arXiv subjects

Ke Han

Publications and source records attributed to Ke Han.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2025

Measurement of two-neutrino double electron capture half-life of $^{124}$Xe with PandaX-4T

Detailed studies of two-neutrino double electron capture (2$ν$DEC) is a crucial step towards searching for the neutrino-less mode to explore the Majorana nature of neutrinos. We have measured precisely the half-life of the 2$ν$DEC process in $^{124}$Xe, utilizing a total exposure of 1.73 tonne$\cdot$year from the commissioning run and the first science run of the PandaX-4T experiment. A time-dependent background model in the $\mathcal{O}$(10 keV) energy is constructed for the first time in PandaX-4T data. With an unbinned maximum likelihood fit, we determine the half-life of the 2$ν$DEC process to be $(1.03\pm0.15_{\rm stat}\pm0.08_{\rm sys})\times 10^{22}$$\,$yr. Furthermore, we have evaluated the branching ratio for both electrons captured from the $K$ shell ($KK$) to be $(65\pm5)\%$, which aligns with the $^{124}$Xe nuclear model calculations within 1.8$\,$$σ$.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2025

Search for Solar Boosted Dark Matter Particles at the PandaX-4T Experiment

We present a novel constraint on light dark matter utilizing $1.54$ tonne$\cdot$year of data acquired from the PandaX-4T dual-phase xenon time projection chamber. This constraint is derived through detecting electronic recoil signals resulting from the interaction with solar-enhanced dark matter flux. Low-mass dark matter particles, lighter than a few MeV/$c^2$, can scatter with the thermal electrons in the Sun. Consequently, with higher kinetic energy, the boosted dark matter component becomes detectable via contact scattering with xenon electrons, resulting in a few keV energy deposition that exceeds the threshold of PandaX-4T. We calculate the expected recoil energy in PandaX-4T considering the Sun's acceleration and the detection capabilities of the xenon detector. The first experimental search results using the xenon detector yield the most stringent cross-section of $3.51 \times 10^{-39}~\mathrm{cm}^2$ at $0.08~\mathrm{MeV}$/$c^2$ for a solar boosted dark matter mass ranging from $0.02$ to $10~ \mathrm{MeV}$/$c^2$, achieving a 23 fold improvement compared with earlier experimental studies.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2025

Designing optimal subsidy schemes and recycling plans for sustainable treatment of construction and demolition waste

More than 10 billion tons of construction and demolition waste (CW) are generated globally each year, exerting a significant impact on the environment. In the CW recycling process, the government and the carrier are the two primary stakeholders. The carrier is responsible for transporting CW from production sites to backfill sites or processing facilities, with a primary focus on transport efficiency and revenue. Meanwhile, the government aims to minimize pollution from the recycling system, which is influenced by transport modes, shipment distances, and the processing methods used for CW. This paper develops a bi-objective, bi-level optimization model to address these challenges. The upper-level model is a linear programming model that optimizes the government's subsidy scheme, while the lower-level model is a minimum-cost flow model that optimizes the carrier's recycling plan. A hybrid heuristic solution method is proposed to tackle the problem's complexity. A case study in Chengdu, China, demonstrates the computational efficiency of the model and its small solution gap. With an optimized subsidy scheme and recycling plan, pollution can be reduced by over 29.29% through a relatively small investment in subsidies.

math.OC↗

arXiv2025

Search for Double Beta Decay of $^{136}$Xe to the $0^+_1$ Excited State of $^{136}$Ba with PandaX-4T

We perform a search of double beta decay of $^{136}$Xe to the excited state, $0^+_1$, of $^{136}$Ba (2$νββ$-0$_1^+$), using the dual-phase xenon detector of PandaX-4T with the first 94.9-day commissioning data. The multi-site events are reconstructed up to the MeV energy scale, which helps to improve the background model significantly. The background contribution from the stainless steel platform outside PandaX-4T cryostat is evaluated for the first time. No significant evidence for 2$νββ$-$0_1^+$ is observed, resulting in a lower limit on half-life of $7.5 \times 10^{22}$ yr at the 90% confidence level. This is the first experimental limit on such a rare decay in a natural xenon-based detector.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2025

Position reconstruction and surface background model for the PandaX-4T detector

We report the position reconstruction methods and surface background model for the PandaX-4T dark matter direct search experiment. This work develops two position reconstruction algorithms: template matching (TM) method and photon acceptance function (PAF) method. Both methods determine the horizontal position of events based on the light pattern of secondary scintillation collected by the light sensors. After a comprehensive evaluation of resolution, uniformity, and robustness, the PAF method was selected for position reconstruction, while the TM method was employed for verification. The PAF method achieves a bulk event resolution of 1.0 mm and a surface event resolution of 4.4 mm for a typical $S2$ signal with a bottom charge of 1500 PE (about 14 keV). The uniformity is around 20\%. Robustness studies reveal average deviations of 5.1 mm and 8.8 mm for the commissioning run (Run0) and the first science run (Run1), respectively, due to the deactivation of certain PMTs. A data-driven surface background model is developed based on the PAF method. The surface background is estimated to be $0.09 \pm 0.06$ events for Run0 (0.54 tonne$\cdot$year) and $0.17 \pm 0.11$ events for Run1 (1.00 tonne$\cdot$year).

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2025

A Novel Low-Background Photomultiplier Tube Developed for Xenon Based Detectors

Photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) are essential in xenon detectors like PandaX, LZ, and XENON experiments for dark matter searches and neutrino properties measurement. To minimize PMT-induced backgrounds, stringent requirements on PMT radioactivity are crucial. A novel 2-inch low-background R12699 PMT has been developed through a collaboration between the PandaX team and Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. corporation. Radioactivity measurements conducted with a high-purity germanium detector show levels of approximately 0.08 mBq/PMT for $\rm^{60}Co$ and 0.06~mBq/PMT for the $\rm^{238}U$ late chain, achieving a 15-fold reduction compared to R11410 PMT used in PandaX-4T. The radon emanation rate is below 3.2 $\rm μ$Bq/PMT (@90\% confidence level), while the surface $\rm^{210}Po$ activity is less than 18.4 $μ$Bq/cm$^2$. The electrical performance of these PMTs at cryogenic temperature was evaluated. With an optimized readout base, the gain was enhanced by 30\%, achieving an average gain of $4.23 \times 10^6$ at -1000~V and -100~$^{\circ}$C. The dark count rate averaged 2.5~Hz per channel. Compactness, low radioactivity, and robust electrical performance in the cryogenic temperature make the R12699 PMT ideal for next-generation liquid xenon detectors and other rare event searches.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2025

Dark Matter Search Results from 1.54 Tonne$\cdot$Year Exposure of PandaX-4T

In this letter, we report the dark matter search results from the commissioning run and the first science run of the PandaX-4T experiment. A blind analysis is carried out on the entire data set. The data processing is improved compared to previous work, unifying the low-level signal reconstruction in a wide energy range up to 120 keV. With a total exposure of 1.54 tonne$\cdot$year, no significant excess of nuclear recoil events is found. The lowest 90% confidence level exclusion on the spin-independent cross section is $1.6 \times 10^{-47}\,\mathrm{cm}^2$ at a dark matter mass of 40 GeV$/c^2$. Our results represent the most stringent constraint for a dark matter mass above 100 GeV$/c^2$.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2025

Navigating pollution: A multimodal approach to traffic and exposure management

Few studies quantify how traffic management dynamically reshapes modal split and emission-exposure outcomes over pollution severities. This paper proposes a novel day-to-day assignment model integrating exposure cost, which includes exposure perception and emissions-dispersion-exposure algorithm. Numerical experiments reveal that and various levels of traffic-related measures have an air pollution scenario-dependent effect on the MT system. In light pollution scenarios, vehicle restrictions and reduced fares for buses or ridesharing help lower car usage and reduce emissions and exposure. However, under heavy pollution, higher-level restrictions and ridesharing fares paradoxically increase travelers' exposure by 18% and 6.3%, respectively, due to modal shift. Furthermore, timely pollution information updates could plausibly encourage healthier travel. This paper also proposes practical strategies for both routine and emergency traffic management, considering the trade-offs among travel cost, emission, and exposure, and emphasizes the need for measures tailored to different air pollution contexts to offer deeper insights for urban traffic policies.

physics.soc-ph↗

arXiv2024

Searching for Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay of $^{136}$Xe with PandaX-4T

We report the search for neutrinoless double-beta decay of $^{136}$Xe from the PandaX-4T experiment with a 3.7-tonne natural xenon target. The data reconstruction and the background modeling are optimized in the MeV energy region. A blind analysis is performed with data from the commissioning run and the first science run. No significant excess of signal over the background is observed. A lower limit on the half-life of $^{136}$Xe neutrinoless double-beta decay is established to be $2.1 \times 10^{24}$~yr at the 90\% confidence level, with a $^{136}$Xe exposure of 44.6~kg$\cdot$year. Our result represents the most stringent constraint from a natural xenon detector to date.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2024

PandaX-xT: a Multi-ten-tonne Liquid Xenon Observatory at the China Jinping Underground Laboratory

We propose a major upgrade to the existing PandaX-4T experiment in the China Jinping Underground Laboratory. The new experiment, PandaX-xT, will be a multi-ten-tonne liquid xenon, ultra-low background, and general-purpose observatory. The full-scaled PandaX-xT contains a 43-tonne liquid xenon active target. Such an experiment will significantly advance our fundamental understanding of particle physics and astrophysics. The sensitivity of dark matter direct detection will be improved by nearly two orders of magnitude compared to the current best limits, approaching the so-called "neutrino floor" for a dark matter mass above 10 GeV/$c^2$, providing a decisive test to the Weakly Interacting Massive Particle paradigm. By searching for the neutrinoless double beta decay of $^{136}$Xe isotope in the detector, the effective Majorana neutrino mass can be measured to a [10 -- 41] meV/$c^2$ sensitivity, providing a key test to the Dirac/Majorana nature of neutrino s. Astrophysical neutrinos and other ultra-rare interactions can also be measured and searched for with an unprecedented background level, opening up new windows of discovery. Depending on the findings, PandaX-xT will seek the next stage upgrade utilizing isotopic separation on natural xenon.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2024

Integrating optimal ridesharing matching into multimodal traffic model: Implications for policy and sustainable transport system

Integrating ridesharing matching explicitly into multimodal traffic models is crucial for accurately assessing the impacts of multimodal transport (MT) on urban economic and environmental aspects. This paper integrates an optimal ridesharing matching method into a path-based deterministic day-to-day traffic assignment framework, considers match cancellations, and captures the interactions between various modes on the road. The model incorporates five traffic modes (solo driving, ridesharing as a driver, ridesharing as a passenger, bus travel, and metro travel) and two groups of travelers based on their ownership status. Its steady state is determined through numerical experiments. The sensitivity analyses reveal that the MT system's performance varies with changes in ownership, bus fare, and ridesharing fare, demonstrating diverse impacts on mode split, travel cost, and emissions across different groups, road links, and regions. Our findings suggest that vehicle restrictions and pricing strategies have both benefits and drawbacks in managing MT system, emphasizing the need for careful consideration of trade-offs and social equity implications in policy-making and implementation. This study not only enhances the theoretical understanding of MT system but also provides valuable support for urban transportation policy-making aimed at achieving efficient, sustainable, and socially equitable transport systems.

physics.soc-ph↗

arXiv2024

Study of delamination in REBCO coated conductor by transmission electron microscopy

Delamination strength of REBCO is very important for its applications in large magnet projects. This work presented the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) investigation of the microstructures of the REBCO coated conductor to understand its delamination property. We found that the low delamination strength is associated with nano-voids formed at the IBAD MgO/Y2O3 interface.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2024

Residual resistance ratio of Cu stabilizer in commercial REBCO tapes

Residual resistance ratio (RRR) of Cu stabilizer in REBCO coated conductor is an important design parameter for REBCO magnets. In this work, we measured RRR of electroplated Cu stabilizer in commercial REBCO tapes. Over 130 samples were measured for the quality assurance programs of REBCO magnet projects at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, USA (NHMFL). The average RRR value was above 50. In order to investigate the factors that influence RRR, several samples were analyzed by using scanning electron microscopy, secondary ion mass spectroscopy, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy. We found that, in our samples, RRR was strongly correlated with the grain size. We demonstrated that RRR was primarily determined by grain boundary resistivity. Lower RRR was also strongly correlated with higher concentration of chlorine impurity. This is explained by that higher chlorine impurity hindered the grain growth in the room temperature self annealing process resulting smaller grain. Smaller grain resulted in lower RRR. In addition, thermal annealing significantly enhanced RRR. An activation energy of 0.4 eV was obtained from the annealing experiment which corresponds to the activation of Cu grain growth.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2024

Enhancing the sensing power of bike-sharing system for urban environment

The development of smart cities requires innovative sensing solutions for efficient and low-cost urban environment monitoring. Bike-sharing systems, with their wide coverage, flexible mobility, and dense urban distribution, present a promising platform for pervasive sensing. At a relative early stage, research on bike-based sensing focuses on the application of data collected via passive sensing, without consideration of the optimization of data collection through sensor deployment or vehicle scheduling. To address this gap, this study integrates a binomial probability model with a mixed-integer linear programming model to optimize sensor allocation across bike stands. Additionally, an active scheduling strategy guides user bike selection to enhance the efficacy of data collection. A case study in Manhattan validates the proposed strategy, showing that equipping sensors on just 1\% of the bikes covers approximately 70\% of road segments in a day, highlighting the significant potential of bike-sharing systems for urban sensing.

math.OC↗

arXiv2024

First Indication of Solar $^8$B Neutrino Flux through Coherent Elastic Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering in PandaX-4T

The PandaX-4T liquid xenon detector at the China Jinping Underground Laboratory is used to measure the solar $^8$B neutrino flux by detecting neutrinos through coherent scattering with xenon nuclei. Data samples requiring the coincidence of scintillation and ionization signals (paired), as well as unpaired ionization-only signals (US2), are selected with energy threshold of approximately 1.1 keV (0.33 keV) nuclear recoil energy. Combining the commissioning run and the first science run of PandaX-4T, a total exposure of 1.20 and 1.04 tonne$\cdot$year are collected for the paired and US2, respectively. After unblinding, 3 and 332 events are observed with an expectation of 2.8$\pm$0.5 and 251$\pm$32 background events, for the paired and US2 data, respectively. A combined analysis yields a best-fit $^8$B neutrino signal of 3.5 (75) events from the paired (US2) data sample, with $\sim$37\% uncertainty, and the background-only hypothesis is disfavored at 2.64$σ$ significance. This gives a solar $^8$B neutrino flux of ($8.4\pm3.1$)$\times$10$^6$ cm$^{-2}$s$^{-1}$, consistent with the standard solar model prediction. It is also the first indication of solar $^8$B neutrino ``fog'' in a dark matter direct detection experiment.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2024

Search for Cosmic-ray Boosted Sub-MeV Dark-Matter-Electron Scattering in PandaX-4T

We report the first search for the elastic scatterings between cosmic-ray boosted sub-MeV dark matter and electrons in the PandaX-4T liquid xenon experiment. Sub-MeV dark matter particles can be accelerated by scattering with electrons in the cosmic rays and produce detectable electron recoil signals in the detector. Using the commissioning data from PandaX-4T of 0.63~tonne$\cdot$year exposure, we set new constraints on DM-electron scattering cross sections for DM masses ranging from 10~eV/$c^2$ to 3~keV/$c^2$.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2024

Constraints on the axial-vector and pseudo-scalar mediated WIMP-nucleus interactions from PandaX-4T experiment

We present the constraints on the axial-vector and pseudo-scalar mediated WIMP-nucleus interactions from the PandaX-4T experiment, using the data set corresponding to a total exposure of 0.63~tonne$\cdot$year. No significant signal excess is observed, and the most stringent upper limits to date on the spin-dependent WIMP-neutron scattering cross section are set at 90\% confidence level with the minimum WIMP-neutron scattering cross section of 5.8$\times 10^{-42}$\si{\cm^{2}} for WIMP mass of 40~\si{\GeV/}$c^2$. Exclusion limits on the axial-vector and pseudo-scalar simplified models are also derived.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2024

Internalizing sensing externality via matching and pricing for drive-by sensing taxi fleets

Drive-by sensing is a promising data collection paradigm that leverages the mobilities of vehicles to survey urban environments at low costs, contributing to the positive externality of urban transport activities. Focusing on e-hailing services, this paper explores the sensing potential of taxi fleets, by designing a joint matching and pricing scheme based on a double auction process. The matching module maximizes the sensing utility by prioritizing trips with high sensing potentials, and the pricing module allocates the corresponding social welfare according to the participants' contributions to the sensing utility. We show that the proposed scheme is allocative efficient, individually rational, budget balancing, envy-free, and group incentive compatible. The last notion guarantees that the participants, as a cohort, will end up with the same total utility regardless of mis-reporting on part of its members. Extensive numerical tests based on a real-world scenario reveal that the sensing externality can be well aligned with the level of service and budget balance. Various managerial insights regarding the applicability and efficacy of the proposed scheme are generated through scenario-based sensitivity analyses.

math.OC↗