RII Track-4:NSF: Exploring the Potential of ANNIE Physics Phase and Beyond

RII Track-4：NSF：探索 ANNIE 物理阶段及以后的潜力

• 批准号: 2132223
• 负责人: Jingbo Wang
• 金额: $ 16.98万
• 依托单位: South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2022-02-01 至 2025-01-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2132223&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: RII; Track; NSF; Exploring; Potential

The Accelerator Neutrino Neutron Interaction Experiment (ANNIE) is a 26-ton gadolinium-doped water Cherenkov detector at the Fermilab Booster Neutrino Beam, small by particle physics standards but with big ambitions. The goal is to develop a next-generation neutrino detector using advanced photosensors and new experimental techniques while making important measurements to understand neutrino-nucleus interactions. The ANNIE result will have a direct impact on the reduction of the systematic uncertainties and the improvement of the signal-background discrimination in future large neutrino detectors, which is essential for long-baseline oscillation physics, proton decay searches, and supernova detection. The proposed research will develop new analysis algorithms to improve the neutrino detection capability in ANNIE and perform fundamental simulations and tests to explore the physics potential beyond the current phase. The fellowship will advance the collaboration between South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SD Mines) and Fermilab. It will also provide comprehensive training for the PI and a graduate student to enhance the group's research capability in developing next-generation neutrino detectors. The results of the research will significantly advance knowledge and understanding of new technologies for neutrino detection.ANNIE will perform several fundamental tests of new technologies to be used in neutrino detectors, such as a novel kind of photodetectors called Large-Area Picosecond PhotoDetector (LAPPD) and Water-based Liquid Scintillator (WbLS) that is a newly-developed detection medium. The technology behind the ANNIE detector will have a high impact on the development of future large water Cherenkov detectors as well as on detection techniques for neutrino physics. This fellowship supports the PI and a graduate student to visit Fermilab for six months to work closely with their ANNIE collaborators onsite at Fermilab. The proposed research aims at (1) developing analysis algorithms to push the ANNIE detector to its full potential demonstrating its promise for future experiments, (2) testing a new neutrino detection medium WbLS by deploying a target vessel into the existing water tank, and (3) performing simulations to investigate the feasibility of measuring the number of final state neutrons from neutrino-argon interaction using the ANNIE infrastructure. The proposed research will deliver an optimized fast-timing-based reconstruction package to facilitate the physics analysis and explore the ANNIE's potential beyond the current phase. The WbLS deployment and the feasibility study of liquid argon target deployment connect ANNIE to future larger-scale neutrino experiments with broader impacts on the field. This research fellowship would provide the PI with expertise on new neutrino detection technologies and enable the PI to sustain his career in experimental neutrino physics in the long term.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

加速器中微子中微子相互作用实验（Annie）是Fermilab助推器中微子束的26吨gadolin掺杂的水Cherenkov检测器，按照粒子物理标准，但具有较大的野心。目的是使用高级光电传感器和新的实验技术开发下微中微子检测器，同时进行重要的测量以了解中微子核核的相互作用。安妮的结果将直接影响系统不确定性的减少以及未来大型中微子探测器中信号背景歧视的改善，这对于长基线振荡物理学，质子衰减搜索和超新星检测至关重要。拟议的研究将开发新的分析算法，以提高安妮的中微子检测能力，并进行基本的模拟和测试，以探索超出当前阶段的物理潜力。奖学金将推进南达科他州矿业与技术学院（SD矿山）和费米拉布之间的合作。它还将为PI和研究生提供全面的培训，以增强该小组在开发下一代中微子探测器方面的研究能力。这项研究的结果将大大提高对中微子检测的新技术的知识和理解。Annie将对中微子探测器中使用的新技术进行多种基础测试，例如一种新型的称为大区域picosecececond potodeTector（LAPPD）和水性液化液体闪光灯（WBLS）的新型光电探测器是一种新技术。安妮检测器背后的技术将对未来大型水切伦科夫探测器的发展以及中微子物理学的检测技术产生很大影响。这项奖学金支持PI和一名研究生访问Fermilab六个月，与他们在Fermilab的Annie合作者紧密合作。拟议的研究目的是（1）开发分析算法，将安妮探测器推向其对未来实验的承诺，（（2）通过将目标容器部署到现有的水箱中，（3）测试最终状态中微子中中子的可靠性，通过将目标血管部署到现有的水箱中，以测试目标船只通过将目标船部署到现有的水箱中，以测试目标船只通过中微子储罐来测试最终中微子的可靠性，从而测试新的中微子检测培养基WBL。拟议的研究将提供优化的基于快速的重建软件包，以促进物理分析并探索当前阶段的安妮潜力。 WBL的部署和液体氩目标部署的可行性研究将Annie与未来的大型中微子实验联系起来，对该领域产生了更大的影响。这项研究奖学金将为PI提供有关新中微子检测技术的专业知识，并使PI长期保持其在实验性中微子物理学领域的职业。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并被认为是值得通过基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛影响的审查标准来通过评估来支持的。