Calendar of Events

Events Calendar

HEX Seminar - Physics at the MeV-Scale in Liquid Argon Time Projection Chambers

Date and Time: Wednesday, January 22, 2020, 04:30pm - 06:00pm
Location: 112W
 

Physics at the MeV-Scale in Liquid Argon Time Projection Chambers

Ivan Lepetic

Illinois Institute of Technology

 

ABSTRACT:

 The liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) is the detection technology chosen for several Fermilab-based neutrino experiments. This technology will be used in studies of neutrino cross-sections and oscillations, neutrinos from supernovae as well as a variety of studies of beyond the Standard Model physics. In this talk, we will explore the use of these detectors to study MeV-scale activity. I will present a reconstruction of MeV-scale electrons arising from Compton scatters of low-energy photons from neutrino-nucleus interactions and describe the novel methods used. This work represents the first demonstration of MeV-scale physics capabilities in a LArTPC neutrino experiment as well as the first observation of neutrino-produced photons from nuclear de-excitation and inelastic neutron scattering. I will also present results of a search for millicharged particles, postulated by theories of beyond the Standard Model physics. The search is performed using data from a LArTPC and the low-energy reconstruction techniques developed. The results set world-leading bounds on the parameter space of millicharged particles. This work demonstrates that studies of MeV-scale activity and new physics are possible with LArTPC technology and provides the foundation for future LArTPC studies of low energy neutrinos and new physics.

Extra Info: