Search for diffuse supernova background in Gd based water Cherenkov experiments
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Warwick
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
I intend to make a vital measurement of the rate and energy of neutrinos that arrive from distant supernovae throughout the
galaxy. The properties of these neutrinos will tell us much about about the wider composition of the universe as well as neutrinos themselves. This measurement will allow us to test the rate of black hole formation in the universe, test our models of supernova and tell us about the origin of heavy elements and metallicity of the galaxies.
This measurement has not been possible before but is now within reach due to a new adaptation to the detection method known as water Cherenkov. This adaptation adds a metal salt to the water which will increase the efficiency of detection of neutrons present with the neutrino interactions. This will allow us to
dramatically reduce the backgrounds of the measurement. However in order to make this final result possible, I will create new detection software, particle identification and calibration systems for use with detectors loaded with this metal salt. I will also develop novel analysis tools and make preliminary measurements to quantify the interactions of neutrinos with the medium. This is a very exciting area in which to undertake such a project, not only because it of its impact in understanding the nature and
structure of our universe, but also because activity in the field of neutrino astronomy is rapidly escalating, with a number of new observations of neutrino sources outside our
solar system in the last year alone. This study could accelerate that growth and allow us to probe new galactic objects. The novel neutron calibration devices that are being studied
could have wider impact in medical physics as well as the 4 new experiments using the detection method which turn on in the next 5 years.
The world leading DAQ and triggering systems developed as part of this project will be implemented on 3 of these 4 detectors, with the most notable being WATCHMAN, a new UK-US initiative to help combat nuclear non proliferation.
I envisage that the fellowship will contribute to the development and operation of these detectors over the next 4 + 3 years through my development of the necessary online (DAQ and triggering) and offline (calibration and analysis) systems. This work will allow a measurement of the diffuse supernova neutrino background to be undertaken and perfected.
I will build a group to undertake the tasks of this project and will continue in an academic position at Warwick to develop the field further post-Fellowship.
galaxy. The properties of these neutrinos will tell us much about about the wider composition of the universe as well as neutrinos themselves. This measurement will allow us to test the rate of black hole formation in the universe, test our models of supernova and tell us about the origin of heavy elements and metallicity of the galaxies.
This measurement has not been possible before but is now within reach due to a new adaptation to the detection method known as water Cherenkov. This adaptation adds a metal salt to the water which will increase the efficiency of detection of neutrons present with the neutrino interactions. This will allow us to
dramatically reduce the backgrounds of the measurement. However in order to make this final result possible, I will create new detection software, particle identification and calibration systems for use with detectors loaded with this metal salt. I will also develop novel analysis tools and make preliminary measurements to quantify the interactions of neutrinos with the medium. This is a very exciting area in which to undertake such a project, not only because it of its impact in understanding the nature and
structure of our universe, but also because activity in the field of neutrino astronomy is rapidly escalating, with a number of new observations of neutrino sources outside our
solar system in the last year alone. This study could accelerate that growth and allow us to probe new galactic objects. The novel neutron calibration devices that are being studied
could have wider impact in medical physics as well as the 4 new experiments using the detection method which turn on in the next 5 years.
The world leading DAQ and triggering systems developed as part of this project will be implemented on 3 of these 4 detectors, with the most notable being WATCHMAN, a new UK-US initiative to help combat nuclear non proliferation.
I envisage that the fellowship will contribute to the development and operation of these detectors over the next 4 + 3 years through my development of the necessary online (DAQ and triggering) and offline (calibration and analysis) systems. This work will allow a measurement of the diffuse supernova neutrino background to be undertaken and perfected.
I will build a group to undertake the tasks of this project and will continue in an academic position at Warwick to develop the field further post-Fellowship.
Planned Impact
There are many forms of impact related to this project and the technology generated within its remit.
The largest of these is the benefit it will bring to the WATCHMAN project, which is designed to monitor nuclear non-proliferation. This US and UK joint initiative is designed to globally protect people from the threat of nuclear weapons by monitoring power stations and the production of the nuclear material. The work proposed in this project will benefit that effort greatly by providing the DAQ and advanced triggering to run the detector as well as calibration systems designed to understand the gadolinium(Gd)-loaded water Cherenkov detection technology, as well as providing the analysis tools to apply to the data to produce the necessary measurements.
The novel advanced DAQ designed for this work will be used internationally in multiple experiments raising the profile of the UK as experts in this field and is entirely open source and publicly hosted. This will apply techniques from the extremely active field of machine learning and will develop new ones to tackle the unique geometrical data sets used in the field. These techniques will find uses in wider image analysis and recognition.
The calibration systems developed for Gd monitoring could have wider economic use in measuring trace metals in water supplies and for other experiments using this detection technique.
Development of the electronics needed to readout the large area picosecond photodetectors (LAPPDs), will have wider impact as many areas such as medicine, industry and security, are interested in these new detectors and an electronics solution for them will be critical.
The analysis results and tools developed to produce them will have an impact on the field of neutrino physics, increasing the capabilities of water Cherenkov detectors to study these particles. Other fields, principally astronomy and astrophysics, will particularly benefit as the results will tell us about the wider structure and behavior of the universe, especially supernova.
Part of this project also contains an outreach aspect which will promote the field and understanding to a wider audience including school children, through the use of VR visualisations and learning experiences to teach concepts. Warwick university has also provided a PhD student for the project and money has been budgeted for conferences and training to generate skills in the UK and distribute them.
The largest of these is the benefit it will bring to the WATCHMAN project, which is designed to monitor nuclear non-proliferation. This US and UK joint initiative is designed to globally protect people from the threat of nuclear weapons by monitoring power stations and the production of the nuclear material. The work proposed in this project will benefit that effort greatly by providing the DAQ and advanced triggering to run the detector as well as calibration systems designed to understand the gadolinium(Gd)-loaded water Cherenkov detection technology, as well as providing the analysis tools to apply to the data to produce the necessary measurements.
The novel advanced DAQ designed for this work will be used internationally in multiple experiments raising the profile of the UK as experts in this field and is entirely open source and publicly hosted. This will apply techniques from the extremely active field of machine learning and will develop new ones to tackle the unique geometrical data sets used in the field. These techniques will find uses in wider image analysis and recognition.
The calibration systems developed for Gd monitoring could have wider economic use in measuring trace metals in water supplies and for other experiments using this detection technique.
Development of the electronics needed to readout the large area picosecond photodetectors (LAPPDs), will have wider impact as many areas such as medicine, industry and security, are interested in these new detectors and an electronics solution for them will be critical.
The analysis results and tools developed to produce them will have an impact on the field of neutrino physics, increasing the capabilities of water Cherenkov detectors to study these particles. Other fields, principally astronomy and astrophysics, will particularly benefit as the results will tell us about the wider structure and behavior of the universe, especially supernova.
Part of this project also contains an outreach aspect which will promote the field and understanding to a wider audience including school children, through the use of VR visualisations and learning experiences to teach concepts. Warwick university has also provided a PhD student for the project and money has been budgeted for conferences and training to generate skills in the UK and distribute them.
Organisations
- University of Warwick (Fellow, Lead Research Organisation)
- Lancaster University (Collaboration)
- ICL Group Ltd (Collaboration)
- Tokyo University of Science (Collaboration)
- IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON (Collaboration)
- National Nuclear Security Administration (Collaboration)
- European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH (Collaboration)
- University of Sheffield (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW (Collaboration)
- TRIUMF (Collaboration)
- Super-Kamiokande (Collaboration)
- Fermilab - Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL (Collaboration)
- KING'S COLLEGE LONDON (Collaboration)
People |
ORCID iD |
Benjamin Richards (Principal Investigator / Fellow) |
Publications
Breisch M
(2024)
First results from the LAPPDs in ANNIE
Sakai S
(2024)
Measurement of the neutrino-oxygen neutral-current quasielastic cross section using atmospheric neutrinos in the SK-Gd experiment
in Physical Review D
Abe K
(2023)
Search for Cosmic-Ray Boosted Sub-GeV Dark Matter Using Recoil Protons at Super-Kamiokande.
in Physical review letters
Abe K
(2023)
Erratum: Search for Cosmic-Ray Boosted Sub-GeV Dark Matter Using Recoil Protons at Super-Kamiokande [Phys. Rev. Lett. 130, 031802 (2023)].
in Physical review letters
Langella A
(2023)
A multi-PMT photodetector system for the Hyper-Kamiokande experiment
in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Harada M
(2023)
Search for Astrophysical Electron Antineutrinos in Super-Kamiokande with 0.01% Gadolinium-loaded Water
in The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Kisiel J
(2023)
Photodetection and electronic system for the Hyper-Kamiokande Water Cherenkov detectors
in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Shinoki M
(2023)
Measurement of the cosmogenic neutron yield in Super-Kamiokande with gadolinium loaded water
in Physical Review D
Lavitola L
(2023)
multi-PMT electronics system for Hyper-Kamiokande
in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Matsumoto R
(2022)
Search for proton decay via p ? µ + K 0 in 0.37 megaton-years exposure of Super-Kamiokande
in Physical Review D
Description | 1) New techniques for continuous monitoring of low level concentrations of metal ions dissolved in water have been tested and are currently being perfected. Along with over all water quality monitoring through spectral absorption 2) Advancements in photo sensing technology with the development of very fast large area photo detectors and their readout systems which have been deployed for the first time. 3) Cutting edge software developments for advanced the data acquisition, control and monitoring of particle physics detectors and a scalable software framework for simulation, analysis, reconstruction and advanced multi format real time triggering |
Exploitation Route | 1) Techniques developed could be used in various research fields for monitoring water and other fluids. Also could be used more widely for monitoring water contaminants. 2) Advancements in photosensor technology pave the way for new particle physics detectors with greater accuracy and the broader use of these sensors in medical and security applications. 3) The software tools have been made open source and can not only be used in a number of physics applications, from full detectors, to small R&D test benches and to structure and parallelise any software, but also are available to use in a variety of sectors and applications as they are general purpose software development and structuring tools. |
Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink Chemicals Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Electronics Healthcare |
Description | Work from this award towards the WATCHMAN project has produced several papers about the feasibility and technology required for remote reactor monitoring for nuclear non-proliferation and security goals. this work has also spawned further experiments to that end looking at developing technologies in photosensor s and water based liquid scintillator to increase the sensitivity and viability of such a design. |
First Year Of Impact | 2020 |
Sector | Security and Diplomacy |
Impact Types | Societal |
Description | DUNE DAQ funding review |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Description | AIT / WATCHMAN: Year One |
Amount | £1,989,133 (GBP) |
Funding ID | ST/S006400/1 |
Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2018 |
End | 03/2024 |
Description | Hyper-Kamiokande PreconIII Bridging Grant |
Amount | £87,973 (GBP) |
Funding ID | ST/V002759/1 |
Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2020 |
End | 09/2022 |
Description | Programme of Research in Experimental Particle Physics at the University of Warwick: 2022-2025 |
Amount | £2,600,138 (GBP) |
Funding ID | ST/W000571/1 |
Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2022 |
End | 09/2025 |
Description | WATCHMAN - 6 Month bridging grant |
Amount | £578,713 (GBP) |
Funding ID | ST/T005319/1 |
Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2019 |
End | 05/2024 |
Description | ANNIE Collaboration |
Organisation | Fermilab - Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory |
Country | United States |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Development of data acquisition systems, Development of analysis software, Development of novel LAPPD readout firmware, convenorship of software group, IB board member. |
Collaborator Contribution | supplied hardware for detector, national lab facilities and personnel. |
Impact | development of new novel photon detector hardware, further development of ToolDAQ software |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Button Collaboration |
Organisation | ICL Group Ltd |
Department | ICL Boulby |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | I am the lead DAQ developer for the detector and providing management and water calibration devices. Additionally i am helping to design and test readout systems for advanced LAPPD photosensors |
Collaborator Contribution | They re providing, the other detector subsystems, water, photosensors, tank etc. |
Impact | no outcomes yet as just formed and detector not built yet |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Button Collaboration |
Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I am the lead DAQ developer for the detector and providing management and water calibration devices. Additionally i am helping to design and test readout systems for advanced LAPPD photosensors |
Collaborator Contribution | They re providing, the other detector subsystems, water, photosensors, tank etc. |
Impact | no outcomes yet as just formed and detector not built yet |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Button Collaboration |
Organisation | University of Liverpool |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I am the lead DAQ developer for the detector and providing management and water calibration devices. Additionally i am helping to design and test readout systems for advanced LAPPD photosensors |
Collaborator Contribution | They re providing, the other detector subsystems, water, photosensors, tank etc. |
Impact | no outcomes yet as just formed and detector not built yet |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Button Collaboration |
Organisation | University of Sheffield |
Department | Sheffield Biorepository |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I am the lead DAQ developer for the detector and providing management and water calibration devices. Additionally i am helping to design and test readout systems for advanced LAPPD photosensors |
Collaborator Contribution | They re providing, the other detector subsystems, water, photosensors, tank etc. |
Impact | no outcomes yet as just formed and detector not built yet |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Hyper Kamiokande Collaboration |
Organisation | Imperial College London |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I am lead for the data acquisition and triggering systems of for both the far and intermediate detectors. We are developing calibration devices and analysis software |
Collaborator Contribution | Detector design analysis studies |
Impact | none as yet |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Hyper Kamiokande Collaboration |
Organisation | King's College London |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I am lead for the data acquisition and triggering systems of for both the far and intermediate detectors. We are developing calibration devices and analysis software |
Collaborator Contribution | Detector design analysis studies |
Impact | none as yet |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Hyper Kamiokande Collaboration |
Organisation | Lancaster University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I am lead for the data acquisition and triggering systems of for both the far and intermediate detectors. We are developing calibration devices and analysis software |
Collaborator Contribution | Detector design analysis studies |
Impact | none as yet |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Hyper Kamiokande Collaboration |
Organisation | Tokyo University of Science |
Country | Japan |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I am lead for the data acquisition and triggering systems of for both the far and intermediate detectors. We are developing calibration devices and analysis software |
Collaborator Contribution | Detector design analysis studies |
Impact | none as yet |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Hyper Kamiokande Collaboration |
Organisation | University of Glasgow |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I am lead for the data acquisition and triggering systems of for both the far and intermediate detectors. We are developing calibration devices and analysis software |
Collaborator Contribution | Detector design analysis studies |
Impact | none as yet |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Hyper Kamiokande Collaboration |
Organisation | University of Liverpool |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I am lead for the data acquisition and triggering systems of for both the far and intermediate detectors. We are developing calibration devices and analysis software |
Collaborator Contribution | Detector design analysis studies |
Impact | none as yet |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Hyper Kamiokande Collaboration |
Organisation | University of Sheffield |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I am lead for the data acquisition and triggering systems of for both the far and intermediate detectors. We are developing calibration devices and analysis software |
Collaborator Contribution | Detector design analysis studies |
Impact | none as yet |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Super Kamiokande Collaboration |
Organisation | Super-Kamiokande |
Country | Japan |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | development of analysis and tools for SRN data. Including measuring backgrounds. Developing Gd monitoring system for SK-Gd |
Collaborator Contribution | Providing facilities, data sets, software tools. |
Impact | Papers listed in paper section. |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | WATCHMAN collaboration |
Organisation | National Nuclear Security Administration |
Country | United States |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | I am developing the Data acquisition systems for the proposed NEO detector, I'm also the Data acquisition technical lead |
Collaborator Contribution | providing funds for R&D and detector construction and US based personnel |
Impact | non yet still in design phase |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | Water Cherenkov Test Experiment (WCTE) |
Organisation | European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) |
Country | Switzerland |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Convener and designer of the data acquisition systems |
Collaborator Contribution | providing other subsystems, water tank photosensors etc. |
Impact | No outputs yet as still under construction |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Water Cherenkov Test Experiment (WCTE) |
Organisation | Imperial College London |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Convener and designer of the data acquisition systems |
Collaborator Contribution | providing other subsystems, water tank photosensors etc. |
Impact | No outputs yet as still under construction |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Water Cherenkov Test Experiment (WCTE) |
Organisation | TRIUMF |
Country | Canada |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Convener and designer of the data acquisition systems |
Collaborator Contribution | providing other subsystems, water tank photosensors etc. |
Impact | No outputs yet as still under construction |
Start Year | 2020 |
Title | Astro analysis framework |
Description | Its a piece of software built on the ToolDAQ framework that is being used to analyse monte carlo data by the low energy/astronomy group of Hyper-Kamiokande |
Type Of Technology | Webtool/Application |
Year Produced | 2021 |
Impact | none yet just started |
Title | Tool Analysis |
Description | Its a piece of software built on the ToolDAQ framework for analysing water Cherenkov data from the ANNIE detector |
Type Of Technology | Webtool/Application |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Open Source License? | Yes |
Impact | Its been used to produce papers and analyse neutrino neutron interaction data from ANNIE as well as develop the monitoring tools for the detector |
Title | ToolDAQ Framework |
Description | Its a C++ software framework for data aquisition systems and other particle physics code |
Type Of Technology | Webtool/Application |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Open Source License? | Yes |
Impact | 7 international collaborations are using this software that i developed for their main DAQ system as well as smaller test stands, calibration devices and for analysis and triggering code |
Title | Trigger Application |
Description | Its a triggering application built in the ToolDAQ framework, used for development of triggers for Hyper-K |
Type Of Technology | Webtool/Application |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Open Source License? | Yes |
Impact | its used for production of monte carlo data sets for the collaboration and to develop triggering systems for the upcoming detector |
Description | Lab / experiment video tours and images |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Created 3D video tours of laboratories and produced promotional pictures |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019,2020,2021,2022,2023 |
Description | VR particle physics outreach |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Created VR educational program to explain neutrino physics research and KyperKamiokande |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019,2020,2021,2022,2023 |