More Like this

1. Separating $${^{39}\hbox {Ar}}$$ from $${^{40}\hbox {Ar}}$$ by cryogenic distillation with Aria for dark-matter searches

   https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-021-09121-9  

   Agnes, P.; Albergo, S.; Albuquerque, I. F. M.; Alexander, T.; Alici, A.; Alton, A. K.; Amaudruz, P.; Arba, M.; Arpaia, P.; Arcelli, S.; et al (April 2021, The European Physical Journal C)

   Abstract Aria is a plant hosting a$${350}\,\hbox {m}$$ $350\text{m}$cryogenic isotopic distillation column, the tallest ever built, which is being installed in a mine shaft at Carbosulcis S.p.A., Nuraxi-Figus (SU), Italy. Aria is one of the pillars of the argon dark-matter search experimental program, lead by the Global Argon Dark Matter Collaboration. It was designed to reduce the isotopic abundance of$${^{39}\hbox {Ar}}$$ ${}^{39}\text{Ar}$in argon extracted from underground sources, called Underground Argon (UAr), which is used for dark-matter searches. Indeed,$${^{39}\hbox {Ar}}$$ ${}^{39}\text{Ar}$is a$$\beta $$ $\beta$-emitter of cosmogenic origin, whose activity poses background and pile-up concerns in the detectors. In this paper, we discuss the requirements, design, construction, tests, and projected performance of the plant for the isotopic cryogenic distillation of argon. We also present the successful results of the isotopic cryogenic distillation of nitrogen with a prototype plant. 

   more » « less
2. Charm fragmentation fractions and $$\mathbf {c\overline{c}}$$ cross section in p–Pb collisions at $$\mathbf {\sqrt{s _{NN}}=5.02 TeV}$$

   https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-024-13394-1  

   Acharya, S; Adamová, D; Agarwal, A; Aglieri_Rinella, G; Aglietta, L; Agnello, M; Agrawal, N; Ahammed, Z; Ahmad, S; Ahn, S U; et al (December 2024, The European Physical Journal C)

   Abstract The total charm-quark production cross section per unit of rapidity$$\textrm{d}\sigma ({{\textrm{c}}\overline{\textrm{c}}})/\textrm{d}y$$ $\text{d}\sigma \left(\text{c}\overline{\text{c}}\right)/\text{d}y$, and the fragmentation fractions of charm quarks to different charm-hadron species$$f(\textrm{c}\rightarrow {\textrm{h}}_{\textrm{c}})$$ $f(\text{c}\to {\text{h}}_{\text{c}})$, are measured for the first time in p–Pb collisions at$$\sqrt{s_\textrm{NN}} = 5.02~\text {Te}\hspace{-1.00006pt}\textrm{V} $$ $\sqrt{s_{\text{NN}}}=5.02\text{Te}\text{V}$at midrapidity ($$-0.96<0.04$$ $-0.96<y<0.04$in the centre-of-mass frame) using data collected by ALICE at the CERN LHC. The results are obtained based on all the available measurements of prompt production of ground-state charm-hadron species:$$\textrm{D}^{0}$$ ${\text{D}}^0$,$$\textrm{D}^{+}$$ ${\text{D}}^{+}$,$$\textrm{D}_\textrm{s}^{+}$$ ${\text{D}}_{\text{s}}^{+}$, and$$\mathrm {J/\psi }$$ $J/\psi$mesons, and$$\Lambda _\textrm{c}^{+}$$ ${\Lambda }_{\text{c}}^{+}$and$$\Xi _\textrm{c}^{0}$$ ${\Xi }_{\text{c}}^0$baryons. The resulting cross section is$$ \textrm{d}\sigma ({{\textrm{c}}\overline{\textrm{c}}})/\textrm{d}y =219.6 \pm 6.3\;(\mathrm {stat.}) {\;}_{-11.8}^{+10.5}\;(\mathrm {syst.}) {\;}_{-2.9}^{+8.3}\;(\mathrm {extr.})\pm 5.4\;(\textrm{BR})\pm 4.6\;(\mathrm {lumi.}) \pm 19.5\;(\text {rapidity shape})+15.0\;(\Omega _\textrm{c}^{0})\;\textrm{mb} $$ $\text{d}\sigma \left(\text{c}\overline{\text{c}}\right)/\text{d}y=219.6\pm 6.3\left(\mathrm{stat}.\right)_{-11.8}^{+10.5}\left(\mathrm{syst}.\right)_{-2.9}^{+8.3}\left(\mathrm{extr}.\right)\pm 5.4\left(\text{BR}\right)\pm 4.6\left(\mathrm{lumi}.\right)\pm 19.5\left(\text{rapidity shape}\right)+15.0\left({\Omega }_{\text{c}}^0\right)\text{mb}$, which is consistent with a binary scaling of pQCD calculations from pp collisions. The measured fragmentation fractions are compatible with those measured in pp collisions at$$\sqrt{s} = 5.02$$ $\sqrt{s}=5.02$and 13 TeV, showing an increase in the relative production rates of charm baryons with respect to charm mesons in pp and p–Pb collisions compared with$$\mathrm {e^{+}e^{-}}$$ $e^{+}{e}^{-}$and$$\mathrm {e^{-}p}$$ $e^{-}p$collisions. The$$p_\textrm{T}$$ $p_{\text{T}}$-integrated nuclear modification factor of charm quarks,$$R_\textrm{pPb}({\textrm{c}}\overline{\textrm{c}})= 0.91 \pm 0.04\;\mathrm{(stat.)} ^{+0.08}_{-0.09}\;\mathrm{(syst.)} ^{+0.05}_{-0.03}\;\mathrm{(extr.)} \pm 0.03\;\mathrm{(lumi.)}$$ $R_{\text{pPb}}\left(\text{c}\overline{\text{c}}\right)=0.91\pm 0.04{(\mathrm{stat}.)}_{-0.09}^{+0.08}{(\mathrm{syst}.)}_{-0.03}^{+0.05}(\mathrm{extr}.)\pm 0.03(\mathrm{lumi}.)$, is found to be consistent with unity and with theoretical predictions including nuclear modifications of the parton distribution functions. 

   more » « less
3. Measurement of non-prompt $${{\textrm{D}}^{0}}$$-meson elliptic flow in Pb–Pb collisions at $$\sqrt{s_{\textrm{NN}}} = 5.02$$ TeV

   https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-023-12259-3  

   Acharya, S; Adamová, D; Aglieri_Rinella, G; Agnello, M; Agrawal, N; Ahammed, Z; Ahmad, S; Ahn, S U; Ahuja, I; Akindinov, A; et al (December 2023, The European Physical Journal C)

   Abstract The elliptic flow$$(v_2)$$ $\left(v_2\right)$of$${\textrm{D}}^{0}$$ ${\text{D}}^0$mesons from beauty-hadron decays (non-prompt$${\textrm{D}}^{0})$$ ${\text{D}}^0)$was measured in midcentral (30–50%) Pb–Pb collisions at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair$$\sqrt{s_{\textrm{NN}}} = 5.02$$ $\sqrt{s_{\text{NN}}}=5.02$ TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The$${\textrm{D}}^{0}$$ ${\text{D}}^0$mesons were reconstructed at midrapidity$$(|y|<0.8)$$ $\left(\right|y|<0.8)$from their hadronic decay$$\mathrm {D^0 \rightarrow K^-\uppi ^+}$$ $D^0\to K^{-}{\pi }^{+}$, in the transverse momentum interval$$2< p_{\textrm{T}} < 12$$ $2<p_{\text{T}}<12$ GeV/c. The result indicates a positive$$v_2$$ $v_2$for non-prompt$${{\textrm{D}}^{0}}$$ ${\text{D}}^0$mesons with a significance of 2.7$$\sigma $$ $\sigma$. The non-prompt$${{\textrm{D}}^{0}}$$ ${\text{D}}^0$-meson$$v_2$$ $v_2$is lower than that of prompt non-strange D mesons with 3.2$$\sigma $$ $\sigma$significance in$$2< p_\textrm{T} < 8~\textrm{GeV}/c$$ $2<p_{\text{T}}<8\text{GeV}/c$, and compatible with the$$v_2$$ $v_2$of beauty-decay electrons. Theoretical calculations of beauty-quark transport in a hydrodynamically expanding medium describe the measurement within uncertainties. 

   more » « less
4. The $$L^p$$-Fisher–Rao metric and Amari–C̆encov $$\alpha $$-Connections

   https://doi.org/10.1007/s00526-024-02660-5  

   Bauer, Martin; Le Brigant, Alice; Lu, Yuxiu; Maor, Cy (February 2024, Calculus of Variations and Partial Differential Equations)

   Abstract We introduce a family of Finsler metrics, called the$$L^p$$ $L^p$-Fisher–Rao metrics$$F_p$$ $F_p$, for$$p\in (1,\infty )$$ $p\in (1,\infty )$, which generalizes the classical Fisher–Rao metric$$F_2$$ $F_2$, both on the space of densities$${\text {Dens}}_+(M)$$ ${\text{Dens}}_{+}\left(M\right)$and probability densities$${\text {Prob}}(M)$$ $\text{Prob}\left(M\right)$. We then study their relations to the Amari–C̆encov$$\alpha $$ $\alpha$-connections$$\nabla ^{(\alpha )}$$ ${\nabla }^{\left(\alpha \right)}$from information geometry: on$${\text {Dens}}_+(M)$$ ${\text{Dens}}_{+}\left(M\right)$, the geodesic equations of$$F_p$$ $F_p$and$$\nabla ^{(\alpha )}$$ ${\nabla }^{\left(\alpha \right)}$coincide, for$$p = 2/(1-\alpha )$$ $p=2/(1-\alpha )$. Both are pullbacks of canonical constructions on$$L^p(M)$$ $L^p\left(M\right)$, in which geodesics are simply straight lines. In particular, this gives a new variational interpretation of$$\alpha $$ $\alpha$-geodesics as being energy minimizing curves. On$${\text {Prob}}(M)$$ $\text{Prob}\left(M\right)$, the$$F_p$$ $F_p$and$$\nabla ^{(\alpha )}$$ ${\nabla }^{\left(\alpha \right)}$geodesics can still be thought as pullbacks of natural operations on the unit sphere in$$L^p(M)$$ $L^p\left(M\right)$, but in this case they no longer coincide unless$$p=2$$ $p=2$. Using this transformation, we solve the geodesic equation of the$$\alpha $$ $\alpha$-connection by showing that the geodesic are pullbacks of projections of straight lines onto the unit sphere, and they always cease to exists after finite time when they leave the positive part of the sphere. This unveils the geometric structure of solutions to the generalized Proudman–Johnson equations, and generalizes them to higher dimensions. In addition, we calculate the associate tensors of$$F_p$$ $F_p$, and study their relation to$$\nabla ^{(\alpha )}$$ ${\nabla }^{\left(\alpha \right)}$. 

   more » « less
5. The neutron veto of the XENONnT experiment: results with demineralized water

   https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-025-14105-0  

   Aprile, E; Aalbers, J; Abe, K; Ahmed_Maouloud, S; Althueser, L; Andrieu, B; Angelino, E; Antón_Martin, D; Arneodo, F; Baudis, L; et al (June 2025, The European Physical Journal C)

   Abstract Radiogenic neutrons emitted by detector materials are one of the most challenging backgrounds for the direct search of dark matter in the form of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs). To mitigate this background, the XENONnT experiment is equipped with a novel gadolinium-doped water Cherenkov detector, which encloses the xenon dual-phase time projection chamber (TPC). The neutron veto (NV) can tag neutrons via their capture on gadolinium or hydrogen, which release$$\gamma $$ $\gamma$-rays that are subsequently detected as Cherenkov light. In this work, we present the first results of the XENONnT NV when operated with demineralized water only, before the insertion of gadolinium. Its efficiency for detecting neutrons is$$({82\pm 1}){\%}$$ $\left(82\pm 1\right)\%$, the highest neutron detection efficiency achieved in a water Cherenkov detector. This enables a high efficiency of$$({53\pm 3}){\%}$$ $\left(53\pm 3\right)\%$for the tagging of WIMP-like neutron signals, inside a tagging time window of$${250}~{\upmu }\hbox {s}$$ $250\mu \text{s}$between TPC and NV, leading to a livetime loss of$${1.6}{\%}$$ $1.6\%$during the first science run of XENONnT. 

   more » « less