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DOE OSTI2026

Charge readout electronics for the DUNE horizontal drift far detector: design and performance in ProtoDUNE-HD

DUNE (Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment) is a long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment currently under construction, whose far detectors will be the largest liquid argon time projection chambers ever built. This detector design calls for custom-built cryogenic front-end electronics to meet its performance requirements. This paper describes the charge readout electronics that will be used in the DUNE horizontal drift (HD) far detector and presents performance results using data from the ProtoDUNE-HD detector, a 770 ton liquid argon time projection chamber operated at the CERN Neutrino Platform in 2024 that served as the final prototype of the DUNE HD design.

Front-end electronics for detector readout↗

DOE OSTI2025

Calibrating the absolute magnitude of type Ia supernovae in nearby galaxies using [O II ] and implications for H 0

The present state of cosmology is facing a crisis where there is a fundamental disagreement in measurements of the Hubble constant ($H_{0}$), with significant tension between the early and late Universe methods. Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) are important to measuring $H_{0}$ through the astronomical distance ladder. However, there remains potential to better standardize SN Ia light curves by using known dependencies on host galaxy properties after the standard light curve width and colour corrections have been applied to the peak SN Ia luminosities. To explore this, we use the 5-yr photometrically identified SNe Ia sample obtained by the Dark Energy Survey, along with host galaxy spectra obtained by the Australian Dark Energy Survey. Using host galaxy spectroscopy, we find a significant trend with the equivalent width (EW) of the [O II ] $\lambda \lambda$ 3727, 29 doublet, a proxy for specific star formation rate, and Hubble residuals. We find that the correlation with [O II ] EW is a powerful alternative to the commonly used mass step after initial light-curve corrections. Applying this [O II ] EW correction to 20 SNe Ia in calibrator galaxies observed with WiFeS, we examined the impact on SN Ia absolute magnitudes and $H_{0}$. Our [O II ] EW corrections result in $H_{0}$ values ranging between 73.04 and 73.51 $km$ $s^{-1} \, Mpc^{-1}$, with a combined statistical and systematic uncertainty of $\sim 1.31$ $km$ $s^{-1} \, Mpc^{-1}$. However, even with this additional correction, the impact of host galaxy properties in standardizing SNe Ia appears limited in reducing the current tension ($\sim 5\sigma$) with the cosmic microwave background result for $H_{0}$.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2025

Listening for new physics with quantum acoustics

We present a novel application of a qubit-coupled phonon detector to search for new physics, e.g., ultralight dark matter (DM) and high-frequency gravitational waves. The detector, motivated by recent advances in quantum acoustics, is composed of superconducting transmon qubits coupled to high-overtone bulk acoustic resonators (ℎ⁡BARs) and operates in the GHz−10 GHz frequency range. New physics can excite 𝒪⁡(10 μ⁢eV) phonons within the ℎ⁡BAR, which are then converted to qubit excitations via a transducer. We detail the design, operation, backgrounds, and expected sensitivity of a prototype detector, as well as a next-generation detector optimized for new physics signals. We find that a future detector can complement current haloscope experiments in the search for both dark photon DM and high-frequency gravitational waves. Lastly, we comment on such a detector’s ability to operate as a 𝒪⁡(10 μ⁢eV) athermal phonon sensor for sub-GeV DM detection.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

DOE OSTI2025

Measurement of the A dependence of the ν μ charged-current quasielasticlike cross section as a function of muon and proton kinematics at ⟨E ν ⟩ ∼ 6 GeV

The first simultaneous measurements of the 𝜈 𝜇 quasielasticlike cross section on C, CH, H 2 ⁡O, Fe, and Pb targets as a function of kinematic imbalance variables in the plane transverse to the incoming neutrino direction are presented. These variables combine the muon and proton information to provide a new way to disentangle the effects of the nucleus in quasielasticlike processes. The data were obtained using a wideband 𝜈 𝜇 beam with ⟨E 𝜈 ⟩ ∼ 6 GeV. Cross-section ratios of the different target materials to CH are also shown. These measurements are used to explore the nature of the cross-section 𝐴 scaling, as well as initial and final state interaction effects. Comparisons are made to predictions from a number of commonly used neutrino Monte Carlo event generators. The range of predictions of the different models tends to cover the data but the degree and consistency of the agreement suffers in regions, and on higher 𝐴 targets, where the final state interactions are expected to be more pronounced.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2025

Leveraging intermediate resonances to probe CP violation at colliders

We explore the phenomenological impact of interference in tree-level contributions to three-body final states in $2\rightarrow 3$ scattering processes. This work introduces a novel search strategy leveraging asymmetries to enable sensitivity to CP-violating effects in less well-explored regions of phase space. Analytically, we demonstrate the effectiveness of this observable in probing interference between Standard Model charged-current decays and effective left-handed vector interactions, illustrated in a toy model featuring a scalar leptoquark, $S_1 \sim (3, 1, -\,1/3)$. Numerically, we apply this framework to studying the process $pp\rightarrow b \tau \nu $; unlike traditional high-$p_T$ searches or “bump hunts”, this approach utilizes an intermediate energy regime – where new physics is neither light enough to be produced on shell or heavy enough to justify an effective field theory treatment. A proof-of-principle analysis at parton level demonstrates a percent-level asymmetry, with sensitivity also to BSM weak-CP phase. While the specific phase sensitivity is diminished at particle level due to showering and detector effects, a machine learning classifier can recover sensitively to the presence of SM-BSM interference, significantly outperforming standard analysis methods. Notably discrimination between BSM signal and SM background could be achieved at the 2$\sigma $ level for the current LHC dataset and 8$\sigma $ at the High-Luminosity LHC. Moreover, this asymmetry observable as defined can also be more broadly applied to other searches for CP-violation in $2\rightarrow 3$ processes in present and future collider environments.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2026

Reconstruction of atmospheric neutrinos in DUNE’s horizontal-drift far-detector module

This paper reports on the capabilities in reconstructing and identifying atmospheric neutrino interactions in one of the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment’s (DUNE) far detector modules, a liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) with horizontal drift (FD-HD) of ionization electrons. The reconstruction is based upon the workflow developed for DUNE’s long-baseline oscillation analysis, with some necessary machine-learning models’ retraining and the addition of features relevant only to atmospheric neutrinos such as the neutrino direction reconstruction. Where relevant, the impact of the detection of the charged particles of the hadronic system is emphasized, and comparisons are carried out between the case when lepton-only information is considered in the reconstruction (as is the case for many neutrino oscillation experiments), versus when all particles identified in the LArTPC were included. Three neutrino direction reconstruction methods have been developed and studied for the atmospheric analyses: using lepton-only information, using all reconstructed particles, and using only correlations from reconstructed hits. The results indicate that incorporating more than just lepton information significantly improves the resolution of both neutrino direction and energy reconstruction. The angle reconstruction algorithms developed in this work result in no strong dependence on particle direction for reconstruction efficiencies or neutrino flavor identification. This comprehensive review of the reconstruction of atmospheric neutrinos in DUNE’s FD-HD LArTPC is the first step towards developing a first neutrino oscillation sensitivity analysis, which will ready DUNE for its first measurements.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Evaluating cosmological biases using photometric redshifts for Type Ia Supernova cosmology with the Dark Energy Survey Supernova Program

Cosmological analyses with Type Ia Supernovae (SNe Ia) have traditionally been reliant on spectroscopy for both classifying the type of supernova and obtaining reliable redshifts to measure the distance–redshift relation. While obtaining a host-galaxy spectroscopic redshift for most SNe is feasible for small-area transient surveys, it will be too resource intensive for upcoming large-area surveys such as the Vera Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time, which will observe on the order of millions of SNe. Here, we use data from the Dark Energy Survey (DES) to address this problem with photometric redshifts (photo-z) inferred directly from the SN light curve in combination with Gaussian and full p(z) priors from host-galaxy photo-z estimates. Using the DES 5-yr photometrically classified SN sample, we consider several photo-z algorithms as host-galaxy photo-z priors, including the Self-Organizing Map redshifts (SOMPZ), Bayesian Photometric Redshifts (BPZ), and Directional-Neighbourhood Fitting (DNF) redshift estimates employed in the DES 3 × 2 point analyses. With detailed catalogue-level simulations of the DES 5-yr sample, we find that the simulated w can be recovered within ±0.02 when using SN+SOMPZ or DNF prior photo-z, smaller than the average statistical uncertainty for these samples of 0.03. With data, we obtain biases in w consistent with simulations within ~1σ for three of the five photo-z variants. We further evaluate how photo-z systematics interplay with photometric classification and find classification introduces a subdominant systematic component. This work lays the foundation for next-generation fully photometric SNe Ia cosmological analyses.

(cosmology:) dark energy↗

DOE OSTI2026

The Dark Energy Survey supernova program: a reanalysis of cosmology results and evidence for evolving dark energy with an updated Type Ia supernova calibration

We present improved cosmological constraints from a re-analysis of the Dark Energy Survey (DES) 5-year sample of Type Ia supernovae (DES-SN5YR). This re-analysis includes an improved photometric cross-calibration, recent white dwarf observations to cross-calibrate between DES and low-redshift surveys, retraining the salt3 light-curve model and fixing a numerical approximation in the host-galaxy colour law. Our fully recalibrated sample, which we call DES-Dovekie, comprises ~1600 likely Type Ia SNe from DES and ~200 low-redshift SNe from other surveys. With DES-Dovekie, we obtain Ω m = 0.330 ± 0.015 in flat Lambda-cold dark matter (⁠ΛCDM) which changes Ω m by –0.022 compared to DES-SN5YR. Combining DES-Dovekie with cosmic microwave background data from Planck, Atacama Cosmology Telescope, and South Pole Telescope and the DESI DR2 measurements in a flat CDM cosmology, we find ω 0 = –0.803 ± 0.054 and ω a = –0.72 ± 0.21⁠. Our results hold a significance of 3.2σ, reduced from 4.2σ for DES-SN5YR, to reject the null hypothesis that the data are compatible with the cosmological constant. This significance is equivalent to a Bayesian model preference odds of approximately 5:1 in favour of the flat ω 0 ω a CDM model. Using generally accepted thresholds for model preference, our updated data exhibits only a weak preference for evolving dark energy.

dark energy↗

DOE OSTI2026

High-precision scale setting with the Ω-baryon mass and gradient flow

The gradient-flow scale 𝑤 0 in lattice QCD is determined using the mass of the Ω − baryon to set the physical scale. Nine ensembles using the highly improved staggered quark (HISQ) action with lattice spacings of 0.15 fm down to 0.04 fm are used, seven of which have nearly physical light-quark masses. Electromagnetic corrections to the Ω − mass are defined in order to compute a pure-QCD Ω mass. The final result is 𝑤 0 = 0.17187⁢(68) fm, corresponding to a relative uncertainty of 0.40% and a central value in good agreement with previous calculations in the literature.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2025

Cosmology From CMB Lensing and Delensed EE Power Spectra Using 2019-2020 SPT-3G Polarization Data

From CMB polarization data alone we reconstruct the CMB lensing power spectrum, comparable in overall constraining power to previous temperature-based reconstructions, and an unlensed E -mode power spectrum, with clear detections of the third through tenth acoustic peaks. The observations, taken in 2019 and 2020 with the South Pole Telescope (SPT) and the SPT-3G camera, cover 1500 deg 2 at 95, 150, and 220 GHz with arcminute resolution and roughly 4.9 µ K-arcmin coadded noise in polarization. The power spectrum estimates, together with systematic parameter estimates and a joint covariance matrix, follow from a Bayesian analysis using the Marginal Unbiased Score Expansion (MUSE) method. The E -mode spectrum at ℓ > 2000 and lensing spectrum at L > 350 are the most precise to date. Assuming the ΛCDM model, and using only these SPT data and priors on τ and absolute calibration from Planck, we find H 0 = 66.81 ± 0.81 km/s/Mpc, comparable in precision to the Planck determination and in 5.4 σ tension with the most precise H 0 inference derived via the distance ladder. We also find S 8 ≡ σ 8 (Ω m /0.3) 0.5 = 0.850 ± 0.017, providing further independent evidence of a slight tension with low-redshift structure probes. The ΛCDM model provides a good simultaneous fit to the combined Planck, ACT, and SPT data, and thus passes a powerful test. Combining these CMB datasets with BAO observations, we explore extensions to the ΛCDM model. We find that the effective number of neutrino species, spatial curvature, and primordial helium fraction are consistent with standard model values, and that the 95% confidence upper limit on the neutrino mass sum is 0.075 eV, close to the minimum sum expected from observations of solar and atmospheric neutrino oscillations. The SPT data are consistent with the somewhat weak (< 3 σ ) preference for excess lensing power seen in Planck and ACT data relative to predictions of the ΛCDM model given the combined Planck, ACT, and BAO data sets. Finally, we also detect at greater than 3 σ the influence of non-linear evolution in the CMB lensing power spectrum and discuss it in the context of the S 8 tension. Forthcoming SPT-3G analyses will feature deeper and wider observations in temperature and polarization, providing even tighter constraints and more powerful tests of the ΛCDM model.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2025

It is not σ 8 : constraining the non-linear matter power spectrum with the Dark Energy Survey Year-5 supernova sample

The weak gravitational lensing magnification of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) is sensitive to the matter power spectrum on scales $k\gt 1 h$ Mpc$^{-1}$, making it unwise to interpret SNe Ia lensing in terms of power on linear scales. We compute the probability density function of SNe Ia magnification as a function of standard cosmological parameters, plus an empirical parameter $A_{\rm mod}$ which describes the suppression or enhancement of matter power on non-linear scales compared to a cold dark matter only model. While baryons are expected to enhance power on the scales relevant to SN Ia lensing, other physics such as neutrino masses or non-standard dark matter may suppress power. Using the Dark Energy Survey Year-5 sample, we find $A_{\rm mod} = 0.77^{+0.69}_{-0.40}$ (68 per cent credible interval around the median). Although the median is consistent with unity there are hints of power suppression, with $A_{\rm mod} \lt 1.09$ at 68 per cent credibility.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2025

Reduction of the type Ia supernova host galaxy step in the outer regions of galaxies

Using 1533 type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) from the 5-yr sample of the Dark Energy Survey (DES), we investigate the relationship between the projected galactocentric separation of the SNe and their host galaxies and their light curves and standardization. We show, for the first time, that the difference in SN Ia post-standardization brightnesses between high- and low-mass hosts reduces from $0.078\pm 0.011$ mag in the full sample to $0.036 \pm 0.018$ mag for SNe Ia located in the outer regions of their host galaxies, while increasing to $0.100 \pm 0.014$ mag for SNe in the inner regions. The difference in the size of the mass step between inner and outer regions is $0.064\pm 0.023$ mag. In these inner regions, the step can be reduced (but not removed) using a model where the $R_V$ of dust along the line of sight to the SN changes as a function of galaxy properties. We investigate the remaining difference using the distributions of the SN Ia stretch parameter to test the inferred age of SN progenitors. Comparing red (older) environments only, outer regions have a higher proportion of high-stretch SNe and a more homogeneous stretch distribution. However, this effect cannot explain the reduction in significance of any Hubble residual step in outer regions. We conclude that the standardized distances of SNe Ia located in the outer regions of galaxies are less affected by their global host galaxy properties than those in the inner regions.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2026

Explanation of the seasonal variation of cosmic multiple muon events observed with the NOvA Near Detector

The flux of cosmic ray muons at the Earth’s surface exhibits seasonal variations due to changes in the temperature of the atmosphere affecting the production and decay of mesons in the upper atmosphere. Using 1473 live days of data collected by the NuMI Off-axis 𝜈 𝑒 Appearance (NOvA) Near Detector during 2018–2022, we studied the seasonal pattern in the multiple-muon event rate. The data confirm an anticorrelation between the multiple-muon event rate and effective atmospheric temperature, consistent across all the years of data. Previous analyses from MINOS and NOvA saw a similar anticorrelation but did not include an explanation. We find that this anticorrelation is driven by altitude–geometry effects as the average muon production height changes with the season. This has been studied with a CORSIKA cosmic ray simulation package by varying atmospheric parameters, and provides an explanation to a longstanding discrepancy between the seasonal phases of single and multiple-muon events.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2025

The Dark Energy Survey Supernova Program: an updated measurement of the Hubble constant using the inverse distance ladder

We measure the current expansion rate of the Universe, Hubble’s constant $H_0$, by calibrating the absolute magnitudes of supernovae to distances measured by baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO). This ‘inverse distance ladder’ technique provides an alternative to calibrating supernovae using nearby absolute distance measurements, replacing the calibration with a high-redshift anchor. We use the recent release of 1829 supernovae from the Dark Energy Survey spanning $0.01\lt z\lt 1.13$ anchored to the recent baryon acoustic oscillation measurements from Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) spanning $0.30 \lt z_{\mathrm{eff}}\lt 2.33$. To trace cosmology to $z=0$, we use the third-, fourth-, and fifth-order cosmographic models, which, by design, are agnostic about the energy content and expansion history of the universe. With the inclusion of the higher redshift DESI-BAO data, the third-order model is a poor fit to both data sets, with the fourth-order model being preferred by the Akaike Information Criterion. Using the fourth-order cosmographic model, we find $H_0=67.19^{+0.66}_{-0.64}\mathrm{~km} \mathrm{~s}^{-1} \mathrm{~Mpc}^{-1}$, in agreement with the value found by Planck without the need to assume Flat-$\Lambda$CDM. However, the best-fitting expansion history differs from that of Planck, providing continued motivation to investigate these tensions.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2025

Characterization of proton-induced damage in thick, p-channel skipper-CCDs

Here, in this work, we characterize the radiation-induced damage in two thick, p-channel skipper-CCDs irradiated unbiased and at room temperature with 217-MeV protons. We evaluate the overall performance of the sensors and demonstrate their single-electron/single-photon sensitivity after receiving a fluence on the order of 10 10 protons/cm 2 . Using the pocket-pumping technique, we quantify and characterize the proton-induced defects from displacement damage. We report an overall trap density of 0.134 traps/pixel for a displacement damage dose of 2.3 × 10 7 MeV/g. Three main proton-induced trap species were identified, V 2 , C i O i and V n O m , and their characteristic trap energies and cross sections were extracted. We found that while divacancies are the most common proton-induced defects, C i O i defects have a greater impact on charge integrity at typical operating temperatures because their emission-time constants are comparable or larger than typical readout times. To estimate ionization damage, we measure the characteristic output transistor curves. We found no threshold voltage shifts after irradiation. Our results highlight the potential of skipper-CCDs for applications requiring high-radiation tolerance and can be used to find the operating conditions in which effects of radiation-induced damage are mitigated.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

DOE OSTI2026

SPT-3G D1: CMB temperature and polarization power spectra and cosmology from 2019 and 2020 observations of the SPT-3G main field

Here, we present measurements of the temperature and E-mode polarization angular power spectra of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) from observations of 4% of the sky with SPT-3G, the current camera on the South Pole Telescope (SPT). The maps used in this analysis are the deepest used in a CMB TT / TE / EE analysis to date. The maps and resulting power spectra have been validated through blind and unblind tests. The measurements of the lensed EE and TE spectra are the most precise to date at ℓ = 1800 – 4000 and ℓ = 2200 – 4000 , respectively. Combining our TT / TE / EE spectra with previously published SPT-3G CMB lensing results, we find parameters for the standard Λ cold dark matter ( Λ CDM ) model consistent with Planck and ACT DR6 with comparable constraining power. We report a Hubble constant of H 0 = 66.66 ± 0.60 km s - 1 Mpc - 1 from SPT-3G alone, 6.2 σ away from local measurements from SH0ES. For the first time, combined ground-based ( SPT + ACT ) CMB primary and lensing data have reached Planck’s constraining power on some parameters, a milestone for CMB cosmology. The combination of these three CMB experiments yields the tightest CMB constraints to date, with H 0 = 67.19 ± 0.38 km s - 1 Mpc - 1 , and the amplitude of clustering σ 8 = 0.8137 ± 0.0037 . CMB data alone show no evidence for physics beyond Λ CDM , however, we observe a 2.8 σ difference in Λ CDM between CMB and baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) results from DESI-DR2, which is relaxed in extended models. The combination of CMB and BAO yields 2 − 3 σ shifts from Λ CDM in the curvature of the Universe, the amplitude of CMB lensing, or the dark energy equation of state. It also drives mild preferences for models that address the Hubble tension through modified recombination or variations in the electron mass in a nonflat Universe. This work highlights the growing power of ground-based CMB experiments and lays a foundation for further cosmological analyses with SPT-3G.

Camphuis, Etienne [Sorbonne Université; CNRS; Inst↗

DOE OSTI2025

High efficiency glass-based VUV metasurfaces

Most advances in metaoptics have been made at visible wavelengths and above; in contrast, the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) has barely been explored despite numerous scientific and technological opportunities. Creating metaoptic elements at this short wavelength is challenging due to the scarcity of VUV transparent materials and the small sizes of the required nanostructures. Here, we present the first transmissive VUV (175 nm) metalens. By using UV-grade silica and trading off the Nyquist requirement for subwavelength structures against feasibility of the fabrication process, we achieve a step-change in diffraction efficiencies for wavelengths shorter than 300 nm. Our large numerical aperture (NA = 0.5) metalens shows an average diffraction efficiency of (53.3 ± 1.4)%. This demonstration opens up new avenues for compact flat optic systems operating in the VUV range.

Martins, Augusto [Univ. of York (United Kingdom)] ↗

DOE OSTI2025

Low-threshold response of a scintillating xenon bubble chamber to nuclear and electronic recoils

A device filled with pure xenon first demonstrated the ability to operate simultaneously as a bubble chamber and scintillation detector in 2017. Initial results from data taken at thermodynamic thresholds down to ∼4 keV showed sensitivity to ∼20 keV nuclear recoils with no observable bubble nucleation by 𝛾-ray interactions. Here, this paper presents results from further operation of the same device at thermodynamic thresholds as low as 0.50 keV, hardware limited. The bubble chamber has now been shown to have sensitivity to ∼1 keV nuclear recoils while remaining insensitive to bubble nucleation by 𝛾-rays. A data-driven calibration of the chamber’s nuclear recoil nucleation response, as a function of nuclear recoil energy and thermodynamic state, is presented. Stringent upper limits are established for the probability of bubble nucleation by 𝛾-ray-induced Auger cascades, with a limit of <1.1 ×10 −6 set at 0.50 keV, the lowest thermodynamic threshold explored.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗