arXiv subjects

J. Ahrens

Publications and source records attributed to J. Ahrens.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2003

Sensitivity of the IceCube Detector to Astrophysical Sources of High Energy Muon Neutrinos

We present the results of a Monte-Carlo study of the sensitivity of the planned IceCube detector to predicted fluxes of muon neutrinos at TeV to PeV energies. A complete simulation of the detector and data analysis is used to study the detector's capability to search for muon neutrinos from sources such as active galaxies and gamma-ray bursts. We study the effective area and the angular resolution of the detector as a function of muon energy and angle of incidence. We present detailed calculations of the sensitivity of the detector to both diffuse and pointlike neutrino emissions, including an assessment of the sensitivity to neutrinos detected in coincidence with gamma-ray burst observations. After three years of datataking, IceCube will have been able to detect a point source flux of E^2*dN/dE = 7*10^-9 cm^-2s^-1GeV at a 5-sigma significance, or, in the absence of a signal, place a 90% c.l. limit at a level E^2*dN/dE = 2*10^-9 cm^-2s^-1GeV. A diffuse E-2 flux would be detectable at a minimum strength of E^2*dN/dE = 1*10^-8 cm^-2s^-1sr^-1GeV. A gamma-ray burst model following the formulation of Waxman and Bahcall would result in a 5-sigma effect after the observation of 200 bursts in coincidence with satellite observations of the gamma-rays.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2003

Threshold enhancement in eta photoproduction from 2H and 4He

The photoproduction of eta-mesons from 2H and 4He has been studied for energies close to the production thresholds. The experiments were carried out with the tagged photon beam of the Mainz MAMI accelerator. The eta-mesons were detected via their two photon decays with the electromagnetic calorimeter TAPS. Total cross sections, angular and momentum distributions of the eta-mesons have been determined for both reactions. The total cross sections in the threshold region show a large enhancement over the predictions of a participant - spectator model, indicating significant final state interaction effects. The results are compared to recent model calculations taking into account nucleon-nucleon and nucleon-eta final state interaction effects on different levels of sophistication.

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arXiv2003

Exclusive measurement of coherent eta photoproduction from the deuteron

Coherent photoproduction of eta mesons from the deuteron has been measured from threshold up to incident photon energies of 750 MeV using the photon spectrometer TAPS at the tagged photon facility at the Mainz microtron MAMI. For the first time, differential coherent cross sections have been deduced from the coincident detection of the eta meson and the recoil deuteron. A missing energy analysis was used for the suppression of background events so that a very clean identification of coherent eta-photoproduction was achieved. The resulting cross sections agree with previous experimental results except for angles around 90 deg in the photon-deuteron cm-system where they are smaller. They are compared to various model calculations.

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arXiv2003

Coherent pi0-photoproduction from atomic nuclei

Differential and total cross sections for coherent pi0-photoproduction from 12C, 40Ca, 93Nb and Pb targets have been measured throughout the region of the Delta(1232)-resonance. The experiments were performed with the TAPS-detector at the Mainz accelerator MAMI. The characteristic proportionality of the cross section to the square of the atomic mass number and to the nuclear mass form factor is clearly demonstrated. The data allow for the first time detailed tests of model predictions for this reaction. The comparison of the data to model predictions shows that the Delta-nucleus interaction saturates: it is described for heavy nuclei with the same potential parameters as for 4He.

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arXiv2003

In-medium properties of the D13(1520) nucleon resonance

The in-medium properties of the D13(1520) nucleon resonance were studied via photoproduction of pi0-mesons from nuclei (C, Ca, Nb, Pb) with the TAPS-detector at the Mainz MAMI accelerator. The inclusive (single and multiple pion production) data disagree with model predictions which explain the disappearance of the second resonance bump in total photoabsorption via a medium modification of the D13 --> N rho decay. The exclusive single pi0 production data show no broadening of the resonance structure beyond Fermi smearing. Although due to final state interaction effects pion production tests the nucleus at densities less than the average nuclear density, both results together cast doubt on attempts to explain the vanishing of the second resonance bump for heavy nuclei by a broadening of the D13-resonance in nuclear matter.

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arXiv2003

Quasi-free Compton Scattering and the Polarizabilities of the Neutron

Differential cross sections for quasi-free Compton scattering from the proton and neutron bound in the deuteron have been measured using the Glasgow/Mainz tagging spectrometer at the Mainz MAMI accelerator together with the Mainz 48 cm $\oslash$ $\times$ 64 cm NaI(Tl) photon detector and the Göttingen SENECA recoil detector. The data cover photon energies ranging from 200 MeV to 400 MeV at $θ^{LAB}_γ=136.2^\circ$. Liquid deuterium and hydrogen targets allowed direct comparison of free and quasi-free scattering from the proton. The neutron detection efficiency of the SENECA detector was measured via the reaction $p(γ,π^+ n)$. The "free" proton Compton scattering cross sections extracted from the bound proton data are in reasonable agreement with those for the free proton which gives confidence in the method to extract the differential cross section for free scattering from quasi-free data. Differential cross sections on the free neutron have been extracted and the difference of the electromagnetic polarizabilities of the neutron have been obtained to be $α-β= 9.8\pm 3.6(stat){}^{2.1}_1.1(syst)\pm 2.2(model)$ in units $10^{-4}fm^3$. In combination with the polarizability sum $α+β=15.2\pm 0.5$ deduced from photoabsorption data, the neutron electric and magnetic polarizabilities, $α_n=12.5\pm 1.8(stat){}^{+1.1}_{-0.6}\pm 1.1(model)$ and $β_n=2.7\mp 1.8(stat){}^{+0.6}_{-1.1}(syst)\mp 1.1(model)$ are obtained. The backward spin polarizability of the neutron was determined to be $γ^{(n)}_π=(58.6\pm 4.0)\times 10^{-4}fm^4$.

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arXiv2002

Three-nucleon mechanisms in photoreactions

The $^{12}$C$(γ,ppn)$ reaction has been measured for E$_γ$=150-800 MeV in the first study of this reaction in a target heavier than $^3$He. The experimental data are compared to a microscopic many body calculation. The model, which predicts that the largest contribution to the reaction arises from final state interactions following an initial pion production process, overestimates the measured cross sections and there are strong indications that the overestimate arises in this two-step process. The selection of suitable kinematic conditions strongly suppresses this two-step contribution leaving cross sections in which up to half the yield is predicted to arise from the absorption of the photon on three interacting nucleons and which agree with the model. The results indicate $(γ,3N)$ measurements on nuclei may be a valuable tool for obtaining information on the nuclear three-body interaction.

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arXiv2002

The reaction $γp \to π^\circ γ^\prime p$ and the magnetic dipole moment of the $Δ^+(1232)$ resonance

The reaction $γp \to π^\circ γ^\prime p$ has been measured with the TAPS calorimeter at the Mainz Microtron accelerator facility MAMI for energies between $\sqrt{s}$ = 1221--1331 MeV. Cross sections differential in angle and energy have been determined for all particles in the final state in three bins of the excitation energy. This reaction channel provides access to the magnetic dipole moment of the $Δ^{+}(1232)$ resonance and, for the first time, a value of $μ_{Δ^+} = (2.7_{-1.3}^{+1.0}(stat.) \pm 1.5 (syst.) \pm 3(theo.)) μ_N$ has been extracted.

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arXiv2002

In-medium modifications of the $ππ$ interaction in photon-induced reactions

Differential cross sections of the reactions $(γ,π^\circπ^\circ)$ and $(γ,π^\circπ^++π^\circπ^-)$ have been measured for several nuclei ($^1$H,$^{12}$C, and $^{\rm nat}$Pb) at an incident-photon energy of $E_γ$=400-460 MeV at the tagged-photon facility at MAMI-B using the TAPS spectrometer. A significant nuclear-mass dependence of the $ππ$ invariant-mass distribution is found in the $π^\circπ^\circ$ channel. This dependence is not observed in the $π^\circπ^{+/-}$ channel and is consistent with an in-medium modification of the $ππ$ interaction in the $I$=$J$=0 channel. The data are compared to $π$-induced measurements and to calculations within a chiral-unitary approach.

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arXiv2002

Search for Point Sources of High Energy Neutrinos with AMANDA

This paper describes the search for astronomical sources of high-energy neutrinos using the AMANDA-B10 detector, an array of 302 photomultiplier tubes, used for the detection of Cherenkov light from upward traveling neutrino-induced muons, buried deep in ice at the South Pole. The absolute pointing accuracy and angular resolution were studied by using coincident events between the AMANDA detector and two independent telescopes on the surface, the GASP air Cherenkov telescope and the SPASE extensive air shower array. Using data collected from April to October of 1997 (130.1 days of livetime), a general survey of the northern hemisphere revealed no statistically significant excess of events from any direction. The sensitivity for a flux of muon neutrinos is based on the effective detection area for through-going muons. Averaged over the Northern sky, the effective detection area exceeds 10,000 m^2 for E_{mu} ~ 10 TeV. Neutrinos generated in the atmosphere by cosmic ray interactions were used to verify the predicted performance of the detector. For a source with a differential energy spectrum proportional to E_{nu}^{-2} and declination larger than +40 degrees, we obtain E^2(dN_{nu}/dE) <= 10^{-6}GeVcm^{-2}s^{-1} for an energy threshold of 10 GeV.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

Search for Neutrino-Induced Cascades with the AMANDA Detector

We report on a search for electromagnetic and/or hadronic showers (cascades) induced by a diffuse flux of neutrinos with energies between 5 TeV and 300 TeV from extraterrestrial sources. Cascades may be produced by matter interactions of all flavors of neutrinos, and contained cascades have better energy resolution and afford better background rejection than through-going ν_μ-induced muons. Data taken in 1997 with the AMANDA detector were searched for events with a high-energy cascade-like signature. The observed events are consistent with expected backgrounds from atmospheric neutrinos and catastrophic energy losses from atmospheric muons. Effective volumes for all flavors of neutrinos, which allow the calculation of limits for any neutrino flux model, are presented. The limit on cascades from a diffuse flux of ν_e+ν_μ+ν_τ+\barν_e+\barν_μ+\barν_τis E^2 dΦ/dE < 9.8 x 10^{-6} GeV/(cm^2 s sr), assuming a neutrino flavor flux ratio of 1:1:1 at the detector. The limit on cascades from a diffuse flux of ν_e+\barν_e is E^ dΦ/dE < 6.5 x 10{-6} GeV/(cm^2 s sr), independent of the assumed neutrino flavor flux ratio.

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arXiv2002

Limits to the muon flux from WIMP annihilation in the center of the Earth with the AMANDA detector

A search for nearly vertical up-going muon-neutrinos from neutralino annihilations in the center of the Earth has been performed with the AMANDA-B10 neutrino detector. The data sample collected in 130.1 days of live-time in 1997, ~10^9 events, has been analyzed for this search. No excess over the expected atmospheric neutrino background is oberved. An upper limit at 90% confidence level on the annihilation rate of neutralinos in the center of the Earth is obtained as a function of the neutralino mass in the range 100 GeV-5000 GeV, as well as the corresponding muon flux limit.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

Observation of High Energy Atmospheric Neutrinos with the Antarctic Muon and Neutrino Detector Array

The Antarctic Muon and Neutrino Detector Array (AMANDA) began collecting data with ten strings in 1997. Results from the first year of operation are presented. Neutrinos coming through the Earth from the Northern Hemisphere are identified by secondary muons moving upward through the array. Cosmic rays in the atmosphere generate a background of downward moving muons, which are about 10^6 times more abundant than the upward moving muons. Over 130 days of exposure, we observed a total of about 300 neutrino events. In the same period, a background of 1.05*10^9 cosmic ray muon events was recorded. The observed neutrino flux is consistent with atmospheric neutrino predictions. Monte Carlo simulations indicate that 90% of these events lie in the energy range 66 GeV to 3.4 TeV. The observation of atmospheric neutrinos consistent with expectations establishes AMANDA-B10 as a working neutrino telescope.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

The helicity amplitudes A$_{1/2}$ and A$_{3/2}$ for the D$_{13}(1520)$ resonance obtained from the $\vecγ \vec{p} \to p π^0$ reaction}

The helicity dependence of the $\vecγ \vec{p} \to p π^0$ reaction has been measured for the first time in the photon energy range from 550 to 790 MeV. The experiment, performed at the Mainz microtron MAMI, used a 4$π$-detector system, a circularly polarized, tagged photon beam, and a longitudinally polarized frozen-spin target. These data are predominantly sensitive to the $D_{13}(1520)$ resonance and are used to determine its parameters.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2002

Neutron polarizabilities investigated by quasi-free Compton scattering from the deuteron

Measuring Compton scattered photons and recoil neutrons in coincidence, quasi-free Compton scattering by the neutron has been investigated at MAMI (Mainz) at $theta^{lab}_γ=136^o$ in an energy range from 200 to 400 MeV. From the data a polarizability difference of $α_n - β_n = 9.8 \pm 3.6(stat)^{+2.1}_{-1.1}(syst)\pm 2.2(model)$ in units of $10^{-4}fm^3$ has been determined. In combination with the polarizability sum $α_n+β_n= 15.2\pm 0.5$ deduced from photo absorption data, the neutron electric and magnetic polarizabilities, $α_n=12.5\pm 1.8(stat)^{+1.1}_{-0.6}(syst)\pm 1.1(model)$ and $β_n = 2.7\mp 1.8(stat)^{+0.6}_{-1.1}(syst)\mp 1.1(model)$, are obtained.

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arXiv2001

Backward spin polarizability $γ_π$ of the proton

Using the Mainz $48 cm Ø\times 64 cm$ NaI(Tl) detector and the segmented Göttingen recoil detector SENECA in coincidence, Compton scattering by the proton at $θ^{lab}_γ= 136^\circ$ has been measured at MAMI (Mainz) in the energy range from 200 to 470 MeV. The new data confirm the previous observation that there is a systematic discrepancy between MAMI and LEGS (Brookhaven) data leading to different spin polarizabilities $γ_π= - 38.7 \pm 1.8$ and $-27.2 \pm 3.1$ $(\times 10^{-4}fm^4)$, respectively.

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arXiv2001

Physics Results from the AMANDA Neutrino Detector

In the winter season of 2000, the AMANDA (Antarctic Muon And Neutrino Detector Array) detector was completed to its final state. We report on major physics results obtained from the AMANDA-B10 detector, as well as initial results of the full AMANDA-II detector.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2001

Compton Scattering by the Proton using a Large-Acceptance Arrangement

Compton scattering by the proton has been measured using the tagged-photon facility at MAMI (Mainz) and the large-acceptance arrangement LARA. The new data are interpreted in terms of dispersion theory based on the SAID-SM99K parameterization of photo-meson amplitudes. It is found that two-pion exchange in the t-channel is needed for a description of the data in the second resonance region. The data are well represented if this channel is modeled by a single pole with mass parameter m(sigma)=600 MeV. The asymptotic part of the spin dependent amplitude is found to be well represented by pi-0-exchange in the t-channel. A backward spin-polarizability of gamma(pi)=(-37.1+-0.6(stat+syst)+-3.0(model))x10^{-4}fm^4 has been determined from data of the first resonance region below 455 MeV. This value is in a good agreement with predictions of dispersion relations and chiral pertubation theory. From a subset of data between 280 and 360 MeV the resonance pion-photoproduction amplitudes were evaluated leading to a E2/M1 multipole ratio of the p-to-Delta radiative transition of EMR(340 MeV)=(-1.7+-0.4(stat+syst)+-0.2(model))%. It was found that this number is dependent on the parameterization of photo-meson amplitudes. With the MAID2K parameterization an E2/M1 multipole ratio of EMR(340 MeV)=(-2.0+-0.4(stat+syst)+-0.2(model))% is obtained.

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