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Nuclear Particle Astrophysics (NPA) Seminar, Benjamin Monreal, University of California, Santa Barbara, “The second century of astroparticle experiments”
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US/Eastern
WLC 108
WLC 108
Description
We study neutrinos and dark matter, in many cases, using “scaled up” versions of very old technologies. Our liquid-scintillator tanks have grown from ton-scale to kiloton-scale; our germanium diodes have grown from hundreds of grams to hundreds of kilograms. However, many such technologies may reach their “final” affordable scales in the next ten or fifteen years. I will discuss two examples of new technologies with at least a possibility of a longer outlook.
In neutrino physics, the Project 8 experiment is seeking to use radiofrequency electron cyclotron spectroscopy to measure a very large number of tritium decay electrons. From the shape of this spectrum, we can extract or constrain the mass of the neutrino. I will show our recent proof-of-concept electron detection results, and argue how this technique can scale-up dramatically differently than “classical” spectrometers, and its future sensitivity to the neutrino mass.
Separately, I will show some recent work on ultra-large time projection chambers (TPCs). Beyond the upcoming generation of argon and xenon TPCs, detectors at larger scales—or using other gases—appear only murkily plausible or affordable. I will discuss my recent work on new concepts for building affordable, scalable TPCs using new gas mixtures and a new concept for underground lab space in salt formations, and their use for neutrino, dark matter, proton decay, and other studies.
Sponsored By:
The Flint Fund, Yale Physics, and Yale Wright Lab
Host:
Thursday, December 17, 2015 - 3:45pm
The agenda of this meeting is empty
