Professor Dr.rer.nat. Dipl.Phys. Alfons Weber FInstP, MA Ox

Abstract:

The rate of high energy cosmic ray muons as measured underground is shown to be strongly correlated with upper-air temperatures during short-term atmospheric (10-day) events. The effects are seen by correlating data from the MINOS underground detector and temperatures from the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts during the winter periods from 2003-2007. This effect provides an independent technique for the measurement of meteorological conditions and presents a unique opportunity to measure both short and long-term changes in this important part of the atmosphere. Copyright 2009 by the American Geophysical Union.

Abstract:

This report summarises the conclusions from the detector group of the International Scoping Study of a future Neutrino Factory and Super-Beam neutrino facility. The baseline detector options for each possible neutrino beam are defined as follows: A very massive (Megaton) water Cherenkov detector is the baseline option for a sub-GeV Beta Beam and Super Beam facility. There are a number of possibilities for either a Beta Beam or Super Beam (SB) medium energy facility between 1-5 GeV. These include a totally active scintillating detector (TASD), a liquid argon TPC or a water Cherenkov detector. A 100 kton magnetized iron neutrino detector (MIND) is the baseline to detect the wrong sign muon final states (golden channel) at a high energy (20-50 GeV) neutrino factory from muon decay. A 10 kton hybrid neutrino magnetic emulsion cloud chamber detector for wrong sign tau detection (silver channel) is a possible complement to MIND, if one needs to resolve degeneracies that appear in the δ- θ13 parameter space. © 2009 IOP Publishing Ltd and SISSA.

Abstract:

MINOS is a long baseline neutrino oscillation experiment. Protons from the Fermilab main injector are used to generate an intense muon neutrino beam, which is directed at the Soudan underground laboratory in Northern Minnesota. The result from two years of running with a total exposure of 2.5 × 10 20 protons on target from the NuMI beam is reported. We made a preliminary measurement by comparing the event rate and energy spectra of charge current muon neutrino interactions in the two detectors, which are 1 and 735 km from the neutrino production target. The data is consistent with νμ to ντ oscillation in the so-called atmospheric parameter range with Δm2 = (2.38+0.20-0.16) * 10-3eV2 and sin2 2θ = 1-0.08. Copyright © 2008, by INFN.