This paper describes an undergraduate-level physics project that incorporates various aspects of machine- and electronics-shop technical development. The desktop muon detector is a self-contained ...apparatus that employs plastic scintillator as a detection medium and a silicon photomultiplier for light collection. These detectors can be used in conjunction with the provided software to make interesting physics measurements. The total cost of each counter is approximately $100.
AIP Conference Proceedings 2011, 030002 (2018) IsoDAR is an experiment under development to search for sterile neutrinos
using the isotope Decay-At-Rest (DAR) production mechanism, where protons
...impinging on $^9$Be create neutrons which capture on $^7$Li which then
beta-decays producing $\bar{\nu}_e$. As this will be an isotropic source of
$\bar{\nu}_e$, the primary driver current must be large (10 mA cw) for IsoDAR
to have sufficient statistics to be conclusive within 5 years of running.
H$_2^+$ was chosen as primary ion to overcome some of the space-charge
limitations during low energy beam transport and injection into a compact
cyclotron. The H$_2^+$ will be stripped into protons before the target. At MIT,
a multicusp ion source (MIST-1) was designed and built to produce a high
intensity beam with a high H$_2^+$ fraction. MIST-1 is now operational at the
Plasma Science and Fusion Center (PSFC) at MIT and under commissioning.
The short baseline neutrino oscillation experiment, KPipe, is designed to perform a sensitive search for muon neutrino disappearance in the current global fit allowed regions for sterile neutrinos. ...KPipe is to be located at the Material Life Science Experimental Facility at J-PARC: the world's most intense source of 236~MeV, monoenergetic muon neutrinos. By measuring the \(\nu_\mu\) charged current interaction rate along a 120~m long, 3~m diameter detector, KPipe can map out short baseline oscillations over an L/E of 0.14 to 0.64~m/MeV. Using a long, single detector to measure the \(\nu_\mu\) interaction rate as a function of distance largely eliminates the systematic uncertainties associated with cross sections and fluxes. In this paper, we show that KPipe can cover the current global best fit to 5\(\sigma\) after 3 years of running.
Thesis: Sc. D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Physics, 2020
"The following pages, 92-94, were not included in the original document submitted to the MIT Libraries. This is the ...most complete copy available"--Disclaimer page. Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. Supervised by Janet M. Conrad.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 217-239).
The IceCube Neutrino Observatory is capable of performing a unique search for sterile neutrinos through the exploitation of a matter enhanced resonant neutrino oscillation phenomena. As atmospheric muon neutrinos pass the dense material within the Earth, neutral current elastic forward scattering is predicted to induce a transition into a sterile state. This thesis presents two 3+1 sterile neutrino analyses by searching for spectral differences in the reconstructed energy and zenith direction of muon neutrino events, indicative of a transition into a sterile state. The first search probes the parameter space deltam²₄₁ and sin²(2theta₂₄) with relevant sensitivity to the global best fit region for a 3+1 sterile neutrino hypothesis. The second search performs a scan through sin²(2theta₂₄) and sin²(theta₃₄) in the oscillation averaged out region of high-deltam²₄₁ (theta²₄₁ >~ 10 eV²). The analyses are performed using an improved event selection, which was found to extract 305,891 well reconstructed muon neutrino events with a sample purity above 99.9%, from eight years of IceCube data. Novel simulation techniques, along with updated calibration, and a re-assessment of the systematic uncertainties are also discussed. The first analysis finds a best fit sterile hypothesis point at theta²₄₁ = 4.47eV² and sin²(theta₂₄ = 0.10, consistent with the no-sterile hypothesis at the 8% confidence level. The second analysis finds a best fit sterile hypothesis at sin²(theta₃₄ = 0.40, sin²(theta₃₄ =0.006, consistent with the null hypothesis at the 19% confidence level.
by Spencer Nicholas Gaelan Axani.
Sc. D.
Sc. D. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Physics
This technical report reviews the tests performed at the Best Cyclotron
Systems, Inc. facility in regards to developing a cost effective ion source,
beam line transport system, and acceleration ...system capable of high H$_2^+$
current output for the IsoDAR (Isotope Decay At Rest) experiment. We begin by
outlining the requirements for the IsoDAR experiment then provide overview of
the Versatile Ion Source, Low Energy Beam Transport system, spiral inflector,
and cyclotron. The experimental measurements are then discussed and the results
are compared with a thorough set of simulation studies. Of particular
importance we note that the Versatile Ion Source (VIS) proved to be a reliable
ion source capable of generating a large amount of H$_2^+$ current. The results
suggest that with further upgrades, the VIS could potentially be a suitable
candidate for IsoDAR. The conclusion outlines the key results from our tests
and introduces the forthcoming work this technical report has motivated.
This technical report reviews the tests performed at the Best Cyclotron Systems, Inc. facility in regards to developing a cost effective ion source, beam line transport system, and acceleration ...system capable of high H\(_2^+\) current output for the IsoDAR (Isotope Decay At Rest) experiment. We begin by outlining the requirements for the IsoDAR experiment then provide overview of the Versatile Ion Source, Low Energy Beam Transport system, spiral inflector, and cyclotron. The experimental measurements are then discussed and the results are compared with a thorough set of simulation studies. Of particular importance we note that the Versatile Ion Source (VIS) proved to be a reliable ion source capable of generating a large amount of H\(_2^+\) current. The results suggest that with further upgrades, the VIS could potentially be a suitable candidate for IsoDAR. The conclusion outlines the key results from our tests and introduces the forthcoming work this technical report has motivated.
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