arXiv subjects

S. Ricciardi

Publications and source records attributed to S. Ricciardi.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2013

nuSTORM - Neutrinos from STORed Muons: Proposal to the Fermilab PAC

The nuSTORM facility has been designed to deliver beams of electron neutrinos and muon neutrinos (and their anti-particles) from the decay of a stored muon beam with a central momentum of 3.8 GeV/c and a momentum acceptance of 10%. The facility is unique in that it will: 1. Allow searches for sterile neutrinos of exquisite sensitivity to be carried out; 2. Serve future long- and short-baseline neutrino-oscillation programs by providing definitive measurements of electron neutrino and muon neutrino scattering cross sections off nuclei with percent-level precision; and 3. Constitutes the crucial first step in the development of muon accelerators as a powerful new technique for particle physics. The document describes the facility in detail and demonstrates its physics capabilities. This document was submitted to the Fermilab Physics Advisory Committee in consideration for Stage I approval.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2013

The 2.3 GHz continuum survey of the GEM project

We present a partial-sky survey of the radio continuum at 2.3 GHz within the scope of the Galactic Emission Mapping (GEM) project, an observational program conceived and developed to reveal the large-scale properties of Galactic synchrotron radiation through a set of self-consistent surveys of the radio continuum between 408 MHz and 10 GHz. The GEM experiment uses a portable and double-shielded 5.5-m radiotelescope in altazimuthal configuration to map 60-degree-wide declination bands from different observational sites by circularly scanning the sky at zenithal angles of 30 deg from a constantly rotating platform. The observations were accomplished with a total power receiver, whose front-end High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT) amplifier was matched directly to a cylindrical horn at the prime focus of the parabolic reflector. The Moon was used to calibrate the antenna temperature scale and the preparation of the map required direct subtraction and destriping algorithms to remove ground contamination as the most significant source of systematic error. We used 484 hours of total intensity observations from two locations in Colombia and Brazil to yield 66% sky coverage from DEC = -51.73 deg to DEC = +34.78 deg. The zero-level uncertainty of the combined survey is 103 mK with a temperature scale error of 5% after direct correlation with the Rhodes/HartRAO survey at 2326 MHz on a T-T plot. The sky brightness distribution into regions of low and high emission in the GEM survey is consistent with the appearance of a transition region as seen in the Haslam 408 MHz and WMAP K-band surveys. Preliminary results also show that the temperature spectral index between 408 MHz and the 2.3 GHz band of the GEM survey has a weak spatial correlation with these regions; but it steepens significantly from high to low emission regions with respect to the WMAP K-band survey.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2013

Neutrinos from Stored Muons nuSTORM: Expression of Interest

The nuSTORM facility has been designed to deliver beams of electron and muon neutrinos from the decay of a stored muon beam with a central momentum of 3.8 GeV/c and a momentum spread of 10%. The facility is unique in that it will: serve the future long- and short-baseline neutrino-oscillation programmes by providing definitive measurements of electron-neutrino- and muon-neutrino-nucleus cross sections with percent-level precision; allow searches for sterile neutrinos of exquisite sensitivity to be carried out; and constitute the essential first step in the incremental development of muon accelerators as a powerful new technique for particle physics. Of the world's proton-accelerator laboratories, only CERN and FNAL have the infrastructure required to mount nuSTORM. Since no siting decision has yet been taken, the purpose of this Expression of Interest (EoI) is to request the resources required to: investigate in detail how nuSTORM could be implemented at CERN; and develop options for decisive European contributions to the nuSTORM facility and experimental programme wherever the facility is sited. The EoI defines a two-year programme culminating in the delivery of a Technical Design Report.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2012

The Large-Scale Polarization Explorer (LSPE)

The LSPE is a balloon-borne mission aimed at measuring the polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) at large angular scales, and in particular to constrain the curl component of CMB polarization (B-modes) produced by tensor perturbations generated during cosmic inflation, in the very early universe. Its primary target is to improve the limit on the ratio of tensor to scalar perturbations amplitudes down to r = 0.03, at 99.7% confidence. A second target is to produce wide maps of foreground polarization generated in our Galaxy by synchrotron emission and interstellar dust emission. These will be important to map Galactic magnetic fields and to study the properties of ionized gas and of diffuse interstellar dust in our Galaxy. The mission is optimized for large angular scales, with coarse angular resolution (around 1.5 degrees FWHM), and wide sky coverage (25% of the sky). The payload will fly in a circumpolar long duration balloon mission during the polar night. Using the Earth as a giant solar shield, the instrument will spin in azimuth, observing a large fraction of the northern sky. The payload will host two instruments. An array of coherent polarimeters using cryogenic HEMT amplifiers will survey the sky at 43 and 90 GHz. An array of bolometric polarimeters, using large throughput multi-mode bolometers and rotating Half Wave Plates (HWP), will survey the same sky region in three bands at 95, 145 and 245 GHz. The wide frequency coverage will allow optimal control of the polarized foregrounds, with comparable angular resolution at all frequencies.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2012

A coherent polarimeter array for the Large Scale Polarization Explorer balloon experiment

We discuss the design and expected performance of STRIP (STRatospheric Italian Polarimeter), an array of coherent receivers designed to fly on board the LSPE (Large Scale Polarization Explorer) balloon experiment. The STRIP focal plane array comprises 49 elements in Q band and 7 elements in W-band using cryogenic HEMT low noise amplifiers and high performance waveguide components. In operation, the array will be cooled to 20 K and placed in the focal plane of a $\sim 0.6$ meter telescope providing an angular resolution of $\sim1.5$ degrees. The LSPE experiment aims at large scale, high sensitivity measurements of CMB polarization, with multi-frequency deep measurements to optimize component separation. The STRIP Q-band channel is crucial to accurately measure and remove the synchrotron polarized component, while the W-band channel, together with a bolometric channel at the same frequency, provides a crucial cross-check for systematic effects.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2012

The pre-launch Planck Sky Model: a model of sky emission at submillimetre to centimetre wavelengths

We present the Planck Sky Model (PSM), a parametric model for the generation of all-sky, few arcminute resolution maps of sky emission at submillimetre to centimetre wavelengths, in both intensity and polarisation. Several options are implemented to model the cosmic microwave background, Galactic diffuse emission (synchrotron, free-free, thermal and spinning dust, CO lines), Galactic H-II regions, extragalactic radio sources, dusty galaxies, and thermal and kinetic Sunyaev-Zeldovich signals from clusters of galaxies. Each component is simulated by means of educated interpolations/extrapolations of data sets available at the time of the launch of the Planck mission, complemented by state-of-the-art models of the emission. Distinctive features of the simulations are: spatially varying spectral properties of synchrotron and dust; different spectral parameters for each point source; modeling of the clustering properties of extragalactic sources and of the power spectrum of fluctuations in the cosmic infrared background. The PSM enables the production of random realizations of the sky emission, constrained to match observational data within their uncertainties, and is implemented in a software package that is regularly updated with incoming information from observations. The model is expected to serve as a useful tool for optimizing planned microwave and sub-millimetre surveys and to test data processing and analysis pipelines. It is, in particular, used for the development and validation of data analysis pipelines within the planck collaboration. A version of the software that can be used for simulating the observations for a variety of experiments is made available on a dedicated website.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2012

Amplitude analysis of D0->K+K-pi+pi-

The first flavor-tagged amplitude analysis of the decay D0 to the self-conjugate final state K+K-pi+pi- is presented. Data from the CLEO II.V, CLEO III, and CLEO-c detectors are used, from which around 3000 signal decays are selected. The three most significant amplitudes, which contribute to the model that best fits the data, are phirho0, K1(1270)+-K-+, and non-resonant K+K-pi+pi-. Separate amplitude analyses of D0 and D0-bar candidates indicate no CP violation among the amplitudes at the level of 5% to 30% depending on the mode. In addition, the sensitivity to the CP-violating parameter gamma/phi3 of a sample of 2000 B+ -> D0-tilde(K+K-pi+pi-)K+ decays, where D0-tilde is a D0 or D0-bar, collected at LHCb or a future flavor facility, is estimated to be (11.3 +/- 0.3) degrees using the favored model.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2012

Simultaneous Planck, Swift, and Fermi observations of X-ray and gamma-ray selected blazars

We present simultaneous Planck, Swift, Fermi, and ground-based data for 105 blazars belonging to three samples with flux limits in the soft X-ray, hard X-ray, and gamma-ray bands. Our unique data set has allowed us to demonstrate that the selection method strongly influences the results, producing biases that cannot be ignored. Almost all the BL Lac objects have been detected by Fermi-LAT, whereas ~40% of the flat-spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs) in the radio, soft X-ray, and hard X-ray selected samples are still below the gamma-ray detection limit even after integrating 27 months of Fermi-LAT data. The radio to sub-mm spectral slope of blazars is quite flat up to ~70GHz, above which it steepens to <α>~-0.65. BL Lacs have significantly flatter spectra than FSRQs at higher frequencies. The distribution of the rest-frame synchrotron peak frequency (\nupS) in the SED of FSRQs is the same in all the blazar samples with <\nupS>=10^13.1 Hz, while the mean inverse-Compton peak frequency, <\nupIC>, ranges from 10^21 to 10^22 Hz. The distributions of \nupS and of \nupIC of BL Lacs are much broader and are shifted to higher energies than those of FSRQs and strongly depend on the selection method. The Compton dominance of blazars ranges from ~0.2 to ~100, with only FSRQs reaching values >3. Its distribution is broad and depends strongly on the selection method, with gamma-ray selected blazars peaking at ~7 or more, and radio-selected blazars at values ~1, thus implying that the assumption that the blazar power is dominated by high-energy emission is a selection effect. Simple SSC models cannot explain the SEDs of most of the gamma-ray detected blazars in all samples. The SED of the blazars that were not detected by Fermi-LAT may instead be consistent with SSC emission. Our data challenge the correlation between bolometric luminosity and \nupS predicted by the blazar sequence.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2012

Amplitude analyses of the decays chi_c1 -> eta pi+ pi- and chi_c1 -> eta' pi+ pi-

Using a data sample of 2.59 x 10^7 psi(2S) decays obtained with the CLEO-c detector, we perform amplitude analyses of the complementary decay chains chi_c1 -> eta pi+ pi- and chi_c1 -> eta' pi+ pi-. We find evidence for a P-wave eta' pi scattering amplitude, which, if interpreted as a resonance, would have exotic J^PC = 1^-+ and parameters consistent with the pi_1(1600) state reported in other production mechanisms. We also make the first observation of the decay a_0(980) -> eta' pi and measure the ratio of branching fractions B(a_0(980) -> eta' pi)/B(a_0(980) -> eta pi) = 0.064 +- 0.014 +- 0.014. The pi pi spectrum produced with a recoiling eta is compared to that with eta' recoil.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2011

First Measurement of the Form Factors in the Decays D0 to rho- e+ nu_e and D+ to rho0 e+ nu_e

Using the entire CLEO-c psi(3770) to DDbar event sample, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 818 pb^-1 and approximately 5.4 x 10^6 DDbar events, we measure the form factors for the decays D0 to rho- e+ nu_e and D+ to rho0 e+ nu_e for the first time and the branching fractions with improved precision. A four-dimensional unbinned maximum likelihood fit determines the form factor ratios to be: V(0)/A_1(0) = 1.48 +- 0.15 +- 0.05 and A_2(0)/A_1(0)= 0.83 +- 0.11 +- 0.04. Assuming CKM unitarity, the known D meson lifetimes and our measured branching fractions we obtain the form factor normalizations A_1(0), A_2(0), and V(0). We also present a measurement of the branching fraction for D^+ to omega e^+ nu_e with improved precision.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2011

Planck Early Results. V. The Low Frequency Instrument data processing

We describe the processing of data from the Low Frequency Instrument (LFI) used in production of the Planck Early Release Compact Source Catalogue (ERCSC). In particular, we discuss the steps involved in reducing the data from telemetry packets to cleaned, calibrated, time-ordered data (TOD) and frequency maps. Data are continuously calibrated using the modulation of the temperature of the cosmic microwave background radiation induced by the motion of the spacecraft. Noise properties are estimated from TOD from which the sky signal has been removed using a generalized least square map-making algorithm. Measured 1/f noise knee-frequencies range from 100mHz at 30GHz to a few tens of mHz at 70GHz. A destriping code (Madam) is employed to combine radiometric data and pointing information into sky maps, minimizing the variance of correlated noise. Noise covariance matrices required to compute statistical uncertainties on LFI and Planck products are also produced. Main beams are estimated down to the approx -10dB level using Jupiter transits, which are also used for geometrical calibration of the focal plane.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2011

Observation of the h_c(1P) using e^+e^- collisions above DDbar threshold

Using 586pb^-1 of e^+e^- collision data at E_CM = 4170MeV, produced at the CESR collider and collected with the CLEO-c detector, we observe the process e^+e^- --> pi^+ pi^- h_c(1P). We measure its cross section to be 15.6+-2.3+-1.9+-3.0pb, where the third error is due to the external uncertainty on the branching fraction of psi(2S) --> pi^0 h_c(1P), which we use for normalization. We also find evidence for e^+e^- --> eta h_c(1P) at 4170MeV at the 3sigma level, and see hints of a rise in the e^+e^- --> pi^+ pi^- h_c(1P) cross section at 4260MeV.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2011

Branching fractions for Y(3S) -> pi^0 h_b and psi(2S) -> pi^0 h_c

Using e^+e^- collision data corresponding to 5.88M Y(3S) [25.9M psi(2S)] decays and acquired by the CLEO III [CLEO-c] detectors operating at CESR, we study the single-pion transitions from Y(3S) [psi(2S)] to the respective spin-singlet states h_{b[c]}. Utilizing only the momentum of suitably selected transition-pi^0 candidates, we obtain the upper limit B(Y(3S) -> pi^0 h_b) < 1.2\times 10^{-3} at 90% confidence level, and measure B(psi(2S) -> pi^0 h_c) = (9.0+-1.5+-1.3)\times 10^{-4}. Signal sensitivities are enhanced by excluding very asymmetric pi^0 -> gamma gamma candidates.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2011

Analysis of the Decay D^0 to K^0_S pi^0 pi^0

We present the results of a Dalitz plot analysis of D^0 to K^0_S pi^0 pi^0 using the CLEO-c data set of 818 inverse pico-barns of e^+ e^- collisions accumulated at sqrt{s} = 3.77 GeV. This corresponds to three million D^0 D^0-bar pairs from which we select 1,259 tagged candidates with a background of 7.5 +- 0.9 percent. Several models have been explored, all of which include the K^*(892), K^*_2(1430), K^*(1680), the f_0(980), and the sigma(500). We find that the combined pi^0 pi^0 S-wave contribution to our preferred fit is (28.9 +- 6.3 +- 3.1)% of the total decay rate while D^0 to K^*(892)^0 pi^0 contributes (65.6 +- 5.3 +- 2.5)%. Using three tag modes and correcting for quantum correlations we measure the D^0 to K^0_S pi^0 pi^0 branching fraction to be (1.059 +- 0.038 +- 0.061)%.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2011

The Simultaneous Medicina-Planck Experiment (SiMPlE): data acquisition, reduction and first results

The Simultaneous Medicina-{\it Planck} Experiment (SiMPlE) is aimed at observing a selected sample of 263 extragalactic and Galactic sources with the Medicina 32-m single dish radio telescope in the same epoch as the Planck satellite observations. The data acquired with a frequency coverage down to 5 GHz, also combined with Planck at frequencies above 30 GHz, will constitute a useful reference catalogue of bright sources over the whole Northern hemisphere. Furthermore, source observations performed in different epochs and comparison with other catalogues allow the investigation of source variabilities on different timescales. In this work, we describe the sample selection, the on-going data acquisition campaign, the data reduction procedures, the developed tools, and the comparison with other data-sets. We present the data at 5 and 8.3 GHz for the SiMPlE Northern Sample consisting of 79 sources with $δ\geq 45^\circ$ selected in our catalogue and observed during the first 6 months of the project. A first analysis of their spectral behaviour and long-term variability is also presented.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2011

Studies of D^+ -> {eta', eta, phi} e^+ nu_e

We report the first observation of the decay D^+ -> eta' e^+ nu_e in two analyses, which combined provide a branching fraction of B(D+ -> eta' e nu) = (2.16 +/- 0.53 +/- 0.07) x 10^{-4}. We also provide an improved measurement of B(D+ -> eta e nu) = (11.4 +/- 0.9 +/- 0.4) x 10^{-4}, provide the first form factor measurement, and set the improved upper limit B(D+ -> phi e nu) < 0.9 x 10^{-4} (90% C.L.).

hep-ex↗

arXiv2011

Search for the decay $D^+_{s}\toωe^+ν$

We present the first search for the decay $D^+_{s}\to ωe^{+}ν$ to test the four-quark content of the $D^+_{s}$ and the $ω$-$ϕ$ mixing model for this decay. We use 586 $\mathrm{pb}^{-1}$ of $e^{+}e^{-}$ collision data collected at a center-of-mass energy of 4170 MeV. We find no evidence of a signal, and set an upper limit on the branching fraction of $\mathcal{B}(D^+_{s}\toωe^+ν)<$0.20% at the 90% confidence level.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2011

COrE (Cosmic Origins Explorer) A White Paper

COrE (Cosmic Origins Explorer) is a fourth-generation full-sky, microwave-band satellite recently proposed to ESA within Cosmic Vision 2015-2025. COrE will provide maps of the microwave sky in polarization and temperature in 15 frequency bands, ranging from 45 GHz to 795 GHz, with an angular resolution ranging from 23 arcmin (45 GHz) and 1.3 arcmin (795 GHz) and sensitivities roughly 10 to 30 times better than PLANCK (depending on the frequency channel). The COrE mission will lead to breakthrough science in a wide range of areas, ranging from primordial cosmology to galactic and extragalactic science. COrE is designed to detect the primordial gravitational waves generated during the epoch of cosmic inflation at more than $3σ$ for $r=(T/S)>=10^{-3}$. It will also measure the CMB gravitational lensing deflection power spectrum to the cosmic variance limit on all linear scales, allowing us to probe absolute neutrino masses better than laboratory experiments and down to plausible values suggested by the neutrino oscillation data. COrE will also search for primordial non-Gaussianity with significant improvements over Planck in its ability to constrain the shape (and amplitude) of non-Gaussianity. In the areas of galactic and extragalactic science, in its highest frequency channels COrE will provide maps of the galactic polarized dust emission allowing us to map the galactic magnetic field in areas of diffuse emission not otherwise accessible to probe the initial conditions for star formation. COrE will also map the galactic synchrotron emission thirty times better than PLANCK. This White Paper reviews the COrE science program, our simulations on foreground subtraction, and the proposed instrumental configuration.

astro-ph.CO↗