DUNE: Pre-Construction Phase

The LBNF/DUNE project is a global flagship initiative in high-energy particle physics that addresses key questions on the origin and structure of the universe. The long-baseline neutrino facility (LBNF) will be the world's most intense high-energy neutrino beam. It will fire neutrinos 1300 km from Fermilab in Illinois towards the 70,000 ton DUNE detector in South Dakota in order to study neutrino oscillations. DUNE will be the first large-scale US-hosted
experiment run as a truly international project.

DUNE has broad support from the global particle physics community in the US and Europe and with growing interest in developing countries; DUNE currently is a scientific collaboration of over 950 collaborators from 30 nations, with overall UK leadership.

LBNF/DUNE will undertake a game-changing programme of neutrino physics. Its highest-level scientific goals target big questions in physics:
1) Discovery and measurements of neutrino CP violation. This subtle difference between neutrinos and antineutrinos could be responsible for the remaining matter in the universe;
2) Precision neutrino physics, including the definitive determination of the mass hierarchy;
3) Search for new physics beyond the current understanding of neutrino oscillations;
4) Observation of the electron neutrino burst from a galactic core-collapse supernova, providing a real-time probe of neutron star and possibly black hole formation;
5) Search for proton decay, expected in most models of new physics, but not yet observed.

The UK plans to make a major contribution to the construction of the massive DUNE far detector, through a partnership between UK universities, UK national laboratories and UK industry. In this proposal UK scientists are requesting resources to prototype the production processes for the construction of detector elements for this global scientific project.

A major UK capital investment in DUNE will deliver a number of long-term benefits to the UK.

i) Strategic Partnerships
- The capital investment would build a strong UK - US partnership in particle physics, as well as securing the UK's international position. LBNF/DUNE is a very high-profile project in the US and the strategic importance of partnering with the UK is recognised within the highest levels of the US DOE and beyond.
- DUNE offers the possibility to build strong partnerships between UK and developing nations, particularly in Latin America and a GCRF bid is planned.

ii) Industrial Impact/Engagement
- The large APA frames would be produced in UK industry. A potential partner has beenidentified and is engaged in the current prototyping programme.
- The DAQ electronics boards would be manufactured in UK industry, leveraging the existing connections with industry from ATLAS, CMS and SKA.

iii) Capability Building/Utilisation and Skills Retention
- Utilisation and retention of the existing skill base at the RAL and Daresbury laboratory.
- The provision of high-speed DAQ boards would enable UK universities to retain their world-leading reputation in high-energy physics, building on similar projects for ATLAS and CMS.

iv) Broader Impact
- DUNE is likely to be the next new global particle physics project. Strong UK participation will provide unique and exciting training opportunities for PhD students;
- A project of the scale of LBNF/DUNE and the exciting science that it will generate can play a role in inspiring the next generation young students into STEM subjects.