We present our new measurement of the cross-section for charm dimuon production in neutrino iron interactions based upon the full statistics collected by the NOMAD experiment. After background subtraction we observe 15 344 charm dimuon events, providing the largest sample currently available. The analysis exploits the large inclusive charged current sample - about 9 x 10(6) events after all analysis cuts - and the high resolution NOMAD detector to constrain the total systematic uncertainty on the ratio of charm dimuon to inclusive Charged Current (CC) cross-sections to similar to 2%. We also perform a fit to the NOMAD data to extract the charm production parameters and the strange quark sea content of the nucleon within the NLO QCD approximation. We obtain a value of m(c)(m(c)) = 1.159 +/- 0.075 GeV/c(2) for the running mass of the charm quark in the (MS) over bar scheme and a strange quark sea suppression factor of kappa(s) = 0.591 +/- 0.019 at Q(2) = 20 GeV2/c(2). (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

We present a search for neutrino induced events containing a single, exclusive photon using data from the NOMAD experiment at the CERN SPS where the average energy of the neutrino flux is ≃25GeV. The search is motivated by an excess of electron-like events in the 200–475 MeV energy region as reported by the MiniBooNE experiment. In NOMAD, photons are identified via their conversion to e+e− in an active target embedded in a magnetic field. The background to the single photon signal is dominated by the asymmetric decay of neutral pions produced either in a coherent neutrino–nucleus interaction, or in a neutrino–nucleon neutral current deep inelastic scattering, or in an interaction occurring outside the fiducial volume. All three backgrounds are determined in situ using control data samples prior to opening the 'signal-box'. In the signal region, we observe 155 events with a predicted background of 129.2±8.5±3.3. We interpret this as null evidence for excess of single photon events, and set a limit. Assuming that the hypothetical single photon has a momentum distribution similar to that of a photon from the coherent π0 decay, the measurement yields an upper limit on single photon events, <4.0×10−4 per νμ charged current event. Narrowing the search to events where the photon is approximately collinear with the incident neutrino, we observe 78 events with a predicted background of 76.6±4.9±1.9 yielding a more stringent upper limit, <1.6×10−4 per νμ charged current event.

We present the results of a search for a high-energy axion emission signal from 7Li (0.478 MeV) and D(p,gamma)3He (5.5 MeV) nuclear transitions using a low-background gamma-ray calorimeter during Phase I of the CAST experiment. These so-called "hadronic axions" could provide a solution to the long-standing strong-CP problem and can be emitted from the solar core from nuclear M1 transitions. This is the first such search for high-energy pseudoscalar bosons with couplings to nucleons conducted using a helioscope approach. No excess signal above background was found.

We present a Study of exclusive neutral pion production in neutrino-nucleus Neutral Current interactions using data from the NOMAD experiment at the CERN SPS. The data correspond to 1.44 x 10(6) muon-neutrino Charged Current interactions in the energy range 2.5 <= E-nu <= 300 GeV. Neutrino events with only one visible pi(0) in the final state are expected to result from two Neutral Current processes: coherent pi(0) production, nu + A -> nu + A + pi(0) and single pi(0) production in neutrino-nucleon scattering. The signature of coherent pi(0) production is an emergent pi(0) almost collinear with the incident neutrino while pi(0)'s produced in neutrino-nucleon deep inelastic scattering have larger transverse momenta. In this analysis all relevant backgrounds to the coherent pi(0) production signal are measured using data themselves. Having determined the backgrounds, and using the Rein-Sehgal model for the coherent pi(0) production to compute the detection efficiency, we obtain 4630 +/- 522(stat) +/- 426(syst) corrected coherent-pi(0) events with E-pi 0 >= 0.5 GeV. We measure sigma(nu A -> nu A pi(0)) = 172.6 +/- 8.1 (stat) +/- 6.9(syst)] x 10(-40) cm(2)/nucleus. This is the most precise measurement of the coherent pi(0) production to date. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

We have searched for solar axions or other pseudoscalar particles that couple to two photons by using the CERN Axion Solar Telescope (CAST) setup. Whereas we previously have reported results from CAST with evacuated magnet bores (Phase I), setting limits on lower mass axions, here we report results from CAST where the magnet bores were filled with 4He gas (Phase II) of variable pressure. The introduction of gas generates a refractive photon mass mγ, thereby achieving the maximum possible conversion rate for those axion masses ma that match mγ. With 160 different pressure settings we have scanned ma up to about 0.4 eV, taking approximately 2 h of data for each setting. From the absence of excess x-rays when the magnet was pointing to the Sun, we set a typical upper limit on the axion-photon coupling of gaγ≲2.2 × 10−10 GeV−1 at 95% CL for ma≲0.4 eV, the exact result depending on the pressure setting. The excluded parameter range covers realistic axion models with a Peccei-Quinn scale in the neighborhood of fa ∼ 107 GeV. Currently in the second part of CAST Phase II, we are searching for axions with masses up to about 1.2 eV using 3He as a buffer gas.

We have studied the muon neutrino and antineutrino quasi-elastic (QEL) scattering reactions (ν μ n→μ − p and \(\bar{\nu }_{\mu}p\to\mu^{+}n\)) using a set of experimental data collected by the NOMAD Collaboration. We have performed measurements of the cross-section of these processes on a nuclear target (mainly carbon) normalizing it to the total ν μ (\(\bar{\nu}_{\mu}\)) charged-current cross section. The results for the flux-averaged QEL cross sections in the (anti)neutrino energy interval 3–100 GeV are \(\langle \sigma_{\mathrm{qel}}\rangle_{\nu_{\mu}}=(0.92\pm0.02(\mathrm{stat})\pm0.06(\mathrm{syst}))\times10^{-38}~\mathrm{cm}^{2}\) and \(\langle\sigma_{\mathrm{qel}}\rangle_{\bar{\nu}_{\mu}}=(0.81\pm0.05(\mathrm{stat})\pm0.09(\mathrm{syst}))\times10^{-38}~\mathrm{cm}^{2}\) for neutrino and antineutrino, respectively. The axial mass parameter M A was extracted from the measured quasi-elastic neutrino cross section. The corresponding result is M A =1.05±0.02(stat)±0.06(syst) GeV. It is consistent with the axial mass values recalculated from the antineutrino cross section and extracted from the pure Q 2 shape analysis of the high purity sample of ν μ quasi-elastic 2-track events, but has smaller systematic error and should be quoted as the main result of this work. Our measured M A is found to be in good agreement with the world average value obtained in previous deuterium filled bubble chamber experiments. The NOMAD measurement of M A is lower than those recently published by K2K and MiniBooNE Collaborations. However, within the large errors quoted by these experiments on M A , these results are compatible with the more precise NOMAD value.

We have searched for 14.4 keV solar axions or more general axion-like particles (ALPs), that may be emitted in the M1 nuclear transition of 57Fe, by using the axion-to-photon conversion in the CERN Axion Solar Telescope (CAST) with evacuated magnet bores (Phase I). From the absence of excess of the monoenergetic X-rays when the magnet was pointing to the Sun, we set model-independent constraints on the coupling constants of pseudoscalar particles that couple to two photons and to a nucleon gaγ|−1.19gaN0+gaN3| < 1.36 × 10−16 GeV−1 for ma < 0.03 eV at the 95% confidence level.

The CAST (CERN Axion Solar Telescope) experiment is searching for solar axions by their conversion into photons inside the magnet pipe of an LHC dipole. The analysis of the data recorded during the first phase of the experiment with vacuum in the magnet pipes has resulted in the most restrictive experimental limit on the coupling constant of axions to photons. In the second phase, CAST is operating with a buffer gas inside the magnet pipes in order to extent the sensitivity of the experiment to higher axion masses. We will present the first results on the ^4 He data taking as well as the system upgrades that have been operated in the last year in order to adapt the experiment for the ^3 He data taking. Expected sensitivities on the coupling constant of axions to photons will be given for the recent ^3 He run just started in March 2008.

The ATLAS TRT barrel is a tracking drift chamber using 52,544 individual tubular drift tubes. It is one part of the ATLAS Inner Detector, which consists of three sub-systems: the pixel detector spanning the radius range 4 to 20 cm, the semiconductor tracker (SCT) from 30 to 52 cm, and the transition radiation tracker ( TRT) from 56 to 108 cm. The TRT barrel covers the central pseudo-rapidity region |eta| < 1, while the TRT endcaps cover the forward and backward eta regions. These TRT systems provide a combination of continuous tracking with many measurements in individual drift tubes ( or straws) and of electron identification based on transition radiation from fibers or foils interleaved between the straws themselves. This paper describes the recently-completed construction of the TRT Barrel detector, including the quality control procedures used in the fabrication of the detector.

The ATLAS (A Toroidal LHC ApparatuS) Inner Detector provides charged particle tracking in the centre of the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The Inner Detector consists of three subdetectors: the Pixel Detector, the Semiconductor Tracker (SCT), and the Transition Radiation Tracker (TRT). This paper summarizes the tests that were carried out at the final stage of SCT+TRT integration prior to their installation in ATLAS. The combined operation and performance of the SCT and TRT barrel and endcap detectors was investigated through a series of noise tests, and by recording the tracks of cosmic rays. This was a crucial test of hardware and software of the combined tracker detector systems. The results of noise and cross-talk tests on the SCT and TRT in their final assembled configuration, using final readout and supply hardware and software, are reported. The reconstruction and analysis of the recorded cosmic tracks allowed testing of the offline analysis chain and verification of basic tracker performance parameters, such as efficiency and spatial resolution, in combined operation before installation.

Boydag, Fatma Senel (Dogus Author), Cetin, Serkant Ali (Dogus Author), Hikmet, Iskender (Dogus Author) -- Proceedings of the 34th International Conference in High Energy Physics : (ICHEP08) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 29 - August 5, 2008.

We present a measurement of the muon neutrino–nucleon inclusive charged current cross section, off an isoscalar target, in the neutrino energy range 2.5⩽Eν⩽40GeV. The significance of this measurement is its precision, ±4% in 2.5⩽Eν⩽10GeV, and ±2.6% in 10⩽Eν⩽40GeV regions, where significant uncertainties in previous experiments still exist, and its importance to the current and proposed long baseline neutrino oscillation experiments.

Solar axions can be produced in the Sun via the so-called Primakoff effect. The CERN Axion Solar Telescope (CAST) uses an LHC prototype magnet of about 9 T to reconvert these axions into photons.The magnet is able to follow the Sun for about 3 hours per day. Three different X-Ray detectors are mounted on its ends to detect photons from axion-to-photon conversion: a Time Projection Chamber (TPC), a MICROMEGAS (MICROMEsh GAseous Structure) and a Charge Coupled Device (CCD). For the CCD an X-ray focusing device is used to improve the signal-to-background ratio significantly.With the completion of CAST's first phase, the current limits on the coupling constant ga gamma for axion masses up to 0.02 eV have been improved. In its second phase, CAST extends the axion mass range by filling the magnet with a buffer gas. Masses up to about 0.4 eV have already been covered and thus the experiment is entering the regions favored by axion models. This paper will present the status of CAST's second phase.

The ATLAS TRT end-cap is a tracking drift chamber using 245, 760 individual tubular drift tubes. It is a part of the TRT tracker which consist of th e barrel and two end-caps. The TRT end-caps cover the forward and backward pseudo-rapidity re gion 1.0 < |η | < 2.0, while the TRT barrel centralη region|η | < 1.0. The TRT system provides a combination of continuous track ing with many measurements in individual drift tubes (or straws ) and of electron identification based on transition radiation from fibers or foils interleaved bet w en the straws themselves. Along with other two sub-systems, namely the Pixel detector and Semi Co nductor Tracker (SCT), the TRT constitutes the ATLAS Inner Detector. This paper describes th recently completed and installed TRT end-cap detectors, their design, assembly, integratio n nd the acceptance tests applied during the construction.

The ATLAS TRT end-cap is a tracking drift chamber using 245,760 individual tubular drift tubes. It is a part of the TRT tracker which consist of the barrel and two end-caps. The TRT end-caps cover the forward and backward pseudo-rapidity region 1.0 < vertical bar eta vertical bar < 2.0, while the TRT barrel central eta region vertical bar eta vertical bar < 1.0. The TRT system provides a combination of continuous tracking with many measurements in individual drift tubes ( or straws) and of electron identification based on transition radiation from fibers or foils interleaved between the straws themselves. Along with other two sub-systems, namely the Pixel detector and Semi Conductor Tracker (SCT), the TRT constitutes the ATLAS Inner Detector. This paper describes the recently completed and installed TRT end-cap detectors, their design, assembly, integration and the acceptance tests applied during the construction.

The ATLAS inner detector consists of three sub-systems: the pixel detector spanning the radius range 4cm-20cm, the semiconductor tracker at radii from 30 to 52 cm, and the transition radiation tracker (TRT), tracking from 56 to 107 cm. The TRT provides a combination of continuous tracking with many projective measurements based on individual drift tubes (or straws) and of electron identification based on transition radiation from fibres or foils interleaved between the straws themselves. This paper describes the on and off detector electronics for the TRT as well as the TRT portion of the data acquisition (DAQ) system.

CAST (CERN Axion Solar Telescope) is a helioscope looking for axions coming from the solar core to the Earth. The experiment, located at CERN, is based on the Primakoff effect and uses a magnetic field of 9 Tesla provided by a decommissioned LHC magnet. CAST is able to follow the Sun during sunrise and sunset and therefore three X-ray detectors are mounted on both ends of the magnet waiting for a photon from axion-to-photon conversion due to the Primakoff effect. During its first phase, which concluded in 2004, CAST has been looking for axions with masses up to 0.02 eV. CAST's second phase manages to re-establish the coherence needed to scan for axions with masses up to 1.16 eV by using a buffer gas. This technique enables the experiment to look into the theoretical regions for axions. During the years 2005 and 2006, the use of 4He in CAST has already provided coherence in order to look for axions with masses up to 0.4 eV.

A straw proportional counter is the basic element of the ATLAS Transition Radiation Tracker (TRT). Its detailed properties as well as the main properties of a few TRT operating gas mixtures are described. Particular attention is paid to straw tube performance in high radiation conditions and to its operational stability.

Since the summer of 2005, the vacuum ultra-violet Free-ele ctron LASer in Hamburg (FLASH) has operated as a user facility at the Deutsches Elek tronen-Synchrotron (DESY), delivering ultra-short laser pulses of tens of femtosecond durat ion with a high peak brilliance of up to 1028photons/(smm2 mrad2 0.1%bandwidth). Due to the statistics of the Self-Amplified Spontaneous Emission (SASE) process, each photon pulse differs fr om the previous one in the number of modes per pulse, the wavelength (0 .5% fluctuations) and the intensity, making experiments more complicated. Thus, for certain experiments the detail ed knowledge of the beam properties on a shot-to-shot basis is mandatory. In this paper we descri be an online method to gain spectral information about the individual Free-Electron Laser (FEL) pulses that is based on rare-gas photoionization and photoelectron spectroscopy.

We have started the development of a detector system, sensitive to single photons in the eV energy range, to be suitably coupled to one of the CAST magnet ports. This system should open to CAST a window on possible detection of low energy Axion Like Particles emitted by the sun. Preliminary tests have involved a cooled photomultiplier tube coupled to the CAST magnet via a Galileian telescope and a switched 40 m long optical fiber. This system has reached the limit background level of the detector alone in ideal conditions, and two solar tracking runs have been performed with it at CAST. Such a measurement has never been done before with an axion helioscope. We will present results from these runs and briefly discuss future detector developments.