K. Taki

Measurement of zero degree single photon energy spectra for s=7 TeV proton–proton collisions at LHC

Abstract In early 2010, the Large Hadron Collider forward (LHCf) experiment measured very forward neutral particle spectra in LHC proton–proton collisions. From a limited data set taken under the best beam conditions (low beam-gas background and low occurrence of pile-up events), the single photon spectra at s = 7 TeV and pseudo-rapidity (η) ranges from 8.81 to 8.99 and from 10.94 to infinity were obtained for the first time and are reported in this Letter. The spectra from two independent LHCf detectors are consistent with one another and serve as a cross check of the data. The photon spectra are also compared with the predictions of several hadron interaction models that are used extensively for modeling ultra-high energy cosmic-ray showers. Despite conservative estimates for the systematic errors, none of the models agree perfectly with the measurements. A notable difference is found between the data and the DPMJET 3.04 and PYTHIA 8.145 hadron interaction models above 2 TeV where the models predict higher photon yield than the data. The QGSJET II-03 model predicts overall lower photon yield than the data, especially above 2 TeV in the rapidity range 8.81 η 8.99 .

Measurement of forward neutral pion transverse momentum spectra for √s=7TeV proton-proton collisions at the LHC

The inclusive production rate of neutral pions in the rapidity range greater than

Measurement of zero degree inclusive photon energy spectra for s=900GeV proton–proton collisions at LHC

y=8.9

Luminosity determination in √s = 7 TeV proton collisions using the LHCf Front Counter at LHC

has been measured by the Large Hadron Collider forward (LHCf) experiment during LHC

Study of radiation hardness of Gd2SiO5 scintillator for heavy ion beam

\sqrt{s}=7

Early results of the LHCf experiment and their contribution to ultra-high-energy cosmic ray physics

\,TeV proton-proton collision operation in early 2010. This paper presents the transverse momentum spectra of the neutral pions. The spectra from two independent LHCf detectors are consistent with each other and serve as a cross check of the data. The transverse momentum spectra are also compared with the predictions of several hadronic interaction models that are often used for high energy particle physics and for modeling ultra-high-energy cosmic-ray showers.

Performance of the Arm#1 Detector for LHCf Experiment

Abstract The inclusive photon energy spectra measured by the Large Hadron Collider forward (LHCf) experiment in the very forward region of LHC proton–proton collisions at s = 900 GeV are reported. The results from the analysis of 0.30 nb−1 of data collected in May 2010 in the two pseudorapidity regions of η > 10.15 and 8.77 η 9.46 are compared with the predictions of the hadronic interaction models DPMJET 3.04, EPOS 1.99, PYTHIA 8.145, QGSJET II-03 and SIBYLL 2.1, which are widely used in ultra-high energy cosmic ray experiments. EPOS 1.99 and SIBYLL 2.1 show a reasonable agreement with the spectral shape of the experimental data, whereas they predict lower cross-sections than the data. The other models, DPMJET 3.04, QGSJET II-03 and PYTHIA 8.145, are in good agreement with the data below 300 GeV but predict harder energy spectra than the data above 300 GeV. The results of these comparisons exhibited features similar to those for the previously reported data for s = 7 TeV collisions.

LHCf: A calibration tool for cosmic ray physics at LHC

In the Large Hadron Collider forward (LHCf) experiment, the luminosity is determined with the counting rates of detectors called Front Counter. During the LHCf physics operation at √s = 7 TeV in 2010, two series of calibration run in the conversion factors from the counting rate to the luminosity were carried out on 26th of April and 9th of May. Using the luminosities determined in the April and May scans with 5 % and 4 % accuracy, the conversion factors were determined with 5.0 % accuracy, providing the luminosity determination at the LHCf experiment with this accuracy.

The LHCf experiment: Modelling cosmic rays at LHC

Gd2SiO5 (GSO) scintillator has very excellent radiation resistance, a fast decay time and a large light yield. Because of these features, GSO scintillator is a suitable material for high radiation environment experiments such as those encountered at high energy accelerators. The radiation hardness of GSO has been measured with Carbon ion beams at the Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba (HIMAC). During two nights of irradiation the GSO received a total radiation dose of 7 × 105 Gy and no decrease of light yield was observed. On the other hand an increase of light yield by 25% was observed. The increase is proportional to the total dose, increasing at a rate of 0.025%/Gy and saturating at around 1 kGy. Recovery to the initial light yield was also observed during the day between two nights of radiation exposure. The recovery was observed to have a slow exponential time constant of approximately 1.5 × 104 seconds together with a faster component. In case of the LHCf experiment, a very forward region experiment on LHC (pseudo-rapidity η > 8.4), the irradiation dose is expected to be approximately 100 Gy for 10 nb−1 of data taking at (s)1/2 = 14TeV. The expected increase in light yield of less than a few percent will not affect the LHCf measurement.

Status of the LHCf experiment

LHCf is an experiment dedicated to the measurement of neutral particles emitted in the very forward region of LHC collisions. The physics goal is to provide data for calibrating hadron interaction models that are used in the study of Extremely High-Energy Cosmic-Rays. The LHCf experiment acquired data from April to July 2010 during commissioning time of LHC operations at low luminosity. Production spectra of photons and neutrons emitted in the very forward region (