arXiv subjects

Daniel Snowden-Ifft

Publications and source records attributed to Daniel Snowden-Ifft.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

A Beamdump Facility at Jefferson Lab

This White Paper is exploring the potential of intense secondary muon, neutrino, and (hypothetical) light dark matter beams produced in interactions of high-intensity electron beams with beam dumps. Light dark matter searches with the approved Beam Dump eXperiment (BDX) are driving the realization of a new underground vault at Jefferson Lab that could be extended to a Beamdump Facility with minimal additional installations. The paper summarizes contributions and discussions from the International Workshop on Secondary Beams at Jefferson Lab (BDX & Beyond). Several possible muon physics applications and neutrino detector technologies for Jefferson Lab are highlighted. The potential of a secondary neutron beam will be addressed in a future edition.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2021

Coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering with the $ν$BDX-DRIFT directional detector at next generation neutrino facilities

We discuss various aspects of a neutrino physics program that can be carried out with the neutrino Beam-Dump eXperiment DRIFT ($ν$BDX-DRIFT) detector using neutrino beams produced in next generation neutrino facilities. $ν$BDX-DRIFT is a directional low-pressure TPC detector suitable for measurements of coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CE$ν$NS) using a variety of gaseous target materials which include carbon disulfide, carbon tetrafluoride and tetraethyllead, among others. The neutrino physics program includes standard model (SM) measurements and beyond the standard model (BSM) physics searches. Focusing on the Long Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF) beamline at Fermilab, we first discuss basic features of the detector and estimate backgrounds, including beam-induced neutron backgrounds. We then quantify the CE$ν$NS signal in the different target materials and study the sensitivity of $ν$BDX-DRIFT to measurements of the weak mixing angle and neutron density distributions. We consider as well prospects for new physics searches, in particular sensitivities to effective neutrino non-standard interactions.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2015

Reducing DRIFT Backgrounds with a Submicron Aluminized-Mylar Cathode

Background events in the DRIFT-IId dark matter detector, mimicking potential WIMP signals, are predominantly caused by alpha decays on the central cathode in which the alpha particle is completely or partially absorbed by the cathode material. We installed a 0.9 micron thick aluminized-mylar cathode as a way to reduce the probability of producing these backgrounds. We study three generations of cathode (wire, thin-film, and radiologically clean thin-film) with a focus on the ratio of background events to alpha decays. Two independent methods of measuring the absolute alpha decay rate are used to ensure an accurate result, and agree to within $10\%$. Using alpha range spectroscopy, we measure the radiologically cleanest cathode version to have a contamination of $3.3\pm0.1$ ppt $^{234}$U and $73\pm2$ ppb $^{238}$U. This cathode reduces the probability of producing an RPR from an alpha decay by a factor of $70\pm20$ compared to the original stainless steel wire cathode. First results are presented from a texturized version of the cathode, intended to be even more transparent to alpha particles. These efforts, along with other background reduction measures, have resulted in a drop in the observed background rate from 500/day to 1/day. With the recent implementation of full-volume fiducialization, these remaining background events are identified, allowing for background-free operation.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2014

Background Assay and Rejection in DRIFT

The DRIFT-IId dark matter detector is a m$^3$-scale low-pressure TPC with directional sensitivity to WIMP-induced nuclear recoils. Its primary backgrounds were due to alpha decays from contamination on the central cathode. Efforts to reduce these backgrounds led to replacing the 20 μm wire central cathode with one constructed from 0.9 μm aluminized mylar, which is almost totally transparent to alpha particles. Detailed modeling of the nature and origin of the remaining backgrounds led to an in-situ, ppt-sensitive assay of alpha decay backgrounds from the central cathode. This led to further improvements in the thin-film cathode resulting in over 2 orders of magnitude reduction in backgrounds compared to the wire cathode. Finally, the addition of O$_2$ to CS$_2$ gas was found to produce multiple species of electronegative charge carriers, providing a method to determine the absolute position of nuclear recoils and reject all known remaining backgrounds while retaining a high efficiency for nuclear recoil detection.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2008

Measurements of W-value, Mobility and Gas Gain in Electronegative Gaseous CS2 and CS2 Gas Mixtures

W-value, mobility and gas gain measurements have been carried out in electronegative gaseous CS2 and CS2 gas mixtures at a pressure of 40 Torr making use of a single electron proportional counter method. The experimental results have revealed that W-values obtained for CS2 (40 Torr), CS2-CF4 (30 Torr - 10 Torr), CS2-Ar (35 Torr - 5 Torr), CS2-Ne (35 Torr - 5 Torr) and CS2-He (35 Torr - 5 Torr) gas mixtures are 21.1+/-2.7(stat)+/-3(syst) eV, 16.4+/-1.8(stat)+/-2(syst) eV, 13.1+/-1.5(stat)+/-2(syst) eV, 16.3+/-3.0(stat)+/-3(syst) eV and 17.3+/-3.0(stat)+/-3(syst) eV. The mobility for all CS2 gas mixtures was found to be slightly greater and the gas gain was found to be significantly greater relative to pure CS2.

physics.ins-det↗