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ORNL: World’s smallest neutrino detector finds big physics fingerprint

Posted at 9:37 am August 8, 2017
By Oak Ridge National Laboratory Leave a Comment

From left, Professor Yuri Efremenko of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and Jason Newby of Oak Ridge National Laboratory are among 80 participants in COHERENT, a large, collaborative, particle physics experiment to record neutrinos at the Spallation Neutron Source. Photomultiplier tubes look like giant light bulbs and are used to detect light from neutrino interactions in detectors. COHERENT’s cesium iodide detector, the first to espy neutrinos at the SNS, employs a 5-inch (13-centimeter) wide photomultiplier tube. An 8-inch (20-centimeter) wide photomultiplier (shown here) is deployed in COHERENT’s nearby liquid-argon detector. Measurements from different types of detectors are necessary for comprehensive studies of neutrinos at SNS. The scientists are standing in front of the cesium-iodide-detector shielding. (Image credit: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy; photographer Genevieve Martin)

From left, Professor Yuri Efremenko of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and Jason Newby of Oak Ridge National Laboratory are among 80 participants in COHERENT, a large, collaborative, particle physics experiment to record neutrinos at the Spallation Neutron Source. Photomultiplier tubes look like giant light bulbs and are used to detect light from neutrino interactions in detectors. COHERENT’s cesium iodide detector, the first to espy neutrinos at the SNS, employs a five-inch (13-centimeter) wide photomultiplier tube. An eight-inch (20-centimeter) wide photomultiplier (shown here) is deployed in COHERENT’s nearby liquid-argon detector. Measurements from different types of detectors are necessary for comprehensive studies of neutrinos at SNS. The scientists are standing in front of the cesium-iodide-detector shielding. (Image credit: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy; photographer Genevieve Martin)

 

By Dawn Levy/ORNL

After more than a year of operation at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the COHERENT experiment, using the world’s smallest neutrino detector, has found a big fingerprint of the elusive, electrically neutral particles that interact only weakly with matter.

The research, performed at ORNL’s Spallation Neutron Source and published in the journal Science, provides compelling evidence for a neutrino interaction process predicted by theorists 43 years ago but never seen.

“The one-of-a-kind particle physics experiment at Oak Ridge National Laboratory was the first to measure coherent scattering of low-energy neutrinos off nuclei,” said ORNL physicist Jason Newby, technical coordinator and one of 11 ORNL participants in COHERENT, a collaboration of 80 researchers from 19 institutions and four nations.

The SNS produces neutrons for scientific research and also generates a high flux of neutrinos as a byproduct. Placing the detector at SNS a mere 65 feet (20 meters) from the neutrino source vastly improved the chances of interactions and allowed the researchers to decrease the detector’s weight to just 32 pounds (14.5 kilograms). In comparison, most neutrino detectors weigh thousands of tons: although they are continuously exposed to solar, terrestrial, and atmospheric neutrinos, they need to be massive because the interaction odds are more than 100 times lower than at SNS.

The scientists are the first to detect and characterize coherent elastic scattering of neutrinos off nuclei. This long-sought confirmation, predicted in the particle physics Standard Model, measures the process with enough precision to establish constraints on alternative theoretical models. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Science, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: cesium iodide detector, cesium iodide scintillator crystal, COHERENT, coherent elastic scattering, coherent scattering, Dawn Levy, DOE Office of Science, Duke University, Jason Newby, Juan Collar, Kate Scholberg, neutrino, neutrino detector, neutrino interaction, nuclei, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Observation of Coherent Elastic Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering, ORNL, particle physics, science, SNS, Spallation Neutron Source, Standard Model, U.S. Department of Energy, University of Chicago, University of Tennessee, Yuri Efremenko

Local students honored for exceptional academic success

Posted at 12:04 pm June 6, 2017
By Medi Ozcan Leave a Comment

DURHAM, N.C.—Ipek Ozcan, Sidney Ozcan, and Eli Roth, seventh-grade students from Jefferson Middle School in Oak Ridge, were among the students honored by the Duke University Talent Identification Program (Duke TIP) for their exceptional scores on the SAT and ACT, respectively. All three students were recognized at a state ceremony at Nashville on May 8 and at the Grand Recognition Ceremony on May 22 at Duke University’s Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Duke TIP’s 7th Grade Talent Search identifies students across the United States who have scored at or above the 95th percentile on a grade-level standardized test. As part of the program, these academically talented students take above-level college-entrance exams to learn more about their abilities, a press release said. Duke TIP then hosts annual recognition ceremonies to honor the seventh graders with remarkable ACT or SAT scores. Those with the highest scores are invited to the Grand Recognition Ceremony.

Working with host academic institutions, Duke TIP sponsors 36 ceremonies in 16 states throughout April, May, and June. Speakers include university administrators and professors from the host institutions, state and government officials, and accomplished former Duke TIP students. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Education, Front Page News, K-12 Tagged With: 7th Grade Talent Search, Duke TIP, Duke University, Duke University Talent Identification Program, Eli Roth, Ipek Ozcan, Jefferson Middle School, Shawna Young, Sidney Ozcan

Duke, ORNL plan graduate student education program

Posted at 7:28 pm June 29, 2012
By John Huotari 4 Comments

ORNL Duke Agreement

Duke University’s Robert Calderbank, left, and Haiyun Gao discuss a graduate education agreement with Ian Anderson of Oak Ridge National Laboratory. (Photo courtesy of Duke University)

Duke University and Oak Ridge National Laboratory have signed an agreement to develop a graduate student education program.

The agreement was signed at Duke on Monday by Robert Calderbank, dean of natural sciences at Duke’s Trinity College of Arts and Sciences; Haiyun Gao, chair of Duke’s department of physics; and Ian Anderson, director of ORNL’s Graduate and University Partnerships.

“The program combines the resources of a leading research university and the research capabilities of a major national laboratory to provide expanded opportunities for graduate students in energy-related science and engineering,” Anderson said.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Education, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: Duke University, graduate student education program, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

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Classifieds

Public Notice: NNSA announces no significant impact of Y-12 Development Organization operations at Horizon Center

AVAILABILITY OF THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE OFFSITE HOUSING OF THE Y-12 DEVELOPMENT … [Read More...]

ADFAC seeks contractors for five homes

Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties (ADFAC) is a non-profit community based agency, … [Read More...]

Public notice: Draft environmental assessment for Y-12 Development Organization at Horizon Center

AVAILABILITY OF THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE OFFSITE HOUSING OF THE Y-12 DEVELOPMENT … [Read More...]

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