The improved results on a direct search for a new X ( 16.7 MeV ) boson that could explain the anomalous excess of e+e− pairs observed in the decays of the excited 8Be ∗ nuclei ("Berillium or X17 ...anomaly") are reported. Interestingly, new recent results in the nuclear transitions of another nucleus, 4 He , seems to support this anomaly spurring the need for an independent measurement. If the X boson exists, it could be produced in the bremsstrahlung reaction e − Z → e − Z X by a high energy beam of electrons incident on the active target in the NA64 experiment at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron and observed through its subsequent decay into e+e− pairs. No evidence for such decays was found from the combined analysis of the data samples with total statistics corresponding to 8.4 × 1010 electrons on target collected in 2017 and 2018. This allows one to set new limits on the X−e− coupling in the range 1.2 × 10−4 ≲ ε e ≲ 6.8 × 10−4 , excluding part of the parameter space favored by the X17 anomaly, and setting new bounds on the mixing strength of photons with dark photons ( A ′ ) with a mass ≲ 24 MeV . For the 2018 run, the setup was optimized to probe the region of parameter space characterized by a large coupling ε . This allowed a significant improvement in sensitivity despite a relatively modest increase in statistics.
We report the first results on a direct search for a new 16.7 MeV boson (X) which could explain the anomalous excess of e^{+}e^{-} pairs observed in the excited ^{8}Be^{*} nucleus decays. Because of ...its coupling to electrons, the X could be produced in the bremsstrahlung reaction e^{-}Z→e^{-}ZX by a 100 GeV e^{-} beam incident on an active target in the NA64 experiment at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron and observed through the subsequent decay into a e^{+}e^{-} pair. With 5.4×10^{10} electrons on target, no evidence for such decays was found, allowing us to set first limits on the X-e^{-} coupling in the range 1.3×10^{-4}≲ε_{e}≲4.2×10^{-4} excluding part of the allowed parameter space. We also set new bounds on the mixing strength of photons with dark photons (A^{'}) from nonobservation of the decay A^{'}→e^{+}e^{-} of the bremsstrahlung A^{'} with a mass ≲23 MeV.
Online Gas Gain Monitoring System Bautin, V.; Salamatin, K.; Enik, T. ...
Physics of particles and nuclei letters,
10/2023, Volume:
20, Issue:
5
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
The paper presents methods and means of automated gas gain stability monitoring and registration for gaseous proportional counters. Experiments using straw-detectors require permanent monitoring of ...the gas gain, which depends on a set of variables. However, it is not always possible to control each parameter, so monitoring the resulting gas gain change is more optimal. To solve this problem, a monitoring system was developed that digitizes the complex influence of all factors and is designed to diagnose and debug the detector operation performance, as well as to prevent distortion of experimental data. The work of the system is based on acquiring ADC spectra of the detector response to a Fe
source and on monitoring the peak position of this distribution. The peak position in the specified range of values is the main indicator of the correct operation of the detector. Using this system, useful information was obtained about the undesirable influence of some of external factors and a procedure of a complex troubleshooting was developed for the experimental stand.
We report the results of a search for a new vector boson (
A
′
) decaying into two dark matter particles
χ
1
χ
2
of different mass. The heavier
χ
2
particle subsequently decays to
χ
1
and an ...off-shell Dark Photon
A
′
∗
→
e
+
e
-
. For a sufficiently large mass splitting, this model can explain in terms of new physics the recently confirmed discrepancy observed in the muon anomalous magnetic moment at Fermilab. Remarkably, it also predicts the observed yield of thermal dark matter relic abundance. A detailed Monte-Carlo simulation was used to determine the signal yield and detection efficiency for this channel in the NA64 setup. The results were obtained re-analyzing the previous NA64 searches for an invisible decay
A
′
→
χ
χ
¯
and axion-like or pseudo-scalar particles
a
→
γ
γ
. With this method, we exclude a significant portion of the parameter space justifying the muon g-2 anomaly and being compatible with the observed dark matter relic density for
A
′
masses from 2
m
e
up to 390 MeV and mixing parameter
ε
between
3
×
10
-
5
and
2
×
10
-
2
.
Hunting down the X17 boson at the CERN SPS Depero, E.; Andreev, Yu. M.; Banerjee, D. ...
European physical journal. C, Particles and fields,
12/2020, Volume:
80, Issue:
12
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Recently, the ATOMKI experiment has reported new evidence for the excess of
e
+
e
-
events with a mass
∼
17 MeV in the nuclear transitions of
4
He, that they previously observed in measurements with
...8
Be. These observations could be explained by the existence of a new vector
X
17
boson. So far, the search for the decay
X
17
→
e
+
e
-
with the NA64 experiment at the CERN SPS gave negative results. Here, we present a new technique that could be implemented in NA64 aiming to improve the sensitivity and to cover the remaining
X
17
parameter space. If a signal-like event is detected, an unambiguous observation is achieved by reconstructing the invariant mass of the
X
17
decay with the proposed method. To reach this goal an optimization of the
X
17
production target, as well as an efficient and accurate reconstruction of two close decay tracks, is required. A dedicated analysis of the available experimental data making use of the trackers information is presented. This method provides independent confirmation of the NA64 published results
1
, validating the tracking procedure. The detailed Monte Carlo study of the proposed setup and the background estimate show that the goal of the proposed search is feasible.
A
bstract
The inclusion of an additional U(1) gauge
L
μ
−
L
τ
symmetry would release the tension between the measured and the predicted value of the anomalous muon magnetic moment: this paradigm ...assumes the existence of a new, light
Z
′ vector boson, with dominant coupling to
μ
and
τ
leptons and interacting with electrons via a loop mechanism. The
L
μ
−
L
τ
model can also explain the Dark Matter relic abundance, by assuming that the
Z
′ boson acts as a “portal” to a new Dark Sector of particles in Nature, not charged under known interactions. In this work we present the results of the
Z
′ search performed by the NA64-
e
experiment at CERN SPS, that collected ~ 9 × 10
11
100 GeV electrons impinging on an active thick target. Despite the suppressed
Z
′ production yield with an electron beam, NA64-
e
provides the first accelerator-based results excluding the
g −
2 preferred band of the
Z
′ parameter space in the 1 keV
<
m
Z
′
≲ 2 MeV range, in complementarity with the limits recently obtained by the NA64-
μ
experiment with a muon beam.
We present the measurement of the intrinsic hadronic contamination at the CERN SPS H4 beamline configured to transport electrons and positrons at 100 GeV/c. The analysis, performed using data ...collected by the NA64-e experiment in 2022, is based on calorimetric measurements, exploiting the different interaction mechanisms of electrons and hadrons in the NA64 detector. We determined the contamination by comparing the results obtained using the nominal electron/positron beamline configuration with those from a dedicated setup, in which only hadrons impinged on the detector. We also obtained an estimate of the relative protons, anti-protons and pions yield by exploiting the different absorption probabilities of these particles in matter. We cross-checked our results with a dedicated Monte Carlo simulation for the hadron production at the primary T2 target, finding a good agreement with the experimental measurements.
Trackers built of straw drift tubes are a perfect solution for precise track measurements in High Energy and Neutrino Physics experiments operating at low and moderate event rate. Straw Trackers will ...play crucial roles in such future detectors as Near-Detector Complex of the DUNE experiment, Hidden Sector Detector of the SHiP experiment and the NICA SPD detector. Performance requirements on a Tracker and its readout electronics are defined by the Physics goals. Proper evaluation of the designed Tracker performance demands realistic simulation and studies with tracker prototypes. Preliminary results of the muon beam measurements done with straw tube chambers at the CERN SPS test beam line are compared to predictions obtained with GARFIELD simulation package interfaced to LTSpice program for electronics circuit modeling.
PDF
