1. |
- Aamodt, K., et al.
(författare)
-
The ALICE experiment at the CERN LHC
- 2008
-
Ingår i: Journal of Instrumentation. - 1748-0221. ; 3:S08002
-
Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- ALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment) is a general-purpose, heavy-ion detector at the CERN LHC which focuses on QCD, the strong-interaction sector of the Standard Model. It is designed to address the physics of strongly interacting matter and the quark-gluon plasma at extreme values of energy density and temperature in nucleus-nucleus collisions. Besides running with Pb ions, the physics programme includes collisions with lighter ions, lower energy running and dedicated proton-nucleus runs. ALICE will also take data with proton beams at the top LHC energy to collect reference data for the heavy-ion programme and to address several QCD topics for which ALICE is complementary to the other LHC detectors. The ALICE detector has been built by a collaboration including currently over 1000 physicists and engineers from 105 Institutes in 30 countries, Its overall dimensions are 16 x 16 x 26 m(3) with a total weight of approximately 10 000 t. The experiment consists of 18 different detector systems each with its own specific technology choice and design constraints, driven both by the physics requirements and the experimental conditions expected at LHC. The most stringent design constraint is to cope with the extreme particle multiplicity anticipated in central Pb-Pb collisions. The different subsystems were optimized to provide high-momentum resolution as well as excellent Particle Identification (PID) over a broad range in momentum, up to the highest multiplicities predicted for LHC. This will allow for comprehensive studies of hadrons, electrons, muons, and photons produced in the collision of heavy nuclei. Most detector systems are scheduled to be installed and ready for data taking by mid-2008 when the LHC is scheduled to start operation, with the exception of parts of the Photon Spectrometer (PHOS), Transition Radiation Detector (TRD) and Electro Magnetic Calorimeter (EMCal). These detectors will be completed for the high-luminosity ion run expected in 2010. This paper describes in detail the detector components as installed for the first data taking in the summer of 2008.
|
|
2. |
- Acciari, V. A., et al.
(författare)
-
Radio Imaging of the Very-High-Energy gamma-Ray Emission Region in the Central Engine of a Radio Galaxy
- 2009
-
Ingår i: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 325:5939, s. 444-448
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The accretion of matter onto a massive black hole is believed to feed the relativistic plasma jets found in many active galactic nuclei (AGN). Although some AGN accelerate particles to energies exceeding 10(12) electron volts and are bright sources of very-high-energy (VHE) gamma-ray emission, it is not yet known where the VHE emission originates. Here we report on radio and VHE observations of the radio galaxy Messier 87, revealing a period of extremely strong VHE gamma-ray flares accompanied by a strong increase of the radio flux from its nucleus. These results imply that charged particles are accelerated to very high energies in the immediate vicinity of the black hole.
|
|
3. |
- Abbasi, R., et al.
(författare)
-
SEARCH FOR HIGH-ENERGY MUON NEUTRINOS FROM THE "NAKED-EYE" GRB 080319B WITH THE IceCube NEUTRINO TELESCOPE
- 2009
-
Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 701:2, s. 1721-1731
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We report on a search with the IceCube detector for high-energy muon neutrinos from GRB 080319B, one of the brightest gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) ever observed. The fireball model predicts that a mean of 0.1 events should be detected by IceCube for a bulk Lorentz boost of the jet of 300. In both the direct on-time window of 66 s and an extended window of about 300 s around the GRB, no excess was found above background. The 90% CL upper limit on the number of track-like events from the GRB is 2.7, corresponding to a muon neutrino fluence limit of 9.5 x 10(-3) erg cm(-2) in the energy range between 120 TeV and 2.2 PeV, which contains 90% of the expected events.
|
|
4. |
- Abbasi, R., et al.
(författare)
-
The IceCube data acquisition system : Signal capture, digitization, and timestamping
- 2009
-
Ingår i: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A. - : Elsevier BV. - 0168-9002 .- 1872-9576. ; 601:3, s. 294-316
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- IceCube is a km-scale neutrino observatory under construction at the South Pole with sensors both in the deep ice (InIce) and on the surface (IceTop). The sensors, called Digital Optical Modules (DOMs). detect, digitize and timestamp the signals from optical Cherenkov-radiation photons. The DOM Main Board (MB) data acquisition subsystem is connected to the central DAQ in the IceCube Laboratory (ICL) by a single twisted copper wire-pair and transmits packetized data on demand. Time calibration is maintained throughout the array by regular transmission to the DOMs of precisely timed analog signals, synchronized to a central GPS-disciplined clock. The design goals and consequent features, functional capabilities, and initial performance of the DOM MB, and the operation of a combined array of DOMs as a system, are described here. Experience with the first InIce strings and the IceTop stations indicates that the system design and performance goals have been achieved. (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
|
|
5. |
|
|
6. |
- Achterberg, A., et al.
(författare)
-
The search for muon neutrinos from northern hemisphere gamma-ray bursts with AMANDA
- 2008
-
Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - : American Astronomical Society. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 674:1, s. 357-370
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present the results of the analysis of neutrino observations by the Antarctic Muon and Neutrino Detector Array (AMANDA) correlated with photon observations of more than 400 gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) in the northern hemisphere from 1997 to 2003. During this time period, AMANDA's effective collection area for muon neutrinos was larger than that of any other existing detector. After the application of various selection criteria to our data, we expect similar to 1 neutrino event and <2 background events. Based on our observations of zero events during and immediately prior to the GRBs in the data set, we set the most stringent upper limit on muon neutrino emission correlated with GRBs. Assuming a Waxman-Bahcall spectrum and incorporating all systematic uncertainties, our flux upper limit has a normalization at 1 PeV of E-2 Phi(nu) <= 6.3 x 10(-9) GeV cm(-2) s(-1) sr(-1), with 90% of the events expected within the energy range of similar to 10 TeV to similar to 3 PeV. The impact of this limit on several theoretical models of GRBs is discussed, as well as the future potential for detection of GRBs by next-generation neutrino telescopes. Finally, we briefly describe several modifications to this analysis in order to apply it to other types of transient point sources.
|
|
7. |
- Ackermann, M., et al.
(författare)
-
Search for ultra-high-energy neutrinos with amanda-II
- 2008
-
Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 675:2, s. 1014-1024
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A search for diffuse neutrinos with energies in excess of 10(5) GeV is conducted with AMANDA-II data recorded between 2000 and 2002. Above 10(7) GeV, the Earth is essentially opaque to neutrinos. This fact, combined with the limited overburden of the AMANDA-II detector ( roughly 1.5 km), concentrates these ultra-high-energy neutrinos at the horizon. The primary background for this analysis is bundles of downgoing, high-energy muons from the interaction of cosmic rays in the atmosphere. No statistically significant excess above the expected background is seen in the data, and an upper limit is set on the diffuse all-flavor neutrino flux of E-2 Phi(90%CL) < 2.7x10(-7) GeV cm(-2) s(-1) sr(-1) valid over the energy range of 2x10(5) to 10(9) GeV. A number of models that predict neutrino fluxes from active galactic nuclei are excluded at the 90% confidence level.
|
|
8. |
- Abbasi, R, et al.
(författare)
-
Determination of the atmospheric neutrino flux and searches for new physics with AMANDA-II
- 2009
-
Ingår i: Physical Review D. - 1550-7998 .- 1550-2368. ; 79, s. 102005-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The AMANDA-II detector, operating since 2000 in the deep ice at the geographic South Pole, has accumulated a large sample of atmospheric muon neutrinos in the 100 GeV to 10 TeV energy range. The zenith angle and energy distribution of these events can be used to search for various phenomenological signatures of quantum gravity in the neutrino sector, such as violation of Lorentz invariance or quantum decoherence. Analyzing a set of 5511 candidate neutrino events collected during 1387 days of livetime from 2000 to 2006, we find no evidence for such effects and set upper limits on violation of Lorentz invariance and quantum decoherence parameters using a maximum likelihood method. Given the absence of evidence for new flavor-changing physics, we use the same methodology to determine the conventional atmospheric muon neutrino flux above 100 GeV.
|
|
9. |
- Abbasi, R, et al.
(författare)
-
Extending the Search for Neutrino Point Sources with IceCube above the Horizon
- 2009
-
Ingår i: Physical Review Letters. - 0031-9007 .- 1079-7114. ; 103:22, s. 221102-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Point source searches with the IceCube neutrino telescope have been restricted to one hemisphere, due to the exclusive selection of upward going events as a way of rejecting the atmospheric muon background. We show that the region above the horizon can be included by suppressing the background through energy-sensitive cuts. This improves the sensitivity above PeV energies, previously not accessible for declinations of more than a few degrees below the horizon due to the absorption of neutrinos in Earth. We present results based on data collected with 22 strings of IceCube, extending its field of view and energy reach for point source searches. No significant excess above the atmospheric background is observed in a sky scan and in tests of source candidates. Upper limits are reported, which for the first time cover point sources in the southern sky up to EeV energies.
|
|
10. |
- Abbasi, R, et al.
(författare)
-
FIRST NEUTRINO POINT-SOURCE RESULTS FROM THE 22 STRING ICECUBE DETECTOR
- 2009
-
Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal Letters. - 2041-8205. ; 701, s. L47-L51
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present new results of searches for neutrino point sources in the northern sky, using data recorded in 2007-2008 with 22 strings of the IceCube detector (approximately one-fourth of the planned total) and 275.7 days of live time. The final sample of 5114 neutrino candidate events agrees well with the expected background of atmospheric muon neutrinos and a small component of atmospheric muons. No evidence of a point source is found, with the most significant excess of events in the sky at 2.2 sigma after accounting for all trials. The average upper limit over the northern sky for point sources of muon-neutrinos with E-2 spectrum is E-2 Phi(v mu) < 1.4 x 10(-11) TeV cm(-2) s(-1), in the energy range from 3 TeV to 3 PeV, improving the previous best average upper limit by the AMANDA-II detector by a factor of 2.
|
|