitching by PANDORA. The aim of this internship is to characterize, model, and quantify the impact of split tracks on track reconstruction.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Wire-cell 3D pattern recognition techniques for neutrino event reconstruction in large LArTPCs: algorithm description and quantitative evaluation with MicroBooNE simulation

Wire-Cell is a 3D event reconstruction package for liquid argon time projection chambers. Through geometry, time, and drifted charge from multiple readout wire planes, 3D space points with associated charge are reconstructed prior to the pattern recognition stage. Pattern recognition techniques, including track trajectory and dQ/dx (ionization charge per unit length) fitting, 3D neutrino vertex fitting, track and shower separation, particle-level clustering, and particle identification are then applied on these 3D space points as well as the original 2D projection measurements. A deep neural network is developed to enhance the reconstruction of the neutrino interaction vertex. Compared to traditional algorithms, the deep neural network boosts the vertex efficiency by a relative 30% for charged-current ν e interactions. Therefore, this pattern recognition achieves 80–90% reconstruction efficiencies for primary leptons, after a 65.8% (72.9%) vertex efficiency for charged-current ν e (ν μ ) interactions. Based on the resulting reconstructed particles and their kinematics, we also achieve 15-20% energy reconstruction resolutions for charged-current neutrino interactions.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Parity Violating Deep Inelastic Electron Scattering from the Deuteron at 6 GeV

An experiment that measured the parity violating (PV) asymmetry A d in e- 2 H deep inelastic scattering (DIS) at Q 2 ~ 1.10 and 1.90 (GeV/c) 2 and x B ~ 0.3 was completed in experimental Hall A at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. The asymmetry can be used to extract the neutral weak coupling combination (2C 2u -C 2d ), providing a factor of five to six improvement over the current world data. To achieve this precision, asymmetries of the 10 -4 level needed to be measured at event rates up to 500 kHz with high electron detection efficiency and high pion background rejection capability. A specialized scaler-based counting data acquisition system (DAQ) with hardware-based particle identification was successfully implemented. The statistical quality of the asymmetry measurement agreed with the Gaussian distribution to over five orders of magnitudes and the experimental goal of 3-4% statistical uncertainty was achieved. The design and performance of the new DAQ system is presented with the preliminary asymmetry results given in the end.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Measurement Of The Total Cross-Section Of Muon Neutrino Charged-Current Coherent Pion Production in NOvA Near Detector

Charged Current (CC) coherent neutrino-nucleus pion production is characterized by small momentum transferred to the nucleus, which is left in its ground state. Despite the relatively large uncertainties on the production cross-section, coherent production of mesons by neutrinos represents an important process, as it can shed light on the structure of the weak current and can also constitute a potential source of background for modern neutrino oscillation experiments and searches for Beyond Standard Model (BSM) physics. This Ph.D. thesis presents a new measurement of CC coherent pion production in the NOvA near detector at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab). The analysis is based on the use of both particle identification and kinematic selection criteria based on Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) to achieve a selection purity of 60%. Given the energy range 1-5 GeV accessible with the available NOvA exposure in the NuMI beam, the results will also be relevant for f uture neutrino experiments like the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE).

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

LArIAT In 10 Minutes [Slides]

The LArIAT (Liquid Argon In A Test Beam) experiment at Fermilab's Test Beam Facility exposes a Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LArTPC) to a charged particle test beam in order to calibrate and characterize LArTPCs response. This is a perfect environment in that particle species and momentum can be preselected while event reconstruction tools, particle identification algorithms, and new detector technologies can be tested. The LArIAT exploration of LArTPC capabilities will provide critical input to existing liquid argon neutrino experiments and will help to improve future precision neutrino oscillation measurements such as the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE). The work presented here will give an overview of the experiment and highlight recent results.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Precipitation hydrometeor type relative to the mesoscale airflow in mature oceanic deep convection of the Madden-Julian Oscillation

We present that composite analysis of mature near-equatorial oceanic mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) during the active stage of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) shows where different hydrometeor types occur relative to convective updraft and stratiform midlevel inflow layers. The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) S-PolKa radar observed these MCSs during the Dynamics of the Madden-Julian Oscillation/Atmospheric Radiation Measurement-MJO Investigation Experiment (DYNAMO/AMIE). NCAR's particle identification algorithm (PID) is applied to S-PolKa's polarimetric data to identify the dominant hydrometeor type in each radar sample volume. Combining S-PolKa's Doppler velocity data with the PID demonstrates that hydrometeors have a systematic relationship to the airflow within mature MCSs. In the convective region, moderate rain occurs within the updraft core; the heaviest rain occurs just downwind of the core; wet aggregates occur immediately below the melting layer; narrow zones containing graupel/rimed aggregates occur just downstream of the updraft core at midlevels; dry aggregates dominate above the melting level; and smaller ice particles occur along the edges of the convective zone. In the stratiform region, rain intensity decreases toward the anvil; melting aggregates occur in horizontally extensive but vertically thin regions at the melting layer; intermittent pockets of graupel/rimed aggregates occur atop the melting layer; dry aggregates and small ice particles occur sequentially above the melting level; and horizontally oriented ice crystals occur between -10°C and -20°C in turbulent air above the descending midlevel inflow, suggesting enhanced depositional growth of dendrites. Finally, the organization of hydrometeors within the midlevel inflow layer is insensitive to the presence or absence of a leading convective line.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Event Reconstruction for Water-based Liquid Scintillator Detectors

Water Cherenkov and liquid scintillator detectors represent two complementary approaches in neutrino physics. Water Cherenkov detectors provide particle track direction and particle identification (PID) through Cherenkov ring topology, while liquid scintillator detectors offer higher light yield and lower energy thresholds. Water-based liquid scintillator (WbLS) is designed to combine the advantages of both technologies. However, the simultaneous detection of Cherenkov and scintillation light by photosensors introduces significant challenges for event reconstruction. This poster presents event reconstruction studies for WbLS detectors. A likelihood-based reconstruction framework, fiTQun, has been successfully used in Super-Kamiokande to reconstruct water Cherenkov events in cylindrical detectors. We extend and improve this framework to demonstrate event reconstruction in WbLS detectors, enabling the concurrent reconstruction of particle energy, PID, vertex, and direction. The results demonstrate competitive performance in energy resolution, PID separation, and vertex and direction reconstruction, highlighting the strong potential of WbLS for next-generation neutrino experiments.

Xie, Zhenxiong [Minnesota U.] (ORCID:0009000301442↗

Status of the DUNE experiment

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment aims at an unprecedentedly precise neutrino CPviolation phase measurement with a broad-band muon neutrino and antineutrino beam, a 1,300 km baseline, an order of 10skt fiducial mass detector with high particle identification efficiency and low external background.Additionally, the orders of systematic uncertainty should be constrained to 2% for the signal and5% for the background. This uncertainty constraint requires an unprecedented level of robustnessand redundancy in the near detector measurement. In this presentation, the near detector designand the far detector prototyping status are shown. The long-baseline sensitivity and differentphysics potentials are described.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Particle Flow and PUPPI in the Level-1 Trigger at CMS for the HL-LHC

With the planned addition of tracking information to the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) Level-1 trigger for the High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC), the trigger algorithms can be completely reconceptualized. We explore the feasibility of using particle flow-like reconstruction and pileup per particle identification (PUPPI) pileup mitigation at the hardware trigger level. This represents a new type of multi-subdetector pattern recognition challenge for the HL-LHC. We present proof-of-principle studies on both physics and hardware-resource performance of a prototype algorithm for use by CMS in the HL-LHC era.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Neutrino Scattering Studies in MicroBooNE

A good understanding of the cross sections for neutrino interactions with nucleons and nuclei is crucial for neutrino oscillation studies, in addition to providing a tool for the exploration of nucleon and nuclear structures. The MicroBooNE liquid-argon time-projection-chamber (LArTPC) experiment has been taking neutrino data with the Booster Neutrino Beam at Fermilab since 2015. The LArTPC capabilities in track reconstruction, energy measurement, and particle identification allow us to probe interesting regions of neutrino-argon scattering cross sections and to probe the quark composition of the nucleon and test models of nuclear structure and final-state interactions. We present the current status of several on-going MicroBooNE cross section analyses, as well as plans for future measurements.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Status of MICE, the International Muon Ionization Cooling Experiment

Muon ionization cooling provides the only practical solution to prepare high brilliance beams necessary for a neutrino factory or muon colliders. The muon ionization cooling experiment (MICE) is thus a strategic R&D project for neutrino physics. It is under development at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (UK). It comprises a dedicated beam line to generate a range of input emittance and momentum, with time-of-flight and Cherenkov detectors to ensure a pure muon beam. A first measurement of emittance is performed in the upstream magnetic spectrometer with a scintillating fiber tracker. A cooling cell will then follow, alternating energy loss in liquid hydrogen and RF acceleration. A second spectrometer identical to the first one and a particle identification system provide a measurement of the outgoing emittance. In the 2010 run, completed in August, the beam and most detectors have been fully commissioned. The time of the first measurement of input beam emittance is closely approaching. The plan of steps of measurements of emittance and emittance reduction (cooling), that will follow in 2011 and later, will be reported.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

A modular solid state detector for measuring high energy heavy ion fragmentation near the beam axis

A multi-element solid state detector has been designed to measure fluences of fragments produced near the beam axis by high energy heavy ion beams in thick targets. The detector is compact and modular, so as to be readily reconfigured according to the range of fragment charges and energies to be measured. Preamplifier gain settings and detector calibrations are adjustable remotely under computer control. We describe the central detector, its associated detectors and electronics, triggering scheme, data acquisition and particle identification techniques, illustrated by data taken with 600 MeV/u 56Fe beams and thick polyethylene targets at the LBL Bevalac. The applications of this work to space radiation protection are discussed.

NASA Center HQS↗

Expanding the physics reach of DUNE in the near and far detectors

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is a next-generation long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment. Its primary goal is the determination of the neutrino mass hierarchy and the CP-violating phase. The DUNE physics programme also includes the detection of astrophysical neutrinos and the search for beyond the Standard Model (BSM) phenomena. DUNE will consist of a near detector (ND) complex placed at Fermilab, and a modular Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LArTPC) far detector (FD) to be built in the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF), approximately 1300 km away from the neutrino production point. This thesis describes three different projects within DUNE. First, a novel strategy to improve the triggering capabilities of the DUNE FD is proposed. It uses matched filters to enhance the production of online hits across all charge collection planes. Next, the possibility of detecting neutrinos coming from dark matter (DM) annihilations in the Sun with the FD is explored. The complementarity of DUNE to this kind of DM searches is shown. Finally, the simulation and reconstruction framework of ND-GAr, the gas argon ND proposed for Phase II of DUNE, is presented. A number of additions to this are described, particularly focused on the development of the particle identification (PID) capabilities of the detector. These are then used to perform the first event selection studies with an end-to-end simulation in ND-GAr, in particular the selection of pion exclusive samples in $\nu_{\mu}$ CC interactions. All three of these projects share the common goal of enhancing the physics programme of DUNE.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗