the future of particle physics at slac: why dusel · in the next 10-15 years underground physics...

Gabriella Sciolla Why SLAC @ DUSEL 1

Gabriella Sciolla

MIT

Outline:

DUSEL: new opportunities in particle physics

Why DUSEL needs SLAC, why SLAC needs DUSEL

My vision of SLAC @ DUSEL

A concrete example: how SLAC can make a difference

Conclusion

SLAC, February 7, 2008

The future of particle physics at SLAC: why DUSEL


Why I am giving this talk

Important disclaimer: I am not an expert inunderground science I started working on Dark Matter experiment ~ 1 year ago

Same background of most people at SLAC High-energy collider physics (B-factory, Z pole e+e-)

Why is underground physics right for us? “Us”: SLAC users community Is physics interesting? Can we contribute effectively? Can we get funding?

My goal: offer an independent point of view on whatrole SLAC could play in the emerging field ofunderground physics


Particle physics is changing Accelerator-based particle physics is becoming less central

to the overall program, especially in the US 1998: SLD, BaBar, Tevatron Run1 --> Run2, KTeV, fixed target

experiments at SLAC and Fermilab… 2008: Tevatron still running ~2010: anything left in the US?

Focus of collider physics will soon be at CERN LHC offers great physics opportunities, but it’s off-shore…

Can the US be home to exciting discoveries in particlephysics in the next 10-15 years? Underground physics offers us a unique chance DUSEL ideal site for many underground experiments


What is DUSEL?

DUSEL = Deep Underground Science and EngineeringLaboratory If built, world-class facility for underground science What Science: Physics, Geology, Biology, Engineering How DEEP: up to 8,000 ft to screen cosmics

Why DUSEL?“A national underground laboratory offers the US some vital scientific

opportunities that will affect a number of important internationalefforts and provide a center in the US for some of the most excitingphysics at the beginning of the 21st century.”

From “Neutrinos and Beyond”

National Research Council Report, 2003

Gabriella Sciolla Why SLAC @ DUSEL 5K. Lesko - DUSEL Town Meeting - Washington, DC - Nov 2007


The physics case is strong

Physics at DUSEL is as fundamental as it gets, and offers acomplementary approach to the same problems SLAC istraditionally interested in

Dark Matter direct detection Pay-off: 24% of the energy budget of the Universe Complementary to searches for LSP at high-energy colliders

CPV in neutrinos and neutrino oscillation The other “Flavor Physics” Maybe the key to matter-anti-matter asymmetry (leptogenesis

instead of baryogenesis)

Neutrinoless double beta decay Are neutrinos Majorana particles? What’s their mass? Majorana <--> Leptogenesis


DUSEL approval process

NSF-led project: Initiated at NSF Town Meeting in March 2004 S1 (awarded in Jan 2005)

Define science scope , organize community

S2 (2 awarded in Sep 2005) Develop conceptual design for sites

S3 Technical design for MREFC for site Major funding: $15M over 3 years Awarded in Sep 2007 to UC Berkeley for Homestake site


Homestake mine in Lead, SD

Located in western South Dakota, in the Black Hills near theWyoming state line.

The town was founded in 1876 after the discovery of gold Homestake mine is the largest, deepest (8240 feet) and one of

World’s most productive gold mine before closing in 2001


The DUSEL site:

Homestake mine in Lead, SD


Next step: experiments S4

Technical design for initial suite of experiments inpreparation for MREFC

Deadline for proposals: end of 2007 Anticipated $15M for Physics over 3 years

Final step to make DUSEL a reality: MREFC Major Research Equipment and Facility Construction

Anticipated ~ $500 M 50% facility, 50% experiments 7-8 years construction period Earliest construction: FY11


Why SLAC needs DUSEL

World-class particle physics Well in line with SLAC’s traditional interests Big overlap with KAVLI: e.g.: Dark Matter

Chance to play a major role in this emerging field Countless reports raved about potential of underground physics

Deep Science, EPP2010, Neutrinos and Beyond, Quantum Universe,…

DUSEL becoming one of US top priority in particle physics Founding will follow

US-lead program on US soil Tevatron will end, LHC is off-shore, ILC looks far,…

Perfect timing Join now to make a difference!


Why DUSEL needs SLAC (1)

Underground physics is evolving…

Example 1: Dark Matter Originally small collaboration O(10) built table-top experiments At DUSEL: large collaborations O(100) will build ton-size detectors

Example 2: Neutrino Physics Today: MINOS ~ size At DUSEL: 100 kton detector for solar neutrinos, long baseline

experiments, nucleon decay (H2O or scintillator)


Why DUSEL needs SLAC (1)

Underground physics is evolving…

Example 1: Dark Matter Originally small collaboration O(10) built table-top experiments At DUSEL: large collaborations O(100) will build ton-size detectors

Example 2: Neutrino Physics Today: MINOS ~ size At DUSEL: 100 kton detector for solar neutrinos, long baseline

experiments, nucleon decay (H2O or scintillator)

SLAC experience in building large detectors andmanaging large collaboration would be invaluable!


Why DUSEL needs SLAC (2) Building detectors on time and on budget is rare to find!

Team of world-class physicists and engineers used to build large detectors Facilities for R&D and construction

Facilities to assemble and test detectors National Lab better suited for large-scale projects

S/W & Computing Initially for MC simulation (GEANT-4), later for analysis

Project management Experience in making large collaboration work (underestimated at the

moment, but it is an issue…) Getting funding in a timely manner

VERY tight schedule to start construction in 2011 MREFC package due by 3/09

Major work is needed to get there R&D to scale detectors up, engineering, planning, reliable cost estimates,..

Having SLAC on board can make this possible


SLAC’s credentials/advantages Well-documented history of stellar achievements in particle physics

2 Nobel Prizes, 40 years of building and operating successful experiments

SLAC has a (big!) foot in the door already Experience and leadership in EXO and CDMS

Proximity to Berkeley/LBL Berkeley won S3 for DUSEL and is now in charge of facility ($15M)

Long history of productive collaboration

Vibrant community of long-time users who may be looking for a new projectafter March 1st Probability(BaBar->LHC) << Probability(CDF-->LHC) Users could use SLAC as their point of entry to DUSEL


Is SLAC’s expertise relevant to DUSEL?

Absolutely! Experience in designing/building large detectors

Technical challenges are a bit different, but no big deal… Computing Project management in large collaborations

Also, being different is an advantage sometimes SLAC expertise nicely complements that of DM community

A success story: EXO group at SLAC Design and construction of the TPC and related electronics Cyrogenics design and support Installation at WIPP of EXO-200 Environmental and safety systems R&D for the full EXO


DOE National Labs at DUSEL

DUSEL is an NSF project Funded through MREFC

Yet, DOE National Labs do/may have primary roles LBNL (mostly nuclear physics) is the driving force behind the

DUSEL proposal as a facility (S3) Fermilab has grand plans for accelerator-based neutrino physics

Already major player, even more if Project X is approved NB: large user base makes Fermilab their point of entry

SLAC? My 2 cents: Capitalize on investment: ββ decay

EXO: Breidenbach’s group at SLAC, Gratta’s group at Stanford Diversify: Dark Matter

CDMS: proximity to Stanford Space for more than one group/technology in DM!


My vision of SLAC @ DUSEL

Strong SLAC contingent working on DUSEL experiments 2-3 SLAC groups will join experiments at DUSEL

Large groups, but not too large Each group will address a different physics topic

Variety is important to enrich physics portfolio Synergy among the various efforts

Common technical issues allow to share equipment & expertise

SLAC should also act as a user facility for DUSEL Offer infrastructures to university-based groups in R&D phase

E.g: test radioactivity of materials Natural choice to assemble and test detectors before installation

Clean-rooms essential for any detector component at DUSEL Larger modules need high-bay, cranes, etc


What projects?

Physics interest dictates the choice! For sure MANY options!

My favorite: Dark Matter Goal: reach 10-46 cm2/nucleon, 1-10 tonn fiducial mass Many techniques on the market: a creative environment!

L Xe TPC (a la Xenon 10) L Ar TPC (a la WARP) L Ar/Ne single phase (DEEP/CLEAN) Cryo Ge (a la CDMS) Bubble chamber (a la COUPP) Directional gaseous detector (a la DM-TPC)

It pays to use different technologies and materials SD or SI interactions? Does σ~A2?


More options: neutrino physics

Neutrino-less ββ decay Different approaches:

136Xe in large TPC (EXO)

Ge arrays at cryogenic temperature (Majorana) Scale: 100 kg (now) --> tonn (DUSEL)

Long baseline neutrino oscillation/proton decay This will be a HUGE detector:

100 kton scale detectors : LAr and H20 Fermilab’s main interest for the future: “Project X”

Covered?


Example of how SLAC could make a difference:

DM-TPC: directional DM detection Low-pressure CF4 TPC with optical readout Goals: directionality, Spin-Dependent interactions


Progress so far

Proved detector concept, observed head-tail effect

Small collaboration: 15 people from Boston University, Brandies, and MIT

NIM A584:327-333,2008

α stopping in CF4 F recoil due to n from 252Cf


Great potential: SLAC could make this happen!

Full scale module in the works Volume: 4 m3

Mass 1-2 Kg (P=50-100 torr) 1 year underground:

350-700 kg-day SIMPLE/PICASSO 2 Kg-day CDMS 34(12) Kg-day for Ge(Si)

Expected limits on σSD ~ 10-37

Very competitive!

Much work needed R&D for full scale prototype Scale up to large detector


Conclusion

In the next 10-15 years underground physics can yieldimportant discoveries in particle physics Dark Matter, CP violation in neutrinos, ββ decays, p decay…

With DUSEL the US is in a position to lead this emergingfield of particle physics Necessary for DOE and NSF to keep operating at present level

SLAC can be a major player at DUSEL Experience in building and managing large experiments is key: still

rare in underground physics world SLAC’s expertise complements that of current DM community:

strength not weakness!

DUSEL can become an essential part of SLAC’s future Rich physics program well matched to interests and expertise of

the lab and its users


SUSEL: early physics at DUSEL

Sanford Lab

K. Lesko


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