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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2026

Charge-trap analysis in a SENSEI skipper-CCD: Understanding low-energy backgrounds in rare-event searches

Skipper charge-coupled devices (CCDs) are ultralow-threshold detectors capable of detecting energy deposits in silicon at the electronvolt scale. Skipper CCDs are increasingly used in rare-event searches, including experiments such as SENSEI, DAMIC-M, Oscura, and CONNIE, where one of the major challenges is mitigating low-energy backgrounds. In this work, we present results on trap characterization in a silicon skipper-CCD produced in the same fabrication run as the SENSEI experiment at SNOLAB. Lattice defects contribute to backgrounds in rare-event searches through single-electron charge trapping. To investigate this, we use the charge-pumping technique at different temperatures to identify dipoles produced by traps in the CCD channel. We fully characterize a fraction of these traps and use this information to extrapolate their contribution to the single-electron background in SENSEI. We find that this subpopulation of traps does not contribute significantly, but more work is needed to assess the impact of the traps that cannot be characterized.

Brusco, Agustin↗
DOE OSTI2016

A Low-Noise Germanium Ionization Spectrometer for Low-Background Science

Recent progress on the development of very low energy threshold high purity germanium ionization spectrometers has produced an instrument of 1.2 kg mass and excellent noise performance. The detector was installed in a low-background cryostat intended for use in a low mass, WIMP dark matter direct detection search. The integrated detector and low background cryostat achieved noise performance of 98 eV full-width half-maximum of an input electronic pulse generator peak and gamma-ray energy resolution of 1.9 keV full-width half-maximum at the 60Co gamma-ray energy of 1332 keV. This Transaction reports the thermal characterization of the low-background cryostat, specifications of the newly prepared 1.2 kg p-type point contact germanium detector, and the ionization spectroscopy – energy resolution and energy threshold – performance of the integrated system.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2024

Cherenkov photon background for low-noise silicon detectors in space

Future space observatories dedicated to direct imaging and spectroscopy of extra-solar planets will require ultra-low-noise detectors that are sensitive over a broad range of wavelengths. Silicon charge-coupled devices (CCDs), such as EMCCDs, Skipper CCDs, and Multi-Amplifier Sensing CCDs, have demonstrated the ability to detect and measure single photons from ultra-violet to near-infrared wavelengths, making them candidate technologies for this application. In this context, we study a relatively unexplored source of low-energy background coming from Cherenkov radiation produced by energetic charged particles traversing a silicon detector. In the intense radiation environment of space, energetic cosmic rays produce high-energy tracks and more extended halos of low-energy Cherenkov photons, which are detectable with ultra-low-noise detectors. We present a model of this effect that is calibrated to laboratory data, and we use this model to characterize the residual background rate for ultra-low noise silicon detectors in space. We find that the rate of cosmic-ray-induced Cherenkov photon production is comparable to other detector and astrophysical backgrounds that have previously been considered.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2016

SU-G-IeP2-08: Investigation On Signal Detectability in Volumetric Cone Beam CT Images with Anatomical Background

Purpose: To investigate the slice direction dependent detectability in cone beam CT images with anatomical background. Methods: We generated 3D anatomical background images using breast anatomy model. To generate 3D breast anatomy, we filtered 3D Gaussian noise with a square root of 1/f{sup 3}, and then assigned the attenuation coefficient of glandular (0.8cm{sup −1}) and adipose (0.46 cm{sup −1}) tissues based on voxel values. Projections were acquired by forward projection, and quantum noise was added to the projection data. The projection data were reconstructed by FDK algorithm. We compared the detectability of a 3 mm spherical signal in the image reconstructed from four different backprojection Methods: Hanning weighted ramp filter with linear interpolation (RECON1), Hanning weighted ramp filter with Fourier interpolation (RECON2), ramp filter with linear interpolation (RECON3), and ramp filter with Fourier interpolation (RECON4), respectively. We computed task SNR of the spherical signal in transverse and longitudinal planes using channelized Hotelling observer with Laguerre-Gauss channels. Results: Transverse plane has similar task SNR values for different backprojection methods, while longitudinal plane has a maximum task SNR value in RECON1. For all backprojection methods, longitudinal plane has higher task SNR than transverse plane. Conclusion: In this work, we investigated detectability for different slice direction in cone beam CT images with anatomical background. Longitudinal plane has a higher task SNR than transverse plane, and backprojection with hanning weighted ramp filter with linear interpolation method (i.e., RECON1) produced the highest task SNR among four different backprojection methods. This research was supported by the MSIP (Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning), Korea, under the IT Consilience Creative Programs(IITP-2015-R0346-15-1008) supervised by the IITP (Institute for Information & Communications Technology Promotion), Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the MSIP (2015R1C1A1A01052268) and framework of international cooperation program managed by NRF (NRF-2015K2A1A2067635).

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2016

Leveraging Genetic-Background Effects in Saccharomyces cerevisiae To Improve Lignocellulosic Hydrolysate Tolerance

We report a major obstacle to sustainable lignocellulosic biofuel production is microbe inhibition by the combinatorial stresses in pretreated plant hydrolysate. Chemical biomass pretreatment releases a suite of toxins that interact with other stressors, including high osmolarity and temperature, which together can have poorly understood synergistic effects on cells. Improving tolerance in industrial strains has been hindered, in part because the mechanisms of tolerance reported in the literature often fail to recapitulate in other strain backgrounds. Here, we explored and then exploited variations in stress tolerance, toxin-induced transcriptomic responses, and fitness effects of gene overexpression in different Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) strains to identify genes and processes linked to tolerance of hydrolysate stressors. Using six different S. cerevisiae strains that together maximized phenotypic and genetic diversity, first we explored transcriptomic differences between resistant and sensitive strains to identify common and strain-specific responses. This comparative analysis implicated primary cellular targets of hydrolysate toxins, secondary effects of defective defense strategies, and mechanisms of tolerance. Dissecting the responses to individual hydrolysate components across strains pointed to synergistic interactions between osmolarity, pH, hydrolysate toxins, and nutrient composition. By characterizing the effects of high-copy gene overexpression in three different strains, we revealed the breadth of the background-specific effects of gene fitness contributions in synthetic hydrolysate. Lastly, our approach identified new genes for engineering improved stress tolerance in diverse strains while illuminating the effects of genetic background on molecular mechanisms.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2018

New Low-Background Laboratory in the Pyhäsalmi Mine, Finland

A new low-background laboratory has been constructed in the Pyhäsalmi mine in central Finland and was commissioned in the beginning of 2017. The underground experimental hall is located at a depth of 1436 m corresponding to about 4100 m of water equivalent (m.w.e.). We describe the equipment of the laboratory and the backgrounds arising from the natural rock radioactivity and the flux of cosmic ray muons at the experimental hall location. The high-sensitivity experiments operating at the low-background laboratory are briefly described.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2023

The background model of the CUPID-Mo $0\nu\beta\beta$ experiment

CUPID-Mo, located in the Laboratoire Souterrain de Modane (France), was a demonstrator for the next generation 0vββ decay experiment, CUPID. It consisted of an array of 20 enriched Li 2 100 MoO 4 bolometers and 20 Ge light detectors and has demonstrated that the technology of scintillating bolometers with particle identification capabilities is mature. Furthermore, CUPID-Mo can inform and validate the background prediction for CUPID. In this paper, we present a detailed model of the CUPID-Mo backgrounds. This model is able to describe well the features of the experimental data and enables studies of the 2vββ decay and other processes with high precision. We also measure the radio-purity of the Li 2 100 MoO 4 crystals which are found to be sufficient for the CUPID goals. Finally, we also obtain a background index in the region of interest of 3.7 $^{+0.9}_{-0.8}$ (stat) $^{+1.5}_{-0.7}$ (syst) x 10 -3 counts/ ΔE FWHM / mol iso / year the lowest in a bolometric Ovββ decay experiment.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2019

Background Explorer

Tools to construct a model for sources of radioactive backgrounds in a low radioactivity dertector system Background explorer simplifies or automates many of the tedious and error-prone tasks involved in creating a detailed radioactivity budget for a low background detector system. The tool also provides a rich web interface allowing even nontechnical users to easily modify the model assumptions and drill-down into the model and result details. Backend: https://github.com/bloer/bgmodelbuilder Web application: https://github.com/bloer/bgexplorer Demo/user template: https://github.com/bloer/bgexplorer-demo

Loer, Ben↗
DOE OSTI2024

RAIS Paducah Background Values

The Paducah Background Values (https://rais.ornl.gov/tools/pgdp_background.html) are from Methods for Conducting Risk Assessments and Risk Evaluations at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Volume 1, Human Health, which sought to establish provisional background values for groundwater and soil. These values were developed by considering agreements reached between the DOE and the regulatory agencies during comment resolution meetings, in the Federal Facility Agreement, and at technical meetings. The Paducah background concentrations are available for soil (surface and subsurface) and groundwater (filtered and unfiltered).

Dolislager, Fred [Oak Ridge National Laboratory (O↗
DOE OSTI2018

Transcriptome analysis reveals a stress response of Shewanella oneidensis deprived of background levels of ionizing radiation

Natural ionizing background radiation has exerted a constant pressure on organisms since the first forms of life appeared on Earth, so that cells have developed molecular mechanisms to avoid or repair damages caused directly by radiation or indirectly by radiation-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS). In the present study, we investigated the transcriptional effect of depriving Shewanella oneidensis cultures of background levels of radiation by growing the cells in a mine 655 m underground, thus reducing the dose rate from 72.1 to 0.9 nGy h -1 from control to treatment, respectively. RNASeq transcriptome analysis showed the differential expression of 4.6 and 7.6% of the S. oneidensis genome during early- and late-exponential phases of growth, respectively. The greatest change observed in the treatment was the downregulation of ribosomal proteins (21% of all annotated ribosomal protein genes during early- and 14% during late-exponential) and tRNA genes (14% of all annotated tRNA genes in early-exponential), indicating a marked decrease in protein translation. Other significant changes were the upregulation of membrane transporters, implying an increase in the traffic of substrates across the cell membrane, as well as the up and downregulation of genes related to respiration, which could be interpreted as a response to insufficient oxidants in the cells. In other reports, there is evidence in multiple species that some ROS not just lead to oxidative stress, but act as signaling molecules to control cellular metabolism at the transcriptional level. Consistent with these reports, several genes involved in the metabolism of carbon and biosynthesis of amino acids were also regulated, lending support to the idea of a wide metabolic response. Our results indicate that S. oneidensis is sensitive to the withdrawal of background levels of ionizing radiation and suggest that a transcriptional response is required to maintain homeostasis and retain normal growth.

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTAN↗
DOE OSTI2024

Developing a data-driven method to constrain the antiproton background in the Mu2e experiment

The Mu2e experiment will search for CLFV neutrinoless coherent muon to electron conversion in the field of an Al nucleus. The expected signal is a 104.97 MeV/c monochromatic $e^-$ (CE). CE-like $e^-$’s could also come from $\bar{p}$’s annihilating in the Stopping Target (ST). The background induced by $\bar{p}$’s is expected to be low but has a large systematic uncertainty. It cannot be suppressed by the time window cut used to reduce the prompt background. However, $p\bar{p}$ annihilation in the ST is the only source of events in the Mu2e detector with multiple tracks coming from the ST, simultaneous in time, each with a momentum in the signal window region. We exploited this unique feature and developed algorithms to identify and reconstruct multi-track events. This paper discusses the status and prospects of this data-driven method to constrain the $\bar{p}$ background at Mu2e.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2016

Pythia Jet Finding Study with Trento Backgrounds

We present results applying the Pythia SlowJet Finder to Pythia generated QCD and QED hard processes in the presence of simulated heavy ion backgrounds. The hard process events are generated with Pythia version 8.219 for √s NN =200 GeV proton-proton collisions and the backgrounds are generated by the Reduced Thickness Event-by-event Nuclear Topology model T R ENTo for Au-Au collisions with a nucleon-nucleon cross-section of 4.23 fm 2 . The T R ENTo model is used to calculate the initial entropy and ellipticity from which the total charged particle multiplicity and elliptic ow are determined. We report results in the form of event displays, total p T distributions, and fragmentation distributions for SlowJet applied to Pythia events with and without the simulated heavy ion backgrounds.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2018

Source Physics Experiment Data Quality Using Background Noise

We computed time-domain root-mean-square (TRMS) amplitudes and power spectral densities (PSD) from the Source Physics Experiment (SPE) seismic data using the 2018 version 1.4 of the instrument response metadata. The geophone instrument gains were set lower about a few weeks prior to the SPE shots to record on-scale and then reset soon afterward to record background noise and seismicity. When the gains were set lower, we determined that the 1-2 Hz bandpass filtered geophone amplitudes increased 20 decibels (dB) or factor of 10 relative to the geophone baseline or background noise levels from nearby broadband sensors. This indicates an inconsistency between the released metadata reporting a decrease in gain factor of 32 and the likely true geophone gain setting of 3.2. After the shots, the geophone gains were reset and recorded background noise levels similar to nearby broadbands consistent with the metadata for those time intervals. There was also a similar issue with line-3, line-4 and AF Trillium broadband horizontals gains during SPE-5 where there is a factor of 32 difference relative to baseline levels. The other Guralp and Trillium broadbands performed very well recording a 1-2 Hz noise level of -150 to -160 dB similar to the nearby station at Tonopah Springs, Nevada (US.TPNV) and compared with -170 dB from the new low noise model (NLNM) for the continental US (e.g., McNamara and Buland, 2004). The geophones were only 5-10 dB higher but performed as well as broadbands above 6 Hz. The accelerometers have poor low frequency response and were 40-50 dB higher in the 1-2 Hz band relative to broadbands.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Vibration and EMF Backgrounds at NEXUS

NEXUS (Northwestern EXperimental Underground Site) is a dark matter detector prototyping and calibration facility at Fermilab. It is part of the SuperCDMS collaboration, which is focused on exploring light-WIMP parameter space. The NEXUS cryostat, typically operated at temperatures of about 10 mK, is located 107 meters underground in the MINOS Near Detector Hall to reduce cosmic ray backgrounds. We characterized the vibrational and electro-magnetic frequency (EMF) backgrounds surrounding the cryostat and investigated how these backgrounds transfer into the detector itself.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Measurement of beam-correlated background neutrons from the Fermilab Booster Neutrino Beam in ANNIE Phase-I (Final Technical Report)

The Accelerator Neutrino Neutron Interaction Experiment (ANNIE) aims to make a unique measurement of neutron yield from neutrino-nucleus interactions and to perform R&D for the next generation of water-based neutrino detectors. In this paper, we characterize beam-induced neutron backgrounds in the experimental hall at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. It is shown that the background levels are sufficiently low to allow the next stage of the experiment to proceed. These measurements are relevant to other Booster Neutrino Beam (BNB) experiments located adjacent to ANNIE Hall, where dirt neutrons and sky-shine could present similar backgrounds.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Detection of Anomalies in Environmental Gamma Radiation Background with Hopfield Artificial Neural Network - Consortium on Nuclear Security Technologies (CONNECT) Q3 Report

Environmental screening of gamma radiation consists of detecting weak nuisance and anomaly signal in the presence of strong and highly varying background. In a typical scenario, a mobile detector-spectrometer continuously measures gamma radiation spectra in short, e.g., one-second, signal acquisition intervals. The measurement data is a 2D matrix, where one dimension is gamma ray energy, and the other dimension is the number of measurements or total time. In principle, gamma radiation sources can be detected and identified from the measured data by their unique spectral lines. Detecting sources from data measured in a search scenario is difficult due to the highly varying background because of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM), and low signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) of spectral signal measured during one-second acquisition intervals. The objective of this work is to investigate performance of a Hopfield Neural Network (HNN) in in detection and identification of weak nuisances and anomalies events in the presence of a highly fluctuating background. Performance of HNN algorithm is benchmarked using search data from an environmental screening campaign. One data set contained a 137 Cs source, and another dataset contained a 131 I source.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2021

Development of Hopfield Artificial Neural Network for Anomaly Detection in Environmental Gamma Radiation Background: Consortium on Nuclear Security Technologies (CONNECT) (Q2 Report)

Environmental screening of gamma radiation consists of detecting weak nuisance and anomaly signal in the presence of strong and highly varying background. In a typical scenario, a mobile detector-spectrometer continuously measures gamma radiation spectra in short, e.g., one-second, signal acquisition intervals. The measurement data is a 2D matrix, where one dimension is gamma ray energy, and the other dimension is the number of measurements or total time. In principle, gamma radiation sources can be detected and identified from the measured data by their unique spectral lines. Detecting sources from data measured in a search scenario is difficult due to the highly varying background because of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM), and low signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) of spectral signal measured during one-second acquisition intervals. The objective of this work is to explore supervised machine learning (ML) algorithms for development of a Hopfield Neural Network (HNN) in conjunction with an image processing algorithm for detection and identification of weak nuisances and anomalies events in the presence of a highly fluctuating background.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2020

Measurement of Argon-37 Background Concentrations in the Atmosphere

Radioisotopes of noble gases, primarily xenon and argon, are important indicators of underground nuclear explosions. The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) includes monitoring capabilities to identify potential nuclear explosions conducted in violation of the CTBT. This monitoring currently focuses on measurement of the xenon isotopes 133 Xe, 135 Xe, 131 mXe and 133 mXe. However, it is predicted that within 100 days of an underground nuclear explosion (UNE) 37 Ar would be released to the atmosphere at higher concentrations than xenon isotopes (Haas et al. 2010). Therefore, inclusion of 37 Ar measurement capabilities at atmospheric International Monitoring System (IMS) stations could improve the capability to detect a nuclear explosion. At an IMS station, it could be difficult to determine what constitutes an elevated concentration as a result of an UNE without first understanding the expected range of background concentrations. This work describes our analysis of atmospheric samples for 37 Ar to evaluate the range of background concentrations. The range of 37 Ar concentrations measured in atmospheric air samples was relatively narrow ranging between less than 1 mBq/m 3 to greater than 2 mBq/m 3 . The average atmospheric concentration of all samples was 0.98 mBq/m 3 , with a standard deviation of 0.5 mBq/m 3 . This is consistent with previous published results. The results presented here demonstrate the capability to detect background concentrations of 37 Ar in atmospheric air.

61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY↗