Christopher Wiebusch

The next-generation liquid-scintillator neutrino observatory LENA

Abstract As part of the European LAGUNA design study on a next-generation neutrino detector, we propose the liquid-scintillator detector LENA (Low Energy Neutrino Astronomy) as a multipurpose neutrino observatory. The outstanding successes of the Borexino and KamLAND experiments demonstrate the large potential of liquid-scintillator detectors in low-energy neutrino physics. Low energy threshold, good energy resolution and efficient background discrimination are inherent to the liquid-scintillator technique. A target mass of 50xa0kt will offer a substantial increase in detection sensitivity. At low energies, the variety of detection channels available in liquid scintillator will allow for an energy – and flavor-resolved analysis of the neutrino burst emitted by a galactic Supernova. Due to target mass and background conditions, LENA will also be sensitive to the faint signal of the Diffuse Supernova Neutrino Background. Solar metallicity, time-variation in the solar neutrino flux and deviations from MSW–LMA survival probabilities can be investigated based on unprecedented statistics. Low background conditions allow to search for dark matter by observing rare annihilation neutrinos. The large number of events expected for geoneutrinos will give valuable information on the abundances of Uranium and Thorium and their relative ratio in the Earth’s crust and mantle. Reactor neutrinos enable a high-precision measurement of solar mixing parameters. A strong radioactive or pion decay-at-rest neutrino source can be placed close to the detector to investigate neutrino oscillations for short distances and sub-MeV to MeV energies. At high energies, LENA will provide a new lifetime limit for the SUSY-favored proton decay mode into kaon and antineutrino, surpassing current experimental limits by about one order of magnitude. Recent studies have demonstrated that a reconstruction of momentum and energy of GeV particles is well feasible in liquid scintillator. Monte Carlo studies on the reconstruction of the complex event topologies found for neutrino interactions at multi-GeV energies have shown promising results. If this is confirmed, LENA might serve as far detector in a long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment currently investigated in LAGUNA-LBNO.

Qualification Tests of 474 Photomultiplier Tubes for the Inner Detector of the Double Chooz Experiment

The hemispherical 10 photomultiplier tube (PMT) R7081 from Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. (HPK) is used in various experiments in particle and astroparticle physics. We describe the test and calibration of 474 PMTs for the reactor antineutrino experiment Double Chooz. The unique test setup at Max-Planck-Institut fur Kernphysik Heidelberg (MPIK) allows one to calibrate 30 PMTs simultaneously and to characterize the single photoelectron response, transit time spread, linear behaviour and saturation effects, photon detection efficiency and high voltage calibration.

Speed of sound in bubble-free ice

The speed of sound in a large volume of bubble-free ice was measured with high accuracy using a linear array of six piezoceramic lead zirconium titanate (PZT) receivers. This array was deployed in an approximately 3 m(3) water tank, which was cooled down to -20 degrees C. The freezing process was performed inside a cooling container. Bubble-free ice was obtained using a freeze control unit, which filters and degases the water during the freezing process. A dedicated geometry was used to position PZT receivers and an emitter such that systematic errors were minimized. With this setup the longitudinal and the transverse components of the speed of sound were measured at temperatures between 17 and 0 degrees C in water and between 0 and -20 degrees C in ice with an uncertainty of approximately 0.3%.

Effective field theory interpretation of searches for dark matter annihilation in the Sun with the IceCube Neutrino Observatory

We present a model-independent interpretation of searches for dark matter annihilation in the Sun using an effective field theory approach. We identify a set of effective operators contributing to spin-dependent scattering of dark matter with protons in the nonrelativistic limit and explore simple new physics models which would give rise to such operators. Using the limits on the spin-dependent scattering cross-section set by the IceCube collaboration in their search for dark matter annihilation in the Sun, we derive limits on effective couplings and corresponding masses of mediating particles. We show that the effective field theory interpretation of the IceCube searches provides constraints on dark matter complementary to those from relic density observations and searches at the LHC. Finally, we discuss the impact of astrophysical uncertainties on our results.

A unified supernova catalogue

In this paper a new supernova catalogue containing data for 5526 extragalactic supernovae that were discovered up to 2010 December 31 is presented. It combines several catalogues that are currently available online in a consistent and traceable way. During the comparison of the catalogues inconsistent entries were identified and resolved where possible. Remaining inconsistencies are marked transparently and can be easily identified. Thus it is possible to select a high-quality sample in a most simple way. Where available, redshift-based distance estimates to the supernovae were replaced by journal-refereed distances. Examples of statistical studies that are now possible with this new catalogue are presented in this paper.

Constraints on Majorana Dark Matter from the LHC and IceCube

We consider a simplified model for Majorana fermion dark matter and explore constraints from direct, indirect and LHC collider searches. The dark matter is assumed to couple to the Standard Model through a vector mediator with axial-vector interactions. We provide detailed analyses of LHC mono-jet searches and IceCube limits on dark matter annihilation in the Sun. In particular, we develop a method for calculating limits on simplified WIMP dark matter models from public IceCube data, which are only available for a limited number of Standard Model final states. We demonstrate that LHC and IceCube searches for Majorana dark matter are complementary and derive new limits on the dark matter and mediator masses, including in addition constraints from LHC di-jet searches, direct detection and the dark matter relic density.

Calculation of the Cherenkov light yield from electromagnetic cascades in ice with Geant4

Abstract In this work we investigate and parameterize the amount and angular distribution of Cherenkov photons which are generated by electro-magnetic cascades in water or ice. We simulate electromagnetic cascades with Geant4 for primary electrons, positrons and photons with energies ranging from 1xa0GeV to 10xa0TeV. We parameterize the total Cherenkov-light yield as a function of energy, the longitudinal evolution of the Cherenkov emission along the cascade-axis and the angular distribution of photons. Furthermore, we investigate the fluctuations of the total light yield, the fluctuations in azimuth and changes of the emission with increasing age of the cascade.

Calculation of oscillation probabilities of atmospheric neutrinos using nuCraft

Abstract NuCraft ( nucraft.hepforge.org ) is an open-source Python project that calculates neutrino oscillation probabilities for neutrinos from cosmic-ray interactions in the atmosphere for their propagation through Earth. The solution is obtained by numerically solving the Schrodinger equation. The code supports arbitrary numbers of neutrino flavors including additional sterile neutrinos, CP violation, arbitrary mass hierarchies, matter effects with a configurable continuous Earth model, and takes into account the production height distribution of neutrinos in the Earth’s atmosphere. Program summary Program title: nuCraft Catalogue identifier: AEXK_v1_0 Program summary URL: http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/AEXK_v1_0.html Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen’s University, Belfast, N. Ireland Licensing provisions: Revised BSD License No. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 3017 No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 467122 Distribution format: tar.gz Programming language: Python. Computer: IA32/x86-64 compatible. Operating system: All that are supported by SciPy, e.g., Linux, Windows, OS X. RAM: 134217728 bytes Classification: 1.1, 11.1, 11.6. External routines: NumPy (1.5.1 or newer), SciPy (0.8.0 or newer) Nature of problem: Calculation of oscillation probabilities of neutrinos that originate in cosmic-ray interactions in the Earth’s atmosphere and propagate through the Earth, for realistic Earth and atmospheric models and multiple flavors (optionally including sterile neutrinos and CP violation). Solution method: Direct solution of the Schrodinger equation for n flavors including matter effects, with sampling of the atmosphere. Restrictions: Energy loss and absorption of neutrinos inside the Earth is not modeled; they have to be handled independently. Unusual features: Completely configurable oscillation parameters (including optional sterile flavors), configurable and realistic Earth model including atmosphere. Running time: Roughly 100 neutrinos per second and CPU core (depends on energy and oscillation parameters).

Acoustic in-ice positioning in the Enceladus Explorer project

Abstract The Enceladus Explorer project is a preparatory study for a future space mission to Saturn’s moon, Enceladus. Its ultimate goal is to probe liquid-water pockets below the ice surface of Enceladus for signatures of life. A probe could be based on the IceMole concept, which melts curved trajectories through the ice. In the Enceladus Explorer project, a specialized IceMole probe for a terrestrial test scenario is in development. The goal of this exploratory study is to probe water from a liquid crevasse close to Blood Falls at Taylor Glacier, Antarctica. To navigate such a probe it is essential to be able to determine its position and monitor its trajectory. Part of the navigation system is the in-ice acoustic positioning system. For this, the head of the IceMole is equipped with acoustic sensors, which receive signals from synchronized acoustic emitters situated at the ice surface. Based on the measured propagation times, the speed of sound in ice and the positions of the emitters at the surface, the position of the IceMole can be determined by trilateration techniques. Here we present the developed acoustic positioning system, which is designed to track the in-ice melting probe up to distances of 100 m in glacier ice. Results from full-system tests in water and a first field test on Morteratschgletscher, Switzerland, are discussed.

Astrophysical interpretation of small-scale neutrino angular correlation searches with IceCube

IceCube, a cubic-kilometer sized neutrino detector at the Geographic South Pole, has recently discovered a diffuse all-flavor flux of astrophysical neutrinos. However, the corresponding astrophysical sources have not yet been identified in current IceCube analyses. We present a method to interpret the results of a recently published angular correlation analysis in IceCube searching for spatial clustering of muon neutrino events in terms of astrophysical models (given by an arbitrary source count distribution). We exemplarily show the resulting limits on the parameters of a class of source count distributions motivated by Fermi-LAT observations of resolved blazars.