arXiv subjects

Y. Li

Publications and source records attributed to Y. Li.

At least 379 records · Page 21Linked to original sources

arXiv2017

Search for $CP$ Violation and Measurement of the Branching Fraction in the Decay $D^{0} \to K^0_S K^0_S$

We report a study of the decay $D^0 \to K^0_S K^0_S$ using 921~fb$^{-1}$ of data collected at or near the $Υ(4S)$ and $Υ(5S)$ resonances with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric energy $e^+e^-$ collider. The measured time-integrated $CP$ asymmetry is $ A_{CP}(D^0 \to K^0_S K^0_S) = (-0.02 \pm 1.53 \pm 0.02 \pm 0.17) \%$, and the branching fraction is $\mathcal{B} (D^{0}\rightarrow K_{S}^{0}K_{S}^{0})$ = (1.321 $\pm$ 0.023 $\pm$ 0.036 $\pm$ 0.044) $\times$ 10$^{-4}$, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is systematic, and the third is due to the normalization mode ($D^0 \to K_S^0 π^0$). These results are significantly more precise than previous measurements available for this mode. The $A_{CP}$ measurement is consistent with the standard model expectation.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2017

Determination of muon momentum in the MicroBooNE LArTPC using an improved model of multiple Coulomb scattering

We discuss a technique for measuring a charged particle's momentum by means of multiple Coulomb scattering (MCS) in the MicroBooNE liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC). This method does not require the full particle ionization track to be contained inside of the detector volume as other track momentum reconstruction methods do (range-based momentum reconstruction and calorimetric momentum reconstruction). We motivate use of this technique, describe a tuning of the underlying phenomenological formula, quantify its performance on fully contained beam-neutrino-induced muon tracks both in simulation and in data, and quantify its performance on exiting muon tracks in simulation. Using simulation, we have shown that the standard Highland formula should be re-tuned specifically for scattering in liquid argon, which significantly improves the bias and resolution of the momentum measurement. With the tuned formula, we find agreement between data and simulation for contained tracks, with a small bias in the momentum reconstruction and with resolutions that vary as a function of track length, improving from about 10% for the shortest (one meter long) tracks to 5% for longer (several meter) tracks. For simulated exiting muons with at least one meter of track contained, we find a similarly small bias, and a resolution which is less than 15% for muons with momentum below 2 GeV/c. Above 2 GeV/c, results are given as a first estimate of the MCS momentum measurement capabilities of MicroBooNE for high momentum exiting tracks.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2017

Field-Induced Instability of a Gapless Spin Liquid with a Spinon Fermi Surface

The ground state of the quantum kagome antiferromagnet Zn-brochantite, ZnCu$_3$(OH)$_6$SO$_4$, which is one of only a few known spin-liquid (SL) realizations in two or three dimensions, has been described as a gapless SL with a spinon Fermi surface. Employing nuclear magnetic resonance in a broad magnetic-field range down to millikelvin temperatures, we show that in applied magnetic fields this enigmatic state is intrinsically unstable against a SL with a full or a partial gap. A similar instability of the gapless Fermi-surface SL was previously encountered in an organic triangular-lattice antiferromagnet, suggesting a common destabilization mechanism that most likely arises from spinon pairing. A salient property of this instability is that an infinitesimal field suffices to induce it, as predicted theoretically for some other types of gapless SL's.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2017

Broadband near-infrared antireflection coatings fabricated by three dimensional direct laser writing

Three-dimensional direct laser writing via two photon polymerization is used to fabricate anti-reflective structured surfaces composed of sub-wavelength conicoid features optimized to operate over a wide bandwidth in the near-infrared range from 3700 cm$^{-1}$ to 6600 cm$^{-1}$ (2.7 to 1.52 $μ$m). Analytic Bruggemann effective medium calculations are used to predict nominal geometric parameters such as the fill factor of the constitutive conicoid features of the anti-reflective structured surfaces presented here. The performance of the anti-reflective structured surfaces was investigated experimentally using infrared transmission measurements. An enhancement of the transmittance by 1.35\% to 2.14\% over a broadband spectral range from 3700 cm$ ^{-1} $ to 6600 cm$^{-1}$ (2.7 to 1.52 $μ$m) was achieved. We further report on finite-element-based reflection and transmission data using three-dimensional model geometries for comparison. A good agreement between experimental results and the finite-element-based numerical analysis is observed once as-fabricated deviations from the nominal conicoid forms are included in the model. Three-dimensional direct laser writing is demonstrated here as an efficient method for the fabrication and optimization of anti-reflective structured surfaces designed for the infrared spectral range.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2017

Search for $Λ_c^+\toϕp π^0$ and branching fraction measurement of $Λ_c^+\to K^-π^+ p π^0$

We have searched for the Cabibbo-suppressed decay $Λ_c^+\toϕpπ^0$ in $e^+e^-$ collisions using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 915 $\rm fb^{-1}$. The data were collected by the Belle experiment at the KEKB $e^+e^-$ asymmetric-energy collider running at or near the $Υ(4S)$ and $Υ(5S)$ resonances. No significant signal is observed, and we set an upper limit on the branching fraction of $\mathcal{B}(Λ_c^+\to ϕpπ^0) <15.3\times10^{-5}$ at 90% confidence level. The contribution for nonresonant $Λ_c^+\to K^+K^- pπ^0$ decays is found to be consistent with zero and the corresponding upper limit on its branching fraction is set to be $\mathcal{B}(Λ_c^+\to K^+K^-pπ^0)_{\rm NR} <6.3\times10^{-5} $ at 90% confidence level. We also measure the branching fraction for the Cabibbo-favored decay $Λ_c^+\to K^-π^+pπ^0$; the result is $\mathcal{B}(Λ_c^+\to K^-π^+pπ^0)= (4.42\pm0.05\, (\rm stat.) \pm 0.12\, (\rm syst.) \pm 0.16\, (\mathcal{B}_{\rm Norm}))\%$, which is the most precise measurement to date. Finally, we have searched for an intermediate hidden-strangeness pentaquark decay $P^+_s\toϕp$. We see no evidence for this intermediate decay and set an upper limit on the product branching fraction of ${\cal B}(Λ_c^+\to P^+_s π^0)\times {\cal B}(P^+_s\toϕp) <8.3\times 10^{-5}$ at 90% confidence level.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2017

Probing large scale coherence between Spitzer IR and Chandra X-ray source-subtracted cosmic backgrounds

We present new measurements of the large scale clustering component of the cross-power spectra of the source-subtracted Spitzer-IRAC Cosmic Infrared Background (CIB) and Chandra-ACIS Cosmic X-ray Background (CXB) surface brightness fluctuations. Our investigation uses data from the Chandra Deep Field South (CDFS), Hubble Deep Field North (HDFN), EGS/AEGIS field and UDS/SXDF surveys, comprising 1160 Spitzer hours and $\sim$ 12 Ms of Chandra data collected over a total area of 0.3 deg$^2$. We report the first ($>$5$σ$) detection of a cross-power signal on large angular scales >20 arcsec between [0.5-2] keV and the 3.6 and 4.5$μ$m bands, at $\sim$5$σ$ and 6.3$σ$ significance, respectively. The correlation with harder X-ray bands is marginally significant. Comparing the new observations with existing models for the contribution of the known unmasked source population at $z<$7, we find an excess of about an order of magnitude at 5$σ$ confidence. We discuss possible interpretations for the origin of this excess in terms of the contribution from accreting early black holes, including both direct collapse black holes and primordial black holes, as well as from scattering in the interstellar medium and intra-halo light.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2017

The DArk Matter Particle Explorer mission

The DArk Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE), one of the four scientific space science missions within the framework of the Strategic Pioneer Program on Space Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, is a general purpose high energy cosmic-ray and gamma-ray observatory, which was successfully launched on December 17th, 2015 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The DAMPE scientific objectives include the study of galactic cosmic rays up to $\sim 10$ TeV and hundreds of TeV for electrons/gammas and nuclei respectively, and the search for dark matter signatures in their spectra. In this paper we illustrate the layout of the DAMPE instrument, and discuss the results of beam tests and calibrations performed on ground. Finally we present the expected performance in space and give an overview of the mission key scientific goals.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2017

Michel Electron Reconstruction Using Cosmic-Ray Data from the MicroBooNE LArTPC

The MicroBooNE liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) has been taking data at Fermilab since 2015 collecting, in addition to neutrino beam, cosmic-ray muons. Results are presented on the reconstruction of Michel electrons produced by the decay at rest of cosmic-ray muons. Michel electrons are abundantly produced in the TPC, and given their well known energy spectrum can be used to study MicroBooNE's detector response to low-energy electrons (electrons with energies up to ~50 MeV). We describe the fully-automated algorithm developed to reconstruct Michel electrons, with which a sample of ~14,000 Michel electron candidates is obtained. Most of this article is dedicated to studying the impact of radiative photons produced by Michel electrons on the accuracy and resolution of their energy measurement. In this energy range, ionization and bremsstrahlung photon production contribute similarly to electron energy loss in argon, leading to a complex electron topology in the TPC. By profiling the performance of the reconstruction algorithm on simulation we show that the ability to identify and include energy deposited by radiative photons leads to a significant improvement in the energy measurement of low-energy electrons. The fractional energy resolution we measure improves from over 30% to ~20% when we attempt to include radiative photons in the reconstruction. These studies are relevant to a large number of analyses which aim to study neutrinos by measuring electrons produced by $ν_e$ interactions over a broad energy range.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2017

Spectroscopic Observations of Magnetic Reconnection and Chromospheric Evaporation in an X-shaped Solar Flare

We present observations of distinct UV spectral properties at different locations during an atypical X-shaped flare (SOL2014-11-09T15:32) observed by the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS). In this flare, four chromospheric ribbons appear and converge at an X-point where a separator is anchored. Above the X-point, two sets of non-coplanar coronal loops approach laterally and reconnect at the separator. The IRIS slit was located close to the X-point, cutting across some of the flare ribbons and loops. Near the location of the separator, the Si IV 1402.77 A line exhibits significantly broadened line wings extending to 200 km/s but an unshifted line core. These spectral features suggest the presence of bidirectional flows possibly related to the separator reconnection. While at the flare ribbons, the hot Fe XXI 1354.08 A line shows blueshifts and the cool Si IV 1402.77 A, C II 1335.71 A, and Mg II 2803.52 A lines show evident redshifts up to a velocity of 80 km/s, which are consistent with the scenario of chromospheric evaporation/condensation.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2017

The Pandora multi-algorithm approach to automated pattern recognition of cosmic-ray muon and neutrino events in the MicroBooNE detector

The development and operation of Liquid-Argon Time-Projection Chambers for neutrino physics has created a need for new approaches to pattern recognition in order to fully exploit the imaging capabilities offered by this technology. Whereas the human brain can excel at identifying features in the recorded events, it is a significant challenge to develop an automated, algorithmic solution. The Pandora Software Development Kit provides functionality to aid the design and implementation of pattern-recognition algorithms. It promotes the use of a multi-algorithm approach to pattern recognition, in which individual algorithms each address a specific task in a particular topology. Many tens of algorithms then carefully build up a picture of the event and, together, provide a robust automated pattern-recognition solution. This paper describes details of the chain of over one hundred Pandora algorithms and tools used to reconstruct cosmic-ray muon and neutrino events in the MicroBooNE detector. Metrics that assess the current pattern-recognition performance are presented for simulated MicroBooNE events, using a selection of final-state event topologies.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2017

AWAKE readiness for the study of the seeded self-modulation of a 400\,GeV proton bunch

AWAKE is a proton-driven plasma wakefield acceleration experiment. % We show that the experimental setup briefly described here is ready for systematic study of the seeded self-modulation of the 400\,GeV proton bunch in the 10\,m-long rubidium plasma with density adjustable from 1 to 10$\times10^{14}$\,cm$^{-3}$. % We show that the short laser pulse used for ionization of the rubidium vapor propagates all the way along the column, suggesting full ionization of the vapor. % We show that ionization occurs along the proton bunch, at the laser time and that the plasma that follows affects the proton bunch. %

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2017

Measurement of cosmic-ray reconstruction efficiencies in the MicroBooNE LArTPC using a small external cosmic-ray counter

The MicroBooNE detector is a liquid argon time projection chamber at Fermilab designed to study short-baseline neutrino oscillations and neutrino-argon interaction cross-section. Due to its location near the surface, a good understanding of cosmic muons as a source of backgrounds is of fundamental importance for the experiment. We present a method of using an external 0.5 m (L) x 0.5 m (W) muon counter stack, installed above the main detector, to determine the cosmic-ray reconstruction efficiency in MicroBooNE. Data are acquired with this external muon counter stack placed in three different positions, corresponding to cosmic rays intersecting different parts of the detector. The data reconstruction efficiency of tracks in the detector is found to be $ε_{\mathrm{data}}=(97.1\pm0.1~(\mathrm{stat}) \pm 1.4~(\mathrm{sys}))\%$, in good agreement with the Monte Carlo reconstruction efficiency $ε_{\mathrm{MC}} = (97.4\pm0.1)\%$. This analysis represents a small-scale demonstration of the method that can be used with future data coming from a recently installed cosmic-ray tagger system, which will be able to tag $\approx80\%$ of the cosmic rays passing through the MicroBooNE detector.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2017

A Global Model For Circumgalactic and Cluster-Core Precipitation

We provide an analytic framework for interpreting observations of multiphase circumgalactic gas that is heavily informed by recent numerical simulations of thermal instability and precipitation in cool-core galaxy clusters. We start by considering the local conditions required for the formation of multiphase gas via two different modes: (1) uplift of ambient gas by galactic outflows, and (2) condensation in a stratified stationary medium in which thermal balance is explicitly maintained. Analytic exploration of these two modes provides insights into the relationships between the local ratio of the cooling and freefall time scales (i.e., t_cool / t_ff), the large-scale gradient of specific entropy, and development of precipitation and multiphase media in circumgalactic gas. We then use these analytic findings to interpret recent simulations of circumgalactic gas in which global thermal balance is maintained. We show that long-lasting configurations of gas with 5 < t_cool / t_ff < 20 and radial entropy profiles similar to observations of local cool-core galaxy cluster cores are a natural outcome of precipitation-regulated feedback. We conclude with some observational predictions that follow from these models. This work focuses primarily on precipitation and AGN feedback in galaxy cluster cores, because that is where the observations of multiphase gas around galaxies are most complete. However, many of the physical principles that govern condensation in those environments apply to circumgalactic gas around galaxies of all masses.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2017

CBETA Design Report, Cornell-BNL ERL Test Accelerator

This design report describes the construction plans for the world's first multi-pass SRF ERL. It is a 4-pass recirculating linac that recovers the beam's energy by 4 additional, decelerating passes. All beams are returned for deceleration in a single beam pipe with a large-momentum-aperture permanent magnet FFAG optics. Cornell University has been pioneering a new class of accelerators, Energy Recovery Linacs (ERLs), with a new characteristic set of beam parameters. Technology has been prototyped that is essential for any high brightness electron ERL. This includes a DC electron source and an SRF injector Linac with world-record current and normalized brightness in a bunch train, a high-current linac cryomodule, and a high-power beam stop, and several diagnostics tools for high-current and high-brightness beams. All these are now being used to construct a novel one-cryomodule ERL in Cornell's Wilson Lab. Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) has designed a multi-turn ERL for eRHIC, where beam is transported more than 20 times around the 4km long RHIC tunnel. The number of transport lines is minimized by using two arcs with strongly-focusing permanent magnets that can control many beams of different energies. A collaboration between BNL and Cornell has been formed to investigate this multi-turn eRHIC ERL design by building a 4-turn, one-cryomodule ERL at Cornell. It also has a return loop built with strongly focusing permanent magnets and is meant to accelerate 40mA beam to 150MeV. This high-brightness beam will have applications beyond accelerator research, in industry, in nuclear physics, and in X-ray science.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2017

Non-Equilibrium Modeling of the Fe XVII 3C/3D ratio for an Intense X-ray Free Electron Laser

We present a review of two methods used to model recent LCLS experimental results for the 3C/3D line intensity ratio of Fe XVII (Bernitt et al. 2012), the time-dependent collisional-radiative method and the density-matrix approach. These are described and applied to a two-level atomic system excited by an X-ray free electron laser. A range of pulse parameters is explored and the effects on the predicted Fe XVII 3C and 3D line intensity ratio are calculated. In order to investigate the behavior of the predicted line intensity ratio, a particular pair of A-values for the 3C and 3D transitions was chosen (2.22 $\times$ 10$^{13}$ s$^{-1}$ and 6.02 $\times$ 10$^{12}$ s$^{-1}$ for the 3C and 3D, respectively), but our conclusions are independent of the precise values. We also reaffirm the conclusions from Oreshkina et al.(2014, 2015): the non-linear effects in the density matrix are important and the reduction in the Fe XVII 3C/3D line intensity ratio is sensitive to the laser pulse parameters, namely pulse duration, pulse intensity, and laser bandwidth. It is also shown that for both models the lowering of the 3C/3D line intensity ratio below the expected time-independent oscillator strength ratio has a significant contribution due to the emission from the plasma after the laser pulse has left the plasma volume. Laser intensities above $\sim 1\times 10^{12}$ W/cm$^{2}$ are required for a reduction in the 3C/3D line intensity ratio below the expected time independent oscillator strength ratio.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2017

Noise Characterization and Filtering in the MicroBooNE Liquid Argon TPC

The low-noise operation of readout electronics in a liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) is critical to properly extract the distribution of ionization charge deposited on the wire planes of the TPC, especially for the induction planes. This paper describes the characteristics and mitigation of the observed noise in the MicroBooNE detector. The MicroBooNE's single-phase LArTPC comprises two induction planes and one collection sense wire plane with a total of 8256 wires. Current induced on each TPC wire is amplified and shaped by custom low-power, low-noise ASICs immersed in the liquid argon. The digitization of the signal waveform occurs outside the cryostat. Using data from the first year of MicroBooNE operations, several excess noise sources in the TPC were identified and mitigated. The residual equivalent noise charge (ENC) after noise filtering varies with wire length and is found to be below 400 electrons for the longest wires (4.7 m). The response is consistent with the cold electronics design expectations and is found to be stable with time and uniform over the functioning channels. This noise level is significantly lower than previous experiments utilizing warm front-end electronics.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2017

Search for heavy neutrinos at Belle

We report on a search for heavy neutrinos in B-meson decays. The results are obtained using a data sample that contains 772x10^6 BB-bar pairs collected at the Upsilon(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e+e- collider. No signal is observed and upper limits are set on mixing of heavy neutrinos with left-handed neutrinos of the Standard Model in the mass range 0.5 - 5.0 GeV/c^2.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2017

Measurement of the $τ$ lepton polarization and $R(D^)$ in the decay $\bar{B} \to D^ τ^- \barν_τ$

We report the first measurement of the $τ$ lepton polarization $P_τ(D^*)$ in the decay $\bar{B} \rightarrow D^* τ^- \barν_τ$ as well as a new measurement of the ratio of the branching fractions $R(D^{*}) = \mathcal{B}(\bar {B} \rightarrow D^* τ^- \barν_τ) / \mathcal{B}(\bar{B} \rightarrow D^* \ell^- \barν_\ell)$, where $\ell^-$ denotes an electron or a muon, and the $τ$ is reconstructed in the modes $τ^- \rightarrow π^- ν_τ$ and $τ^- \rightarrow ρ^- ν_τ$. We use the full data sample of $772 \times 10^6$ $B{\bar B}$ pairs recorded with the Belle detector at the KEKB electron-positron collider. Our results, $P_τ(D^*) = -0.38 \pm 0.51 {\rm (stat.)} ^{+0.21}_{-0.16} {\rm (syst.)}$ and $R(D^*) = 0.270 \pm 0.035{\rm (stat.)} ^{+0.028}_{-0.025}{\rm (syst.)}$, are consistent with the theoretical predictions of the Standard Model.

hep-ex↗