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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2018

Dynamic Tuning of Seismic Signal Detector Trigger Levels for Local Networks

The quality of automatic signal detections from sensor networks depends on individual detector trigger levels (TLs) from each sensor. The largely manual process of identifying effective TLs is painstaking and does not guarantee optimal configuration settings, yet achieving superior automatic detection of signals and ultimately, events, is closely related to these parameters. In this paper, we present a Dynamic Detector Tuning (DDT) system that automatically adjusts effective TL settings for signal detectors to the current state of the environment by leveraging cooperation within a local neighborhood of network sensors. After a stabilization period, the DDT algorithm can adapt in near-real time to changing conditions and automatically tune a signal detector to identify (detect) signals from only events of interest. Our current work focuses on reducing false signal detections early in the seismic signal processing pipeline, which leads to fewer false events and has a significant impact on reducing analyst time and effort. This system provides an important new method to automatically tune detector TLs for a network of sensors and is applicable to both existing sensor performance boosting and new sensor deployment. Finally, with ground truth on detections from a local neighborhood of seismic sensors within a network monitoring the Mount Erebus volcano in Antarctica, we show that DDT reduces the number of false detections by 18% and the number of missed detections by 11% when compared with optimal fixed TLs for all sensors.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2019

Radiation Robust RF Gas Beam Detector R&D for Intensity Frontier Experiments

A novel radiation robust RF gas beam detector has been demonstrated by using the Main Injector beam at Fermilab. The detector demonstrated a stable signal gain, fast response time, and high radiation resistivity with intense proton beams. The plasma process in the detector is studied to validate the plasma physics model. The result suggests that the detector is applicable for Long Baseline Neutrino Facility at Fermilab. To prepare for the LBNF, a proto type detector will be made and applied for the Neutrino at Main Injector target system. Progress of the project will be given in the presentation.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Lessons from commissioning of the cryogenic system for the Short-Baseline Neutrino Detector at Fermilab

Results from commissioning and first year of operations of the cryogenic system of the Short-Baseline Neutrino Detector (SBND) and its membrane cryostat installed at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory are described. The SBND detector is installed in a 200 m$^3$ membrane cryostat filled with liquid argon, which serves both as target and as active media. For the correct operation of the detector, the liquid argon must be kept in very stable thermal conditions while the contamination of electronegative impurities must be consistently kept at the level of small fractions of parts per billion. The detector is operated in Booster Neutrino Beams (BNB) at Fermilab for the search of sterile neutrinos and measurements of neutrino-argon cross sections. The cryostat and the cryogenic systems also serve as prototypes for the much larger equipment to be used for the LBNF/DUNE experiment. Since its installation in 2018-2023 and cooldown in spring of 2024, the cryostat and the cryogenic system have been commissioned to support the detector operations. The lessons learned through installation, testing, commissioning, cooldown, and initial operations are described.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Design and Construction of Prototype Dark Matter Detectors: ΔLepton Quark Studies (LQS)

The Lepton Quark Studies (LQS) group is engaged in searching for dark matter using the Dark Matter Time Projection Chamber (DMTPC) at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) (Carlsbad, NM). DMTPC is a direction-sensitive dark matter detector designed to measure the recoil direction and energy deposited by fluorine nuclei recoiling from the interaction with incident WIMPs. In the past year, the major areas of progress have been: • to publish the first dark matter search results from a surface run of the DMTPC prototype detector, • to build and install the 10L prototype in the underground laboratory at WIPP which will house the 1 m 3 detector, and • to demonstrate charge and PMT readout of the TPC using prototype detectors, which allow triggering and z measurement to be used in the 1 m 3 detector under development.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Acoustic detector for fission neutrons

We report here on the progress towards the development of an acoustic neutron detector. The goal is to make a detector that is passive, low cost, and scalable to large areas. We will discuss the potential for this detector to be blind to gamma radiation and the potential for high-efficiency fast neutron imaging. The detector signals are based on the generation of ei ther bubbles or thermo-acoustic shock in a liquid due to energy deposition from a neutron. The interaction of a neutron with a hydrogen rich fluid will primarily be a neutron-hydrogen collision. As they are nearly identical in mass, the most probable scattering event is an elastic event, depositing approximately half of the collision energy into the hydrogen atom. For fission neutrons this energy is in the 1-15 MeV range. The excited hydrogen atom (proton) rapidly thermalizes with the fluid establishing a thermo-acoustic signature which we then monitor with a hydrophone submerged in the fluid. Further, if the fluid is near a phase transition, the de position on energy from the neutron can form a bubble. The formation and collapse of the bubble will create a shockwave which is then detected using a hydrophone submerged in the fluid. Here we will describe: the generation and propagation of acoustic-shock waves, the design and construction of an acoustic detection cell, and the callibration of the cell using photo-acoustic spectroscopy. We will discuss tests preformed using both cosmogenic neutrons and a Californium 252 source, and conclude with a discussion on future implementation of the acoustic neutron detector.

Chandler, David W.↗
DOE OSTI2013

Development of A Self Biased High Efficiency Solid-State Neutron Detector for MPACT Applications

Neutron detection is an important aspect of materials protection, accounting, and control for transmutation (MPACT). Currently He-3 filled thermal neutron detectors are utilized in many applications; these detectors require high-voltage bias for operation, which complicates the system when multiple detectors are used. In addition, due to recent increase in homeland security activity and the nuclear renaissance, there is a shortage of He-3, and these detectors become more expensive. Instead, cheap solid-state detectors that can be mass produced like any other computer chips will be developed.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2014

Measurement of Neutron and Muon Fluxes 100~m Underground with the SciBath Detector

The SciBath detector is an 80 liter liquid scintillator detector read out by a three dimensional grid of 768 wavelength-shifting fibers. Initially conceived as a fine-grained charged particle detector for neutrino studies that could image charged particle tracks in all directions, it is also sensitive to fast neutrons (15-200 MeV). In fall of 2011 the apparatus performed a three month run to measure cosmic-induced muons and neutrons 100~meters underground in the FNAL MINOS near-detector area. Data from this run has been analyzed and resulted in measurements of the cosmic muon flux as \num{0.80\pm0.04}~\si{\m^{-2}\s^{-1}}, the cosmogenic fast neutron flux as \num{1.5\pm1.4e-2}~\si{\m^{-2}\s^{-1}}, and the neutron production rate from muon spallation in liquid scintillator as \num{3.8\pm3.2e-4}~$n/\mu$~\si{(\g\per\cm^2)^{-1}}. Additionally, the cosmic muon angular distribution and neutron energy distribution have been measured. These results can be extrapolated to future measurements of fast-neutron backgrounds at other underground facilities. This thesis presents a summary of the physics relevant to underground muons and fast neutrons, the SciBath detector, the analysis methodology that was used for the results presented, and comparisons between our results and those of other experiments and simulations

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Observation of Muon Neutrino Charged Current Events in an Off-Axis Horn-Focused Neutrino Beam Using the NOvA Prototype Detector

The NOνA is a long base-line neutrino oscillation experiment. It will study the oscillations between muon and electron neutrinos through the Earth. NOνA consists of two detectors separated by 810 km. Each detector will measure the electron neutrino content of the neutrino (NuMI) beam. Differences between the measurements will reveal details about the oscillation channel. The NOνA collaboration built a prototype detector on the surface at Fermilab in order to develop calibration, simulation, and reconstruction tools, using real data. This 220 ton detector is 110 mrad off the NuMI beam axis. This off-axis location allows the observation of neutrino interactions with energies around 2 GeV, where neutrinos come predominantly from charged kaon decays. During the period between October 2011 and April 2012, the prototype detector collected neutrino data from 1.67 × 10 20 protons on target delivered by the NuMI beam. This analysis selected a number of candidate charged current muon neutrino events from the prototype data, which is 30% lower than predicted by the NOνA Monte Carlo simulation. The analysis suggests that the discrepancy comes from an over estimation of the neutrino flux in the Monte Carlo simulation, and in particular, from neutrinos generated in charged kaon decays. The ratio of measured divided by the simulated flux of muon neutrinos coming from charged kaon decays is: 0.70 +0.108 -0.094 . The NOνA collaboration may use the findings of this analysis to introduce a more accurate prediction of the neutrino flux produced by the NuMI beam in future Monte Carlo simulations.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2013

Materials Modeling for High-Performance Radiation Detectors

This project is in collaboration with SL13-FY13-237-PD05. This project aims to enable rational materials design for select high-payoff challenges in radiation detection materials by using stateof- the-art modeling techniques bridging multiple resolutions, in cooperation with experimental collaborations. Three specific high-impact challenges are addressed: design of contacts for TlBr detectors to stabilize response at room-temperature; design of host glass for large-volume, lowcost, high-performance scintillators; and determination of the electrical impacts of dislocation networks in CZT that limit the performance and usable single-crystal volume. The realization of these goals will impact a number of proliferation detection application areas, including improved-performance and reduced-cost handheld detectors for search- and contain-missions (TlBr and CZT), and large-volume, specially-shaped detectors for portal monitors, tracking detectors, and similar applications (glass scintillators). The direct products of this project will be design and process strategies to achieve improved materials, whose implementation will yield detector devices that meet mission objectives. An added value of this project will be further advancement of the state-of-the-art in materials design capabilities, which is broadly useful for future materials needs.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Design and Construction of Detector and Data Acquisition Elements for Proton Computed Tomography

Proton computed tomography (pCT) offers an alternative to x-ray imaging with potential for three-dimensional imaging, reduced radiation exposure, and in-situ imaging. Northern Illinois University (NIU) is developing a second-generation proton computed tomography system with a goal of demonstrating the feasibility of three-dimensional imaging within clinically realistic imaging times. The second-generation pCT system is comprised of a tracking system, a calorimeter, data acquisition, a computing farm, and software algorithms. The proton beam encounters the upstream tracking detectors, the patient or phantom, the downstream tracking detectors, and a calorimeter. The schematic layout of the PCT system is shown. The data acquisition sends the proton scattering information to an offline computing farm. Major innovations of the second generation pCT project involve an increased data acquisition rate ( MHz range) and development of three-dimensional imaging algorithms. The Fermilab Particle Physics Division and Northern Illinois Center for Accelerator and Detector Development at Northern Illinois University worked together to design and construct the tracking detectors, calorimeter, readout electronics and detector mounting system.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2016

A Search for Sterile Neutrinos at the NO$\nu$A Far Detector

NO$\nu$A is the current United States flagship long-baseline neutrino experiment designed to study the properties of neutrino oscillations. It consists of two functionally identical detectors each located $14.6$ mrad off the central axis from the Fermilab NuMI neutrino beam. The Near Detector is located $1\,\mbox{km}$ downstream from the beam source, and the Far Detector is located $810\,\mbox{km}$ away in Ash River, Minnesota. This long baseline, combined with the ability of the NuMI facility to switch between nearly pure neutrino and anti-neutrino beams, allows NO$\nu$A to make precision measurements of neutrino mixing angles, potentially determine the neutrino mass hierarchy, and begin searching for CP violating effects in the lepton sector. However, NO$\nu$A can also probe more exotic scenarios, such as oscillations between the known active neutrinos and new sterile species. This thesis showcases the first search for sterile neutrinos in a $3 + 1$ model at NO$\nu$A. The a nalysis presented searches for a deficit in the rate of neutral current events at the Far Detector using the Near Detector to constrain the predicted spectrum. The comparison between the observed and predicted spectra is translated into a measurement of the expanded PMNS mixing angles, $\theta_{34}$ and $\theta_{24}$ elements, and the matrix elements $\vert U_{\mu 4} \vert^2$ and $\vert U_{\tau 4} \vert^2$, assuming $0.05 < \Delta m^2_{41} < 0.5\,\mbox{eV}^2$. This analysis was performed using data taken between February $2014$ and May $2016$ corresponding to $6.69 \times 10^{20}$ protons on target. No deficit of events was observed, leading only to upper limits on the sterile mixing angles, $\theta_{34} < 32^\circ$ and $\theta_{24} < 20^\circ$, and on the matrix elements, $\vert U_{\mu 4} \vert^2 < 0.12$ and $\vert U_{\tau 4} \vert^2 < 0.27$, all at the $90\%$ confidence level. These measurements are consistent with the no sterile neutrino hypothesis. At the end of the diss ertation there is a short discussion of future sensitivity i! mprovements using a larger dataset

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Design of a Dry Dilution Refrigerator for MMC Gamma Detector Arrays

The goal of this LCP is to develop an ultra-high resolution gamma detector based on magnetic microcalorimeters (MMCs) for accurate non-destructive analysis (NDA) of nuclear materials. For highest energy resolution, we will introduce erbium-doped silver (Ag:Er) as a novel sensor material to replace current Au:Er sensors. The detector sensitivity will be increased by developing arrays of 32 Ag:Er pixels read out by 16 SQUID preamplifiers. MMC detectors require operating temperatures of ~15 mK and thus the use of a dilution refrigerator, and the desire for user-friendly operation without cryogenic liquids requires that this refrigerator use pulse-tube pre-cooling to ~4 K. For long-term reliability, we intend to re-design the heat switch that is needed to apply the magnetizing current to the Ag:Er sensor and that used to fail in earlier designs after months of operation. A cryogenic Compton veto will be installed to reduce the spectral background of the MMC, especially at low energies where ultra-high energy resolution is most important. The goals for FY16 were 1) to purchase a liquid-cryogen-free dilution refrigerator and adapt it for MMC operation, and 2) to fabricate Ag:Er-based MMC γ-detectors with improved performance and optimize their response. This report discusses the design of the instruments, and progress in MMC detector fabrication. Details of the MMC fabrication have been discussed in an April 2016 report to DOE.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2017

Plan for IER-443 Testing of the Y-12 and AWE Criticality Accident Alarm System Detectors at the Godiva IV Burst Reactor

This document provides the scope and details of the “Plan for Testing the Y-12 and AWE Criticality Accident Alarm System Detectors at the Godiva IV Burst Reactor”. Due to the relative simplicity of the testing goals, scope, and methodology, the NCSP Manager approved execution of the test when ready. No preliminary CED-1 or final design CED-2 reports were required or issued. The test will subject Criticality Accident Alarm System (CAAS) detectors supplied by Y- 12 and AWE to very intense and short duration mixed neutron and gamma radiation fields. The goals of the test will be to (1) substantiate functionality, for both existing and newly acquired Y- 12 CAAS detectors, and (2) the ability of the AWE detectors to provide quality temporal dose information after a hypothetical criticality accident. ANSI/ANS-8.3.1997 states that the “system shall be sufficiently robust as to actuate an alarm signal when exposed to the maximum radiation expected”, which has been defined at Y-12, in Documented Safety Analyses (DSAs), to be a dose rate of 10 Rad/s. ANSI/ANS-8.3.1997 further states that “alarm actuation shall occur as a result of a minimum duration transient” which may be assumed to be 1 msec. The pulse widths and dose rates which will be achieved in this test will exceed these requirements. Pulsed radiation fields will be produced by the Godiva IV fast metal burst reactor at the National Criticality Experimental Research Center (NCERC) at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). The magnitude of the pulses and the relative distances to the detectors will be varied to afford a wide range of radiation fluence and pulse widths. The magnitude of the neutron and gamma fields will be determined by reactor temperature rise to fluence and dose conversions which have been previously established through extensive measurements performed under IER-147. The requirements for CAAS systems to detect and alarm under a “minimum accident of concern” as well as other functional requirements specified in ANSI/ANS-8.3.1997, are not included in the test. Routine and periodic maintenance and calibrations performed at Y-12 and AWE are intended to provide adequate confirmation for meeting these requirements.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2012

International Linear Collider Physics and detectors: 2011 Status Report

The studies of physics and detectors for the International Linear Collider are an important parallel element to the effort for the ILC Technical Design Report. The studies comprise the physics opportunities, detector requirements, and detector development to achieve the challenging high performance demanded by the physics, as well as integration of detectors into the accelerator. The current phase of this effort began with a call for Letters of Intent (LOIs) in 2007 and will lead to the submission of Detailed Baseline Design (DBD) report together with the ILC Technical Design Report at the end of 2012. Here we summarise the current status of this process, review what it has accomplished and identify the work that still needs to be completed. This report, titled International Linear Collider Physics and Detectors: 2011 Status Report, does just this.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Developing Light Collection Enhancements and Wire Tensioning Methods for LArTPC Neutrino Detectors

Liquid argon Time Projection Chambers (LArTPCs) are becoming widely used as neutrino detectors because of their image-like event reconstruction which enables precision neutrino measurements. They primarily use ionisation charge to reconstruct neutrino events. It has been shown, however, that the scintillation light emitted by liquid argon could be exploited to improve their performance. As the neutrino measurements planned in the near future require large-scale experiments, their construction presents challenges in terms of both charge and light collection. In this dissertation we present solutions developed to improve the performance in both aspects of these detectors. We present a new wire tensioning measurement method that allows a remote measurement of the tension of the large number wires that constitute the TPC anode. We also discuss the development and installation of WLS-compound covered foils for the SBND neutrino detector at Fermilab, which is a technique proposed t o augment light collection in LArTPCs. This included preparing a SBND-like mesh cathode and testing it in the Run III of LArIAT, a test beam detector also located at Fermilab. Finally, we present a study aimed at understanding late scintillation light emitted by recombining positive argon ions using LArIAT data, which could affect large scale surface detectors.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2017

R&D of a high-performance DIRC detector for a future electron-ion collider

An Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) is proposed as the next big scientific facility to be built in the United States, costing over $1 billion in design and construction. Each detector concept for the electron/ion beam interaction point is integrated into a large solenoidal magnet. The necessity for excellent hadronic particle identification (pion/kaon/proton) in the barrel region of the solenoid has pushed research and development (R&D) towards a new, high-performance Detection of Internally Reflected Cherenkov light (DIRC) detector design. The passage of a high energy charged particle through a fused silica bar of the DIRC generates optical Cherenkov radiation. A large fraction of this light propagates by total internal reflection to the end of the bar, where the photon trajectories expand in a large volume before reaching a highly segmented photo-detector array. The spatial and temporal distribution of the Cherenkov light at the photo-detector array allows one to reconstruct the angle of emission of the light relative to the incident charged particle track. In order to reach the desired performance of 3sigma pi/K separation at 6 GeV/c particle momentum a new 3-layer spherical lens focusing optic with a lanthanum crown glass central layer was designed to have a nearly at focal plane. In order to validate the EIC DIRC simulation package, a synergistic test beam campaign was carried out in 2015 at the CERN PS with the PANDA Barrel DIRC group using a prototype DIRC detector. Along with the analysis of the CERN test beam data, measurements of the focal plane of the 3-layer lens were performed using a custom-built laser setup at Old Dominion University. Radiation hardness of the lanthanum crown glass was tested using a 160 keV X-ray source and a monochromator at the Catholic University of America. Results of these test-bench experiments and the analysis of the 2015 CERN test beam data are presented here.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2018

SuperCDMS Underground Detector Fabrication Facility

The SuperCDMS SNOLAB dark matter experiment processes Ge and Si crystals into fully tested phonon and ionization detectors at surface fabrication and test facilities. If not mitigated, it is anticipated that trace-level production of radioisotopes in the crystals due to exposure to cosmic rays at (or above) sea level will result in the dominant source of background events in future dark matter searches using the current SuperCDMS detector technology. Fabrication and testing of detectors in underground facilities shielded from cosmic radiation is one way to directly reduce production of trace levels of radioisotopes, thereby improving experimental sensitivity for the discovery of dark matter beyond the level of the current experiment. In this report, we investigate the cost and feasibility to establish a complete detector fabrication processing chain in an underground location to mitigate cosmogenic activation of the Ge and Si detector substrates. For a specific and concrete evaluation, we explore options for such a facility located at SNOLAB, an underground laboratory in Sudbury, Canada hosting the current and future experimental phases of SuperCDMS.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2018

Technical Evaluation of Electrically Cooled Detectors for use with the LLNL Whole Body Scanning Bed System

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is replacing a liquid nitrogen cooled high purity germanium detection system with an electrically cooled high purity germanium system for its scanning bed whole body counting system. The new detectors offer a safer environment for workers while they are measured inside the shielded facility at LLNL and provide highly stable cooling of the detectors. The positioning of the electrically cooled detectors is slightly different from the liquid nitrogen cooled detectors due to the electrical cooling units attached to the detectors. The technical evaluations and results described in this document demonstrate that the new electrically cooled system provides results that comply with internal dosimetry requirements

61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY↗