121510906
Results from the ARGO-YBJ test experiment
Abstract A resistive plate counters (RPCs) carpet of ∼50 m 2 has been put in operation in the Yangbajing Laboratory (Tibet, P.R. China) at 4300 m a.s.l., in order to study the RPCs performance at high altitude and the detector capability of imaging the EAS disc. This test has been performed in view of an enlarged use of RPCs for the ARGO-YBJ experiment. This experiment will be devoted to a wide range of fundamental issues in cosmic rays and astroparticle physics, including in particular γ-ray astronomy and γ-ray bursts physics at energies ⩾100 GeV. In this paper we present and discuss the procedures adopted to calibrate the detector and reconstruct the shower direction. Results concerning many shower features as the angular distribution, the density spectrum, the time profile of the shower front, are found well consistent with the expectation.
7994047
INVESTIGATION ON LIGHT DARK MATTER
Some extensions of the Standard Model provide Dark Matter candidate particles with sub-GeV mass. These Light Dark Matter particles have been considered for example in Warm Dark Matter scenarios (e.g. the keV scale sterile neutrino, axino or gravitino). Moreover, MeV scale DM candidates have been proposed in supersymmetric models and as source of the 511 keV line from the Galactic center. In this paper the possibility of direct detection of a Light Dark Matter candidate is investigated considering the inelastic scattering processes on the electron or on the nucleus targets. Some theoretical arguments are developed and related phenomenological aspects are discussed. Allowed volumes and regions for the characteristic phenomenological parameters of the considered scenarios are derived from the DAMA/NaI annual modulation data.
119701812
Signals from dark Universe: DAMA/LIBRA at LNGS
The DAMA/LIBRA set-up (about 250 kg highly radiopure NaI(Tl) sensitive mass) is running at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory of the INFN. The first DAMA/LIBRA results point out the presence of a dark matter particle component in the galactic halo, as well as the former DAMA/NaI set-up; cumulatively the data support such evidence at 8.2σ CL and satisfy all the peculiarities of the dark matter annual modulation signature.
121419486
Results from DAMA/LIBRA at Gran Sasso
The DAMA project is an observatory for rare processes and it is operative deep underground at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory of the I.N.F.N. In particular, the DAMA/LIBRA (Large sodium Iodide Bulk for RAre processes) set-up consists of highly radiopure NaI(Tl) detectors for a total sensitive exposed mass of ≃250 kg. Recent results, obtained by this set-up by exploiting the model independent annual modulation signature of Dark Matter (DM) particles, have confirmed and improved those obtained by the former DAMA/NaI experiment. A model independent evidence for the presence of Dark Matter particles in the galactic halo is cumulatively obtained at 8.2 σ C.L. No systematics or side reactions able to account for the measured modulation amplitude and to contemporaneously satisfy all the many specific requirements of the signature have been found or suggested by anyone over more than a decade. An example of one of the many possible model dependent corollary quests for the candidate particles and for the related astrophysical, nuclear and particle physics scenarios is presented considering the whole cumulative exposure. Future perspectives are shortly addressed.
121506888
Technical aspects in dark matter direct detection
In the field of dark matter direct detection, on the one hand, it is predicted by theoretical models that many dark matter candidates and scenarios are possible. On the other hand, a variety of detectors has been proposed, but most of them — by the fact — are still at R&D stage. Such a situation leads to some considerations on technical aspects on dark matter direct detection.
117123865
Cosmic muon events coincident in two LEP detectors
A search for time- and direction-correlated cosmic muon events has been made using data collected during the period May to November 2000 by the CosmoALEPH and L3+C underground experiments being 6 km apart. Four threefold-coincidence events between L3+C, ALEPH’s hadron calorimeter, and one CosmoALEPH scintillator station have been found.
93891215
Gamma-ray spectra of methane in the positron–electron annihilationprocess
Abstract Bound electron contribution to the Doppler-shift of gamma-ray spectra in the positron–electron annihilation process of molecular methane has been studied in gas phase. Two accurate ab initio quantum mechanical schemes, i.e. the delocalised molecular orbital (MO) and the localised natural bond orbital (NBO) schemes, are applied to study the multi-centred methane molecule. The present ab initio calculations of methane indicate that the C–H bonds are polarised with the partial negative charge of −0.36 a.u on the carbon atom and the partial positive charge of +0.09 a.u. on each of the hydrogen atoms. The positively charged hydrogen atoms produce repulsive Coulomb potentials to a positron. Both the MO and NBO schemes further reveal that the 2a 1 electrons of methane, that is, the 2a 1 electron component of the CH bonds rather than the whole CH bonds of methane, predominates the positron–electron annihilation gamma-ray spectra of the molecule. Electrons of a molecule which are dominant the positron–electron annihilation processes are called “positrophilic” electrons in the present study. It is further shown that the negative electrostatic potential (ESP) of methane facilitates with the density of the “positrophilic” 2a 1 electrons of methane. Other valence electrons (e.g. 1t 2 ) in the CH bonds play a minor “spectator” role in the annihilation process of methane.
119214093
Test of detuning system for dielectronic recombination experiment at CSRm
The storage ring equipped with an electron cooler is an ideal platform for dielectronic recombination (DR) experiments. In order to fulfil the requirement of DR measurements at the main Cooler Storage Ring, a detuning system for the precision control of the relative energy between the ion beam and the electron beam has been installed on the electron cooler device. The test run using 7.0 MeV/u C6+ beam was performed to examine the influence of this system on the performance of the stored ion beam. The Schottky spectra and the ion beam currents were recorded to monitor the beam status. The influence of pulse heights and widths of the detuning voltage on the ion beam was investigated. For the small pulse height, the experimental results from the Schottky spectrum were in good agreement with the theoretical results. The frequency shift in the Schottky spectrum is significantly reduced for the short pulse width. For the large pulse height, an oscillation phenomenon was observed. From the Schottky spectrum, we found the oscillation amplitude is dependent on the pulse width of detuning and the ion beam intensity. The detailed description of the phenomenon and the theoretical model based on the plasma oscillation was discussed in this paper.
121817118
Optical measurement of the longitudinal ion distribution of bunched ion beams in the ESR
Abstract An optical technique to study the longitudinal distribution of ions in a bunched ion beam circulating in a storage ring is presented. It is based on the arrival-time analysis of photons emitted after collisional excitation of residual gas molecules. The beam-induced fluorescence was investigated in the ultraviolet regime with a channeltron and in the visible region using a photomultiplier tube. Both were applied to investigate the longitudinal shape of bunched and electron-cooled 209 Bi 80+ ion beams at about 400 MeV/u in the experimental storage ring (ESR) at GSI Helmholtzzentrum fur Schwerionenforschung in Darmstadt, Germany. Bunch lengths were determined with an uncertainty of about 0.5 m using the UV-sensitive channeltron and with slightly lower accuracy from the photomultiplier data due to the slower transitions in the red region of the spectrum. The Gaussian shape of the longitudinal distribution of ions inside the bunch was confirmed. With the information of the transverse beam size that can be measured simultaneously by a newly installed ionization profile monitor (IPM) at the ESR, an accurate determination of the ion density in the bunched beam will be allowed.
120649134
YAP:Ce and CsI(Tl) detectors for dielectronic recombination experiment at the CSRm
Abstract The storage ring CSRm in Lanzhou provides good possibilities for electron-ion collision studies with cooled ion beams. To carry on the recombination experiment at the CSRm, a scintillation detector CsI(Tl) to detect the recombined ions was developed and tested. In addition, a YAP:Ce detector has been developed and installed at CSRm and capability of handling a high count rate of ∼107 s−1 has been obtained which is sufficient for the future dielectronic recombination experiment at the CSRm. The comparison of the characteristics of these two detectors is presented.
120411476
Measurement of the ratio of C3+ and O4+ ions produced by ECRIS to prepare a laser cooling experiment at storage rings
Abstract To prepare the upcoming laser cooling of relativistic C 3+ ion beams at the experimental Cooler Storage Ring (CSRe), a novel experiment was performed using a reaction microscope to determine the ratio of C 3+ ions in mixed ion beams of C 3+ and O 4+ that are produced by an Electron Cyclotron Resonance Ion Source (ECRIS). The mixed ion beams at an energy of 4 keV/u were directed to collide on a supersonic helium gas target. Using the single-electron capture channel and the coincidence technique, the fractions of C 3+ and O 4+ ions in the primary beam were obtained. Using different injection gases for ECRIS, including O 2 , CO, CO 2 , and CH 4 , at a fixed radio-frequency power of 300 W, the measured results showed that the fraction of C 3+ ions was greater than 70% for the injection gases of CO and CO 2 . These measured results are very important and helpful for the upcoming laser cooling experiments.