Ultrasonic positioning system for the calibration of central detector

A thorough detector response calibration using radioactive sources is necessary for the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory. Herein, we discuss the design of a source positioning system based on ultrasonic technology, aiming for a 3-cm precision over the entire35-m diameter detector sphere. A prototype system is constructed and demonstrated for the experiment.

Searching for neutrino-less nouble neta necay of 136Xe with PandaX-Ⅱ liquid xenon detector

We report the Neutrino-less Double Beta Decay(NLDBD)search results from PandaX-II dual-phase liquid xenon time projection chamber.The total live time used in this analysis is 403.1 days from June 2016 to August 2018.With NLDBD-optimized event selection criteria,we obtain a fiducial mass of 219 kg of natural xenon.The accumulated xenon exposure is 242 kg·yr,or equivalently 22.2 kg·yr of 136Xe exposure.At the region around 136Xe decay Q-value of 2458 keV,the energy resolution of PandaX-II is 4.2%.We find no evidence of NLDBD in PandaX-II and establish a lower limit for decay half-life of 2.1 ×10^23 yr at the 90%confidence level,which corresponds to an effective Majorana neutrino mass mββ<(1.4-3.7) eV.This is the first NLDBD result reported from a dual-phase xenon experiment.

An improved evaluation of the neutron background in the PandaX-Ⅱ experiment

In dark matter direct detection experiments,neutron is a serious source of background,which can mimic the dark matter-nucleus scattering signals.In this paper,we present an improved evaluation of the neutron background in the PandaX-II dark matter experiment by a novel approach.Instead of fully relying on the Monte Carlo simulation,the overall neutron background is determined from the neutron-induced high energy signals in the data.In addition,the probability of producing a dark-matter-like background per neutron is evaluated with a complete Monte Carlo generator,where the correlated emission of neutron(s)andγ(s)in the(α,n)reactions and spontaneous fissions is taken into consideration.With this method,the neutron backgrounds in the Run 9(26-ton-day)and Run 10(28-ton-day)data sets of PandaX-II are estimated to be(0.66±0.24)and(0.47±0.25)events,respectively.

Results of dark matter search using the full PandaX-Ⅱ exposure

We report the dark matter search results obtained using the full 132 ton·day exposure of the PandaX-II experiment,including all data from March 2016 to August 2018.No significant excess of events is identified above the expected background.Upper limits are set on the spin-independent dark matter-nucleon interactions.The lowest 90%confidence level exclusion on the spin-independent cross section is 2.2×10−46 cm2 at a WIMP mass of 30 GeV/c2.

A LN2-based cooling system for a next-generation liquid xenon dark matter detector

In recent years, cooling technology for liquid xenon(LXe) detectors has advanced driven by the development of dark matter(DM) detectors with target mass in the 100–1000 kg range. The next generation of DM detectors based on LXe will be in the 50,000 kg(50 t)range requiring more than 1 k W of cooling power. Most of the prior cooling methods become impractical at this level.For cooling a 50 t scale LXe detector, a method is proposed in which liquid nitrogen(LN2) in a small local reservoir cools the xenon gas via a cold finger. The cold finger incorporates a heating unit to provide temperature regulation. The proposed cooling method is simple, reliable, and suitable for the required long-term operation for a rare event search. The device can be easily integrated into present cooling systems, for example the ‘‘Cooling Bus’ ’employed for the Panda X I and II experiments. It is still possible to cool indirectly with no part of the cooling or temperature control system getting in direct contact with the clean xenon in the detector. Also, the cooling device can be mounted at a large distance, i.e., the detector is cooled remotely from a distance of 5–10 m. The method was tested in a laboratory setup at Columbia University to carry out different measurements with a small LXe detector and behaved exactly as predicted.

High-energy-density plasma in femtosecond-laser-irradiated nanowire-array targets for nuclear reactions

In this work,the high-energy-density plasmas(HEDP)evolved from joule-class-femtosecond-laser-irradiated nanowire-array(NWA)targets were numerically and experimentally studied.The results of particle-in-cell simulations indicate that ions accelerated in the sheath field around the surfaces of the nanowires are eventually confined in a plasma,contributing most to the high energy densities.The protons emitted from the front surfaces of the NWA targets provide rich information about the interactions that occur.We give the electron and ion energy densities for broad target parameter ranges.The ion energy densities from NWA targets were found to be an order of magnitude higher than those from planar targets,and the volume of the HEDP was several-fold greater.At optimal target parameters,8%of the laser energy can be converted to confined protons,and this results in ion energy densities at the GJ/cm^(3) level.In the experiments,the measured energy of the emitted protons reached 4 MeV,and the changes in energy with the NWA’s parameters were found to fit the simulation results well.Experimental measurements of neutrons from 2H(d,n)3He fusion with a yield of(24±18)×10^(6)/J from deuterated polyethylene NWA targets also confirmed these results.

Unambiguously Resolving the Potential Neutrino Magnetic Moment Signal at Large Liquid Scintillator Detectors

Non-vanishing electromagnetic properties of neutrinos have been predicted by many theories beyond the Standard Model, and an enhanced neutrino magnetic moment can have profound implications for fundamental physics. The XENON1T experiment recently detected an excess of electron recoil events in the 1–7 keV energy range, which can be compatible with solar neutrino magnetic moment interaction at a most probable value of μ_(v) = 2.1 × 10^(-11)μ_(B).However, tritium backgrounds or solar axion interaction in this energy window are equally plausible causes.Upcoming multi-tonne noble liquid detectors will test these scenarios more in depth, but will continue to face similar ambiguity. We report a unique capability of future large liquid scintillator detectors to help resolve the potential neutrino magnetic moment scenario. With O(100) kton·year exposure of liquid scintillator to solar neutrinos, a sensitivity of μ_(v) < 10^(-11)μ_(B) can be reached at an energy threshold greater than 40 keV, where no tritium or solar axion events but only neutrino magnetic moment signal is still present.

Laboratory study of astrophysical collisionless shock at SG-Ⅱ laser facility

Astrophysical collisionless shocks are amazing phenomena in space and astrophysical plasmas, where supersonic flows generate electromagnetic fields through instabilities and particles can be accelerated to high energy cosmic rays. Until now, understanding these micro-processes is still a challenge despite rich astrophysical observation data have been obtained. Laboratory astrophysics, a new route to study the astrophysics, allows us to investigate them at similar extreme physical conditions in laboratory. Here we will review the recent progress of the collisionless shock experiments performed at SG-Ⅱ laser facility in China. The evolution of the electrostatic shocks and Weibel-type/filamentation instabilities are observed. Inspired by the configurations of the counter-streaming plasma flows, we also carry out a novel plasma collider to generate energetic neutrons relevant to the astrophysical nuclear reactions.