Collaborative Research: Kaon Monitoring Equipment for MiniBooNE

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Observing neutrinos requires large detectors and great patience. Neutrinos are able to cross the entire universe, traversing space, planets, galaxies at almost the speed of light, without leaving a mark. Only the extremely rare collision with the core of an atom stops a neutrino and reveals its presence, transforming it into a charged particle. Depending on the type of neutrino hitting an atom, either an electron or a similar but heavier particle emerges from the collision. Physicists can detect light emitted by the charged particle, thereby learning more about the properties of the initial neutrino.MiniBoone is an experiment at Fermilab designed to measure neutrino masses. The specific goal of this proposal is to fund detector equipment for a novel kaon secondary beam monitor which will constrain the background in the neutrino beam. While playing an important role in a large high energy physics experiment, this effort is a rare opportunity for students, particularly undergraduates. This is essentially a table top high energy experiment bringing all aspects, including physics and technicalDesign, assembly and testing of detectors, layout and assembly of electronics, analysis of data down to a manageable scale. The remaining parts of the project, prototyping the detectors and data acquisition system, assembling and testing detectors, and analysis of data, would each make excellent senior theses or projects for graduate students.