arXiv subjects

A. Hime

Publications and source records attributed to A. Hime.

34 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2011

Measurement of the $ν_e$ and Total $^{8}$B Solar Neutrino Fluxes with the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory Phase-III Data Set

This paper details the solar neutrino analysis of the 385.17-day Phase-III data set acquired by the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO). An array of $^3$He proportional counters was installed in the heavy-water target to measure precisely the rate of neutrino-deuteron neutral-current interactions. This technique to determine the total active $^8$B solar neutrino flux was largely independent of the methods employed in previous phases. The total flux of active neutrinos was measured to be $5.54^{+0.33}_{-0.31}(stat.)^{+0.36}_{-0.34}(syst.)\times 10^{6}$ cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$, consistent with previous measurements and standard solar models. A global analysis of solar and reactor neutrino mixing parameters yielded the best-fit values of $Δm^2 = 7.59^{+0.19}_{-0.21}\times 10^{-5}{eV}^2$ and $θ= 34.4^{+1.3}_{-1.2}$ degrees.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2011

A Monte Carlo simulation of the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory proportional counters

The third phase of the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) experiment added an array of 3He proportional counters to the detector. The purpose of this Neutral Current Detection (NCD) array was to observe neutrons resulting from neutral-current solar neutrino-deuteron interactions. We have developed a detailed simulation of the current pulses from the NCD array proportional counters, from the primary neutron capture on 3He through the NCD array signal-processing electronics. This NCD array Monte Carlo simulation was used to model the alpha-decay background in SNO's third-phase 8B solar-neutrino measurement.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2010

A Radon Progeny Deposition Model

The next generation low-background detectors operating underground aim for unprecedented low levels of radioactive backgrounds. Although the radioactive decays of airborne radon (particularly Rn-222) and its subsequent progeny present in an experiment are potential backgrounds, also problematic is the deposition of radon progeny on detector materials. Exposure to radon at any stage of assembly of an experiment can result in surface contamination by progeny supported by the long half life (22 y) of Pb-210 on sensitive locations of a detector. An understanding of the potential surface contamination from deposition will enable requirements of radon-reduced air and clean room environments for the assembly of low background experiments. It is known that there are a number of environmental factors that govern the deposition of progeny onto surfaces. However, existing models have not explored the impact of some environmental factors important for low background experiments. A test stand has been constructed to deposit radon progeny on various surfaces under a controlled environment in order to develop a deposition model. Results from this test stand and the resulting deposition model are presented.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2010

Astroparticle Physics with a Customized Low-Background Broad Energy Germanium Detector

The MAJORANA Collaboration is building the MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR, a 60 kg array of high purity germanium detectors housed in an ultra-low background shield at the Sanford Underground Laboratory in Lead, SD. The MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR will search for neutrinoless double-beta decay of 76Ge while demonstrating the feasibility of a tonne-scale experiment. It may also carry out a dark matter search in the 1-10 GeV/c^2 mass range. We have found that customized Broad Energy Germanium (BEGe) detectors produced by Canberra have several desirable features for a neutrinoless double-beta decay experiment, including low electronic noise, excellent pulse shape analysis capabilities, and simple fabrication. We have deployed a customized BEGe, the MAJORANA Low-Background BEGe at Kimballton (MALBEK), in a low-background cryostat and shield at the Kimballton Underground Research Facility in Virginia. This paper will focus on the detector characteristics and measurements that can be performed with such a radiation detector in a low-background environment.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2010

Prediction of Underground Argon Content for Dark Matter Experiments

In this paper, we demonstrate the use of physical models to evaluate the production of $^{39}$Ar and $^{40}$Ar underground. Considering both cosmogenic $^{39}$Ar production and radiogenic $^{40}$Ar production in situ and from external sources, we can derive the ratio of $^{39}$Ar to $^{40}$Ar in underground sources. We show for the first time that the $^{39}$Ar production underground is dominated by stopping negative muon capture on $^{39}$K and ($α,n)$ induced subsequent $^{39}$K(n,p)$^{39}$Ar reactions. The production of $^{39}$Ar is shown as a function of depth. We demonstrate that argon depleted in $^{39}$Ar can be obtained only if the depth of the underground resources is greater than 500 m.w.e. below the surface. Stopping negative muon capture on $^{39}$K dominates over radiogenic production at depths of less than 2000 m.w.e., and that production by muon-induced neutrons is subdominant at any depth. The depletion factor depends strongly on both radioactivity level and potassium content in the rock. We measure the radioactivity concentration and potassium concentration in the rock for a potential site of an underground argon source in South Dakota. Depending on the probability of $^{39}$Ar and $^{40}$Ar produced underground being dissolved in the water, the upper limit of the concentration of $^{39}$Ar in the underground water at this site is estimated to be in a range of a factor of 1.6 to 155 less than the $^{39}$Ar concentration in the atmosphere. The calculation tools presented in this paper are also critical to the dating method with $^{39}$Ar.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2009

Neutron inelastic scattering and reactions in natural Pb as a background in neutrinoless double-beta-decay experiments

Inelastic neutron scattering and reactions on Pb isotopes can result in gamma rays near the signature endpoint energy in a number of double-beta decay isotopes. In particular, there are gamma-ray transitions in Pb-206,207,208 that might produce energy deposits at the 76-Ge Q value in Ge detectors used for double-beta decay searches. The levels that produce these gamma rays can be excited by (n,n'gamma) or (n,xngamma) reactions, but the cross sections are small and previously unmeasured. This work uses the pulsed neutron beam at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center to directly measure reactions of interest to double-beta decay experiments. The cross section on natural Pb to produce the 2041-keV gamma ray from Pb-206 is measured to be 3.6 +/- 0.7 (stat.) +/- 0.3 (syst.) mb at ~9.6 MeV. The cross section on natural Pb to produce the 3062-keV gamma ray from Pb-207 and Pb-208 is measured to be 3.9 +/- 0.8 (stat.) +/- 0.4 (syst.) mb at the same energy. We report cross sections or place upper limits on the cross sections for exciting some other levels in Pb that have transition energies corresponding to Q value in other double-beta decay isotopes.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2009

Evaluation of (alpha,n) Induced Neutrons as a Background for Dark Matter Experiments

Neutrons from ($α$,n) reactions through thorium and uranium decays are important sources of background for direct dark matter detection. The neutron yields and energy spectra from a range of materials that are used to build dark matter detectors are calculated and tabulated. In addition to thorium and uranium decays, we found that $α$ particles from samarium, often the dopant of the window materials of photomultiplier tubes (PMT), are also an important source of neutron yield. The results in this paper can be used as the input to Monte Carlo simulations for many materials that will be used for next generation experiments.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2008

Scintillation time dependence and pulse shape discrimination in liquid argon

Using a single-phase liquid argon detector with a signal yield of 4.85 photoelectrons per keV of electronic-equivalent recoil energy (keVee), we measure the scintillation time dependence of both electronic and nuclear recoils in liquid argon down to 5 keVee. We develop two methods of pulse shape discrimination to distinguish between electronic and nuclear recoils. Using one of these methods, we measure a background and statistics-limited level of electronic recoil contamination to be $7.6\times10^{-7}$ between 60 and 128 keV of nuclear recoil energy (keVr) for a nuclear recoil acceptance of 50% with no nuclear recoil-like events above 72 keVr. Finally, we develop a maximum likelihood method of pulse shape discrimination using the measured scintillation time dependence and predict the sensitivity to WIMP-nucleon scattering in three configurations of a liquid argon dark matter detector.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2008

A Model of Nuclear Recoil Scintillation Efficiency in Noble Liquids

Scintillation efficiency of low-energy nuclear recoils in noble liquids plays a crucial role in interpreting results from some direct searches for Weakly Interacting Massive Particle (WIMP) dark matter. However, the cause of a reduced scintillation efficiency relative to electronic recoils in noble liquids remains unclear at the moment. We attribute such a reduction of scintillation efficiency to two major mechanisms: 1) energy loss and 2) scintillation quenching. The former is commonly described by Lindhard's theory and the latter by Birk's saturation law. We propose to combine these two to explain the observed reduction of scintillation yield for nuclear recoils in noble liquids. Birk's constants $kB$ for argon, neon and xenon determined from existing data are used to predict noble liquid scintillator's response to low-energy nuclear recoils and low-energy electrons. We find that energy loss due to nuclear stopping power that contributes little to ionization and excitation is the dominant reduction mechanism in scintillation efficiency for nuclear recoils, but that significant additional quenching results from the nonlinear response of scintillation to the ionization density.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2008

Neutron Inelastic Scattering Processes as Background for Double-Beta Decay Experiments

We investigate several Pb$(n,n'γ$) and Ge$(n,n'γ$) reactions. We measure $γ$-ray production from Pb$(n,n'γ$) reactions that can be a significant background for double-beta decay experiments which use lead as a massive inner shield. Particularly worrisome for Ge-based double-beta decay experiments are the 2041-keV and 3062-keV $γ$ rays produced via Pb$(n,n'γ$). The former is very close to the ^{76}Ge double-beta decay endpoint energy and the latter has a double escape peak energy near the endpoint. Excitation $γ$-ray lines from Ge$(n,n'γ$) reactions are also observed. We consider the contribution of such backgrounds and their impact on the sensitivity of next-generation searches for neutrinoless double-beta decay using enriched germanium detectors.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2007

An array of low-background $^3$He proportional counters for the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory

An array of Neutral-Current Detectors (NCDs) has been built in order to make a unique measurement of the total active flux of solar neutrinos in the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO). Data in the third phase of the SNO experiment were collected between November 2004 and November 2006, after the NCD array was added to improve the neutral-current sensitivity of the SNO detector. This array consisted of 36 strings of proportional counters filled with a mixture of $^3$He and CF$_4$ gas capable of detecting the neutrons liberated by the neutrino-deuteron neutral current reaction in the D$_2$O, and four strings filled with a mixture of $^4$He and CF$_4$ gas for background measurements. The proportional counter diameter is 5 cm. The total deployed array length was 398 m. The SNO NCD array is the lowest-radioactivity large array of proportional counters ever produced. This article describes the design, construction, deployment, and characterization of the NCD array, discusses the electronics and data acquisition system, and considers event signatures and backgrounds.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2007

Deep Underground Science and Engineering Lab: S1 Dark Matter Working Group

A study of the current status of WIMP dark matter searches has been made in the context of scientific and technical planning for a Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory (DUSEL) in the U.S. The table of contents follows: 1. Overview 2. WIMP Dark Matter: Cosmology, Astrophysics, and Particle Physics 3. Direct Detection of WIMPs 4. Indirect Detection of WIMPs 5. Dark Matter Candidates and New Physics in the Laboratory 6. Synergies with Other Sub-Fields 7. Direct Detection Experiments: Status and Future Prospects 8. Infrastructure 9. International Context 10. Summary and Outlook 11. Acknowledgments

astro-ph↗

arXiv2005

Muon-Induced Background Study for Underground Laboratories

We provide a comprehensive study of the cosmic-ray muon flux and induced activity as a function of overburden along with a convenient parameterization of the salient fluxes and differential distributions for a suite of underground laboratories ranging in depth from $\sim$1 to 8 km.w.e.. Particular attention is given to the muon-induced fast neutron activity for the underground sites and we develop a Depth-Sensitivity-Relation to characterize the effect of such background in experiments searching for WIMP dark matter and neutrinoless double beta decay.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

Direct WIMP Detection Using Scintillation Time Discrimination in Liquid Argon

Discrimination between electron and nuclear recoil events in a liquid argon scintillation detector has been demonstrated with simulations by using the differences in the scintillation photon time distribution between these classes of events. A discrimination power greater than 10^{8} is predicted for a liquid argon experiment with a 10 keV threshold, which would mitigate electron and gamma-ray backgrounds, including beta decays of 39-Ar and 42-Ar in atmospheric argon. A dark matter search using a ~2 kg argon target viewed by immersed photomultiplier tubes would allow a sensitivity to a spin-independent WIMP-nucleon cross-section of ~10^{-43} cm^{2} for a 100 GeV WIMP, assuming a one-year exposure. This technique could be used to scale the target mass to the tonne scale, allowing a sensitivity of ~10^{-46} cm^{2}.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

Design Constraints for a WIMP Dark Matter and pp Solar Neutrino Liquid Neon Scintillation Detector

Detailed Monte-Carlo simulations were used to evaluate the performance of a liquid neon scintillation detector for dark matter and low-energy solar neutrino interactions. A maximum-likelihood event vertex fitter including PMT time information was developed, which significantly improves position resolution over spatial-only algorithms, and substantially decreases the required detector size and achievable analysis energy threshold. The ultimate sensitivity to WIMP dark matter and the pp flux uncertainty are evaluated as a function of detector size. The dependence on the neon scintillation and PMT properties are evaluated. A 300 cm radius detector would allow a ~13 keV threshold, a pp flux uncertainty of ~1%, and limits on the spin-independent WIMP-nucleon cross-section of ~10^{-46} cm^2 for a 100 GeV WIMP, using commercially available PMTs. Detector response calibration and background requirements for a precision pp measurement are defined. Internal radioactivity requirements for uranium, thorium, and krypton are specified, and it is shown that the PMT data could be used for an in-situ calibration of the troublesome krypton-85. A set of measurements of neon scintillation properties and PMT characteristics are outlined which will be needed in order to evaluate feasibility and fully optimize the design of a neon-based detector.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2004

The Cosmic Ray Muon Flux at WIPP

In this work a measurement of the muon intensity at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad, NM, USA is presented. WIPP is a salt mine with a depth of 655 m. The vertical muon flux was measured with a two panels scintillator coincidence setup to Phi_{vert}=3.10(+0.05/-0.07)*10^(-7)s^(-1)cm^(-2)sr^(-1).

astro-ph↗