Candidate electron neutrino decay event

Neutrinos Group

Neutrinos Group
The neutrino physics group at IFAE studies the neutrino sector of the Standard Model, with the ultimate goal to understand the fundamental phenomena that have produced the observed asymmetry between matter and antimatter in the universe.
Th group is led by T. Lux
The T2K experiment in Japan
The group had a leading role in the construction of the near detector TPC for the T2K experiment in Japan. T2K data have provided the most precise measurement of antineutrino oscillation parameters and the first indication of CP violation in neutrino oscillations, recently published in Nature.
IFAE contributed to the analysis of the near detector in several aspects: from electron neutrino background determination to the development of the basic data selection of muon neutrino interactions. For many years, IFAE has had a member in the Executive Committee of the collaboration. As a result of these contributions to T2K, nine current and past members of the IFAE neutrino group were awarded the 2016 Breakthrough Prize on Fundamental Physics, together with other groups that have shaped the understanding of neutrino oscillations during the last decades.
Inside of the Super-Kamiokande Detector Credit: Kamioka Observatory, ICRR (Institute for Cosmic Ray Research), The University of Tokyo
Future generation of neutrino long baseline experiments
A significant improvement in CP measurements will be achieved in the T2K-II phase, which includes an upgrade of the beam and the near detector of T2K, ND280. The IFAE group plays a key role in the upgrade, with T. Lux being co-leader of the ND280 upgrade, which is a step towards the future generation of long baseline experiments, DUNE in USA and HyperK in Japan, as the upgraded ND280 will serve as the first near detector for HyperK.
The neutrino group has also been involved in the design and construction of the protoDUNE-DP detector at CERN, which explored the possibility to use a liquid argon dual-phase time projection chamber as far detector for DUNE. For this prototype the IFAE group, together with the CIEMAT group, provided the photon detection system, based on 40 PMTs. In addition, the IFAE group played a key role in the overall installation and commissioning of the detector at CERN.
Inside the first ProtoDUNE detector, before it was filled with liquid argon Credit: CERN
Group Members
Neutrinos Group
Staff Researcher
Matteo Cavalli-Sforza
Thorsten Lux
PhD Student
César Jesús-Valls
Danaisis Vargas
International Collaborations
Neutrinos Group
T2K
T2K
T2K is a neutrino experiment designed to investigate how neutrinos change from one flavour to another as they travel (neutrino oscillations).
J-Parc (Tokai), Super-Kamiokande (Kamioka), Japan
Website
Research Projects
Neutrinos Group
Selected Publications
Neutrinos Group
- Belver et al.
  A light calibration system for the ProtoDUNE-DP detector
  Journal Of Instrumentation. 14 (T04001): (2019) [DOI] [arXiv]
- Lux et al.
  Charge and light production in the charge readout system of a dual phase LAr TPC
  Journal Of Instrumentation. 14 (P03006): (2019) [DOI] [arXiv]
- Aimard, B et al.
  A 4 tonne demonstrator for large-scale dual-phase liquid argon time projection chambers
  Journal Of Instrumentation. 13 (P11003): (2018) [DOI] [arXiv]
- Belver, D et al.
  Cryogenic R5912-20Mod photomultiplier tube characterization for the ProtoDUNE dual phase detector
  Journal Of Instrumentation. 13 (T10006): (2018) [DOI] [arXiv]
- Abe, K et al.
  Measurement of inclusive double-differential nu(mu) charged-current cross section with improved acceptance in the T2K off-axis near detector
  Physical Review d. 98 (1): (2018) [DOI] [arXiv]
- Alvarez-Ruso, L et al.
  NuSTEC White Paper: Status and challenges of neutrino-nucleus scattering
  Progress In Particle And Nuclear Physics. 1001-68 (2018) [DOI] [arXiv]
- Abe K et al.
  Measurement of neutrino and antineutrino oscillations by the T2K experiment including a new additional sample of ve interactions at the far detector
  Physical Review d. 96 (9): (2017) [DOI] [arXiv]
- Leyton, Michael et al.
  Exploring the hidden interior of the Earth with directional neutrino measurements
  Nature Communications. 8 (15989): 15989- (2017) [DOI] [arXiv]
- Abe K et al.
  Measurements of neutrino oscillation in appearance and disappearance channels by the T2K experiment with 6.6 × 1020protons on target
  Physical Review d. 91 (7): (2015) [DOI] [arXiv]
- Abe K et al.
  Search for short baseline νe disappearance with the T2K near detector
  Physical Review d. 91 (5): (2015) [DOI] [arXiv]
- Lux, T et al.
  Development and characterization of a multi-APD xenon electroluminescence TPC
  Journal Of Instrumentation. 10 (P03008): (2015) [DOI] [arXiv]
Instrumentation Projects
Neutrinos Group
ND280
ND280 near detector (T2K)
The neutrinos group plays a key role in the upgrade, with T. Lux being co-leader of the ND280 upgrade, which is a step towards the future generation of long baseline experiments, DUNE in USA and HyperK in Japan, as the upgraded ND280 will serve as the first near detector for HyperK.
Protodune DP
The neutrino group has also been involved in the design and construction of the protoDUNE-DP detector at CERN, which explored the possibility to use a liquid argon dual-phase time projection chamber as far detector for DUNE.
Group Highlights
Highlight
T2K Results Restrict Possible Values of Neutrino CP Phase
April 15, 2020
The T2K Collaboration has published in Nature new results showing the strongest constraint yet on the parameter that governs the breaking of the symmetry between matter and antimatter in neutrino oscillations.
Highlight
First particle tracks seen in prototype for international neutrino experiment
September 18, 2018
The largest liquid-argon neutrino detector in the world has just recorded its first particle tracks, signaling the start of a new chapter in the story of the international Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE).
Highlight
T2K presents hint of CP violation by neutrinos
August 4, 2017
The international T2K Collaboration strengthened its previous hint that the symmetry between matter and antimatter may be violated for neutrino oscillation. A preliminary analysis of T2K’s latest data rejects the hypothesis that neutrinos and antineutrinos oscillate with the same probability at 95% confidence (2σ) level
Group News
New Position
Thorsten Lux elected as member of the Executive Committee of T2K
November 3, 2021
Thorsten Lux has been elected as one of the 4 international members of the Executive Committee of T2K.
Milestone
IFAE accepted as new member in the Hyer-Kamiokande Collaboration
September 8, 2021
The Hyer-Kamiokande Collaboration accepted IFAE as a new member. HyperK is one of the next generation long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiments.
Conference
International Conference on Technology and Instrumentation in Particle Physics
May 26, 2021
Thorsten Lux gave a talk about the ND280 Upgrade and Cesar Jesus-Valls ptesented a poster related to the scintillator tracker (SuperFGD) at TIPP2021 on 24-28 May 2021
Conference
141st Meeting of the SPSC
April 7, 2021
On the 13th of April, the open session of the 141st meeting of the SPSC will take place remotely, Thorsten Lux will present the status and plans of the project NP07: The Upgrade of the ND280 Detector.
Publication
New Neutrinos group Publication
March 3, 2021
“Study of scintillation light collection, production and propagation in a 4 tonne dual-phase LArTPC ” which is based on the light detection system provided by CIEAMT/IFAE. The 4 tonne detector was the prototype stage before the 700 tonne protoDUNE-DP detector for which CIEMAT/IFAE also provided the PMTs.
Publication
New Neutrinos Group Publication
February 27, 2021
“Graph neural network for 3D classification of ambiguities and optical crosstalk in scintillator-based neutrino detectors” has been published in Phys. Rev. D 103, 032005. The publication is part of the PhD thesis of Sebastian Pina-Otey, an industrial PhD student of IFAE and Grupo AIA and is related to the ND280 Upgrade project.