The most successful class of direct detection of WIMPs with masses from few GeV/c2 to TeV/c2 have utilized Liquid Xenon time projection chambers (TPCs). The XENON project adopted dual phase TPCs ...using ultra-pure liquid Xenon as both target and detection medium for WIMPs. The first ton-scale Liquid Xenon based TPC, XENON1T, is running at the Gran Sasso Laboratory. With an active mass inside the TPC of 2 tonnes, data were collected for 278.8 days live time. Within a fiducial mass of 1.3 tonne, this results in 1.0 tonne×year exposure. In the energy region of interest, the detector exhibits the lowest background ever obtained in direct dark matter search experiment. In these data no significant excess over background is found and the most stringent limits on WIMP-nucleon spin-independent elastic scattering cross section has been set for masses above 6 GeV/c2 with a minimum of 4.1×10−47cm2 at 30 GeV/c2.
Neutrino physics with DARWIN Benabderrahmane, M. L.
Journal of physics. Conference series,
09/2017, Volume:
888, Issue:
1
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
DARWIN (DARk matter WImp search with liquid xenoN) will be a multi-ton dark matter detector with the primary goal of exploring the entire experimentally accessible parameter space for weakly ...interacting massive particles (WIMPs) over a wide mass-range. With its 40 tonne active liquid xenon target, low-energy threshold and ultra-low background level, DARWIN can also search for other rare interactions. Here we present its sensitivity to low-energy solar neutrinos and to neutrinoless double beta decay. In a low-energy window of 2-30 keV a rate of 105/year, from pp and 7Be neutrinos can be reached. Such a measurement, with 1% precision will allow testing neutrinos models. DARWIN could also reach a competitive half-life sensitivity of 8.5 · 1027 y to the neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ) of 136Xe after an exposure of 140 t×y of natural xenon. Nuclear recoils from coherent scattering of solar neutrinos will limit the sensitivity to WIMP masses below 5 GeV/c2, and the event rate from 8B neutrinos would range from a few to a few tens of events per tonne and year, depending on the energy threshold of the detector. Deviations from the predicted but yet unmeasured neutrino flux would be an indication for physics beyond the Standard Model
Abstract
The Rapid Acquisition Atmospheric Detector (RAAD), onboard
the LIGHT-1 3U CubeSat, detects photons between hard X-rays and soft
gamma-rays, in order to identify and characterize Terrestrial ...Gamma
Ray Flashes (TGFs). Three detector configurations are tested, making
use of Cerium Bromide and Lanthanum BromoChloride scintillating
crystals coupled to photomultiplier tubes or Multi-Pixel Photon
Counters, in order to identify the optimal combination for TGF
detection. High timing resolution, a short trigger window, and the
short decay time of its electronics allow RAAD to perform accurate
measurements of prompt, transient events. Here, we describe the
overview of the detection concept, the development of the front-end
acquisition electronics, as well as the ground testing and
simulation that the payload underwent prior to its launch on
December 21
st
, 2021. We further present an analysis of
the detector's in-orbit system behavior and some preliminary
results.
We report on a search for weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) using 278.8 days of data collected with the XENON1T experiment at LNGS. XENON1T utilizes a liquid xenon time projection chamber ...with a fiducial mass of (1.30±0.01) ton, resulting in a 1.0 ton yr exposure. The energy region of interest, 1.4,10.6 keV_{ee} (4.9,40.9 keV_{nr}), exhibits an ultralow electron recoil background rate of 82_{-3}^{+5}(syst)±3(stat) events/(ton yr keV_{ee}). No significant excess over background is found, and a profile likelihood analysis parametrized in spatial and energy dimensions excludes new parameter space for the WIMP-nucleon spin-independent elastic scatter cross section for WIMP masses above 6 GeV/c^{2}, with a minimum of 4.1×10^{-47} cm^{2} at 30 GeV/c^{2} and a 90% confidence level.
Full text
Available for:
CMK, CTK, FMFMET, IJS, NUK, PNG, UM
Abstract
Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes (TGFs) are a prompt, high energy, very intense natural emission of gamma rays from Earth’s atmosphere. Consisting of an upward sub-millisecond bursts of gamma ...rays (energy up to one hundred MeV), TGFs are mostly generated in powerful thunderstorms by lightnings. Given their production mechanism, several TGF counterparts can be detected too (mostly radio waves, electron beams and neutrons from photo-production). To investigate the X- and gamma-ray components, the ideal experiment is a space-borne instrument, operating at Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and featuring a fast detector response, possibly with spectral abilities. The CubeSat space mission LIGHT-1, launched in December 21st, 2021 and deployed from the International Space Station (ISS) on February 3rd, 2022, has been tailored around such physics requirements and it represents the technological demonstrator of possible larger missions to detect and localize TGF events. LIGHT-1 will help in making advancements in the TGF current knowledge: TGF occurring rates, average ignition altitude, production mechanism and effects on daily life on Earth are yet to be fully modeled and understood. In this paper the main characteristics of LIGHT-1 mission and the first preliminary flight data are reported.
We report the first dark matter search results from XENON1T, a ∼2000-kg-target-mass dual-phase (liquid-gas) xenon time projection chamber in operation at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso in ...Italy and the first ton-scale detector of this kind. The blinded search used 34.2 live days of data acquired between November 2016 and January 2017. Inside the (1042±12)-kg fiducial mass and in the 5,40 keV_{nr} energy range of interest for weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) dark matter searches, the electronic recoil background was (1.93±0.25)×10^{-4} events/(kg×day×keV_{ee}), the lowest ever achieved in such a dark matter detector. A profile likelihood analysis shows that the data are consistent with the background-only hypothesis. We derive the most stringent exclusion limits on the spin-independent WIMP-nucleon interaction cross section for WIMP masses above 10 GeV/c^{2}, with a minimum of 7.7×10^{-47} cm^{2} for 35-GeV/c^{2} WIMPs at 90% C.L.
Full text
Available for:
CMK, CTK, FMFMET, IJS, NUK, PNG, UM
We describe the performance of a 23×23×30 mm3 low background cerium bromide, CeBr3(LB), scintillator crystal coupled to a Hamamatsu R11265U-200 photomultiplier. This detector will be the building ...block for a gamma-ray detector array designed to be the payload for a CubeSat to be launched in 2020. The aim of the mission is to study flashes of gamma rays of terrestrial origin. The design of the detector has been tuned for the detection of gamma rays in the 20 keV–3 MeV energy range.
Abstract
The selection of low-radioactive construction materials is of utmost importance for the success of low-energy rare event search experiments. Besides radioactive contaminants in the bulk, the ...emanation of radioactive radon atoms from material surfaces attains increasing relevance in the effort to further reduce the background of such experiments. In this work, we present the
$$^{222}$$
222
Rn emanation measurements performed for the XENON1T dark matter experiment. Together with the bulk impurity screening campaign, the results enabled us to select the radio-purest construction materials, targeting a
$$^{222}$$
222
Rn activity concentration of
$$10\,\mathrm{\,}\upmu \mathrm{Bq}/\mathrm{kg}$$
10
μ
Bq
/
kg
in
$$3.2\,\mathrm{t}$$
3.2
t
of xenon. The knowledge of the distribution of the
$$^{222}$$
222
Rn sources allowed us to selectively eliminate problematic components in the course of the experiment. The predictions from the emanation measurements were compared to data of the
$$^{222}$$
222
Rn activity concentration in XENON1T. The final
$$^{222}$$
222
Rn activity concentration of
$$(4.5\pm 0.1)\,\mathrm{\,}\upmu \mathrm{Bq}/\mathrm{kg}$$
(
4.5
±
0.1
)
μ
Bq
/
kg
in the target of XENON1T is the lowest ever achieved in a xenon dark matter experiment.
Full text
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
A compact muon tracking system for didactic and outreach activities Antolini, R.; Candela, A.; Conicella, V. ...
Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment,
07/2016, Volume:
824
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
We present a cosmic ray telescope based on the use of plastic scintillator bars coupled to ASD-RGB1S-M Advansid Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPM) through wavelength shifter fibers. The system is ...comprised of 200 electronic channels organized into 10 couples of orthogonal planes allowing the 3D reconstruction of crossing muons. Two monolithic PCB boards have been designed to bias, readout all the SiPMs enclosed in the system, to monitor the working parameters and to remotely connect the detector. To make easier the display of muon tracks to non-expert users, two LED matrices, triggered by particle interactions, have been implemented. To improve the usability of the muon telescope, a controller board unit permits to select different levels of trigger and allows data acquisition for refined analyses for the more proficient user. A first prototype, funded by INFN and deployed in collaboration with NYUAD, is operating at the Toledo Metro station of Naples, while two further detectors will be developed and installed in Abu Dhabi in the next few months.
•A compact system for real time displaying of muon tracks is presented.•The system is based on scintillating plates composed of doped polystyrene bars.•By using SiPMs and corresponding LEDs the muon paths can be visualized.•The purpose of this system is to introduce the public to sub-nuclear particles.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
We present a muon tracking system based on the use of plastic scintillator strips and Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs). Originally intended to be used mainly in outreach activities, the detector ...became an effective instrument to perform muon flux intensity measurements and for muon transmission imaging applications. It consists of two independent orthogonal views, each one made of 10 planes and containing 10 detection channels per plane. A custom electronics has been designed to bias and readout all the 200 SiPMs in the detector, to generate the trigger logic pattern and to control the working parameters. Thanks to an on-board data acquisition system, standalone data taking is possible with the addition of a computer. Commissioning and performance of the detector are presented, along with preliminary results concerning the first data taking on Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, with the aim of measuring the local cosmic ray flux and to assess its muon transmission imaging capability.
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