Searcharxiv⌕ Search

arXiv subjects

G. Martínez

Publications and source records attributed to G. Martínez.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

Performance of MAGIC stellar intensity interferometer and expansion to MAGIC + CTAO-LST1 stellar intensity interferometer

A new generation of optical intensity interferometers are emerging in recent years taking advantage of the existing infrastructure of Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes (IACTs). The MAGIC SII (Stellar Intensity Interferometer) in La Palma, Spain, has been operating since its first successful measurements in 2019 and its current design allows it to operate regularly. The current setup is ready to follow up on bright optical transients, as changing from regular gamma-ray observations to SII mode can be done in a matter of minutes. A paper studying the system performance, first measurements and future upgrades has been recently published. MAGIC SII's first scientific results are the measurement of the angular size of 22 stars, 13 of which with no previous measurements in the B band. More recently the Large Sized Telescope prototype from the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAOLST1) has been upgraded to operate together with MAGIC as a SII, leading to its first correlation measurements at the beginning of 2024. MAGIC+CTAO-LST1 SII will be further upgraded by adding the remaining CTAOLSTs at the north site to the system (which are foreseen to be built by the end of 2025). MAGIC+CTAO-LST1 SII shows a feasible technical solution to extend SII to the whole CTAO.

astro-ph.IM↗

Measuring Mars Atmospheric Winds From Orbit

Wind is the process that connects Mars' climate system. Measurements of Mars atmospheric winds from orbit would dramatically advance our understanding of Mars and help prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet. Multiple instrument candidates are in development and will be ready for flight in the next decade. We urge the Decadal Survey to make these measurements a priority for 2023-2032.

astro-ph.IM↗

The Cherenkov Telescope Array Large Size Telescope

The two arrays of the Very High Energy gamma-ray observatory Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) will include four Large Size Telescopes (LSTs) each with a 23 m diameter dish and 28 m focal distance. These telescopes will enable CTA to achieve a low-energy threshold of 20 GeV, which is critical for important studies in astrophysics, astroparticle physics and cosmology. This work presents the key specifications and performance of the current LST design in the light of the CTA scientific objectives.

astro-ph.IM↗

Operation and first results of the NEXT-DEMO prototype using a silicon photomultiplier tracking array

NEXT-DEMO is a high-pressure xenon gas TPC which acts as a technological test-bed and demonstrator for the NEXT-100 neutrinoless double beta decay experiment. In its current configuration the apparatus fully implements the NEXT-100 design concept. This is an asymmetric TPC, with an energy plane made of photomultipliers and a tracking plane made of silicon photomultipliers (SiPM) coated with TPB. The detector in this new configuration has been used to reconstruct the characteristic signature of electrons in dense gas. Demonstrating the ability to identify the MIP and "blob" regions. Moreover, the SiPM tracking plane allows for the definition of a large fiducial region in which an excellent energy resolution of 1.82% FWHM at 511 keV has been measured (a value which extrapolates to 0.83% at the xenon Qbetabeta).

physics.ins-det↗

Metastable states influence on the magnetic behavior of the triangular lattice: Application to the spin-chain compound Ca3Co2O6

It is known that the spin-chain compound Ca3Co2O6 exhibits very interesting plateaus in the magnetization as a function of the magnetic field at low temperatures. The origin of them is still controversial. In this paper we study the thermal behavior of this compound with a single-flip Monte Carlo simulation on a triangular lattice and demonstrate the decisive influence of metastable states in the splitting of the ferrimagnetic 1/3 plateau below 10 K. We consider the [Co2O6]n chains as giant magnetic moments described by large Ising spins on planar clusters with open boundary conditions. With this simple frozen-moment model we obtain stepped magnetization curves which agree quite well with the experimental results for different sweeping rates. We describe particularly the out-of-equilibrium states that split the low-temperature 1/3 plateau into three steps. They relax thermally to the 1/3 plateau, which has long-range order at the equilibrium. Such states are further analyzed with snapshots unveiling a domain-wall structure that is responsible for the observed behavior of the 1/3 plateau. A comparison is also given of the exact results in small triangular clusters with our Monte Carlo results, providing further support for our thermal description of this compound.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

Thermal Bremsstrahlung photons probing the nuclear caloric curve

Hard-photon (E$_γ>$ 30 MeV) emission from second-chance nucleon-nucleon Bremsstrahlung collisions in intermediate energy heavy-ion reactions is studied employing a realistic thermal model. Photon spectra and yields measured in several nucleus-nucleus reactions are consistent with an emission from hot nuclear systems with temperatures $T\approx$ 4 - 7 MeV. The corresponding caloric curve in the region of excitation energies $ε^\star\approx$ 3{\it A} - 8{\it A} MeV shows lower values of $T$ than those expected for a Fermi fluid.

nucl-ex↗

Hard photon and neutral pion production in cold nuclear matter

The production of hard photons and neutral pions in 190 MeV proton induced reactions on C, Ca, Ni, and W targets has been for the first time concurrently studied. Angular distributions and energy spectra up to the kinematical limit are discussed and the production cross-sections are presented. From the target mass dependence of the cross-sections the propagation of pions through nuclear matter is analyzed and the production mechanisms of hard photons and primordial pions are derived. It is found that the production of subthreshold particles proceeds mainly through first chance nucleon-nucleon collisions. For the most energetic particles the mass scaling evidences the effect of multiple collisions.

nucl-ex↗

Evidence for Thermal Equilibration in Multifragmentation Reactions probed with Bremsstrahlung Photons

The production of nuclear bremsstrahlung photons (E$_γ>$ 30 MeV) has been studied in inclusive and exclusive measurements in four heavy-ion reactions at 60{\it A} MeV. The measured photon spectra, angular distributions and multiplicities indicate that a significant part of the hard-photons are emitted in secondary nucleon-nucleon collisions from a thermally equilibrated system. The observation of the thermal component in multi-fragment $^{36}$Ar+$^{197}$Au reactions suggests that the breakup of the thermalized source produced in this system occurs on a rather long time-scale.

nucl-ex↗

An insulating grid spacer for large-area MICROMEGAS chambers

We present an original design for large area gaseous detectors based on the MICROMEGAS technology. This technology incorporates an insulating grid, sandwiched between the micro-mesh and the anode-pad plane, which provides an uniform 200 $μ$m amplification gap. The uniformity of the amplification gap thickness has been verified under several experimental conditions. The gain performances of the detector are presented and compared to the values obtained with detectors using cylindrical micro spacers. The new design presents several technical and financial advantages.

physics.ins-det↗

Two large-area anode-pad MICROMEGAS chambers as the basic elements of a pre-shower detector

The design of a detector based on MICROMEGAS (MICRO MEsh GAseous Structure) technology is presented. Our detector is characterized by a large active area of 398(\times)281 mm(^{2}), a pad read-out with 20(\times)22 mm(^{2}) segmentation, and an uniform amplification gap obtained by insulating spacers (100 (μ)m high and 200 (μ)m in diameter). The performances of several prototypes have been evaluated under irradiation with secondary beams of 2 GeV/c momentum charged pions and electrons. We consider such a detector as the basic element for a pre-shower detector to equip the PHOton Spectrometer (PHOS) of the ALICE experiment. Its assets are modularity, small amount of material, robustness and low cost.

physics.ins-det↗

Thermal hard-photons probing multifragmentation in nuclear collisions around the Fermi energy

Hard-photon (E$_γ >$ 30 MeV) emission issuing from proton-neutron bremsstrahlung collisions is investigated in four different heavy-ion reactions at intermediate bombarding energies ($^{36}$Ar+$^{197}$Au, $^{107}$Ag, $^{58}$Ni, $^{12}$C at 60{\it A} MeV) coupling the TAPS photon spectrometer with two charged-particle multidetectors covering more than 80% of the solid angle. The hard-photon spectra of the three heavier targets result from the combination of two distinct exponential distributions with different slope parameters, a result which deviates from the behaviour expected for hard-photon production just in first-chance proton-neutron collisions. The thermal origin of the steeper bremsstrahlung component is confirmed by the characteristics of its slope and angular distribution. Such thermal hard-photons convey undisturbed information of the thermodynamical state of hot and excited nuclear systems undergoing multifragmentation.

nucl-ex↗

Thermal bremsstrahlung probing the thermodynamical state of multifragmenting systems

Inclusive and exclusive hard-photon (E$_γ>$ 30 MeV) production in five different heavy-ion reactions ($^{36}$Ar+$^{197}$Au, $^{107}$Ag, $^{58}$Ni, $^{12}$C at 60{\it A} MeV and $^{129}$Xe+$^{120}$Sn at 50{\it A} MeV) has been studied coupling the TAPS photon spectrometer with several charged-particle multidetectors covering more than 80% of 4$π$. The measured spectra, slope parameters and source velocities as well as their target-dependence, confirm the existence of thermal bremsstrahlung emission from secondary nucleon-nucleon collisions that accounts for roughly 20% of the total hard-photon yield. The thermal slopes are a direct measure of the temperature of the excited nuclear systems produced during the reaction.

nucl-ex↗