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E. Nappi

Publications and source records attributed to E. Nappi.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Development of a new generation of micropattern gaseous detectors for high energy physics, astrophysics and environmental applications

We have developed a cost effective technology for manufacturing various layouts of micropattern gaseous detectors for a wide range of applications. Such devices feature resistive electrodes interfaced to a network of thin readout strips/electrodes. The following three examples of such innovative designs and their applications will be presented: a prototype of a novel double-phase LAr detector with a CsI photocathode immersed inside the LAr, a CsI-RICH detector prototype for ALICE upgrade and GEM-like sensors for environmental safety/security applications.

physics.ins-det↗

Multiplicities of charged pions and kaons from semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering by the proton and the deuteron

Multiplicities in semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering are presented for each charge state of π^\pm and K^\pm mesons. The data were collected by the HERMES experiment at the HERA storage ring using 27.6 GeV electron and positron beams incident on a hydrogen or deuterium gas target. The results are presented as a function of the kinematic quantities x_B, Q^2, z, and P_h\perp. They represent a unique data set for identified hadrons that will significantly enhance our understanding of the fragmentation of quarks into final-state hadrons in deep-inelastic scattering.

hep-ex↗

Azimuthal distributions of charged hadrons, pions, and kaons produced in deep-inelastic scattering off unpolarized protons and deuterons

The azimuthal cosϕ and cos2ϕ modulations of the distribution of hadrons produced in unpolarized semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering of electrons and positrons off hydrogen and deuterium targets have been measured in the HERMES experiment. For the first time these modulations were determined in a four-dimensional kinematic space for positively and negatively charged pions and kaons separately, as well as for unidentified hadrons. These azimuthal dependences are sensitive to the transverse motion and polarization of the quarks within the nucleon via, e.g., the Cahn, Boer-Mulders and Collins effects.

hep-ex↗

Beam-helicity asymmetry arising from deeply virtual Compton scattering measured with kinematically complete event reconstruction

The beam-helicity asymmetry in exclusive electroproduction of real photons by the longitudinally polarized HERA positron beam scattering off an unpolarized hydrogen target is measured at HERMES. The asymmetry arises from deeply virtual Compton scattering and its interference with the Bethe--Heitler process. Azimuthal amplitudes of the beam-helicity asymmetry are extracted from a data sample consisting of $ep\rightarrow epγ$ events with detection of all particles in the final state including the recoiling proton. The installation of a recoil detector, while reducing the acceptance of the experiment, allows the elimination of background from $ep\rightarrow eNπγ$ events, which was estimated to contribute an average of about 12% to the signal in previous HERMES publications. The removal of this background from the present data sample is shown to increase the magnitude of the leading asymmetry amplitude by 0.054 +/- 0.016 to -0.328 +/- 0.027 (stat.) +/- 0.045 (syst.).

hep-ex↗

Development and preliminary tests of resistive microdot and microstrip detectors

In the last few years our group have focused on developing various designs of spark-protected micropattern gaseous detectors featuring resistive electrodes instead of the traditional metallic ones: resistive microstrip counters, resistive GEM, resistive MICROMEGAS. These detectors combine in one design the best features of RPCs (spark-protection) and micropattern detectors (a high position resolution). In this paper we report the progress so far made in developing other types of resistive micropattern detectors: a microdot-microhole detector and a microgap-microstrip detector. The former detector is an optimal electron amplifier for some special designs of dual phase noble liquid TPCs, for example with a CsI photocathode immersed inside the noble liquid. Preliminary tests of such a detector, for the first time built and investigated, are reported in this paper. The latter detector is mainly orientated towards medical imaging applications such as X-ray scanners. However, we believe that after a proper gas optimization, these detectors could also achieve a high time resolution and could thus be used in applications as TOF-PET, detection of charged particles with simultaneous high time and position resolution etc.

physics.ins-det↗

Beam-helicity and beam-charge asymmetries associated with deeply virtual Compton scattering on the unpolarised proton

Beam-helicity and beam-charge asymmetries in the hard exclusive leptoproduction of real photons from an unpolarised hydrogen target by a 27.6 GeV lepton beam are extracted from the HERMES data set of 2006-2007 using a missing-mass event selection technique. The asymmetry amplitudes extracted from this data set are more precise than those extracted from the earlier data set of 1996-2005 previously analysed in the same manner by HERMES. The results from the two data sets are compatible with each other. Results from these combined data sets are extracted and constitute the most precise asymmetry amplitude measurements made in the HERMES kinematic region using a missing-mass event selection technique.

hep-ex↗

Measurement of double-spin asymmetries associated with deeply virtual Compton scattering on a transversely polarized hydrogen target

Double-spin asymmetries in exclusive electroproduction of real photons from a transversely polarized hydrogen target are measured with respect to the product of target polarization with beam helicity and beam charge, and with respect to the product of target polarization with beam helicity alone. The asymmetries arise from the deeply virtual Compton scattering process and its interference with the Bethe--Heitler process. They are related to the real part of the same combination of Compton form factors as that determining the previously published transverse target single-spin asymmetries through the imaginary part. The results for the double-spin asymmetries are found to be compatible with zero within the uncertainties of the measurement, and are not incompatible with the predictions of the only available GPD-based calculation.

hep-ex↗

Multidimensional Study of Hadronization in Nuclei

Hadron multiplicities in semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering were measured on neon, krypton and xenon targets relative to deuterium at an electron(positron)-beam energy of 27.6 GeV at HERMES. These ratios were determined as a function of the virtual-photon energy nu, its virtuality Q2, the fractional hadron energy z and the transverse hadron momentum with respect to the virtual-photon direction pt . Dependences were analysed separately for positively and negatively charged pions and kaons as well as protons and antiprotons in a two-dimensional representation. Compared to the one-dimensional dependences, some new features were observed. In particular, when z > 0.4 positive kaons do not show the strong monotonic rise of the multiplicity ratio with nu as exhibited by pions and negative kaons. Protons were found to behave very differently from the other hadrons.

hep-ex↗

New designs of resistive microstrip gaseous detectors (R-MSGCs)

A new family of spark-protected micropattern gaseous detectors is introduced: a 2-D sensitive restive microstrip counter and hybrid detectors, which combine in one design a resistive GEM with a microstrip detector. These novel detectors have several important advantages over other conventional micropattern detectors and are unique for applications like the readout detectors for dual phase noble liquid TPCs and RICHs.

physics.ins-det↗

First observation of Cherenkov rings with a large area CsI-TGEM-based RICH prototype

We have built a RICH detector prototype consisting of a liquid C6F14 radiator and six triple Thick Gaseous Electron Multipliers (TGEMs), each of them having an active area of 10x10 cm2. One triple TGEM has been placed behind the liquid radiator in order to detect the beam particles, whereas the other five have been positioned around the central one at a distance to collect the Cherenkov photons. The upstream electrode of each of the TGEM stacks has been coated with a 0.4 micron thick CsI layer. In this paper, we will present the results from a series of laboratory tests with this prototype carried out using UV light, 6 keV photons from 55Fe and electrons from 90Sr as well as recent results of tests with a beam of charged pions where for the first time Cherenkov Ring images have been successfully recorded with TGEM photodetectors. The achieved results prove the feasibility of building a large area Cherenkov detector consisting of a matrix of TGEMs.

physics.ins-det↗

Inclusive Measurements of Inelastic Electron and Positron Scattering from Unpolarized Hydrogen and Deuterium Targets

Results of inclusive measurements of inelastic electron and positron scattering from unpolarized protons and deuterons at the HERMES experiment are presented. The structure functions $F_2^p$ and $F_2^d$ are determined using a parameterization of existing data for the longitudinal-to-transverse virtual-photon absorption cross-section ratio. The HERMES results provide data in the ranges $0.006\leq x\leq 0.9$ and 0.1 GeV$^2\leq Q^2\leq$ 20 GeV$^2$, covering the transition region between the perturbative and the non-perturbative regimes of QCD in a so-far largely unexplored kinematic region. They are in agreement with existing world data in the region of overlap. The measured cross sections are used, in combination with data from other experiments, to perform fits to the photon-nucleon cross section using the functional form of the ALLM model. The deuteron-to-proton cross-section ratio is also determined.

hep-ex↗

Measurement of azimuthal asymmetries associated with deeply virtual Compton scattering on a longitudinally polarized deuterium target

Azimuthal asymmetries in exclusive electroproduction of a real photon from a longitudinally polarized deuterium target are measured with respect to target polarization alone and with respect to target polarization combined with beam helicity and/or beam charge. The asymmetries appear in the distribution of the real photons in the azimuthal angle $ϕ$ around the virtual photon direction, relative to the lepton scattering plane. The asymmetries arise from the deeply virtual Compton scattering process and its interference with the Bethe-Heitler process. The results for the beam-charge and beam-helicity asymmetries from a tensor polarized deuterium target with vanishing vector polarization are shown to be compatible with those from an unpolarized deuterium target, which is expected for incoherent scattering dominant at larger momentum transfer. Furthermore, the results for the single target-spin asymmetry and for the double-spin asymmetry are found to be compatible with the corresponding asymmetries previously measured on a hydrogen target. For coherent scattering on the deuteron at small momentum transfer to the target, these findings imply that the tensor contribution to the cross section is small. Furthermore, the tensor asymmetry is found to be compatible with zero.

hep-ex↗

Ratios of Helicity Amplitudes for Exclusive rho-0 Electroproduction

Exclusive rho^0-meson electroproduction is studied in the HERMES experiment, using a 27.6 GeV longitudinally polarized electron/positron beam and unpolarized hydrogen and deuterium targets in the kinematic region 0.5 GeV^2 < Q^2 < 7.0 GeV^2, 3.0 GeV < W < 6.3 GeV, and -t' < 0.4 GeV^2. Real and imaginary parts of the ratios of the natural-parity-exchange helicity amplitudes T_{11} (γ^*_T --> ρ_T), T_{01} (γ^*_T --> ρ_L), T_{10} (γ^*_L --> ρ_T), and T_{1-1} (γ^*_{-T} -->ρ_T) to T_{00} (γ^*_L --> ρ_L) are extracted from the data. For the unnatural-parity-exchange amplitude U_{11}, the ratio |U_{11}/T_{00}| is obtained. The Q^2 and t' dependences of these ratios are presented and compared with perturbative QCD predictions.

hep-ex↗

VHMPID: a new detector for the ALICE experiment at LHC

This article presents the basic idea of VHMPID, an upgrade detector for the ALICE experiment at LHC, CERN. The main goal of this detector is to extend the particle identification capabilities of ALICE to give more insight into the evolution of the hot and dense matter created in Pb-Pb collisions. Starting from the physics motivations and working principles the challenges and current status of development is detailed.

hep-ex↗

R&D results on a CsI-TTGEM based photodetector

The very high momentum particle identification detector proposed for the ALICE upgrade is a focusing RICH using a C4F10 gaseous radiator. For the detection of Cherenkov photons, one of the options currently under investigation is to use a CsI coated Triple-Thick-GEM (CsI-TTGEM) with metallic or resistive electrodes. We will present results from the laboratory studies as well as preliminary results of beam tests of a RICH detector prototype consisting of a CaF2 radiator coupled to a 10x10 cm2 CsI-TTGEM equipped with a pad readout and GASSIPLEX-based front-end electronics. With such a prototype the detection of Cherenkov photons simultaneously with minimum ionizing particles has been achieved for the first time in a stable operation mode.

physics.ins-det↗

Position Sensitive Gaseous Photomultipliers

Advances in the technologies associated with position sensitive gaseous detectors especially featuring CsI as reflective photoconverters will be reviewed. These photodetectors represent the most effective solution for what concerns cost and performance in the case of large area Cherenkov imaging applications in relatively low rate (or low occupancy) high energy physics and astrophysics experiments. Moreover, they are the only choice when the Cherenkov detector is embedded in a magnetic field. Recently proposed single photon MPGDs (Micropattern Gaseous Detectors) will be also discussed in view of the successful efforts so far made to extend their sensitivity to visible light. With some modifications, photosensitive gaseous detectors can also be used in the imaging of X-rays and particles.

physics.ins-det↗

Effects of transversity in deep-inelastic scattering by polarized protons

Single-spin asymmetries for pions and charged kaons are measured in semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering of positrons and electrons off a transversely nuclear-polarized hydrogen target. The dependence of the cross section on the azimuthal angles of the target polarization (phi_S)and the produced hadron (phi) is found to have a substantial sin(phi+phi_S) modulation for the production of pi+, pi- and K+. This Fourier component can be interpreted in terms of non-zero transversity distribution functions and non-zero favored and disfavored Collins fragmentation functions with opposite sign. For pi0 and K- production the amplitude of this Fourier component is consistent with zero.

hep-ex↗

Performance of wire-type Rn detectors operated with gas gain in ambient air in view of its possible application to early earthquake predictions

We describe a detector of alpha particles based on wire type counters (single-wire and multiwire) operating in ambient air at high gas gains (100-1000). The main advantages of these detectors are: low cost, robustness and ability to operate in humid air. The minimum detectable activity achieved with the multiwire detector for an integration time of 1 min is 140 Bq per m3, which is comparable to that featured by commercial devices. Owing to such features the detector is suited for massive application, for example for continuous monitoring of Rn or Po contaminations or, as discussed in the paper, its use in a network of Rn counters in areas affected by earth-quakes in order to verify, on a solid statistical basis, the envisaged correlation between the sudden Rn appearance and a forthcoming earthquake.

physics.ins-det↗