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Physics colloquium – “Unlocking Precision Physics at LArTPC Neutrino Experiments”
October 29 @ 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Michael Mooney
Assistant Professor
Colorado State University, Department of Physics
Abstract: The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) at the Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility is an international project that will be the largest particle physics experiment ever built in North America. The DUNE project will use massive liquid argon time projection chambers (LArTPCs) to address fundamental questions such as the origin of the matter/antimatter asymmetry in the universe. In order to answer such questions, DUNE will make measurements that probe the nature of neutrino oscillation, the changing of neutrino flavor (electron, muon, or tau) during the flight from source to detector, with unprecedented precision. A shorter-term neutrino oscillation experiment, the Short-Baseline Neutrino (SBN) Program, uses multiple LArTPC detectors to investigate the anomalous phenomenon of neutrino oscillation over shorter distances that could lead to the discovery of “sterile” neutrinos. Both DUNE and the SBN Program rely on precise measurements of neutrino-argon interactions, necessitating an extensive calibration program for the LArTPC detectors recording these interactions. In this talk, a multi-experiment LArTPC detector calibration program is presented, building off of initial work at the SBN Program and culminating in a full calibration plan for DUNE. The physics measurements enabled by this calibration plan are discussed, including progress toward first measurements at the SBN Program.
Pre-seminar snacks will be offered in CoorsTek 140/150 from 3:30pm-4:00pm.