T2K Theta-13 oscillation experiment
Oxford are a collaborator in the T2K neutrino oscillation experiment in which accelerator neutrinos are produced at J-PARC, Tokai on the South-East coast of Japan and directed westward towards the pre-existing SuperKamiokande experiment. There are three possible species or 'flavours' of neutrinos and it has been established that the flavour of the neutrino can change or 'oscillate' as the particle moves. This phenomenon of neutrino oscillation is a quantum mechanical effect. Two of the three possible ways in which the flavours can change have large probabilities and have both been observed. The third way, the as yet unobserved 'theta-13 oscillation' corresponds to the appearance of electron-type neutrinos at specific distances along the path of a muon-type neutrino beam.
The T2K experiment has been designed specifically for this measurement. Using measurements of the mass differences between the neutrinos measured by SuperK atmospheric neutrinos, and both K2K and MINOS accelerator experiments, T2K has been designed to maximise the probability of electron-neutrino appearance. The SuperK Water Cerenkov detector is ideal for detecting electron neutrino events and distinguishing them from the backgrounds associated with pi-0 production (pi-0s can be produced in any type of neutrino interaction and give events with two electromagnetic showers from the photons whereas real electron-neutrino events have one electromagnetic shower).
The T2K configuration is also optimal to produce a very accurate measurement of the 'atmoshperic' neutrino oscillation parameters (from the change from muon-neutrinos to tau-neutrinos).
A near detector is being operated with the capability of accurately determining the neutrino interaction characteristics (beam flux, cross section measurements, details of the configurations of final state particles in a neutrino interaction) so that the signal in the far detector can be interpreted correctly.
For further information on T2K, please follow these links:
| T2K.org site ND280 near detector T2KUK site |
| J-PARC KEK Super Kamiokande |
| The other UK collaborating institutes are Imperial, Lancaster, Liverpool, QMUL, RAL/Daresbury, Sheffield and Warwick |
The UK have provided the electromagnetic lead/scintillator calorimeter at the near detector, part of the beamline and the electronics and data aquisition system for the majority of the near detectors. During the construction phase, the activities of Oxford were centered around the data acquisition system for the near detectors which we work on with the group from RAL. The main parts of the DAQ were first commissioned in 2009 with ongoing adaptation as the experiment runs. We are also heavily involved in the detector calibration. The experiment started running data in 2009 and we have had a successful first run to the end of June 2010. The next run is November 2010 to June 2011.
The Oxford T2K group is eager for PhD students to join. Most of the effort for the PhD (known as a D.Phil in Oxford) will be centered around a physics analysis. There are two main oscillation analyses, one involving the search for electron type neutrinos in what started off as an (almost) pure muon-neutrino beam, the other involving the precise measurement of the oscillation parameters from the disappearance of muon neutrinos as they oscillate to tau-type neutrinos. The Oxford group is looking at key aspects of both of these analyses and a D.Phil student will look at some of these aspects in detail. As an example, one of the most interesting parts of the experiment is to predict in what way the measurements at the near detector must be adjusted or 'extrapolated' to predict precisely what should be seen in the far detector. Our group also works on the MINOS oscillation experiment and we have experience in the beam extrapolation and many other aspects of MINOS which we can try to adapt for T2K and improve on. There will also be the opportunity to do work on the detector (in particular the DAQ during an extended stay in Japan for one of the long runs) and/or calibration and/or some other essential service tasks for the collaboration.
Current Oxford members of the Collaboration
Academics
Students
Professionals
Giles Barr*
Rebekah Smith
Martin Haigh
Alfons Weber**,***
Abbey Waldron
Zachary Williamson Thomas Dealtry***
* g.barr1 - at - physics.ox.ac.uk
**a.weber1 - at - physics.ox.ac.uk
*** Also at RAL
Return to Oxford Neutrino page.
(Last modified 01-Nov-2010 by G.Barr)