arXiv subjects

C. Marquet

Publications and source records attributed to C. Marquet.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2019

TRITIUM - A Real-Time Tritium Monitor System for Water Quality Surveillance

In this work the development results of the TRITIUM project is presented. The main objective of the project is the construction of a near real-time monitor for low activity tritium in water, aimed at in-situ surveillance and radiological protection of river water in the vicinity of nuclear power plants. The European Council Directive 2013/51/Euratom requires that the maximum level of tritium in water for human consumption to be lower than 100 Bq/L. Tritium levels in the cooling water of nuclear power plants in normal operation are much higher than the levels caused by the natural and cosmogenic components, and may easily surmount the limit required by the Directive. The current liquid-scintillation measuring systems in environmental radioactivity laboratories are sensitive to such low levels, but they are not suitable for real-time monitoring. Moreover, there is no currently available device with enough sensitivity and monitoring capabilities that could be used for surveillance of the cooling water of nuclear power plants. A detector system based on scintillation fibers read out by photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) or silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) arrays is under development for in-water tritium measurement. This detector will be installed in the vicinity of Almaraz nuclear power plant (Spain) in Spring 2019. An overview of the project development and the results of first prototypes are presented.

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arXiv2018

Final results on $^\textbf{82}$Se double beta decay to the ground state of $^\textbf{82}$Kr from the NEMO-3 experiment

Using data from the NEMO-3 experiment, we have measured the two-neutrino double beta decay ($2νββ$) half-life of $^{82}$Se as $T_{1/2}^{2ν} = \left[ 9.39 \pm 0.17\,\left(\mbox{stat}\right) \pm 0.58\,\left(\mbox{syst}\right)\right] \times 10^{19}$ y under the single-state dominance hypothesis for this nuclear transition. The corresponding nuclear matrix element is $\left|M^{2ν}\right| = 0.0498 \pm 0.0016$. In addition, a search for neutrinoless double beta decay ($0νββ$) using 0.93 kg of $^{82}$Se observed for a total of 5.25 y has been conducted and no evidence for a signal has been found. The resulting half-life limit of $T_{1/2}^{0ν} > 2.5 \times 10^{23} \,\mbox{y} \,(90\%\,\mbox{C.L.})$ for the light neutrino exchange mechanism leads to a constraint on the effective Majorana neutrino mass of $\langle m_ν \rangle < \left(1.2 - 3.0\right) \,\mbox{eV}$, where the range reflects $0νββ$ nuclear matrix element values from different calculations. Furthermore, constraints on lepton number violating parameters for other $0νββ$ mechanisms, such as right-handed currents, majoron emission and R-parity violating supersymmetry modes have been set.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2018

Study of a spherical Xenon gas TPC for neutrinoless double beta detection

Several efforts are ongoing for the development of spherical gaseous time projection chamber detectors for the observation of rare phenomena such as weakly interacting massive particles or neutrino interactions. The proposed detector, thanks to its simplicity, low energy threshold and energy resolution, could be used to observe the $β\beta0ν$ process i.e. the neutrinoless double beta decay. In this work, a specific setup is presented for the measurement of $β\beta0ν$ on 50~kg of $^{136}$Xe. The different backgrounds are studied, demonstrating the possibility to reach a total background per year in the detector mass at the level of 2 events per year. The obtained results are competitive with the present generation of experiments and could represent the first step of a more ambitious roadmap including the $β\beta0ν$ search with different gases with the same detector and therefore the same background sources. The constraints in terms of detector constructions and material purity are also addressed, showing that none of them represents a show stopper for the proposed experimental setup.

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arXiv2017

LHC Forward Physics

The goal of this report is to give a comprehensive overview of the rich field of forward physics, with a special attention to the topics that can be studied at the LHC. The report starts presenting a selection of the Monte Carlo simulation tools currently available, chapter 2, then enters the rich phenomenology of QCD at low, chapter 3, and high, chapter 4, momentum transfer, while the unique scattering conditions of central exclusive production are analyzed in chapter 5. The last two experimental topics, Cosmic Ray and Heavy Ion physics are presented in the chapter 6 and 7 respectively. Chapter 8 is dedicated to the BFKL dynamics, multiparton interactions, and saturation. The report ends with an overview of the forward detectors at LHC. Each chapter is correlated with a comprehensive bibliography, attempting to provide to the interested reader with a wide opportunity for further studies.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2017

Calorimeter development for the SuperNEMO double beta decay experiment

SuperNEMO is a double-$β$ decay experiment, which will employ the successful tracker-calorimeter technique used in the recently completed NEMO-3 experiment. SuperNEMO will implement 100 kg of double-$β$ decay isotope, reaching a sensitivity to the neutrinoless double-$β$ decay ($0νββ$) half-life of the order of $10^{26}$ yr, corresponding to a Majorana neutrino mass of 50-100 meV. One of the main goals and challenges of the SuperNEMO detector development programme has been to reach a calorimeter energy resolution, $Δ$E/E, around 3%/$sqrt(E)$(MeV) $σ$, or 7%/$sqrt(E)$(MeV) FWHM (full width at half maximum), using a calorimeter composed of large volume plastic scintillator blocks coupled to photomultiplier tubes. We describe the R\&D programme and the final design of the SuperNEMO calorimeter that has met this challenging goal.

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arXiv2017

The BiPo-3 detector for the measurement of ultra low natural radioactivities of thin materials

The BiPo-3 detector, running in the Canfranc Underground Laboratory (Laboratorio Subterráneo de Canfranc, LSC, Spain) since 2013, is a low-radioactivity detector dedicated to measuring ultra low natural radionuclide contaminations of $^{208}$Tl ($^{232}$Th chain) and $^{214}$Bi ($^{238}$U chain) in thin materials. The total sensitive surface area of the detector is 3.6 m$^2$. The detector has been developed to measure radiopurity of the selenium double $β$-decay source foils of the SuperNEMO experiment. In this paper the design and performance of the detector, and results of the background measurements in $^{208}$Tl and $^{214}$Bi, are presented, and validation of the BiPo-3 measurement with a calibrated aluminium foil is discussed. Results of the $^{208}$Tl and $^{214}$Bi activity measurements of the first enriched $^{82}$Se foils of the double $β$-decay SuperNEMO experiment are reported. The sensitivity of the BiPo-3 detector for the measurement of the SuperNEMO $^{82}$Se foils is $\mathcal{A}$($^{208}$Tl) $<2$ $μ$Bq/kg (90\% C.L.) and $\mathcal{A}$($^{214}$Bi) $<140$ $μ$Bq/kg (90\% C.L.) after 6 months of measurement.

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arXiv2017

Search for neutrinoless quadruple-$β$ decay of $^{150}$Nd with the NEMO-3 detector

We report the results of a first experimental search for lepton number violation by four units in the neutrinoless quadruple-$β$ decay of $^{150}$Nd using a total exposure of $0.19$ kg$\cdot$y recorded with the NEMO-3 detector at the Modane Underground Laboratory (LSM). We find no evidence of this decay and set lower limits on the half-life in the range $T_{1/2}>(1.1-3.2)\times10^{21}$ y at the $90\%$ CL, depending on the model used for the kinematic distributions of the emitted electrons.

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arXiv2017

Transverse-momentum-dependent gluon distributions from JIMWLK evolution

Transverse-momentum-dependent (TMD) gluon distributions have different operator definitions, depending on the process under consideration. We study that aspect of TMD factorization in the small-x limit, for the various unpolarized TMD gluon distributions encountered in the literature. To do this, we consider di-jet production in hadronic collisions, since this process allows to be exhaustive with respect to the possible operator definitions, and is suitable to be investigated at small x. Indeed, for forward and nearly back-to-back jets, one can apply both the TMD factorization and Color Glass Condensate (CGC) approaches to compute the di-jet cross-section, and compare the results. Doing so, we show that both descriptions coincide, and we show how to express the various TMD gluon distributions in terms of CGC correlators of Wilson lines, while keeping Nc finite. We then proceed to evaluate them by solving the JIMWLK equation numerically. We obtain that at large transverse momentum, the process dependence essentially disappears, while at small transverse momentum, non-linear saturation effects impact the various TMD gluon distributions in very different ways. We notice the presence of a geometric scaling regime for all the TMD gluon distributions studied: the "dipole" one, the Weizsäcker-Williams one, and the six others involved in forward di-jet production.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2017

Diffractive di-jet production at the LHC with a Reggeon contribution

We study hard diffractive scattering in hadron-hadron collisions including, on top of the standard Pomeron-initiated processes, contributions due to the exchange of Reggeons. Using a simple model to describe the parton content of the Reggeon, we compute di-jet production in single diffractive and central diffractive events. We show that Reggeon contributions can be sizable at the LHC, and even sometimes dominant, and we identify kinematic windows in which they could be experimentally studied. We argue that suitable measurements must be performed in order to properly constrain the model, and be able to correctly account for Reggeon exchanges in the analysis of the many hard diffractive observables to be measured at the LHC.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2016

Measurement of the $2νββ$ Decay Half-Life and Search for the $0νββ$ Decay of $^{116}$Cd with the NEMO-3 Detector

The NEMO-3 experiment measured the half-life of the $2νββ$ decay and searched for the $0νββ$ decay of $^{116}$Cd. Using $410$ g of $^{116}$Cd installed in the detector with an exposure of $5.26$ y, ($4968\pm74$) events corresponding to the $2νββ$ decay of $^{116}$Cd to the ground state of $^{116}$Sn have been observed with a signal to background ratio of about $12$. The half-life of the $2νββ$ decay has been measured to be $ T_{1/2}^{2ν}=[2.74\pm0.04\mbox{(stat.)}\pm0.18\mbox{(syst.)}]\times10^{19}$ y. No events have been observed above the expected background while searching for $0νββ$ decay. The corresponding limit on the half-life is determined to be $T_{1/2}^{0ν} \ge 1.0 \times 10^{23}$ y at the $90$ % C.L. which corresponds to an upper limit on the effective Majorana neutrino mass of $\langle m_ν \rangle \le 1.4-2.5$ eV depending on the nuclear matrix elements considered. Limits on other mechanisms generating $0νββ$ decay such as the exchange of R-parity violating supersymmetric particles, right-handed currents and majoron emission are also obtained.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2016

Heavy ions at the Future Circular Collider

The Future Circular Collider (FCC) Study is aimed at assessing the physics potential and the technical feasibility of a new collider with centre-of-mass energies, in the hadron-hadron collision mode, seven times larger than the nominal LHC energies. Operating such machine with heavy ions is an option that is being considered in the accelerator design studies. It would provide, for example, Pb-Pb and p-Pb collisions at sqrt{s_NN} = 39 and 63 TeV, respectively, per nucleon-nucleon collision, with integrated luminosities above 30 nb^-1 per month for Pb-Pb. This is a report by the working group on heavy-ion physics of the FCC Study. First ideas on the physics opportunities with heavy ions at the FCC are presented, covering the physics of the Quark-Gluon Plasma, of gluon saturation, of photon-induced collisions, as well as connections with other fields of high-energy physics.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2016

Measurement of the 2$νββ$ decay half-life of $^{150}$Nd and a search for 0$νββ$ decay processes with the full exposure from the NEMO-3 detector

We present results from a search for neutrinoless double-$β$ ($0νββ$) decay using 36.6 g of the isotope $^{150}$Nd with data corresponding to a live time of 5.25 y recorded with the NEMO-3 detector. We construct a complete background model for this isotope, including a measurement of the two-neutrino double-$β$ decay half-life of $T^{2ν}_{1/2}=$[9.34 $\pm$ 0.22 (stat.) $^{+0.62}_{-0.60}$ (syst.)]$\times 10^{18}$ y for the ground state transition, which represents the most precise result to date for this isotope. We perform a multivariate analysis to search for \zeronu decays in order to improve the sensitivity and, in the case of observation, disentangle the possible underlying decay mechanisms. As no evidence for \zeronu decay is observed, we derive lower limits on half-lives for several mechanisms involving physics beyond the Standard Model. The observed lower limit, assuming light Majorana neutrino exchange mediates the decay, is $T^{0ν}_{1/2} >$ 2.0 $\times 10^{22}$ y at the 90% C.L., corresponding to an upper limit on the effective neutrino mass of $\langle m_ν \rangle$ $<$ 1.6 - 5.3 eV..

hep-ex↗

arXiv2016

Forward di-jet production in p+Pb collisions in the small-x improved TMD factorization framework

We study the production of forward di-jets in proton-lead and proton-proton collisions at the Large Hadron Collider. Such configurations, with both jets produced in the forward direction, impose a dilute-dense asymmetry which allows to probe the gluon density of the lead or proton target at small longitudinal momentum fractions. Even though the jet momenta are always much bigger than the saturation scale of the target, $Q_s$, the transverse momentum imbalance of the di-jet system may be either also much larger than $Q_s$, or of the order $Q_s$, implying that the small-$x$ QCD dynamics involved is either linear or non-linear, respectively. The small-$x$ improved TMD factorization framework deals with both situation in the same formalism. In the latter case, which corresponds to nearly back-to-back jets, we find that saturation effects induce a significant suppression of the forward di-jet azimuthal correlations in proton-lead versus proton-proton collisions.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2016

Measurement of the double-beta decay half-life and search for the neutrinoless double-beta decay of $^{48}{\rm Ca}$ with the NEMO-3 detector

The NEMO-3 experiment at the Modane Underground Laboratory has investigated the double-$β$ decay of $^{48}{\rm Ca}$. Using $5.25$ yr of data recorded with a $6.99\,{\rm g}$ sample of $^{48}{\rm Ca}$, approximately $150$ double-$β$ decay candidate events have been selected with a signal-to-background ratio greater than $3$. The half-life for the two-neutrino double-$β$ decay of $^{48}{\rm Ca}$ has been measured to be $T^{2ν}_{1/2}\,=\,[6.4\, ^{+0.7}_{-0.6}{\rm (stat.)} \, ^{+1.2}_{-0.9}{\rm (syst.)}] \times 10^{19}\,{\rm yr}$. A search for neutrinoless double-$β$ decay of $^{48}{\rm Ca}$ yields a null result and a corresponding lower limit on the half-life is found to be $T^{0ν}_{1/2} > 2.0 \times 10^{22}\,{\rm yr}$ at $90\%$ confidence level, translating into an upper limit on the effective Majorana neutrino mass of $< m_{ββ} > < 6.0 - 26$ ${\rm eV}$, with the range reflecting different nuclear matrix element calculations. Limits are also set on models involving Majoron emission and right-handed currents.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2016

Prompt photon production in double-Pomeron-exchange events at the LHC

Within the resolved Pomeron model of hard diffractive scattering, we compute prompt photon production in double-Pomeron-exchange events in proton-proton collisions. Using specific kinematical constraints chosen according to the acceptances of the forward proton detectors of experiments at the Large Hadron Collider, we provide estimates for inclusive and isolated photon production. This is done using the JetPhox program. We find that next-to-leading order corrections to the hard process are important and must be included in order to correctly constrain the quark and gluon content of the Pomeron from such processes at the LHC.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2015

Result of the search for neutrinoless double-$β$ decay in $^{100}$Mo with the NEMO-3 experiment

The NEMO-3 detector, which had been operating in the Modane Underground Laboratory from 2003 to 2010, was designed to search for neutrinoless double $β$ ($0νββ$) decay. We report final results of a search for $0νββ$ decays with $6.914$ kg of $^{100}$Mo using the entire NEMO-3 data set with a detector live time of $4.96$ yr, which corresponds to an exposure of 34.3 kg$\cdot$yr. We perform a detailed study of the expected background in the $0νββ$ signal region and find no evidence of $0νββ$ decays in the data. The level of observed background in the $0νββ$ signal region $[2.8-3.2]$ MeV is $0.44 \pm 0.13$ counts/yr/kg, and no events are observed in the interval $[3.2-10]$ MeV. We therefore derive a lower limit on the half-life of $0νββ$ decays in $^{100}$Mo of $T_{1/2}(0νββ)> 1.1 \times 10^{24}$ yr at the $90\%$ Confidence Level, under the hypothesis of light Majorana neutrino exchange. Depending on the model used for calculating nuclear matrix elements, the limit for the effective Majorana neutrino mass lies in the range $\langle m_ν \rangle < 0.33$--$0.62$ eV. We also report constraints on other lepton-number violating mechanisms for $0νββ$ decays.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2015

Improved TMD factorization for forward dijet production in dilute-dense hadronic collisions

We study forward dijet production in dilute-dense hadronic collisions. By considering the appropriate limits, we show that both the transverse-momentum-dependent (TMD) and the high-energy factorization formulas can be derived from the Color Glass Condensate framework. Respectively, this happens when the transverse momentum imbalance of the dijet system, $k_t$, is of the order of either the saturation scale, or the hard jet momenta, the former being always much smaller than the latter. We propose a new formula for forward dijets that encompasses both situations and is therefore applicable regardless of the magnitude of $k_t$. That involves generalizing the TMD factorization formula for dijet production to the case where the incoming small-$x$ gluon is off-shell. The derivation is performed in two independent ways, using either Feynman diagram techniques, or color-ordered amplitudes.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2015

Reference material for natural radionuclides in glass designed for underground experiments

A reference material designed for the determination of natural radionuclides in solid samples (glass pellets) is described and the results of certification are presented. The material has been certified for 7 natural radionuclides (40K, 226Ra, 228Ra, 228Th, 232Th, 235U and 238U). An information value is given for 210Pb. Radon (222Rn) emanation experiments showed results comparable within participating laboratories, however, the number of data and precision was too low to carry out a certification process. The reference material may be used for quality management of analytical laboratories engaged in the high-sensitive analysis of radionuclides in the construction materials of detectors placed in ultra low background underground laboratories.

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