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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Measurement of the branching ratio of 16 N , 15 C , 12 B , and 13 B isotopes through the nuclear muon capture reaction in the Super-Kamiokande detector

The Super-Kamiokande detector has measured solar neutrinos for more than 25 years. The sensitivity for solar neutrino measurement is limited by the uncertainties of energy scale and background modeling. Decays of unstable isotopes with relatively long half-lives through nuclear muon capture, such as 16 N, 15 C, 12 B, and 13 B, are detected as background events for solar neutrino observations. Here, in this study, we developed a method to form a pair of stopping muon and decay candidate events and evaluated the production rates of such unstable isotopes. We then measured their branching ratios considering both their production rates and the estimated number of nuclear muon capture processes as Br⁡( 16 N) = (9.0 ± 0.1)%, Br⁡( 15 C) = (0.6 ± 0.1)%, Br⁡( 12 B) = (0.98 ± 0.18)%, Br⁡( 13 B) = (0.14 ± 0.12)%, respectively. The result for 16 N has world-leading precision at present and the results for 15 C, 12 B, and 13 B are the first branching ratio measurements for those isotopes.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Demonstration of new MeV-scale capabilities in large neutrino LArTPCs using ambient radiogenic and cosmogenic activity in MicroBooNE

Large neutrino liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) experiments can broaden their physics reach by reconstructing and interpreting MeV-scale energy depositions, or blips, present in their data. We demonstrate new calorimetric and particle discrimination capabilities at the MeV energy scale using reconstructed blips in data from the MicroBooNE LArTPC at Fermilab. We observe a concentration of low-energy (<3 MeV) blips around fiberglass mechanical support struts along the time projection chamber edges with energy spectrum features consistent with the Compton edge of 2.614 MeV 208 Tl decay 𝛾 rays. These features are used to verify proper calibration of electron energy scales in MicroBooNE’s data to few percent precision and to measure the specific activity of 208 Tl in the fiberglass composing these struts, (11.7 ± 0.2⁢(stat) ± 3.1⁢(syst)) Bq/kg. Cosmogenically produced blips above 3 MeV in reconstructed energy are used to showcase the ability of large LArTPCs to distinguish between low-energy proton and electron energy depositions. An enriched sample of low-energy protons selected using this new particle discrimination technique is found to be smaller in data than in dedicated corsika cosmic-ray simulations, suggesting either incorrect corsika modeling of incident cosmic fluxes or particle transport modeling issues in geant4.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Search for BSM Astroparticles in DUNE Far Detectors for NNN24

Despite the many gravitational pieces of evidence about the existence of Dark Matter (DM), its composition remains unknown. As new approaches were demanded, a well-motivated class of models was proposed in the last decade. In this context, DUNE, currently under construction in the Sanford Underground Research Facility in the US, offers an excellent opportunity to study these models and will be able to make a possible discovery. This work presents the DUNE’s sensitivity for Boosted DM from the Sun, which is the first time of astroparticles searches in DUNE with the full simulation and reconstruction of the detector capabilities. We also discuss an early stage sensitivity analysis for cosmogenic axions in DUNE.

Peres, Leonardo S. [Rio de Janeiro Federal U.]↗
DOE OSTI2025

Experimental study of multiple-orientation muon tomography with image optimization in sparse data environments

Due to the high penetrating power of cosmic-ray muons, they can be used to probe very thick and dense objects. As muons are charged particles, they can be tracked by ionization detectors, determining the position and direction of the muons. With detectors on either side of an object to measure particle direction change, scattering information within the object can be found. This can be used to produce a scattering-intensity image within the object related to density and atomic number. Such imaging is typically performed with a single detector-object orientation, taking advantage of the more intense downward flux of muons, producing planar imaging with some depth-of-field information in the third dimension. Several simulation studies were published with multiorientation tomography, which can form a three-dimensional representation faster than a single-orientation view. In this study, experimental muon-scatter-based tomography was performed using a concrete filled steel drum with several different metal wedges inside, with the drum between detector planes. Data were collected from different detector-object orientations by rotating the steel drum. The data collected from each orientation were combined using two different tomographic methods. A traditional inverse Radon transform approach used for computed tomography and a combination of multiple depth-of-field reconstructions were applied to the data. As cosmic-ray muon flux imaging is rate limited, the imaging techniques were compared for sparse data. Using the combined depth-of-field reconstruction technique, fewer detector-object orientations were needed to reconstruct images that could be used to differentiate the metal wedges.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2025

Inference of the Mass Composition of Cosmic Rays with Energies from 10 18.5 to 10 20 eV Using the Pierre Auger Observatory and Deep Learning

We present measurements of the atmospheric depth of the shower maximum X max , inferred for the first time on an event-by-event level using the surface detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory. Using deep learning, we were able to extend measurements of the X max distributions up to energies of 100 EeV ( 10 20 eV ), not yet revealed by current measurements, providing new insights into the mass composition of cosmic rays at extreme energies. Gaining a 10-fold increase in statistics compared to the fluorescence detector data, we find evidence that the rate of change of the average X max with the logarithm of energy features three breaks at 6.5 ± 0.6 ( stat ) ± 1 ( syst ) EeV , 11 ± 2 ( stat ) ± 1 ( syst ) EeV , and 31 ± 5 ( stat ) ± 3 ( syst ) EeV , in the vicinity to the three prominent features (ankle, instep, suppression) of the cosmic-ray flux. The energy evolution of the mean and standard deviation of the measured X max distributions indicates that the mass composition becomes increasingly heavier and purer, thus being incompatible with a large fraction of light nuclei between 50 and 100 EeV. Published by the American Physical Society 2025

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2025

Measurement of the depth of maximum of air-shower profiles with energies between 10 18.5 and 10 20 eV using the surface detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory and deep learning

We report an investigation of the mass composition of cosmic rays with energies from 3 to 100 EeV ( 1 EeV = 10 18 eV ) using the distributions of the depth of shower maximum X max . The analysis relies on ∼ 50 , 000 events recorded by the surface detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory and a deep-learning-based reconstruction algorithm. Above energies of 5 EeV, the dataset offers a 10-fold increase in statistics with respect to fluorescence measurements at the Observatory. After cross-calibration using the fluorescence detector, this enables the first measurement of the evolution of the mean and the standard deviation of the X max distributions up to 100 EeV. Our findings are threefold: (i) The evolution of the mean logarithmic mass toward a heavier composition with increasing energy can be confirmed and is extended to 100 EeV. (ii) The evolution of the fluctuations of X max toward a heavier and purer composition with increasing energy can be confirmed with high statistics. We report a rather heavy composition and small fluctuations in X max at the highest energies. (iii) We find indications for a characteristic structure beyond a constant change in the mean logarithmic mass, featuring three breaks that are observed in proximity to the ankle, instep, and suppression features in the energy spectrum. Published by the American Physical Society 2025

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2026

Improved measurements of the TeV-PeV extragalactic neutrino spectrum from joint analyses of IceCube tracks and cascades

The IceCube South Pole Neutrino Observatory has discovered the presence of a diffuse astrophysical neutrino flux at energies of TeV and beyond using neutrino induced muon tracks and cascade events from neutrino interactions. Here, we present two analyses sensitive to neutrino events in the energy range 1 TeV to 10 PeV, using more than 10 years of IceCube data. Both analyses consistently reject a neutrino spectrum following a single power-law with a significance of > 4⁢𝜎 in favor of a broken power law. We describe the methods implemented in the two analyses, the spectral constraints obtained, and the validation of the robustness of the results. Additionally, we report the detection of a muon neutrino in the medium energy starting events sample, or MESE, with an energy of 11.4$^{+2.46}_{−2.53}$ PeV, the highest energy neutrino observed by IceCube to date. The results presented here show insights into the spectral shape of astrophysical neutrinos, which has important implications for inferring their production processes in a multimessenger picture.

astroparticles↗
DOE OSTI2025

Dark matter catalyzed baryon destruction

WIMP-type dark matter may have additional interactions that break baryon number, leading to induced nucleon decays which are subject to direct experimental constraints from proton decay experiments. In this work, we analyze the possibility of continuous baryon destruction, deriving strong limits from the dark matter accumulating inside old neutron stars, as such a process leads to excess heat generation. We construct the simplest particle dark matter model that breaks the baryon and lepton numbers separately but conserves B - L. Virtual exchange by DM particles in this model results in dinucleon decay via nn → $n\overline{v}$ and np → ne⁺ processes.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Spatial and temporal evaluations of the liquid argon purity in ProtoDUNE-SP

Liquid argon time projection chambers (LArTPCs) rely on highly pure argon to ensure that ionization electrons produced by charged particles reach readout arrays. ProtoDUNE Single-Phase (ProtoDUNE-SP) was an approximately 700-ton liquid argon detector intended to prototype the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) Far Detector Horizontal Drift module. It contains two drift volumes bisected by the cathode plane assembly, which is biased to create an almost uniform electric field in both volumes. The DUNE Far Detector modules must have robust cryogenic systems capable of filtering argon and supplying the TPC with clean liquid. This paper will explore comparisons of the argon purity measured by the purity monitors with those measured using muons in the TPC from October 2018 to November 2018. A new method is introduced to measure the liquid argon purity in the TPC using muons crossing both drift volumes of ProtoDUNE-SP. For extended periods on the timescale of weeks, the drift electron lifetime was measured to be above 30 ms using both systems. A particular focus will be placed on the measured purity of argon as a function of position in the detector.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Operation and performance of the CMS silicon strip tracker with proton-proton collisions at the CERN LHC

Salient aspects of the commissioning, calibration, and performance of the CMS silicon strip tracker are discussed, drawing on experience during operation with proton-proton collisions delivered by the CERN LHC. The data were obtained with a variety of luminosities. The operating temperature of the strip tracker was changed several times during this period and results are shown as a function of temperature in several cases. Details of the system performance are presented, including occupancy, signal-to-noise ratio, Lorentz angle, and single-hit spatial resolution. Saturation effects in the APV25 readout chip preamplifier observed during early Run 2 are presented, showing the effect on various observables and the subsequent remedy. Studies of radiation effects on the strip tracker are presented both for the optical readout links and the silicon sensors. The observed effects are compared to simulation, where available, and they generally agree well with expectations.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2025

The track-length extension fitting algorithm for energy measurement of interacting particles in liquid argon TPCs and its performance with ProtoDUNE-SP data

This paper introduces a novel track-length extension fitting algorithm for measuring the kinetic energies of inelastically interacting particles in liquid argon time projection chambers (LArTPCs). The algorithm finds the most probable offset in track length for a track-like object by comparing the measured ionization density as a function of position with a theoretical prediction of the energy loss as a function of the energy, including models of electron recombination and detector response. The algorithm can be used to measure the energies of particles that interact before they stop, such as charged pions that are absorbed by argon nuclei. The algorithm's energy measurement resolutions and fractional biases are presented as functions of particle kinetic energy and number of track hits using samples of stopping secondary charged pions in data collected by the ProtoDUNE-SP detector, and also in a detailed simulation. Additional studies describe the impact of the dE/dx model on energy measurement performance. The method described in this paper to characterize the energy measurement performance can be repeated in any LArTPC experiment using stopping secondary charged pions.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2025

Prototype acoustic positioning system for the Pacific Ocean Neutrino Experiment

We present the design and initial performance characterization of the prototype acoustic positioning system intended for the Pacific Ocean Neutrino Experiment. It comprises novel piezo-acoustic receivers with dedicated filtering- and amplification electronics installed in P-ONE instruments and is complemented by a commercial system comprised of cabled and autonomous acoustic pingers for sub-sea installation manufactured by Sonardyne Ltd. We performed an in-depth characterization of the acoustic receiver electronics and their acoustic sensitivity when integrated into P-ONE pressure housings. These show absolute sensitivities of up to -125 dB re V2/μPa2 in a frequency range of 10–40 kHz. We furthermore conducted a positioning measurement campaign in the ocean by deploying three autonomous acoustic pingers on the seafloor, as well as a cabled acoustic interrogator and a P-ONE prototype module deployed from a ship. Using a simple peak-finding detection algorithm, we observe high accuracy in the tracking of relative ranging times at approximately 230–280 μs at distances of up to 1600 m, which is sufficient for positioning detectors in a cubic-kilometer detector and which can be further improved with more involved detection algorithms. The tracking accuracy is further confirmed by independent ranging of the Sonardyne system and closely follows the ship's drift in the wind measured by GPS. The absolute positioning shows the same tracking accuracy with its absolute precision only limited by the large uncertainties of the deployed pinger positions on the seafloor.

Data analysis↗
DOE OSTI2026

Electron/hadron separation with the TRD based on GaAs pixel detectors

Transition Radiation Detectors (TRDs) are widely used for particle identification in both high-energy physics and astroparticle physics. They are typically equipped with gaseous detectors. The main limitation of these types of detectors is that TR photons and ionization losses cannot be decoupled, which significantly reduces the particle separation power. Recent advancements in the development of pixel detectors based on GaAs sensors offer a unique opportunity to effectively detect TR photons and separate them from ionization losses. Such detectors represent novel devices that combine precise tracking capabilities with particle identification (PID) properties. The present work is dedicated to an experimental study of particle identification properties of the TRD prototype based on 500 μ m-thick GaAs sensor bonded to a Timepix3 chip. Studies were performed at the CERN SPS and it was shown that at a particle momentum of 20 GeV/c, the probability of misidentifying a hadron as an electron is below 10 −2 for an electron detection efficiency of 98%–99%, and it is 1 . 6⋅10 −4 for electron detection efficiency of 90%. This performance surpasses the electron/hadron rejection power of all known TRDs by an order of magnitude for the same detector length.

GaAs detectors↗
DOE OSTI2025

MEOP based 3 He polarization and injection system for experiments below 1 K

Metastability exchange optical pumping (MEOP) is a widely used technique for producing polarized 3 He. In connection with an experiment to search for the electric dipole moment of the neutron (nEDM) we have built a MEOP based 3 He polarization and injection system to prepare 80 % polarized 3 He at room temperature which will be injected into a ∼ 400 mK measurement cell filled with superfluid 4 He. We describe the polarization and injection system, which is designed to allow for final concentrations of 10 -8 –10 -10 of 80% polarized 3 He in the superfluid filled measurement cell. Only ≈ 0.72% polarization loss due to gradients is expected during injection.

Gas systems and purification↗
DOE OSTI2025

First-ever deployment of a SiPM-on-tile calorimeter in a collider: a parasitic test with 200 GeV p p collisions at RHIC.

We describe the testing of a prototype SiPM-on-tile iron-scintillator calorimeter at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) during its 200 GeV p p run in 2024. The prototype, measuring 20 × 20 cm 2 and 24 radiation lengths in depth, was positioned in the STAR experimental hall, approximately 8 m from the interaction point and 65 cm from the beam line, covering a pseudorapidity range of about 3.1 < η < 3.4. By using the dark current of a reference SiPM as a radiation monitor, we estimate that the prototype was exposed to a fluence of about 10 10 1-MeV n eq /cm 2 . Channel-by-channel calibration was performed in a data-driven way with the signature from minimum-ionizing particles during beam-on conditions. AGeant4 detector simulation, with inputs from thePythia8 event generator, describes measurements of energy spectra and hit multiplicities reasonably well. These results mark the first deployment, commissioning, calibration, and long-term operation of a SiPM-on-tile calorimeter in a collider environment. This experimental campaign will guide detector designs and operational strategies for the ePIC detector at the future EIC, as well as other applications.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2025

The scintillator surface detector of the Pierre Auger observatory

Data collected so far by the Pierre Auger Observatory have enabled major advances in ultra-high energy cosmic ray physics and demonstrated that improved determination of masses of primary cosmic-ray particles, preferably on an event-by-event basis, is necessary for understanding their origin and nature. Improvement in primary mass measurements was the main motivation for the upgrade of the Pierre Auger Observatory, called AugerPrime. As part of this upgrade, scintillator detectors are added to the existing water-Cherenkov surface detector stations. By making use of the differences in detector response to the electromagnetic particles and muons between scintillator and water-Cherenkov detectors, the electromagnetic and muonic components of cosmic-ray air showers can be disentangled. Since the muonic component is sensitive to the primary mass, such combination of detectors provides a powerful way to improve primary mass composition measurements over the original Auger surface detector design. In this paper, the so-called Scintillator Surface Detectors are discussed, including their design characteristics, production process, testing procedure and deployment in the field.

Detector design and construction technologies and ↗
DOE OSTI2026

The forward physics facility: Physics opportunities and conceptual design

The Forward Physics Facility (FPF) is a proposed extension of the HL-LHC program designed to exploit the unique scientific opportunities offered by the intense flux of high energy neutrinos, and possibly new particles, in the far-forward direction. Located in a well-shielded cavern 627 m downstream of one of the LHC interaction points, the facility will support a broad and ambitious physics program that significantly expands the discovery potential of the HL-LHC. Equipped with four complementary detectors -- FLArE, FASER$ν$2, FASER2, and FORMOSA -- the FPF will enable breakthrough measurements that will advance our understanding of neutrino physics, quantum chromodynamics, and astroparticle physics, and will search for dark matter and other new particles. With this Letter of Intent, we propose the construction of the FPF cavern and the construction, integration, and installation of its experiments. We summarize the physics case, the facility design, the layout and components of the detectors, as well as the envisioned collaboration structure, cost estimate, and implementation timeline.

Astroparticle physics↗
DOE OSTI2026

ProtoDUNE-VD for Beyond the Standard Model Searches: Initial Studies and Future Prospects

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is a next-generation long-baseline neutrino program designed to address fundamental questions in neutrino and astroparticle physics. ProtoDUNE, operating at the CERN Neutrino Platform, serves as a full-scale prototype for the DUNE Far Detector. In particular, the ProtoDUNE Vertical Drift (ProtoDUNE-VD) detector provides a powerful testbed for validating reconstruction and event selection techniques for future DUNE operations. In addition to detector R&D, ProtoDUNE enables a novel parasitic beam-dump search for beyond-the-Standard-Model (BSM) particles. However, it faces several challenges. Most notably, the ProtoDUNE-VD modules operate on the surface and are consequently exposed to an intense flux of cosmic rays, which requires a dedicated trigger. In addition, standard neutrinos are also produced in the T2 target area from the decay of unstable mesons, constituting a relevant background, which needs to be well understood and characterized a priori. We present the first studies based on 2025 data taken with a trigger designed to identify neutrino candidates at ProtoDUNE-VD. ProtoDUNE-VD’s high-resolution LArTPC imaging allows detailed reconstruction of decay and scattering signatures. This work demonstrates the complementarity of traditional tools such as Pandora and modern machine-learning approaches, providing key input for atmospheric neutrino and rare-event searches in the DUNE Vertical Drift program.

Bagdu, Halit [U. Iowa, Iowa City]↗