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At least 1,153 records · Page 64

Near-threshold photoproduction of J/ of a proton with the CLAS12 experiment

The photo-production of vector mesons off the proton has long been established as an important tool to access the gluon content of the nucleon. In particular, the photo-production of J/Psi near the threshold energy has been related to the Gravitational Form Factors of the gluons which provide information about the mass and the force distributions in the nucleon. In this talk, I will present results on the near-threshold photoproduction of J/Psi using data taken in 2018 and 2019 by the CLAS12 detector at Jefferson Lab, with an electron beam impinging on a liquid-hydrogen target. This measurement is expected to provide direct insight on the gluons distribution inside the proton.

Chatagnon, Pierre↗

A Comprehensive Survey of Readout Strategies for SiPMs Used in Nuclear Imaging Systems

Silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) offer advantages such as lower relative cost, smaller size, and lower operating voltages compared to photomultiplier tubes. A SiPM’s readout circuit topology can significantly affect the characteristics of an imaging array. In nuclear imaging and detection, energy, timing, and position are the primary characteristics of interest. Nuclear imaging has applications in the medical, astronomy, and high energy physics fields, making SiPMs an active research area. This work is focused on the circuit topologies required for nuclear imaging. We surveyed the readout strategies including the front end preamplification topology choices of transimpedance amplifier, charge amplifier, and voltage amplifier. In addition, a review of circuit topologies suitable for energy, timing, and position information extraction was performed along with a summary of performance limitations and current challenges.

42 ENGINEERING↗

A gamma ray monitor for the OSO-7 spacecraft.

A NaI(T2) gamma ray spectrometer with a CsI(Na) charged particle and anti-Compton shield has been developed for the spacecraft. The spacecraft telemetry system employs a 800 Hz clock and reads data out on a basic 32-word (byte) Main Frame cycle. The data from the instrument include spectral data, X-ray data, and housekeeping data. The gamma ray pulses from the anode of the central detector flow through the front end electronics, where they are amplified by a charge sensitive preamplifier. The admission of the desired gamma ray into the data stream is controlled by a linear gate.

Higbie, P. R.↗

Detection techniques for tenuous planetary atmospheres

The research for the development of new types of detectors for analysis of planetary atmospheres is summarized. Topics discussed include: corona discharge humidity detector, surface catalysis and exo-electron emission, and analysis of soil samples by means of exo-electron emission. A report on the exo-electron emission during heterogeneous catalysis is included.

Hoenig, S. A.↗

The efficient identification of relativistic particles by transition radiation

A system of transition radiation detectors has been constructed and exposed to beams of electrons and pions in the energy range of 3 to 15 GeV at SLAC. Transition radiation was generated in a variety of stacks of mylar foils (radiators), and its intensity was detected with 7 multiwire proportional chambers. The raw data demonstrate a good separation between electron and pion induced signals. A more detailed analysis shows that a very efficient identification of individual particles is possible. Typically, a detection efficiency for electrons above 90%, combined with a pion-electron discrimination ratio of .001, has been achieved. Some conclusions with respect to the design of a practical detector for relativistic particles are drawn.

Cherry, M. L.↗

Large area extreme ultraviolet focusing collector

A grazing incidence one-dimensional focusing collector for use in the extreme ultraviolet is described. The collector has a field of view of 1 x 50 deg, a focal length of 3015 cm, and a total unobstructed area of 224 sq cm. The instrument employs an interchangeable detector package of either channel-electron multipliers or proportional counters which yield a limiting sensitivity of 1.0 photons/sq cm sec A at 170 A and 0.05 photons/sq cm sec A at 90 A, respectively, for one second integrations. The design and calibration of the instrument are described in detail. Data obtained by this instrument during recent rocket flights are presented.

Henry, P.↗

Electron energy distributions measured during electron beam/plasma interactions

In the large vacuum facility at the NASA-Johnson Space Center an electron beam was projected 20 m parallel to B from a gun with variable accelerating potential (1.0 to 2.5 kV) to an aluminum target. The ionospheric neutral pressure and field were approximated. Beam electron energy distributions were measured directly using an electrostatic deflection analyzer and indirectly with a detector that responded to the X-rays produced by electron impact on the target. At low currents the distribution is sharply peaked at the acceleration potential. At high currents a beam plasma discharge occurs and electrons are redistributed in energy so that the former energy peak broadens to 10-15 percent FWHM with a strongly enhanced low energy tail. At the 10% of maximum point the energy spectrum ranges from less than 1/2 to 1.2 times the gun energy. The effect is qualitatively the same at all pitch angles and locations sampled.

Jost, R. J.↗

Investigations in cosmic and gamma ray astronomy and nuclear instruments

The Nuclear Radiation Monitor (NRM) is flying on the Spacelab 2 vehicle as part of a set of instrumentation designed to measure the ambient physical environment on Spacelab in orbit. The NRM measures the natural and induced gamma ray activity. The instrument is constituted of a 25 sq in (NaI (T1)) crystal viewed with a single phototube and surrounded by a plastic anticoincidence shield. It is mounted on a pedestal and placed, with its electronics, on the Spacelab pallet. The detector head was designed and a development model fabricated and tested. Extensive software studies for on board and GSE microprocessors for use with the NRM were also made.

Gregory, J. C.↗

Discovery of ions with nuclear charge Z greater than or equal to 9 stability trapped in the earth's radiation belts

Observations of MeV heavy ions obtained by Explorer 45 in an equatorial earth orbit during a 7 month period in 1972 are presented, including data from four major magnetic storms. The spacecraft contained a heavy ion detector telescope and heavy ion discriminator electronics. Heavy ions were distinguished from protons and electrons, and He ions and ions heavier than F were recorded on separate data channels. The L equals 2.25 to L equals 4 zones were probed, and it was found that the relative enhancement in heavy ion fluxes in the radiation belts over the prestorm ion flux intensities tends to increase with increasing ion mass and/or increasing ion energy in the MeV range. The radial profiles of ions with nucleon number greater than nine peak at L equals 2.9, and MeV ions in this class decay on time scales from 23 days at L equals 3.25 to 55 days at L equals 2.25. Indirect evidence indicated a solar source for the very heavy ions in the magnetosphere.

Spjeldvik, W. N.↗

Heavy nucleus collisions between 20 and 60 GeV/nucleon

Interest in studying relativistic nucleus-nucleus interations arises from the fact that they offer an opportunity to probe nuclear matter at high density and temperature. It is expected that under such extreme conditions a transition from hadronic matter into quark-gluon plasma occurs and that in the interactions of highly relativistic nuclei such conditions are created. Cosmic rays remain a unique source of high energy heavy nuclei. The Japanese-American Cooperative Emulsion Experiment (JACEE-3) was designed to study the collisions of heavy cosmic ray nuclei with different nuclear targets at energies beyond 20 GeV/nucleon. JACEE-3 experiment was carried out using a combined electronic counters and an emulsion chamber detector, which was exposed to the cosmic rays on a balloon at an altitude of 5 g/sq cm.

Burnett, T. H.↗

Tunable-Quantum-Well Infrared Detector

Proposed detector of infrared photons based on photon-assisted, resonant quantum-mechanical tunneling between adjacent energy wells in its semiconductor structure. Wavelength adjusted by changing applied voltage. Device contains alternating layers of different seminconductors which form double-quantum-well electron-energy structure. Tunable-quantum-well detectors made on single chip constitutes line imager. Many such devices stacked to form two-dimensional imaging device. Signal-processing circuitry integrated into chip at its lower end. Potential barriers and wells produced by alternating layers of different semiconductor materials. Steepness of slope proportional to applied electric field. Electric field and thicknesses and heights of barriers selected to favor photon-assisted, resonant quantum-mechanical tunneling at chosen photon frequency.

Maserjian, Joseph↗

Novel infrared detector based on a tunneling displacement transducer

The paper describes the design, fabrication, and characteristics of a novel infrared detector based on the principle of Golay's (1947) pneumatic infrared detector, which uses the expansion of a gas to detect infrared radiation. The present detector is constructed entirely from micromachined silicon and uses an electron tunneling displacement transducer for the detection of gas expansion. The sensitivity of the new detector is competitive with the best commercial pyroelectric sensors and can be readily improved by an order of magnitude through the use of an optimized transducer.

Kenny, T. W.↗

Cosmic background radiation anisotropy at degree angular scales - Further results from the South Pole

We report further results from the University of California at Santa Barbara program to measure anisotropy in the cosmic background radiation at angular scales near 1 deg, an angular range corresponding to the largest scales where structure is observed. A 30 GHz high electron mobility transistor amplifier-based detector was coupled to the Advanced Cosmic Microwave Explorer, a 1 m off-axis Gregorian telescope. We present data that represent 64 of the total of 500 hr acquired with this system during the 1990-1991 season. The data have a statistical error of 13.5/micro-K/pixel. These are the smallest error bars of any data set of this type published to date. The data contain a significant signal with a maximum likelihood Delta T/T roughly 1 x 10 exp -5. The spectrum of the signal seen in slightly less than 2 sigma away from the thermal spectrum expected of primordial fluctuations in the cosmic background radiation. If the source of the fluctuations is primordial, then the data are consistent with cold dark matter scenarios when normalized to the large-scale anisotropy observed by COBE, while if the origin of the signal is foreground emission or another form of contaminant then the data are marginally inconsistent with standard cold dark matter models. In either case, the data are sufficiently sensitive to provide a crucial test of many models.

Schuster, Jeffrey↗

Modulated Fourier Transform Raman Fiber-Optic Spectroscopy

A modification to a commercial Fourier Transform (FT) Raman spectrometer is presented for the elimination of thermal backgrounds in the FT Raman spectra. The modification involves the use of a mechanical optical chopper to modulate the continuous wave laser, remote collection of the signal via fiber optics, and connection of a dual-phase digital-signal-processor (DSP) lock-in amplifier between the detector and the spectrometer's collection electronics to demodulate and filter the optical signals. The resulting Modulated Fourier Transform Raman Fiber-Optic Spectrometer is capable of completely eliminating thermal backgrounds at temperatures exceeding 300 C.

Jensen, Brian J.↗