arXiv subjects

W. Kretschmer

Publications and source records attributed to W. Kretschmer.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2012

AMADEUS - The Acoustic Neutrino Detection Test System of the ANTARES Deep-Sea Neutrino Telescope

The AMADEUS (ANTARES Modules for the Acoustic Detection Under the Sea) system which is described in this article aims at the investigation of techniques for acoustic detection of neutrinos in the deep sea. It is integrated into the ANTARES neutrino telescope in the Mediterranean Sea. Its acoustic sensors, installed at water depths between 2050 and 2300 m, employ piezo-electric elements for the broad-band recording of signals with frequencies ranging up to 125 kHz. The typical sensitivity of the sensors is around -145 dB re 1V/muPa (including preamplifier). Completed in May 2008, AMADEUS consists of six "acoustic clusters", each comprising six acoustic sensors that are arranged at distances of roughly 1 m from each other. Two vertical mechanical structures (so-called lines) of the ANTARES detector host three acoustic clusters each. Spacings between the clusters range from 14.5 to 340 m. Each cluster contains custom-designed electronics boards to amplify and digitise the acoustic signals from the sensors. An on-shore computer cluster is used to process and filter the data stream and store the selected events. The daily volume of recorded data is about 10 GB. The system is operating continuously and automatically, requiring only little human intervention. AMADEUS allows for extensive studies of both transient signals and ambient noise in the deep sea, as well as signal correlations on several length scales and localisation of acoustic point sources. Thus the system is excellently suited to assess the background conditions for the measurement of the bipolar pulses expected to originate from neutrino interactions.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2011

Acoustic and optical variations during rapid downward motion episodes in the deep north-western Mediterranean Sea

An Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) was moored at the deep-sea site of the ANTARES neutrino telescope near Toulon, France, thus providing a unique opportunity to compare high-resolution acoustic and optical observations between 70 and 170 m above the sea bed at 2475 m. The ADCP measured downward vertical currents of magnitudes up to 0.03 m s-1 in late winter and early spring 2006. In the same period, observations were made of enhanced levels of acoustic reflection, interpreted as suspended particles including zooplankton, by a factor of about 10 and of horizontal currents reaching 0.35 m s-1. These observations coincided with high light levels detected by the telescope, interpreted as increased bioluminescence. During winter 2006 deep dense-water formation occurred in the Ligurian subbasin, thus providing a possible explanation for these observations. However, the 10-20 days quasi-periodic episodes of high levels of acoustic reflection, light and large vertical currents continuing into the summer are not direct evidence of this process. It is hypothesized that the main process allowing for suspended material to be moved vertically later in the year is local advection, linked with topographic boundary current instabilities along the rim of the 'Northern Current'.

physics.geo-ph↗

arXiv2003

Improved limits on nuebar emission from mu+ decay

We investigated mu+ decays at rest produced at the ISIS beam stop target. Lepton flavor (LF) conservation has been tested by searching for \nueb via the detection reaction p(\nueb,e+)n. No \nueb signal from LF violating mu+ decays was identified. We extract upper limits of the branching ratio for the LF violating decay mu+ -> e+ \nueb νcompared to the Standard Model (SM) mu+ -> e+ nue numub decay: BR < 0.9(1.7)x10^{-3} (90%CL) depending on the spectral distribution of \nueb characterized by the Michel parameter rho=0.75 (0.0). These results improve earlier limits by one order of magnitude and restrict extensions of the SM in which \nueb emission from mu+ decay is allowed with considerable strength. The decay \mupdeb as source for the \nueb signal observed in the LSND experiment can be excluded.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2002

Upper limits for neutrino oscillations muon-antineutrino to electron-antineutrino from muon decay at rest

The KARMEN experiment at the spallation neutron source ISIS used \numub from \mup--decay at rest in the search for neutrino oscillations \numubnueb in the appearance mode, with p(\nueb,e+)n as detection reaction of \nueb. In total, 15 candidates fulfill all conditions for the \nueb signature, in agreement with the background expectation of 15.8+-0.5 events, yielding no indication for oscillations. A single event based likelihood analysis leads to upper limits on the oscillation parameters: sin^2(2theta)<1.7x10e-3 for Dm^2>100 eV^2 and Dm^2<0.055 eV^2 for sin^2(2theta)=1 at 90% confidence. Thus, KARMEN does not confirm the LSND experiment and restricts significantly its favored parameter region for \numubnueb.

hep-ex↗

arXiv1998

Test of Time Reversal Invariance in Polarized Proton-Deuteron Scattering

A novel test of time-reversal invariance in proton-deuteron scattering is planned as an internal target transmission experiment at the cooler synchrotron COSY. The P-even, T-odd observable is the polarization correlation $A_{y,xz}$ of the total cross section measured using a polarized internal proton beam (polarization $p_y$) and an internal polarized deuterium target (tensor polarization $p_{xz}$). Measuring this observable is a true null test of time reversal invariance and therefore allows to reach a high accuracy. Sufficient luminosity can be obtained using a window-less storage cell placed on the axis of the proton beam. Tensor polarized atoms are produced in an atomic beam source based on Stern-Gerlach separation in permanent sextupole magnets and adiabatic high frequency transitions. The total cross section correlation is measured by monitoring the beam transmission in the COSY storage ring mode of operation. The proton beam momentum will be in the range 2-3 GeV/c. This momentum is ideally suited to test possible short range contributions, i.e. natural parity charged $ρ$-type and unnatural parity $a_1$-type meson exchange contributions. The feasibility of the experiment, systematic errors and the expected accuracy are discussed.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv1998

Measurement of the energy spectrum of ν_e from muon decay and implications for the Lorentz structure of the weak interaction

The KARMEN experiment uses the reaction 12C(ν_e,e-)12N to measure the energy distribution of ν_e emitted in muon decay at rest. The ν_e analog ω_l of the famous Michel parameter ρhas been derived from a maximum-likelihood analysis of events near the kinematic end point, E_max. The result, ω_l = (2.7^{+3.8}_{-3.3}\pm 3.1) * 10^{-2}, is in good agreement with the standard model prediction ω_l= 0. We deduce a 90% confidence upper limit of ω_l <= 0.113, which corresponds to a limit of |g^S_RL + 2 g^T_RL| <= 0.78 on the interference term between scalar and tensor coupling constants.

hep-ex↗

arXiv1998

KARMEN Limits on nu_e -> nu_tau Oscillations in 2-neutrino and 3-neutrino Mixing Schemes

The 56 tonne high resolution liquid scintillation calorimeter KARMEN at the beam stop neutrino source ISIS has been used to search for neutrino oscillations in the disappearance channel nu_e->x. The nu_e emitted in mu+ decay at rest are detected with spectroscopic quality via the exclusive charged current reaction 12-C(nu_e,e-)12-N_g.s. almost free of background. Analysis of the spectral shape of e- from the nu_e induced reaction as well as a measurement of the absolute nu_e flux allow to investigate oscillations of the type nu_e->nu_tau and nu_e->nu_mu . The flux independent ratio R(CC/NC) of charged current events 12-C(nu_e,e-)12-N_g.s. to neutral current events 12-C(nu,nu')12-C* provides additional information in the oscillation channel nu_e->x . All three analysis methods show no evidence for oscillations. For the nu_e->nu_tau channel 90%CL limits of sin^2(2t)<0.338 for dm^2>100eV^2 and dm^2<0.77eV^2 for maximal mixing in a simple 2 flavor oscillation formalism are derived. A complete 3 flavor analysis of the experimental data from five years of measurement with respect to nu_e<->nu_tau and nu_e<->nu_mu mixing is presented.

hep-ex↗