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D. D. Driscoll

Publications and source records attributed to D. D. Driscoll.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

Low-threshold analysis of CDMS shallow-site data

Data taken during the final shallow-site run of the first tower of the Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (CDMS II) detectors have been reanalyzed with improved sensitivity to small energy depositions. Four ~224 g germanium and two ~105 g silicon detectors were operated at the Stanford Underground Facility (SUF) between December 2001 and June 2002, yielding 118 live days of raw exposure. Three of the germanium and both silicon detectors were analyzed with a new low-threshold technique, making it possible to lower the germanium and silicon analysis thresholds down to the actual trigger thresholds of ~1 keV and ~2 keV, respectively. Limits on the spin-independent cross section for weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) to elastically scatter from nuclei based on these data exclude interesting parameter space for WIMPs with masses below 9 GeV/c^2. Under standard halo assumptions, these data partially exclude parameter space favored by interpretations of the DAMA/LIBRA and CoGeNT experiments' data as WIMP signals, and exclude new parameter space for WIMP masses between 3 GeV/c^2 and 4 GeV/c^2.

astro-ph.CO↗

OSETI with STACEE: A Search for Nanosecond Optical Transients from Nearby Stars

We have used the STACEE high-energy gamma-ray detector to look for fast blue-green laser pulses from the vicinity of 187 stars. The STACEE detector offers unprecedented light-collecting capability for the detection of nanosecond pulses from such lasers. We estimate STACEE's sensitivity to be approximately 10 photons per square meter at a wavelength of 420 nm. The stars have been chosen because their characteristics are such that they may harbor habitable planets and they are relatively close to Earth. Each star was observed for 10 minutes and we found no evidence for laser pulses in any of the data sets.

astro-ph.EP↗

Observations of the Pulsar PSR B1951+32 with the Solar Tower Atmospheric Cherenkov Effect Experiment

We present the analysis and results of 12.5 hours of high-energy gamma-ray observations of the EGRET-detected pulsar PSR B1951+32 using the Solar Tower Atmospheric Cherenkov Effect Experiment (STACEE). STACEE is an atmospheric Cherenkov detector, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, that detects cosmic gamma rays using the shower-front-sampling technique. STACEE's sensitivity to astrophysical sources at energies around 100 GeV allows it to investigate emission from gamma-ray pulsars with expected pulsed emission cutoffs below 100 GeV. We discuss the observations and analysis of STACEE's PSR 1951+32 data, accumulated during the 2005 and 2006 observing seasons.

astro-ph↗

STACEE Observations of 1ES 1218+304

We present the analysis and results of recent high-energy gamma-ray observations of the high energy-peaked BL Lac (HBL) object 1ES 1218+304 with the Solar Tower Atmospheric Cherenkov Effect Experiment (STACEE). 1ES 1218+304 is an X-ray bright HBL at a redshift z=0.182. It has been predicted to be a gamma-ray emitter above 100 GeV, detectable by ground-based Cherenkov telescopes. Recently this source has been detected by MAGIC and VERITAS, confirming these predictions. STACEE's sensitivity to astrophysical sources at energies above 100 GeV allows it to explore high energy sources such as X-ray bright active galaxies and gamma-ray bursts. We present results from STACEE observations of 1ES 1218+304 in the 2006 and 2007 observing seasons.

astro-ph↗

Gamma-Ray Burst Follow-up Observations with STACEE During 2003-2007

The Solar Tower Atmospheric Cherenkov Effect Experiment (STACEE) is an atmospheric Cherenkov telescope (ACT) that uses a large mirror array to achieve a relatively low energy threshold. For sources with Crab-like spectra, at high elevations, the detector response peaks near 100 GeV. Gamma-ray burst (GRB) observations have been a high priority for the STACEE collaboration since the inception of the experiment. We present the results of 20 GRB follow-up observations at times ranging from 3 minutes to 15 hours after the burst triggers. Where redshift measurements are available, we place constraints on the intrinsic high-energy spectra of the bursts.

astro-ph↗

Search for Dark Matter Annihilation in Draco with STACEE

For some time, the Draco dwarf spheroidal galaxy has garnered interest as a possible source for the indirect detection of dark matter. Its large mass-to-light ratio and relative proximity to the Earth provide favorable conditions for the production of detectable gamma rays from dark matter self-annihilation in its core. The Solar Tower Atmospheric Cherenkov Effect Experiment (STACEE) is an air-shower Cherenkov telescope located in Albuquerque, NM capable of detecting gamma rays at energies above 100 GeV. We present the results of the STACEE observations of Draco during the 2005-2006 observing season totaling 10 hours of livetime after cuts.

astro-ph↗

Multi-terminal transport through a quantum dot in the Coulomb blockade regime

Three terminal tunnelling experiments on quantum dots in the Coulomb blockade regime allow a quantitative determination of the coupling strength of individual quantum states to the leads. Exploiting this insight we have observed independent fluctuations of the coupling strengths as a function of electron number and magnetic field due to changes in the shape of the wave function in the dot. Such a detailed understanding and control of the dot-lead coupling can be extended to more complex systems such as coupled dots, and is essential for building functional quantum electronic systems.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗