EAPSI: Reducing Uncertainty in the Simulation of the T2K Neutrino Particle Beam

中微子物理学目前知之甚少。该项目旨在通过T2 K（东海到神冈）实验对中微子性质进行精确测量，以提高我们对这些基本粒子的理解。中微子是通过将一束质子加速到高能量，然后使它们与目标碰撞而产生的。T2 K测量取决于该质子束的性质以及它如何与目标相互作用。通过物理测量和计算机模拟研究了光束的特性。这些模拟对于预测和评估所观察到的质子束的行为是重要的。该项目将改进T2 K实验的中微子束模拟，方法是结合模拟技术的新进展以提高精度，并结合其他实验收集的新物理数据以提高精度。这些改进将提高T2 K实验测量的准确性。该研究将与日本高能加速器研究机构（KEK）T2 K束组组长Tetsuro Sekiguchi博士合作进行。T2 K中微子束模拟目前使用FLUKA和GEANT Monte Carlo模拟包使用定制框架构建。该项目的一部分将涉及将束流模拟迁移到GEANT的更新版本，然后测试和验证其性能。中微子束模拟的性能是根据实验数据调整和检查的，当新的和更精确的数据集可用时，需要更新。NA 61/SHINE实验的最新数据集已经提供，并将用于这一目的。最后，该项目将涉及两个T2 K近探测器之间新的相关系统不确定度的计算，以允许T2 K对中微子进行新的和更精确的测量。

Neutrino physics are poorly understood currently. This project seeks to enhance our understanding of these fundamental particles using the T2K (Tokai to Kamioka) experiment to make precise measurements of neutrino properties. Neutrinos are produced by accelerating a beam of protons to high energies and then colliding them with a target. The T2K measurements depend on the properties of this proton beam and how it interacts with a target. The properties of the beam are studied with physical measurements and computer simulation. These simulations are important for predicting and assessing the observed behavior of the proton beam. This project will improve neutrino beam simulations for the T2K experiment by incorporating new advancements in simulation technology to improve accuracy, and by incorporating new physics data collected by other experiments to improve precision. These improvements will enhance the accuracy of the measurements made by the T2K experiment. This research will be conducted in collaboration with Dr. Tetsuro Sekiguchi, the leader of the T2K beam group, of the High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK) in Japan.The T2K neutrino beam simulation currently is built using a custom framework utilizing the FLUKA and GEANT Monte Carlo simulation packages. Part of this project will involve migrating the beam simulation to an updated version of GEANT and then testing and validating its performance. The performance of the neutrino beam simulation is tuned and checked against experimental data, which needs to be updated when new and more precise data sets are available. Recent data sets from the NA61/SHINE experiment are available and will be used for this purpose. Finally, this project will involve the calculation of new correlated systematic uncertainties between the two T2K near detectors to allow for both new and more precise measurements of neutrinos to be made by T2K.This award under the East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes program supports summer research by a U.S. graduate student and is jointly funded by NSF and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.