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At least 19 records

Performances of a new generation tracking detector: the MEG II cylindrical drift chamber

Abstract The cylindrical drift chamber is the most innovative part of the MEG II detector, the upgraded version of the MEG experiment. The MEG II chamber differs from the MEG one because it is a single volume cylindrical structure, instead of a segmented one, chosen to improve its resolutions and efficiency in detecting low energy positrons from muon decays at rest. In this paper, we show the characteristics and performances of this fundamental part of the MEG II apparatus and we discuss the impact of its higher resolution and efficiency on the sensitivity of the MEG II experiment. Because of its innovative structure and high quality resolution and efficiency the MEG II cylindrical drift chamber will be a cornerstone in the development of an ideal tracking detector for future positron-electron collider machines.

Physics↗

ML-based calibration and control of the GlueX Central Drift Chamber

The GlueX Central Drift Chamber (CDC) in Hall D at Jefferson Lab, used for detecting and tracking charged particles, is calibrated and controlled during data taking using a Gaussian process. The system dynamically adjusts the high voltage applied to the anode wires inside the chamber in response to changing environmental and experimental conditions such that the gain is stabilized. Control policies have been established to manage the CDC's behavior. These policies are activated when the model's uncertainty exceeds a configurable threshold or during human-initiated tests during normal production running. Finally, we demonstrate the system reduces the time detector experts dedicate to calibration of the data offline, leading to a marked decrease in computing resource usage without compromising detector performance.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Model for the curvature response of the CDF II drift chamber

The CDF II experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron used a drift chamber to measure the momenta of charged particles. We present a model for the response of the drift chamber to the curvature of a charged particle's trajectory. Constraints on the model parameters are obtained from cosmic-ray data and from information published by CDF in the context of the W boson mass measurement. Implications for the calibration of the drift chamber measurement of momentum are discussed. The robustness of the CDF calibration procedure is demonstrated. The model provides a framework for the analysis of precision magnetic trackers of high-momentum particles. Published by the American Physical Society 2025

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Commissioning of an MPGD-based Drift Chamber for Heavy-ion Tracking in FRIB's Sweeper magnet system

A newly developed drift chamber equipped with an innovative hybrid Micro-Pattern Gaseous Detector based readout was commissioned at FRIB. The detector consists of a Multi-layer Thick Gas Electron Multiplier (M-THGEM) mounted over a high-granularity, position-sensitive readout board. Denoted as the Micro-Pattern Drift Chamber (MPDC), the new device is used to provide tracking capability as part of the detectors of the Sweeper magnet system for neutron-invariant-mass spectrometry at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB). The localization of impinging ions in a 30 × 30 cm 2 drift area is derived by processing the charge-avalanche distribution induced on the segmented readout board. The signals induced on the readout pads are processed by a compact, multi-channel Data Acquisition System (DAQ) based on the Scalable Readout System (SRS). To facilitate synchronization with other detector systems of the Sweeper magnet system, the SRS has been configured to accept an external trigger.

Gaseous detectors↗

Gaussian process for calibration and control of GlueX Central Drift Chamber

We have developed and implemented a machine learning based system to calibrate and control the GlueX Central Drift Chamber at Jefferson Lab, VA, in near real-time. The system monitors environmental and experimental conditions during data taking and uses those as inputs to a Gaussian process (GP) with learned prior. The GP predicts calibration constants in order to recommend a high voltage (HV) setting for the detector that maintains consistent detector performance (gain and resolution) throughout data taking. This approach is in stark contrast to traditional detector operations in which the detector operates at fixed HV and its calibration parameters vary quite considerably with time. Additionally, the ML based system utilizes uncertainty quantification to correct the recommended control parameters when appropriate. We will present results from the ML system autonomously during the Charged Pion Polarizability (CPP) experiment conducted in Hall D at Jefferson Lab.

McSpadden, Helen↗

Gaussian process for calibration and control of GlueX Central Drift Chamber

We have developed and implemented a machine learning based system to calibrate and control the GlueX Central Drift Chamber at Jefferson Lab, VA, in near real-time. The system monitors environmental and experimental conditions during data taking and uses those as inputs to a Gaussian process (GP) with learned prior. The GP predicts calibration constants in order to recommend a high voltage (HV) setting for the detector that maintains consistent detector performance (gain and resolution) throughout data taking. This approach is in stark contrast to traditional detector operations in which the detector operates at fixed HV and its calibration parameters vary quite considerably with time. Additionally, the ML based system utilizes uncertainty quantification to correct the recommended control parameters when appropriate. We will present results from the ML system autonomously during the Charged Pion Polarizability (CPP) experiment conducted in Hall D at Jefferson Lab.

McSpadden, Helen↗

De-noising drift chambers in CLAS12 using convolutional auto encoders

Modern Nuclear Physics experimental setups run experiments with higher beam intensity resulting in increased noise in detector components used for particle track reconstruction. Increased uncorrelated signals (noise) result in decreased particle reconstruction efficiency. In this paper, we investigate the usage of Machine Learning, specifically Convolutional Neural Network Auto-Encoders (CAE), for de-noising raw hits from drift chambers in the CLAS12 detector. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time CAE is employed to perform such an operation in this field. During the de-noising phase, it is important to remove as much noise as possible while retaining the valid hits to avoid losing crucial information about the experiment. Here, we show that using CAE, it is possible to remove noise hits while retaining up to 94% of valid tracks for a beam current of 110nA while for lower beam currents (45-55nA), we get up to 98% efficiency. Studies on experimental conditions with increasing noise show that CAE performs better than conventional tracking algorithms in isolating hits belonging to tracks. Specifically, the de-noising algorithm results in tracking efficiency improvements greater than 15%, in real data production procedures with nominal conditions, and up to two times better efficiency in synthetically generated data with high luminosity conditions (90-110nA), indicating that machine learning can lead to significantly shorter times for conducting physics experiments.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Using AI to predict calibration constants for the central drift chamber in GlueX at Jefferson Lab

The AI for Experimental Controls project team at Jefferson Lab has developed an AI system to control and calibrate a large drift chamber system in near-real time. The AI system will monitor environmental and experimental variables to recommend voltage settings that maintain consistent dE/dx gain and optimal resolution throughout the experiment. At present, calibrations are performed after data have been recorded and require a considerable amount of time and attention from experts. The calibrations currently require multiple iterations and depend on accurate tracking information. Our approach uses environmental data, such as atmospheric pressure and gas temperature, and beam conditions, such as the flux of incident particles, as inputs to a Gaussian Process Regression (GPR) model. For the data taken during the GlueX 2020 run period, the GPR is able to predict the existing gain correction factors to within 3.5%. This talk will briefly describe the development, testing, and future plans for this system at Jefferson Lab.

Jeske, Torri↗

Control and Calibration of GlueX Central Drift Chamber Using Gaussian Process Regression

The Gluonic Excitations (GlueX) experiment is designed to search for exotic hybrid mesons using photoproduction, and to study the hybrid meson spectrum predicted from Lattice Quantum Chromodynamics. For the first time, the GlueX Central Drift Chamber was controlled autonomously using machine learning (ML) to calibrate in real time while recording cosmic ray tracks. We demonstrate the ability of a Gaussian Process to predict the gain correction calibration factor used to determine a high voltage setting that will stabilize the CDC gain in response to changing environmental conditions; this is in contrast to the traditional, computationally expensive method of calibrating raw data after data collection is complete.

McSpadden, Helen↗

A VXS [VITA41] Trigger Processor for the 12GEV Experimental Programs at Jefferson Lab

The VXS_Trigger_Processor [VTP] was developed and commissioned for CLAS12 in the fall of 2016. This board is a VITA41 switch card and it collects data from a variety of front-end TDC and Flash ADC modules. The VTP has since been used in several experiments at Jefferson Lab serving as the L1 trigger module for a variety of detector types, such as stacked calorimeters, strip calorimeters, time-of-flight, Cerenkov, hodoscopes, drift chambers, and silicon strips. Trigger algorithms implemented include cluster finding (1D, 2D), drift chamber segment and road finding, geometry matching between various detectors, particle counting, and general global trigger bit processing. The VTP is also capable of reading out each front-end crate with up to 40Gbps Ethernet which is an enormous increase compared to the currently used 200MB/s VME bus. Recent progress has been made to show that a firmware and software upgrade can enable existing Jefferson Lab front-end crates to operate in a streaming DAQ mode. In February 2020, tests will be performed on a full calorimeter and matched hodoscope which are components of the CLAS12 Forward Tagger detector system with beam in Hall B. This paper details the hardware performance, triggered, and streaming applications that have been implemented using the VTP for several experiments at Jefferson Lab.

ABBOTT, David↗

The IDEA detector concept for FCC-ee

A detector concept, named IDEA, optimized for the physics and running conditions at the FCC-ee is presented. After discussing the expected running conditions and the main physics drivers, a detailed description of the individual sub-detectors is given. These include: a very light tracking system with a powerful vertex detector inside a large drift chamber surrounded by a silicon wrapper, a high resolution dual readout crystal electromagnetic calorimeter, an HTS based superconducting solenoid, a dual readout fiber calorimeter and three layers of muon chambers embedded in the magnet flux return yoke. Some examples of the expected detector performance, based on fast and full simulation, are also given.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

The GlueX beamline and detector

The GlueX experiment at Jefferson Lab has been designed to study photoproduction reactions with a 9-GeV linearly polarized photon beam. The energy and arrival time of beam photons are tagged using a scintillator hodoscope and a scintillating fiber array. The photon flux is determined using a pair spectrometer, while the linear polarization of the photon beam is determined using a polarimeter based on triplet photoproduction. Charged-particle tracks from interactions in the central target are analyzed in a solenoidal field using a central straw-tube drift chamber and six packages of planar chambers with cathode strips and drift wires. Electromagnetic showers are reconstructed in a cylindrical scintillating fiber calorimeter inside the magnet and a lead-glass array downstream. Charged particle identification is achieved by measuring energy loss in the wire chambers and using the flight time of particles between the target and detectors outside the magnet. The signals from all detectors are recorded with flash ADCs and/or pipeline TDCs into memories allowing trigger decisions with a latency of 3.3 $μs$. The detector operates routinely at trigger rates of 40 kHz and data rates of 600 megabytes per second. Here, we describe the photon beam, the GlueX detector components, electronics, data-acquisition and monitoring systems, and the performance of the experiment during the first three years of operation.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Charged particle reconstruction in CLAS12 using Machine Learning

In this work, we present studies of track parameter reconstruction from raw information in CLAS12 detector's Drift Chambers, using Machine Learning (ML). We study the resolution of tracks reconstructed with different types of ML models/algorithms, including Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP), Extremely Randomized Trees (ERT) and Gradient Boosting Trees (GBT) using simulated data. We find that the resulting ML model is capable of reconstructing track parameters (particle momentum, and polar and azimuthal angles) with accuracy similar to Hit Based (HB) tracking code, but $150$ times faster. Moreover, physics reactions can be identified using the particles reconstructed by the neural network in real-time (with a rate of about $34~kHz$) during experimental data collection. The developed model can be used in numerous applications, such as triggering specific physics reactions in real-time, detector performance monitoring, and real-time detector calibration.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Preparation for a Measurement of Charge Asymmetry in the Bethe-Heitler Process

We have prepared a measurement of the energy asymmetry in wide- and medium-angle electron/positron pair production off protons and heavy targets. This asymmetry is caused by the interference between the first- and second-order Born diagrams and the Compton scattering diagram. It directly probes aspects of QED, as well as providing a direct measurement of the real part of the Compton amplitude. It will be conducted at the HI??S facility at Duke University, using a 60 MeV photon beam. This dissertation serves as documentation of the preparation stage of the Bethe-Heitler experiment. The major was the recommissioning of the vertical drift chambers previously used in the Q-weak experiment at the Jefferson Lab. Cosmic test runs were conducted, drift time data were collected and efficiency plateaus were measured. We made modifications to the JLAB Hall A analyzer to suit the geometry and drift characteristics of these wire chambers. The analyzer was used for the reconstruction of the trajectories of cosmic ray test runs with the results confirmed by direct measurement of trigger geometry. Spatial and angular resolution is estimated to ~300?? and 0.17° respectively. Geant 4 simulations with generated Bethe-Heitler pairs satisfying theoretical differential cross sections. It was used to check detector acceptance, optimize apparatus layout, and estimate measurable energy asymmetry. The measurable asymmetries from electron/positron pairs with polar angles around between approximately 5° and 8°, azimuthal angles differing by 180°, and energy differing by approximately 9 MeV to 15 MeV are predicted to be above 10%. The kinematics of primary vertices are reconstructed using the data from wire chambers in the simulation. The energy resolution is determined to be better than 1MeV.

Chen, Haoyu↗

Using machine learning for particle track identification in the CLAS12 detector

Particle track reconstruction is the most computationally intensive process in nuclear physics experiments. Traditional algorithms use a combinatorial approach that exhaustively tests track measurements ("hits") to identify those that form an actual particle trajectory. In this article, we describe the development of four machine learning (ML) models that assist the tracking algorithm by identifying valid track candidates from the measurements in drift chambers. Several types of machine learning models were tested, including: Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), Multi-Layer Perceptrons (MLP), Extremely Randomized Trees (ERT) and Recurrent Neural Networks (RNN). As a result of this work, an MLP network classifier was implemented as part of the CLAS12 reconstruction software to provide the tracking code with recommended track candidates. The resulting software achieved accuracy of greater than 99% and resulted in an end-to-end speedup of 35% compared to existing algorithms.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Measured and projected beam backgrounds in the Belle II experiment at the SuperKEKB collider

The Belle II experiment at the SuperKEKB electron–positron collider aims to collect an unprecedented data set of 50 ab -1 to study CP -violation in the B -meson system and to search for Physics beyond the Standard Model. SuperKEKB is already the world’s highest-luminosity collider. In order to collect the planned data set within approximately one decade, the target is to reach a peak luminosity of 6 x 10 35 cm −2 s −1 by further increasing the beam currents and reducing the beam size at the interaction point by squeezing the betatron function down to β $^*_y$ = 0.3 mm. To ensure detector longevity and maintain good reconstruction performance, beam backgrounds must remain well controlled. We report on current background rates in Belle II and compare these against simulation. We find that a number of recent refinements have significantly improved the background simulation accuracy. Finally, we estimate the safety margins going forward. We predict that backgrounds should remain high but acceptable until a luminosity of at least 2.8 x 10 35 cm −2 s −1 is reached for β $^*_y$ = 0.6 mm. At this point, the most vulnerable Belle II detectors, the Time-of-Propagation (TOP) particle identification system and the Central Drift Chamber (CDC), have predicted background hit rates from single-beam and luminosity backgrounds that add up to approximately half of the maximum acceptable rates.

Detector background↗

AI Driven Experiment Calibration and Control

One critical step on the path from data taking to physics analysis is calibration. For many experiments this step is both time consuming and computationally expensive. The AI Experimental Calibration and Control project seeks to address these issues, starting first with the GlueX Central Drift Chamber (CDC). We demonstrate the ability of a Gaussian Process to estimate the gain correction factor (GCF) of the GlueX CDC accurately, and also the uncertainty of this estimate. Using the estimated GCF, the developed system infers a new high voltage (HV) setting that stabilizes the GCF in the face of changing environmental conditions. This happens in near real time during data taking and produces data which are already approximately gain-calibrated, eliminating the cost of performing those calibrations which vary ±15% with fixed HV. We also demonstrate an implementation of an uncertainty aware system which exploits a key feature of a Gaussian process.

Britton, Thomas↗