RUI: Neutrino Studies with Experiments in the NuMI Beam

RUI：通过 NuMI 束流实验进行中微子研究

• 批准号: 0653016
• 负责人: Alec Habig
• 金额: $ 25.5万
• 依托单位: University of Minnesota Duluth
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2007-06-01 至 2010-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0653016&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: RUI; Neutrino; Studies; Experiments; NuMI

The University of Minnesota Duluth is studying neutrino oscillations using experiments in the NuMI neutrino beam, through the NSF Research at Undergraduate Institutions (RUI) program. Recent work on the Super-Kamiokande experiment in Japan have used neutrinos produced by cosmic ray interactions with the upper atmosphere to show that muon neutrinos oscillate to tau neutrinos as they travel the tens to thousands of kilometers through the earth to the detector. This implies that neutrinos have mass, a finding of fundamental importance to both particle physics and astrophysics. Further work with the K2K experiment, and now with the MINOS (Main Injector Neutrino Oscillation Search) experiment have unambiguously confirmed this result. MINOS will precisely measure the oscillation parameters using the intense, well-calibrated beam of neutrinos generated using Fermilab Main Injector. This neutrino beam was commissioned in early 2005 and is aimed toward the Soudan Underground Physics Laboratory in northeastern Minnesota where the MINOS far detector is situated and operating. The UMD group is responsible for the Detector Control System, which monitors the status of the experimental equipment and environment. UMD plans to develop a similar system for MINERvA and contribute to the development of NOvA Data Acquisition System. Importantly, the UMD group offers a significant research opportunity for undergraduates through participation in this challenging program in neutrino physics.

明尼苏达大学杜卢斯正在通过美国国家科学基金会本科研究机构（RUI）计划，利用NuMI中微子束的实验研究中微子振荡。最近在日本进行的超级神冈实验使用了宇宙射线与高层大气相互作用产生的中微子，表明μ子中微子在穿过地球到达探测器时会振荡为τ中微子。这意味着中微子有质量，这一发现对粒子物理学和天体物理学都具有根本的重要性。K2K实验的进一步工作，以及现在的MINOS（主注入中微子振荡搜索）实验已经明确证实了这一结果。MINOS将使用费米实验室主注入器产生的强烈、校准良好的中微子束精确测量振荡参数。这束中微子束于2005年初投入使用，目标是明尼苏达州东北部的苏丹地下物理实验室，MINOS远探测器就位于那里。UMD小组负责检测器控制系统，该系统监控实验设备和环境的状态。UMD计划为MINERvA开发类似的系统，并为NOvA数据采集系统的开发做出贡献。 重要的是，UMD小组通过参与中微子物理学这一具有挑战性的项目，为本科生提供了一个重要的研究机会。