• Energy Research

AbstractXenon dual-phase time projection chambers designed to search for weakly interacting massive particles have so far shown a relative energy resolution which degrades with energy above $$\sim $$∼ 200 keV due to the saturation effects. This has limited their sensitivity in the search for rare events like the neutrinoless double-beta decay of $$^{136} \hbox {Xe}$$136Xe at its Q value, $$Q_{\beta \beta }\simeq 2.46\,\hbox {MeV}$$Qββ≃2.46MeV. For the XENON1T dual-phase time projection chamber, we demonstrate that the relative energy resolution at $$1\,\sigma /\mu $$1σ/μ is as low as ($$0.80 \pm 0.02$$0.80±0.02) % in its one-ton fiducial mass, and for single-site interactions at $$Q_{\beta \beta }$$Qββ. We also present a new signal correction method to rectify the saturation effects of the signal readout system, resulting in more accurate position reconstruction and indirectly improving the energy resolution. The very good result achieved in XENON1T opens up new windows for the xenon dual-phase dark matter detectors to simultaneously search for other rare events.

A rare signal was detected at 23:53 Moscow time on April 27, 1986 with the LSD low-background scintillation detector located under Mont Blanc at a distance of 1820 km from Chernobyl. To reveal the origin of this signal, we discuss the results obtained with other instruments operating within a similar program, as well as analyze the characteristics of the pulses of the signal and facts referring to the explosion of the Chernobyl reactor. A hypothesis based on detection with the LSD of gamma-quanta from β decays of 135I nuclei ejected into atmosphere by the reactor explosion and carried in the underground detector camera with air of positive ventilation is considered. The explosion origin of the LSD signal indicates a new technogenic source of the background in the search for neutrino bursts from cores of collapsing stars.

The surface detector array of the Pierre Auger Observatory consists of 1600 water-Cherenkov detectors, for the study of extensive air showers (EAS) generated by ultra-high-energy cosmic rays. We describe the trigger hierarchy, from the identification of candidate showers at the level of a single detector, amongst a large background (mainly random single cosmic ray muons), up to the selection of real events and the rejection of random coincidences. Such trigger makes the surface detector array fully efficient for the detection of EAS with energy above $3\times 10^{18}$ eV, for all zenith angles between 0$^\circ$ and 60$^\circ$, independently of the position of the impact point and of the mass of the primary particle. In these range of energies and angles, the exposure of the surface array can be determined purely on the basis of the geometrical acceptance. 29 pages, 12 figures

The Pierre Auger Observatory is a detector for ultra-high energy cosmic rays. It consists of a surface array to measure secondary particles at ground level and a fluorescence detector to measure the development of air showers in the atmosphere above the array. The "hybrid" detection mode combines the information from the two subsystems. We describe the determination of the hybrid exposure for events observed by the fluorescence telescopes in coincidence with at least one water-Cherenkov detector of the surface array. A detailed knowledge of the time dependence of the detection operations is crucial for an accurate evaluation of the exposure. We discuss the relevance of monitoring data collected during operations, such as the status of the fluorescence detector, background light and atmospheric conditions, that are used in both simulation and reconstruction. Paper accepted by Astroparticle Physics