Measurements of high-energy -rays with detectors

The full-energy peak efficiency calibration and the energy resolution measurements of the LaBr₃ γ-ray detector are presented for γ-ray energies in the 700 keV–17.6 MeV range. Measurements were done using a combination of proton-capture nuclear reactions on , , , and for high-energy γ-rays, and radioactive sources such as and for the lowest energies. At high energies, two γ-rays in a cascade from proton resonance capture were employed using Al, Na₂WO₄, K₂SO₄ and LiBO₂ targets. The obtained results were compared to the simulations performed using a GEANT4 code.     

Depth of interaction detection for -ray imaging

A novel design for an inexpensive depth of interaction capable detector for γ-ray imaging has been developed. The design takes advantage of the strong correlation between the width of the scintillation light distribution in monolithic crystals and the interaction depth of γ-rays. We present in this work an inexpensive modification of the commonly used charge dividing circuits which enables the instantaneous and simultaneous computation of the second order moment of light distribution. This measure provides a good estimate for the depth of interaction and does not affect the determination of the position centroids and the energy release of γ-ray impact. The method has been tested with a detector consisting of a monolithic LSO block sized and a position-sensitive photomultiplier tube H8500 from Hamamatsu. The mean spatial resolution of the detector was found to be for the position centroids and for the DOI. The best spatial resolutions were observed at the center of the detector and yielded for the position centroids and for the DOI.     

Solar flares monitor with Fermi-LAT

Fermi-LAT is performing an all-sky γ-ray survey from 20 MeV to with unprecedented sensitivity and angular resolution. Fermi is the only mission able to detect high energy () emission from the Sun during the new solar cycle 24. Fermi was launched in June 2008, and since then the high energy emission from the Sun was continuously monitored searching for flare events. Upper limits were derived for all the solar flares detected by other missions and experiments (RHESSI, Fermi-GBM, GOES). We present the analysis techniques used for this study and the preliminary results obtained in the first months of this search.     

BL Lacs bright in rays

In this preview we consider implications from the recent AGILE γ-ray detection of the BL Lac 0716+714 in September–October 2007, marked by two intense flaring episodes reaching peak fluxes of 200×10⁻⁸ photons cm⁻² s⁻¹ in the energy range 0.1–10 GeV. The source shows no evidence of emission lines or disk radiation, related to any surrounding gas; its pure non-thermal radiation is effectively represented in terms of the synchrotron-self Compton radiation in the Thomson regime, also supported by the observed quadratic relation of the γ-ray to the X-ray flux variations. With source parameters so derived, we find a total jet power of about 4×10⁴⁵ erg s⁻¹, that makes 0716+714 one of the brightest gas-poor BL Lacs so far detected at γ-ray energies. Thus it provides an ideal benchmark to compare its intrinsic luminosity with the top power extractable from a maximally rotating black-hole via the Blandford–Znajek mechanism. With a mass close to 5×10⁸M for the associated BH, we find the source to remain close to the Blandford–Znajek threshold during the flare. Other gas-poor but weaker BL Lacs remain well below the threshold. These findings and those expected from FERMI will provide a powerful test of GR at work.     

Electrical properties of ITO/benzylated cyclodextrins (-CDs (Bz))/Al diode structures

Investigations of the electrical characteristics of benzylated cyclodextrins (β-CDs (Bz)) diodes are reported. We present current–voltage characteristics and impedance spectroscopy measurements performed on partially benzylated cyclodextrins β-CDs (Bz) thin films in sandwich structures ITO/β-CDs (Bz)/Al. The static electrical characterizations show a space charge limited conduction (SCLC) and a conductivity with power low frequency behavior characteristic of a hopping transport in disordered materials. The impedance spectra can be discussed in terms of an equivalent circuit model designed as a parallel resistor R_P and capacitor C_P network in series with resistor R_S. We extract numerical values of these parameters by fitting experimental data. Their evolution with bias voltages has shown that the SCLC mechanism is characterized by an exponential trap distribution. We estimated from the capacitance voltage characteristic an acceptor concentration of about due to trap states.     

Energy transfer phenomena of keV fullerenes during grazing scattering from an Al(0 0 1) surface

Angular distributions for grazing scattering of fullerenes with energies of up to some 10 keV from an atomically clean and flat Al(0 0 1) surface are studied. Scattering proceeds in the regime of surface channeling where the motions of projectiles parallel and normal to the surface are widely decoupled. At low energies for the motion with respect to the surface normal, the clusters are scattered nearly elastically, whereas for larger energies a substantial amount of normal energy is lost. The results are compared to trajectory simulations using the Tersoff potential for the cluster and 3D- as well as 1D-rigid-wall representations for the surface. We find that, despite the large mass of C₆₀, the surface can be considered as a 1D- rigid wall and that the exact form of the interaction potential with the surface does not influence the normal energy loss. Therefore, properties of the fullerene and its interaction with the surface can be studied under well-defined conditions. The energy loss is transferred to internal excitations of the fullerenes.     

Crosstalk corrections for improved energy resolution with highly segmented HPGe-detectors

Crosstalk effects of 36-fold segmented, large volume AGATA HPGe detectors cause shifts in the γ-ray energy measured by the inner core and outer segments as function of segment multiplicity. The positions of the segment sum energy peaks vary approximately linearly with increasing segment multiplicity. The resolution of these peaks deteriorates also linearly as a function of segment multiplicity. Based on single event treatment, two methods were developed in the AGATA Collaboration to correct for the crosstalk induced effects by employing a linear transformation. The matrix elements are deduced from coincidence measurements of γ-rays of various energies as recorded with digital electronics. A very efficient way to determine the matrix elements is obtained by measuring the base line shifts of untriggered segments using γ-ray detection events in which energy is deposited in a single segment. A second approach is based on measuring segment energy values for γ-ray interaction events in which energy is deposited in only two segments. After performing crosstalk corrections, the investigated detector shows a good fit between the core energy and the segment sum energy at all multiplicities and an improved energy resolution of the segment sum energy peaks. The corrected core energy resolution equals the segment sum energy resolution which is superior at all folds compared to the individual uncorrected energy resolutions. This is achieved by combining the two independent energy measurements with the core contact on the one hand and the segment contacts on the other hand.     

Dark matter searches with H.E.S.S.

WIMP annihilations are required to reproduce the correct dark matter abundance in the Universe. This process can occur in dense regions of our Galaxy such as the Galactic center, dwarf galaxies and other types of sub-haloes. High-energy γ-rays are produced in dark matter particle collisions and can be detected by Cherenkov telescopes such as H.E.S.S. We report here the search for γ-ray signals from the Galactic center and the nearby Sagittarius and Canis Major satellites. In the absence of a convincing signal, modelling the dark matter density within these objects allows to put constraints on the WIMP parameters such as its mass and annihilation cross-section. Beyond these targeted searches, the wide-field survey of the inner Galaxy with H.E.S.S. is used to constrain sub-halo formation models involving intermediate-mass black holes.     

An approximate method for linear signal decomposition in -ray tracking detectors

An approximate method for signal decomposition in γ-ray tracking detectors is presented, based on Singular Value Decomposition (SVD). With this algorithm, the CPU time scales linearly with the number of possible interaction sites for any number of interactions per γ ray. The method is also robust to uncertainty in the signal start time and is applicable to any γ-ray detectors with highly segmented crystals as well as any inverse problem that can be reduced to a search among a countable set of precalculated forward solutions.     

Field induced magnetic phase transition as a magnon Bose Einstein condensation

We report specific heat, magnetocaloric effect and magnetization measurements on single crystals of the frustrated quasi-2D spin antiferromagnet Cs₂CuCl₄ in the external magnetic field along a-axis and in the temperature range . Decreasing the applied magnetic field B from high fields leads to the closure of the field induced gap in the magnon spectrum at a critical field and a long-range incommensurate state below B_c. In the vicinity of B_c, the phase transition boundary is well described by the power law T_N∼(B_c-B)^1/φ with the measured critical exponent φ?1.5. These findings provide experimental evidence that the scaling law of the transition temperature T_N can be described by the universality class of 3D Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) of magnons.     

Stress intensity formulas for three-dimensional cracks in homogeneous and bonded dissimilar materials

This paper is concerned with maximum stress intensity factors of arbitrary shaped defects or cracks under mixed mode loading and also cracks terminating at an interface. A convenient formula is proposed in terms of parameter, where “area” is the projected area of the defects or cracks. First, a rectangular crack under mixed mode loading is considered with varying the aspect ratio and compared with the results of elliptical cracks. Then, parameter is found to be useful under mixed mode loading. Second, a rectangular crack, which is perpendicular to and terminating at a bimaterial interface, is investigated with varying the combinations of materials constants. At the crack front the maximum stress intensity factors are expressed as a function of the elastic ratio of the materials. On the other hand, the generalized stress intensity factors at the interface are expressed as a function of Dundurs parameters α and β. Proposed formulas are usefully evaluating defects with any aspect ratio under any combinations of the materials.     

The observation of gamma ray bursts and terrestrial gamma-ray flashes with AGILE

Since its early phases of operation, the AGILE mission is successfully observing Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) in the hard X-ray band with the SuperAGILE imager and in the MeV range with the Mini-Calorimeter. Up to now, three firm GRB detections were obtained above 25 MeV and some bursts were detected with lower statistical confidence in the same energy band. When a GRB is localized, either by SuperAGILE or Swift/BAT or INTEGRAL/IBIS or Fermi/GBM or IPN, inside the field of view of the Gamma Ray Imager of AGILE, a detection is searched for in the gamma ray band or an upper limit is provided. A promising result of AGILE is the detection of very short gamma ray transients, a few ms in duration and possibly identified with Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes. In this paper we show the current status of the observation of Gamma Ray Bursts and Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes with AGILE.     

A GEANT4 Monte-Carlo simulation code for precision spectroscopy

The measurement of the β asymmetry parameter in nuclear β decay is a potentially very sensitive tool to search for non V–A components in the charge-changing weak interaction. To reach the required precision (percent level) all effects that modify the emission pattern of the β radiation, i.e. the geometry of the setup, the effect of the magnetic field on the trajectories of β particles as well as (back)scattering in the source, on the sample holder and on the detector, have to be correctly taken into account in the analysis of the data. A thorough study of these effects and a new method based on detailed GEANT4 Monte-Carlo simulations that was developed for this purpose is presented here. The code was developed for β asymmetry measurements by means of the Low Temperature Nuclear Orientation (LTNO) method, but can in principle be generalized to other experimental setups using other polarization techniques.     

Role of microstructures on the growth of long fatigue cracks

An analysis is presented to understand the role of microstructures on the two crack growth driving force parameters, and , without invoking the extrinsic crack closure concepts. Microstructural variables considered are: grain size, precipitates and stacking fault energy. It is shown that is strongly affected by the scale of the microstructure, such as grain size or precipitate spacing. For each case, the mode of slip deformation and environment affects the fatigue resistance as represented by . However, the microstructures seem to have a smaller effect on . Also, the enhanced planarity of slip from the reduction in stacking fault energy has a pronounced effect on when compared with the materials deforming under homogeneous slip.     

A radiation tolerant phototube power supply for the electromagnetic calorimeter of the HERA- experiment

The design of the phototube power supply for the HERA-B  Electromagnetic Calorimeter is presented. A choice of the solution on the basis of the Cockcroft–Walton voltage multiplier is validated. Schematics developed are discussed. A special section describes the behaviour of the crucial components under irradiation since radiation tolerance becomes one of the most important items in the severe HERA-B  radiation environment. Finally, performance achieved is presented.     

A complementary note on Gegenbauer polynomial approximation for random response problem of stochastic structure

Recently, Gegenbauer polynomial approximation was proposed for solving the evolutionary random response problem of a random structure with bounded random parameters under evolutionary random excitations. The bounded random parameters used there are supposed to be proportional to a random variable with λ-PDF (probability density function). For this kind of random parameter, the Gegenbauer polynomial approximation is the unique correct choice for transforming a random structure into its deterministic equivalent system, which plays a central role in solving the response problem. Actually, the Gegenbauer polynomial approximation bridges the gap between the random structural response problem and the conventional methods. Just through its deterministic equivalent system, the random response problem of a random structure can be solved by any available, analytical and numerical method developed for deterministic systems. But the simple assumption on proportionality to λ-PDF may bring some unnecessary limitation on symmetry. Since λ-PDF is symmetrical about its center axis, so are these random parameters. However, not all random parameters have this kind of symmetry. Then, what can we do to lessen the limitation, if random parameters are non-symmetric per se? Besides, the graph of λ-PDF (see Fig. 1 in the text) shows its features’ dependence on λ, that is, the smaller the λ, the more dispersive the PDF. Then, what is the influence of different values of λ on the evolutionary random responses of the stochastic system? Moreover, is there any qualitative information about the dispersion in response with respect to every individual random parameter? This note is devoted to answering the above two questions and giving a supplementary note on Gegenbauer polynomial approximation. Our study shows that the symmetric limitation can be partly lessened by putting the random parameter into a polynomial function, even a quadratic one, of a random variable with λ-PDF. On the other hand, the second-order moment of the random responses of the stochastic structure relative to that of a nominal one can be used to describe qualitatively their relative dispersion with respect to each individual random parameter.