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2. Underground radioactivity measurements of meteorites:Development of methods suitable to determine precise terrestrial age of recent falls

Author

Zbigniew Tymiński, Mikael Hult, Agata M. Krzesińska, Katarzyna Tymińska, Guillaume Lutter, Paweł Saganowski, Gerd Marissens, Heiko Stroh, Agnieszka Burakowska, Tomasz Ziemek, Marcin Stachowicz, and Ahmed El-Mallul

Subjects
Radiation, Ultra-low background gamma-spectrometry, Cosmogenic radionuclides, Meteorites
Abstract

The L6 chondritic meteorite, HaH-346, fell in Libya. However, neither the exact date of the fall nor the exact size of the original meteoroid or asteroid is known. A specimen of the meteorite, weighing 488 g, was measured using ultra low-background gamma-ray spectrometry in the 225 m deep underground facility HADES. Activation products 22Na, 26Al, 60Co, 57Co, 54Mn and 44Ti were detected. The detection efficiency was determined by 3D scanning the meteorite and introducing this in the computer model of the detector and sample implemented in the MCNP6.2 Monte Carlo code. The activities of 22Na and 26Al support the hypothesis that the fall took place on 26 August 2018. Furthermore, the 60Co and 26Al activities indicate that the original radius of meteoroid was between 50 and 80 cm, which suggests the mass prior to atmospheric entry was between 2400 and 7300 kg.

Published
2023

3. APMP supplementary international comparison of activity measurement of Cs-134 and Cs-137 in brown rice

Author

Akira Yunoki, Tsutomu Miura, Yasushi Sato, Pi-Fen Lee, Mikael Hult, Faidra Tzika, Guillaume Lutter, Gerd Marissens, Jong-Man Lee, K B Lee, Svetlana Nour, Jerome La Rosa, Jun Saegusa, Thongchai Soodprasert, Hermawan Candra, null Holnisar, Pujadi Marsoem, Gatot Wurdiyanto, Shioka Hamamatsu, and Mayumi Hachinohe

Subjects
General Engineering
Abstract

Main text The supplementary international comparison of activity measurement of Cs-134 and Cs-137 in brown rice (APMP.RI(II)-S3.Cs-134.Cs-137) was carried out within the framework of the Asia-Pacific Metrology Programme (APMP). The matrix of the sample was brown rice grain harvested in autumn 2011, after the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. No spiking was applied to the sample. Eight institutes reported their measurement results. Averages of the reported results and their associated uncertainties were obtained using the power-moderated mean. This report describes the supplemental comparison reference value, the degree of equivalence of the results, the procedure of the comparison and the sample preparation and measurements by the participants. To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database https://www.bipm.org/kcdb/. The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCRI, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).

Published
2023

5. Measurement of absolute γ-ray emission probabilities in the decay of 227Ac in equilibrium with its progeny

Author

Alfred Morgenstern, Aldo Fazio, Sylvie Pierre, Frank Bruchertseifer, Guillaume Lutter, R. Van Ammel, M. Marouli, Pavel Dryak, P. Carconi, Mikael Hult, Stefaan Pommé, Fazio, A., and Carconi, P.

Subjects
Radiation, Materials science, Decay data, 227Th, Drop (liquid), Analytical chemistry, Solid angle, γ-ray intensities, 010403 inorganic & nuclear chemistry, Mass spectrometry, 01 natural sciences, 030218 nuclear medicine & medical imaging, 0104 chemical sciences, 03 medical and health sciences, 0302 clinical medicine, 227Ac, Evaluated data, γ-ray spectrometry, Nuclide, 223Ra, γ ray spectrometry
Abstract

The emission probabilities of γ rays produced in the 227Ac decay series were determined by high-resolution γ-ray spectrometry of sources with standardised activity. The sources were prepared quantitatively on glass discs by drop deposition of a solution with 227Ac in radioactive equilibrium with its daughter nuclides. Their activity was measured by a primary standardisation technique based on alpha-particle counting at a defined low solid angle. Four laboratories performed γ-ray spectrometry and derived absolute γ-ray intensities. Mean values were calculated and compared with literature data and the currently recommended evaluated data. New values on certain γ-ray emission probabilities are proposed. © 2018 The Authors

Published
2019

6. A reply to the rebuttal by Sturrock et al

Author

S. Pommé, Karsten Kossert, Guillaume Lutter, Ole Nähle, and M. Marouli

Subjects
Physics, COSMIC cancer database, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Solar neutrino, Rebuttal, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrophysics, Solar irradiance, 01 natural sciences, Physics::Space Physics, 0103 physical sciences, Astrophysics::Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, Solar rotation, High Energy Physics::Experiment, Astrophysics::Earth and Planetary Astrophysics, Neutrino, 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, Radioactive decay
Abstract

Sturrock et al. have published a “rebuttal” to a paper by Pomme et al. who refuted their claim that variations in a radon decay experiment at the Geological Survey of Israel (GSI) can be associated with solar rotation. Sturrock et al. misinterpret the variability of the decay rates in the gamma counter to assert influences by solar and cosmic neutrinos on beta decay and draw unsubstantiated conclusions about solar dynamics. Evidence suggests that the radon measurements were susceptible to solar irradiance and rainfall, whereas there is no indication that radioactive decay is influenced by the solar neutrino flux. In this reply to the rebuttal, the arguments raised by Sturrock et al. are scrutinised.

Published
2019

7. Calibration of the Gerda experiment

Author

T. Wester, A.A. Smolnikov, E. V. Demidova, J. Janicskó Csáthy, C. Cattadori, Anna Julia Zsigmond, Kai Zuber, A. V. Veresnikova, D. R. Zinatulina, A. Chernogorov, R. Hiller, T. Comellato, S. Belogurov, I. Zhitnikov, R. Mingazheva, B. Schwingenheuer, C. Bauer, P. Krause, Igor Nemchenok, Stefano Riboldi, L. Shtembari, Bela Majorovits, I. V. Kirpichnikov, Paolo Piseri, J. Huang, O.I. Kochetov, Mikael Hult, M. Misiaszek, M. Miloradovic, Laura Baudis, M. Fomina, S. Hemmer, J. Hakenmüller, G. R. Araujo, S. Schönert, A. M. Gangapshev, C. Vignoli, A. Garfagnini, M. Schütt, Werner Hofmann, O. Schulz, R. Kneißl, I. R. Barabanov, L. Manzanillas, C. Gooch, S. V. Zhukov, Josef Jochum, A. Lubashevskiy, Y. Kermaïdic, K. N. Gusev, V. D'Andrea, K. T. Knöpfle, Ivano Lippi, D. Stukov, Allen Caldwell, C. Wiesinger, V. I. Gurentsov, M. Balata, M. Shirchenko, R. Brugnera, L. B. Bezrukov, K. von Sturm, Bayarto Lubsandorzhiev, V. B. Brudanin, E. Bossio, A. A. Vasenko, E. Shevchik, V. V. Kazalov, V. V. Kuzminov, L. V. Inzhechik, A. Pullia, Franz Dieter Fischer, E. Doroshkevich, Matteo Agostini, F. Salamida, Cinzia Sada, B. Zatschler, M. M. Wojcik, W. Maneschg, E. A. Yanovich, E. Bellotti, M. Schwarz, C. Ransom, Hardy Simgen, G. Zuzel, L. Pertoldi, A.-K. Schütz, N. Di Marco, M. Junker, Manfred Lindner, O. Selivanenko, C. Macolino, M. Laubenstein, V. N. Kornoukhov, V. Bothe, K. Pelczar, Alessandro Bettini, Y. Müller, Guillaume Lutter, A. M. Bakalyarov, Jochen Schreiner, Th. Kihm, V. Biancacci, H. Khushbakht, P. Moseev, Luciano Pandola, L. Rauscher, A. A. Klimenko, A. Zschocke, N. Rumyantseva, P. Grabmayr, and GERDA Collaboration

Subjects
Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous), Regular Article - Experimental Physics, Physics::Instrumentation and Detectors, chemistry.chemical_element, FOS: Physical sciences, Germanium, Electron, QC770-798, Astrophysics, 01 natural sciences, Standard Model, Nuclear physics, Nuclear and particle physics. Atomic energy. Radioactivity, 0103 physical sciences, Calibration, Nuclear Experiment (nucl-ex), 010306 general physics, Nuclear Experiment, Engineering (miscellaneous), Physics, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Resolution (electron density), Detector, Instrumentation and Detectors (physics.ins-det), Semiconductor detector, QB460-466, chemistry, GERDA - Abteilung Hinton, High Energy Physics::Experiment, Energy (signal processing)
Abstract

The GERmanium Detector Array (GERDA) collaboration searched for neutrinoless double-$\beta$ decay in $^{76}$Ge with an array of about 40 high-purity isotopically-enriched germanium detectors. The experimental signature of the decay is a monoenergetic signal at Q$_{\beta\beta}$ = 2039.061(7)keV in the measured summed energy spectrum of the two emitted electrons. Both the energy reconstruction and resolution of the germanium detectors are crucial to separate a potential signal from various backgrounds, such as neutrino-accompanied double-$\beta$ decays allowed by the Standard Model. The energy resolution and stability were determined and monitored as a function of time using data from regular $^{228}$Th calibrations. In this work, we describe the calibration process and associated data analysis of the full GERDA dataset, tailored to preserve the excellent resolution of the individual germanium detectors when combining data over several years., Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures

Published
2021

8. Final Results of GERDA on the Search for Neutrinoless Double-ß Decay

Author

V. I. Gurentsov, Bayarto Lubsandorzhiev, A. Lubashevskiy, T. Wester, A. A. Vasenko, A.A. Smolnikov, J. Huang, O.I. Kochetov, J. Janicskó Csáthy, R. Mingazheva, C. Cattadori, Anna Julia Zsigmond, Kai Zuber, A. M. Gangapshev, B. Schwingenheuer, R. Brugnera, V. V. Kuzminov, Matteo Agostini, V. V. Kazalov, O. Schulz, E. Doroshkevich, Franz Dieter Fischer, A.-K. Schütz, I. Zhitnikov, I. V. Kirpichnikov, Werner Hofmann, N. Di Marco, Paolo Piseri, G. R. Araujo, D. R. Zinatulina, A. Lazzaro, D. Stukov, M. Schwarz, M. Miloradovic, Allen Caldwell, A. Garfagnini, W. Maneschg, S. Schönert, Josef Jochum, E. A. Yanovich, M. Balata, C. Bauer, Stefano Riboldi, L. Shtembari, F. Salamida, Manfred Lindner, V.B. Brudanin, C. Ransom, Hardy Simgen, I. R. Barabanov, V. D'Andrea, C. Gooch, S. V. Zhukov, P. Krause, Igor Nemchenok, Mikael Hult, K. Panas, K. von Sturm, Bela Majorovits, K. N. Gusev, J. Hakenmüller, M. Misiaszek, R. Kneißl, K. T. Knöpfle, L. Manzanillas, E. V. Demidova, T. Comellato, L. Pertoldi, S. Hemmer, Y. Kermaïdic, Laura Baudis, A. Pullia, G. Zuzel, O. Selivanenko, S. Belogurov, Ivano Lippi, C. Wiesinger, A. V. Veresnikova, M. Shirchenko, A. Chernogorov, M. Fomina, R. Hiller, E. Bossio, M. Schütt, D. Borowicz, L. V. Inzhechik, Cinzia Sada, B. Zatschler, P. Grabmayr, Alessandro Bettini, Y. Müller, C. Macolino, V. Bothe, V. N. Kornoukhov, K. Pelczar, M. Junker, C. Vignoli, Guillaume Lutter, A. M. Bakalyarov, L. Rauscher, A. Zschocke, Jochen Schreiner, V. Biancacci, L. B. Bezrukov, E. Shevchik, M. M. Wojcik, E. Bellotti, Th. Kihm, H. Khushbakht, P. Moseev, Luciano Pandola, A. A. Klimenko, N. Rumyantseva, M. Laubenstein, and GERDA collaboration

Subjects
Physics, Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, Signal region, General Physics and Astronomy, chemistry.chemical_element, Germanium, 7. Clean energy, 01 natural sciences, Cosmology, High Energy Physics - Experiment, 3. Good health, Semiconductor detector, Nuclear physics, chemistry, GE-76, 0103 physical sciences, GERDA - Abteilung Hinton, Liquid argon, Beta (velocity), SHAPE, High Energy Physics::Experiment, Sensitivity (control systems), 010306 general physics, Nuclear Experiment, Diode
Abstract

The GERmanium Detector Array (GERDA) experiment searched for the lepton-number-violating neutrinoless double-$\beta$ ($0\nu\beta\beta$) decay of $^{76}$Ge, whose discovery would have far-reaching implications in cosmology and particle physics. By operating bare germanium diodes, enriched in $^{76}$Ge, in an active liquid argon shield, GERDA achieved an unprecedently low background index of $5.2\times10^{-4}$ counts/(keV$\cdot$kg$\cdot$yr) in the signal region and met the design goal to collect an exposure of 100 kg$\cdot$yr in a background-free regime. When combined with the result of Phase I, no signal is observed after 127.2 kg$\cdot$yr of total exposure. A limit on the half-life of $0\nu\beta\beta$ decay in $^{76}$Ge is set at $T_{1/2}>1.8\times10^{26}$ yr at 90% C.L., which coincides with the sensitivity assuming no signal., Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Physical Review Letters

Published
2020

9. Decay scheme ofV50

Author

D.V. Kasperovych, V. I. Tretyak, O. G. Polischuk, Guillaume Lutter, Gerd Marissens, V. R. Klavdiienko, F.A. Danevich, and Mikael Hult

Subjects
Physics, Decay scheme, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Electron capture, 0103 physical sciences, Atomic physics, 010306 general physics, 01 natural sciences
Abstract

Investigation of the $^{50}\mathrm{V}$ electron-capture to the ${2}^{+}$ 1553.8 keV level of $^{50}\mathrm{Ti}$ and search for ${\ensuremath{\beta}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ decay of $^{50}\mathrm{V}$ to the ${2}^{+}$ 783.3 keV level of $^{50}\mathrm{Cr}$ (both those decays are fourfold forbidden with $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}{J}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}\ensuremath{\pi}}={4}^{+}$) have been performed using a vanadium sample of natural isotopic abundance with mass of 955 g. The measurements were conducted with the help of an ultralow-background HPGe-detector system located 225 m underground in the laboratory HADES (Belgium). The measured value of the half-life of $^{50}\mathrm{V}$ for electron capture was ${T}_{1/2}^{\mathrm{EC}}=(2.{77}_{\ensuremath{-}0.19}^{+0.20})\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{17}$ yr. The ${\ensuremath{\beta}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$-decay branch was not detected and the corresponding lower bound of the half-life was ${T}_{1/2}^{\ensuremath{\beta}}\ensuremath{\ge}8.9\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{18}$ yr at the 90% confidence level.

Published
2020

10. The IEC 63047 Standard for Data Transmission in Radiological and Nuclear Robotics Applications

Author

Guillaume Lutter, Jan Paepen, Frank E. Schneider, Francisco Garcia Rosas, and Dennis Wildermuth

Subjects
0209 industrial biotechnology, SIMPLE (military communications protocol), Computer science, business.industry, computer.internet_protocol, Interface (computing), Robotics, 02 engineering and technology, 020901 industrial engineering & automation, Data acquisition, GNSS applications, 0202 electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering, 020201 artificial intelligence & image processing, Artificial intelligence, Abstract Syntax Notation One, business, computer, Decoding methods, Computer hardware, Data transmission
Abstract

IEC 63047 is a recently introduced binary standard for so-called list-mode data acquisition, which is applicable to data files and streams. The standard is specified using Abstract Syntax Notation One (ASN.1). The format supports various types of time-stamped data and can be used in a wide range of applications involving radiation detection and measurement. It may also be used to represent data from other sensors than radiation detectors and supports positioning data from Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). The standard has a wide potential for CBRNE detection equipment, including robotics. To facilitate the use of the standard, an open-source solution for encoding and decoding IEC 63047 messages has been implemented and tested. In addition, a simple demonstration device was developed from off-the-shelf components. For a better use with unmanned robot systems, a soft-ware interface between IEC 63047 and the Robot Operating System (ROS) was implemented. This paper describes the newly established standard and the demonstration device, and discusses its performance with respect to fulfilling the requirements of the standard and its applicability to typical field conditions for robotics in radiological and nuclear (RN) applications.

Published
2020

11. The cross-sections for the $$^{187}$$Re(n,p)$$^{187}$$W and $$^{185}$$Re(n,3n)$$^{183}$$Re reactions in the energy range between 13.08 MeV and 19.50 MeV

Author

N. Jovančević, Mikael Hult, S. Ilić, Stephan Oberstedt, H. Stroh, C. Bonaldi, F.-J. Hambsch, L. Daraban, D. Knežević, Guillaume Lutter, W. Geerts, Gerd Marissens, and Marzio Vidali

Subjects
Nuclear reaction, Physics, Nuclear physics, Nuclear and High Energy Physics, Range (particle radiation), Hadron, Evaluated data, Nuclear fusion, Neutron, Energy (signal processing), Neutron temperature
Abstract

Using the NAXSUN technique developed at the JRC-Geel, the cross section functions for the neutron induced reactions $$^{187}$$ Re(n,p) $$^{187}$$ W and $$^{185}$$ Re(n,3n) $$^{183}$$ Re have been measured in the energy range between 13.08 MeV and 19.5 MeV. These data are the first experimentally obtained values for those nuclear reactions in this neutron energy range. Obtained results have been compared with existing evaluated data from ENDF/B-VII 0, JEFF 3.3, JEFF 3.2, BROND 3.1, JEF - 2.2, JENDL, ROSFO ND-2010, TENDL-2017, EAF-2010, FENDL-3.1c. The TALYS 1.9 and EMPIRE 3.2.3 calculations were performed using different available models and calculations using several semi-empirical existing formulas. A comparison between theoretical model calculations and experimental results was made.

Published
2020

12. First Search for Bosonic Superweakly Interacting Massive Particles with Masses up to 1 MeV/c2 with GERDA

Author

K. Panas, M. M. Wojcik, V. N. Kornoukhov, K. Pelczar, A.-K. Schütz, E. Bellotti, L. B. Bezrukov, E. Shevchik, N. Di Marco, Alessandro Bettini, Manfred Lindner, W. Maneschg, Guillaume Lutter, A. M. Bakalyarov, E. A. Yanovich, T. Wester, A.A. Smolnikov, O.I. Kochetov, Laura Baudis, C. Cattadori, Anna Julia Zsigmond, V. G. Egorov, Kai Zuber, R. Brugnera, O. Selivanenko, R. Mingazheva, Th. Kihm, M. Balata, A. A. Vasenko, V. V. Kuzminov, Matteo Agostini, L. Rauscher, B. Schwingenheuer, M. Junker, Werner Hofmann, V. I. Gurentsov, A. Zschocke, V. Bothe, Paolo Piseri, Allen Caldwell, A. M. Gangapshev, E. Doroshkevich, I. V. Kirpichnikov, H. Khushbakht, P. Moseev, Jochen Schreiner, P. Grabmayr, Luciano Pandola, Bayarto Lubsandorzhiev, L. V. Inzhechik, C. Vignoli, A. Lazzaro, M. Miloradovic, K. von Sturm, A. A. Klimenko, L. Pertoldi, M. Schwarz, A. Garfagnini, O. Schulz, A. Pullia, K. N. Gusev, A. Lubashevskiy, N. Rumyantseva, K. T. Knöpfle, C. Macolino, Cinzia Sada, V.B. Brudanin, C. Ransom, Hardy Simgen, B. Zatschler, I. R. Barabanov, C. Gooch, R. Kneißl, S. V. Zhukov, Josef Jochum, S. Schönert, V. V. Kazalov, Franz Dieter Fischer, T. Comellato, M. Laubenstein, A. V. Veresnikova, A. Chernogorov, R. Hiller, G. Zuzel, P. Krause, Y. Kermaïdic, Ivano Lippi, J. Hakenmüller, C. Wiesinger, M. Shirchenko, V. D'Andrea, M. Fomina, D. Stukov, E. Bossio, F. Salamida, C. Bauer, Stefano Riboldi, M. Misiaszek, M. Schütt, D. Borowicz, J. Janicskó Csáthy, I. Zhitnikov, Igor Nemchenok, Bela Majorovits, E. V. Demidova, S. Belogurov, D. R. Zinatulina, Mikael Hult, and S. Hemmer

Subjects
Physics, Particle physics, 2019-20 coronavirus outbreak, Photon, Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Physics::Instrumentation and Detectors, Dark matter, General Physics and Astronomy, chemistry.chemical_element, Germanium, Electron, 7. Clean energy, 01 natural sciences, Pseudoscalar, chemistry, 0103 physical sciences, High Energy Physics::Experiment, Nuclear Experiment, 010306 general physics, Dimensionless quantity
Abstract

We present the first search for bosonic superweakly interacting massive particles (super-WIMPs) as keV-scale dark matter candidates performed with the GERDA experiment. GERDA is a neutrinoless double-s decay experiment which operates high-purity germanium detectors enriched in ^{76}Ge in an ultralow background environment at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS) of INFN in Italy. Searches were performed for pseudoscalar and vector particles in the mass region from 60 keV/c^{2} to 1 MeV/c^{2}. No evidence for a dark matter signal was observed, and the most stringent constraints on the couplings of super-WIMPs with masses above 120 keV/c^{2} have been set. As an example, at a mass of 150 keV/c^{2} the most stringent direct limits on the dimensionless couplings of axionlike particles and dark photons to electrons of g_{ae}

Published
2020

13. Search for Dark Matter Induced Deexcitation of Tam180

Author

Mikael Hult, B. Lehnert, Harikrishnan Ramani, Kai Zuber, Guillaume Lutter, Maxim Pospelov, and Surjeet Rajendran

Subjects
Physics, Momentum, Particle physics, 0103 physical sciences, Dark matter, General Physics and Astronomy, 010306 general physics, 01 natural sciences, Energy (signal processing), Standard Model
Abstract

Weak-scale dark matter particles, in collisions with nuclei, can mediate transitions between different nuclear energy levels. In particular, owing to sizeable momentum exchange, dark matter particles can enable de-excitation of nuclear isomers that are extremely long lived with respect to regular radioactive decays. In this Letter, we utilize data from a past experiment with $^{180}{\mathrm{Ta}}^{\mathrm{m}}$ to search for $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ lines that would accompany dark matter induced de-excitation of this isomer. Nonobservation of such transitions above background yields the first direct constraint on the lifetime of $^{180}{\mathrm{Ta}}^{\mathrm{m}}$ against dark matter initiated transitions: ${T}_{1/2}g1.3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{14}$ a at 90% credibility. Using this result, we derive novel constraints on dark matter models with strongly interacting relics and on models with inelastic dark matter particles. Existing constraints are strengthened by this independent new method. The obtained limits are also valid for the standard model $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-decay of $^{180}{\mathrm{Ta}}^{\mathrm{m}}$.

Published
2020

14. Search for Dark Matter Induced Deexcitation of ^{180}Ta^{m}

Author

Björn, Lehnert, Harikrishnan, Ramani, Mikael, Hult, Guillaume, Lutter, Maxim, Pospelov, Surjeet, Rajendran, and Kai, Zuber

Abstract

Weak-scale dark matter particles, in collisions with nuclei, can mediate transitions between different nuclear energy levels. In particular, owing to sizeable momentum exchange, dark matter particles can enable de-excitation of nuclear isomers that are extremely long lived with respect to regular radioactive decays. In this Letter, we utilize data from a past experiment with ^{180}Ta^{m} to search for γ lines that would accompany dark matter induced de-excitation of this isomer. Nonobservation of such transitions above background yields the first direct constraint on the lifetime of ^{180}Ta^{m} against dark matter initiated transitions: T_{1/2}1.3×10^{14} a at 90% credibility. Using this result, we derive novel constraints on dark matter models with strongly interacting relics and on models with inelastic dark matter particles. Existing constraints are strengthened by this independent new method. The obtained limits are also valid for the standard model γ-decay of ^{180}Ta^{m}.

Published
2020

15. Search for the double-beta decay of 82Se to the excited states of 82Kr with NEMO-3

Author

F. Nova, Vit Vorobel, B. Morgan, C. L. Riddle, A. Smetana, Jose Busto, P. Guzowski, Y. Lemière, A. Remoto, A. Chapon, R. Breier, P. Loaiza, A. Basharina-Freshville, F. Xie, Yu. Shitov, J. C. Thomas, J. K. Sedgbeer, A.A. Smolnikov, Y. A. Ramachers, C. Cerna, M. Macko, A. Minotti, X. Sarazin, E. Chauveau, V.E. Kovalenko, Pavel P. Povinec, F. Mauger, G. Eurin, B. Richards, G. Szklarz, F. Perrot, Vl. I. Tretyak, O.I. Kochetov, C. Augier, H. Tedjditi, M. Cascella, S. Blot, S. Blondel, J.P. Cesar, S. Torre, B. Guillon, I. Stekl, Frédéric Nowacki, F. Piquemal, V. Palusova, F. Mamedov, Fedor Šimkovic, Igor Nemchenok, R. Salazar, A. Žukauskas, D. Duchesneau, J. Mott, L. Dawson, C. Vilela, P. Přidal, C. Hugon, Jouni Suhonen, R. Arnold, D. Lalanne, D. Waters, C.S. Sutton, Ch. Marquet, S. Söldner-Rembold, J. J. Evans, H. Gómez, A. Pin, Karol Lang, A. Huber, C. Patrick, A. A. Klimenko, D. Boursette, Ruben Saakyan, Guillaume Lutter, J. L. Reyss, R. B. Pahlka, I. Vanushin, L. Simard, G. Oliviéro, V. I. Tretyak, A. Chopra, Z. J. Liptak, Lukas Fajt, A. S. Barabash, H. Ohsumi, C. Girard-Carillo, Ph. Hubert, X. Garrido, T. Le Noblet, Dominique Durand, C. Macolino, R. L. Flack, M. Bongrand, D.V. Filosofov, S. Jullian, S. I. Konovalov, Masaharu Nomachi, S. Calvez, V. V. Timkin, V. G. Egorov, E. Rukhadze, X.R. Liu, V.I. Umatov, V. Brudanin, A. J. Caffrey, R. Hodák, Karel Smolek, B. Soulé, Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien (IPHC), Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire de l'Accélérateur Linéaire (LAL), Université Paris-Sud - Paris 11 (UP11)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Centre de Physique des Particules de Marseille (CPPM), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Aix Marseille Université (AMU), Centre d'Etudes Nucléaires de Bordeaux Gradignan (CENBG), Université Sciences et Technologies - Bordeaux 1-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire de physique corpusculaire de Caen (LPCC), Université de Caen Normandie (UNICAEN), Normandie Université (NU)-Normandie Université (NU)-École Nationale Supérieure d'Ingénieurs de Caen (ENSICAEN), Normandie Université (NU)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire d'Annecy de Physique des Particules (LAPP/Laboratoire d'Annecy-le-Vieux de Physique des Particules), Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire Souterrain de Modane (LSM - UMR 6417), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3), Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement [Gif-sur-Yvette] (LSCE), Université Paris-Saclay-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), NEMO-3, Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Université Paris-Sud - Paris 11 (UP11), Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Normandie Université (NU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3), Laboratoire d'Annecy de Physique des Particules (LAPP), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes [2016-2019] (UGA [2016-2019])-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris-Saclay-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ), Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Ministère de l'Education nationale, de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche (M.E.N.E.S.R.), Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC), Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Université de Haute-Alsace (UHA) Mulhouse - Colmar (Université de Haute-Alsace (UHA))-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Sciences et Technologies - Bordeaux 1 (UB)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes [2016-2019] (UGA [2016-2019]), Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris-Saclay-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Arnold, R, Augier, C, Barabash, A, Basharina-Freshville, A, Blondel, S, Blot, S, Bongrand, M, Boursette, D, Breier, R, Brudanin, V, Busto, J, Caffrey, A, Calvez, S, Cascella, M, Cerna, C, Cesar, J, Chapon, A, Chauveau, E, Chopra, A, Dawson, L, Duchesneau, D, Durand, D, Egorov, V, Eurin, G, Evans, J, Fajt, L, Filosofov, D, Flack, R, Garrido, X, Girard-Carillo, C, Gomez, H, Guillon, B, Guzowski, P, Hodak, R, Huber, A, Hubert, P, Hugon, C, Jullian, S, Klimenko, A, Kochetov, O, Konovalov, S, Kovalenko, V, Lalanne, D, Lang, K, Lemiere, Y, Le Noblet, T, Liptak, Z, Liu, X, Loaiza, P, Lutter, G, Macko, M, Macolino, C, Mamedov, F, Marquet, C, Mauger, F, Minotti, A, Morgan, B, Mott, J, Nemchenok, I, Nomachi, M, Nova, F, Nowacki, F, Ohsumi, H, Oliviero, G, Pahlka, R, Palusova, V, Patrick, C, Perrot, F, Pin, A, Piquemal, F, Povinec, P, Pridal, P, Ramachers, Y, Remoto, A, Reyss, J, Richards, B, Riddle, C, Rukhadze, E, Saakyan, R, Salazar, R, Sarazin, X, Sedgbeer, J, Shitov, Y, Simard, L, Simkovic, F, Smetana, A, Smolek, K, Smolnikov, A, Soldner-Rembold, S, Soule, B, Stekl, I, Suhonen, J, Sutton, C, Szklarz, G, Tedjditi, H, Thomas, J, Timkin, V, Torre, S, Tretyak, V, Umatov, V, Vanushin, I, Vilela, C, Vorobel, V, Waters, D, Xie, F, and Zukauskas, A

Subjects
Nuclear and High Energy Physics, Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, Analytical chemistry, Se, Double beta decay, Excited state, Neutrino, FOS: Physical sciences, gamma ray: particle identification, 01 natural sciences, NO, High Energy Physics - Experiment, High Energy Physics - Experiment (hep-ex), PE2_2, Neutrino Ettore Majorana Observatory, 0201 Astronomical and Space Sciences, 0103 physical sciences, [PHYS.HEXP]Physics [physics]/High Energy Physics - Experiment [hep-ex], 82Se, Double beta decay, Neutrino, 82Se, excited state, [PHYS.PHYS.PHYS-INS-DET]Physics [physics]/Physics [physics]/Instrumentation and Detectors [physics.ins-det], 010306 general physics, physics.ins-det, 0206 Quantum Physics, Physics, hep-ex, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, double-beta decay, Instrumentation and Detectors (physics.ins-det), State (functional analysis), krypton: nuclide, Nuclear & Particles Physics, 0202 Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics, selenium: nuclide, nucleus: excited state, experimental results
Abstract

The double-beta decay of 82Se to the 0 1 + excited state of 82Kr has been studied with the NEMO-3 detector using 0.93 kg of enriched 82Se measured for 4.75 y, corresponding to an exposure of 4.42 kg⋅y. A dedicated analysis to reconstruct the γ-rays has been performed to search for events in the 2e2γ channel. No evidence of a 2 ν β β decay to the 0 1 + state has been observed and a limit of T 1 / 2 2 ν ( Se 82 , 0 g s + → 0 1 + ) > 1.3 × 10 21 y at 90% CL has been set. Concerning the 0 ν β β decay to the 0 1 + state, a limit for this decay has been obtained with T 1 / 2 0 ν ( Se 82 , 0 g s + → 0 1 + ) > 2.3 × 10 22 y at 90% CL, independently from the 2 ν β β decay process. These results are obtained for the first time with a tracko-calo detector, reconstructing every particle in the final state.

Published
2020

16. First search for $$\alpha $$ decays of naturally occurring Hf nuclides with emission of $$\gamma $$ quanta

Author

Gerd Marissens, G.P. Kovtun, O. G. Polischuk, D.V. Kasperovych, F.A. Danevich, Guillaume Lutter, K.V. Kovtun, Mikael Hult, V. I. Tretyak, and S.P. Stetsenko

Subjects
Physics, Nuclear and High Energy Physics, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Hadron, Natural abundance, 01 natural sciences, Upper and lower bounds, Excited state, 0103 physical sciences, Nuclear fusion, Nuclide, Atomic physics, Decay product, 010306 general physics, Ground state, Nuclear Experiment
Abstract

The first ever search for $\alpha$ decays to the first excited state in Yb was performed for six isotopes of hafnium (174, 176, 177, 178, 179, 180) using a high purity Hf-sample of natural isotopic abundance with a mass of 179.8 g. For $^{179}$Hf, also $\alpha$ decay to the ground state of $^{175}$Yb was searched for thanks to the $\beta$-instability of the daughter nuclide $^{175}$Yb. The measurements were conducted using an ultra low-background HPGe-detector system located 225 m underground. After 75 d of data taking no decays were detected but lower bounds for the half-lives of the decays were derived on the level of $\lim T_{1/2}\sim 10^{15}-10^{18}$~a. The decay with the shortest half-life based on theoretical calculation is the decay of $^{174}$Hf to the first $2^+$ 84.3~keV excited level of $^{170}$Yb. The experimental lower bound was found to be $T_{1/2}\geq 3.3\times 10^{15}$ a., Comment: 19 pages, 7 figures, 7 tables

Published
2020

17. Modeling of GERDA Phase II data

Author

A. Domula, M. Schwarz, Laura Baudis, C. Wiesinger, Paolo Piseri, M. Shirchenko, A. Lazzaro, E. Bossio, I. V. Kirpichnikov, Alessandro Bettini, D. R. Zinatulina, M. Miloradovic, E. V. Demidova, A. V. Veresnikova, A. Chernogorov, R. Hiller, R. Kneißl, S. Belogurov, V. D'Andrea, Stefano Riboldi, V.B. Brudanin, C. Ransom, Igor Nemchenok, M. Schütt, M. Misiaszek, Cinzia Sada, B. Zatschler, Bela Majorovits, C. Macolino, Hardy Simgen, W. Maneschg, E. A. Yanovich, P. Moseev, Luciano Pandola, A. A. Klimenko, C. Vignoli, R. Brugnera, Mikael Hult, D. Borowicz, K. N. Gusev, Jochen Schreiner, L. Pertoldi, F. Fischer, Josef Jochum, N. Rumyantseva, V. V. Kuzminov, Matteo Agostini, V. I. Gurentsov, S. Hemmer, Y. Kermaïdic, J. Janicskó Csáthy, Stefan Schönert, E. Doroshkevich, Bayarto Lubsandorzhiev, L. V. Inzhechik, Ivano Lippi, Manfred Lindner, E. Bellotti, T. Wester, A.A. Smolnikov, K. Panas, I. Zhitnikov, V. Bothe, C. Cattadori, Anna Julia Zsigmond, Kai Zuber, A. Zschocke, L. B. Bezrukov, E. Shevchik, A.-K. Schütz, Marcin Wójcik, V. N. Kornoukhov, M. Fomina, P. Grabmayr, K. Pelczar, N. Di Marco, O.I. Kochetov, Guillaume Lutter, A. M. Bakalyarov, I. R. Barabanov, A. M. Gangapshev, C. Gooch, S. V. Zhukov, Thomas Kihm, O. Selivanenko, R. Mingazheva, B. Schwingenheuer, M. Junker, Oliver Schulz, Alberto Pullia, V. G. Egorov, M. Balata, A. Garfagnini, K. T. Knöpfle, T. Comellato, L. Vanhoefer, Matthias Laubenstein, G. Zuzel, V. V. Kazalov, P. Krause, A. A. Vasenko, Christian Bauer, A. Lubashevskiy, J. Hakenmüller, D. Stukov, Werner Hofmann, F. Salamida, Allen Caldwell, and K. von Sturm

Subjects
Physics, Nuclear and High Energy Physics, Particle physics, Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Spectrum (functional analysis), Detector, Phase (waves), FOS: Physical sciences, Order (ring theory), Instrumentation and Detectors (physics.ins-det), 01 natural sciences, Semiconductor detector, ddc, Region of interest, 0103 physical sciences, Dark Matter and Double Beta Decay (experiments), lcsh:QC770-798, lcsh:Nuclear and particle physics. Atomic energy. Radioactivity, DOUBLE-BETA DECAY, Sensitivity (control systems), Nuclear Experiment (nucl-ex), Neutrino, 010306 general physics, Nuclear Experiment
Abstract

The GERmanium Detector Array (Gerda) experiment at the Gran Sasso underground laboratory (LNGS) of INFN is searching for neutrinoless double-beta (0νββ) decay of 76Ge. The technological challenge of Gerda is to operate in a “background-free” regime in the region of interest (ROI) after analysis cuts for the full 100 kg·yr target exposure of the experiment. A careful modeling and decomposition of the full-range energy spectrum is essential to predict the shape and composition of events in the ROI around Qββ for the 0νββ search, to extract a precise measurement of the half-life of the double-beta decay mode with neutrinos (2νββ) and in order to identify the location of residual impurities. The latter will permit future experiments to build strategies in order to further lower the background and achieve even better sensitivities. In this article the background decomposition prior to analysis cuts is presented for Gerda Phase II. The background model fit yields a flat spectrum in the ROI with a background index (BI) of $$ {16.04}_{-0.85}^{+0.78}\cdotp {10}^{-3} $$ 16.04 − 0.85 + 0.78 · 10 − 3 cts/(keV·kg·yr) for the enriched BEGe data set and $$ {14.68}_{-0.52}^{+0.47}\cdotp {10}^{-3} $$ 14.68 − 0.52 + 0.47 · 10 − 3 cts/(keV·kg·yr) for the enriched coaxial data set. These values are similar to the one of Phase I despite a much larger number of detectors and hence radioactive hardware components.

Published
2019

18. Characterisation of an ultra low-background point contact HPGe well-detector for an underground laboratory

Author

Mikael Hult, Gerd Marissens, Nikola Marković, Faidra Tzika, H. Stroh, and Guillaume Lutter

Subjects
Radiation, Materials science, business.industry, Detector, Mineralogy, 010403 inorganic & nuclear chemistry, 01 natural sciences, 030218 nuclear medicine & medical imaging, 0104 chemical sciences, Anode, Semiconductor detector, 03 medical and health sciences, Point contact, 0302 clinical medicine, Optics, Shield, Underground laboratory, business
Abstract

Since a few years there are well-type HPGe-detectors with a small, point-like, anode contacts available commercially. This paper describes the characterisation of the first ultra low-background, so-called, SAGe™ well detector with regards to resolution and background performance. Inside a passive lead/copper shield in the underground laboratory HADES a background count rate of 690 ± 6d-1 (268 ± 3d-1 per kg Ge) was recorded 19 months after taking it underground.

Published
2018

19. Measurement of absolute γ-ray emission probabilities in the decay of 235 U

Author

Stephan Richter, M. Marouli, Stefaan Pommé, Mikael Hult, R. Van Ammel, Guillaume Lutter, Eduardo García-Toraño, R. Eykens, V. Peyres, P. Carconi, Monika Mazanova, Pavel Dryak, and Carconi, P.

Subjects
Radiation, Decay data, 235U, Solid angle, chemistry.chemical_element, Germanium, 010403 inorganic & nuclear chemistry, Mass spectrometry, 01 natural sciences, Isotopic composition, 0104 chemical sciences, 231Th, γ-ray spectrometry, γ-ray emission probabilities, NORM, 010309 optics, γ-ray emission probabilities, NORM, Photon emission, chemistry, 0103 physical sciences, Evaluated data, Atomic physics, γ ray spectrometry
Abstract

Accurate measurements were performed of the photon emission probabilities following the α decay of 235U to 231Th. Sources of highly enriched 235U were characterised in terms of isotopic composition by mass spectrometry and their activities were standardised by means of alpha-particle counting at a low defined solid angle. The standardised sources were subsequently measured by high-resolution γ-ray spectrometry with calibrated high-purity germanium detectors to determine the photon emission probabilities. Four laboratories participated in this work and reported emission probabilities for 33 γ-ray lines. Most of them agree with previously published evaluated data. In addition, new values are proposed for γ-lines which have been measured only once in the past. © 2017 The Authors

Published
2018

20. On the claim of modulations in radon decay and their association with solar rotation

Author

M. Marouli, Ole Nähle, Guillaume Lutter, Karsten Kossert, and S. Pommé

Subjects
Physics, Physics::Instrumentation and Detectors, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Solar neutrino, chemistry.chemical_element, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Radon, Solar irradiance, 01 natural sciences, Nuclear physics, chemistry, 0103 physical sciences, Solar rotation, High Energy Physics::Experiment, Decay chain, Neutrino, Exponential decay, 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, Radioactive decay
Abstract

Claims were made by Sturrock et al. that radioactive decay can be induced by interaction of the nucleus with solar neutrinos and that cyclic modulations in decay rates are indicative of the dynamics of the solar interior. They analysed a series of measurements of gamma radiation associated with the emanation and decay of radon in a sealed container at the Geological Survey of Israel (GSI) laboratory. The integral count rates in the NaI detector showed strong variations in time of year and time of day. From time-series analysis, Sturrock et al. claim the presence of small oscillations at frequencies in a range between 7.4 a−1 and 12.5 a−1, which they speculatively associated with rotational influence on the solar neutrino flux. In this work, it is argued that the GSI radon measurements are unsuited for studying the variability of decay constants, because the data are strongly influenced by environmental conditions, such as solar irradiance and rainfall. At the JRC and PTB, decay rate measurements of the radon decay chain were performed with ionisation chambers, gamma-ray spectrometers and an alpha spectrometer. No deviation from the exponential-decay law was observed. The existence of cyclic variations in the decay constants is refuted, as well as the concept of measuring solar rotation through radioactive decay.

Published
2018

21. Development of methods for the preparation of radiopure 82Se sources for the SuperNEMO neutrinoless double-beta decay experiment

Author

J. J. Evans, F. Perrot, Masaharu Nomachi, Jihane Maalmi, Dominique Breton, D. Duchesneau, P. Guzowski, Y. Lemière, X.R. Liu, R. Breier, S. Jullian, Hector Gomez, S. I. Konovalov, V. Egorov, F.A. Tashimova, Y. A. Ramachers, G. Claverie, B. Richards, V. B. Brudanin, J.P. Cesar, S. Torre, F. Mamedov, R. Salazar, Karol Holý, D. Waters, X. Sarazin, V. V. Timkin, V.I. Umatov, O.I. Kochetov, A. A. Mirsagatova, C. Vilela, A. V. Rakhimov, C. Hugon, Juergen Thomas, G. Eurin, I. Stekl, J. S. Ricol, J. Mott, I. I. Sadikov, A. S. Barabash, Lukas Fajt, D.V. Filosofov, H. Ohsumi, E. Rukhadze, T. Le Noblet, Ch. Bourgeois, Fedor Šimkovic, Igor Nemchenok, A. Huber, N.I. Rukhadze, A. Minotti, N.A. Mirzayev, L. Simard, A. Smetana, Vit Vorobel, S. Snow, P Pridal, J. Busto, A. Chopra, Z. J. Liptak, C. Cerna, G. Warot, Karol Lang, D. V. Karaivanov, H. Burešova, V. Kovalenko, M. Bongrand, E. Chauveau, Pavel P. Povinec, A. Žukauskas, A. Rebii, F. Nova, J. K. Sedgbeer, B. Morgan, A. Remoto, A. Basharina-Freshville, M. Kauer, R. B. Pahlka, Ruben Saakyan, F. Mauger, Guillaume Lutter, Karel Smolek, X. Garrido, B. Soulé, S. Calvez, A. A. Klimenko, G. Oliviéro, V.I. Tretyak, R. L. Flack, Michele Cascella, Vl. I. Tretyak, R. Hodák, S. Söldner-Rembold, Yu. Shitov, P. Loaiza, Ch. Marquet, B. Guillon, A.A. Smolnikov, M. Zampaolo, S. Blot, M. Spavorova, I. Moreau, E. Birdsall, V. Palušová, Joleen Pater, A. Jeremie, F. Piquemal, M. Macko, F. Delalee, S. De Capua, Laboratoire de l'Accélérateur Linéaire (LAL), Université Paris-Sud - Paris 11 (UP11)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Centre de Physique des Particules de Marseille (CPPM), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Aix Marseille Université (AMU), Centre d'Etudes Nucléaires de Bordeaux Gradignan (CENBG), Université Sciences et Technologies - Bordeaux 1-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire d'Annecy de Physique des Particules (LAPP/Laboratoire d'Annecy-le-Vieux de Physique des Particules), Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire de physique corpusculaire de Caen (LPCC), Université de Caen Normandie (UNICAEN), Normandie Université (NU)-Normandie Université (NU)-École Nationale Supérieure d'Ingénieurs de Caen (ENSICAEN), Normandie Université (NU)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire de Physique Subatomique et de Cosmologie (LPSC), Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Institut Polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Université Paris-Sud - Paris 11 (UP11), Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire d'Annecy de Physique des Particules (LAPP), Normandie Université (NU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3), Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Ministère de l'Education nationale, de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche (M.E.N.E.S.R.), Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA)-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP ), Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA), Rakhimov, A, Barabash, A, Basharina-Freshville, A, Blot, S, Bongrand, M, Bourgeois, C, Breton, D, Breier, R, Birdsall, E, Brudanin, V, Buresova, H, Busto, J, Calvez, S, Cascella, M, Cerna, C, Cesar, J, Chauveau, E, Chopra, A, Claverie, G, De Capua, S, Delalee, F, Duchesneau, D, Egorov, V, Eurin, G, Evans, J, Fajt, L, Filosofov, D, Flack, R, Garrido, X, Gomez, H, Guillon, B, Guzowski, P, Hodak, R, Holy, K, Huber, A, Hugon, C, Jeremie, A, Jullian, S, Karaivanov, D, Kauer, M, Klimenko, A, Kochetov, O, Konovalov, S, Kovalenko, V, Lang, K, Lemiere, Y, Le Noblet, T, Liptak, Z, Liu, X, Loaiza, P, Lutter, G, Maalmi, J, Macko, M, Mamedov, F, Marquet, C, Mauger, F, Minotti, A, Mirsagatova, A, Mirzayev, N, Moreau, I, Morgan, B, Mott, J, Nemchenok, I, Nomachi, M, Nova, F, Ohsumi, H, Oliviero, G, Pahlka, R, Pater, J, Palusova, V, Perrot, F, Piquemal, F, Povinec, P, Pridal, P, Ramachers, Y, Rebii, A, Remoto, A, Richards, B, Ricol, J, Rukhadze, E, Rukhadze, N, Saakyan, R, Sadikov, I, Salazar, R, Sarazin, X, Sedgbeer, J, Shitov, Y, Simkovic, F, Simard, L, Smetana, A, Smolek, K, Smolnikov, A, Snow, S, Soldner-Rembold, S, Soule, B, Spavorova, M, Stekl, I, Tashimova, F, Thomas, J, Timkin, V, Torre, S, Tretyak, V, Umatov, V, Vilela, C, Vorobel, V, Warot, G, Waters, D, Zampaolo, M, Zukauskas, A, and Université Sciences et Technologies - Bordeaux 1 (UB)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Subjects
SuperNEMO, Technology, purification, ion exchange chromatography, SuperNEMO, LSM Modane, mass spectrometry, neutron activation analysis, purification, Selenium-82, measurement methods, Ion chromatography, chemistry.chemical_element, Selenium-82, fabrication, Mass spectrometry, 01 natural sciences, neutron activation analysi, NO, Neutrino Ettore Majorana Observatory, LSM Modane, double-beta decay: (0neutrino), Decantation, 0103 physical sciences, 0302 Inorganic Chemistry, Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear, Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Neutron activation analysis, 010306 general physics, Nuclear Science & Technology, background: radioactivity, mass spectrometry, [PHYS]Physics [physics], Detection limit, Science & Technology, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Radiochemistry, IMPURITIES, ion exchange chromatography, Contamination, Chemistry, chemistry, SPECTROMETRY, 13. Climate action, sulfur, Physical Sciences, ion: exchange, Inorganic & Nuclear Chemistry, selenium: production, selenium: nuclide, oxygen, Selenium, neutron activation analysis
Abstract

International audience; AbstractA radiochemical method for producing 82Se sources with an ultra-low level of contamination of natural radionuclides (40K, decay products of 232Th and 238U) has been developed based on cation-exchange chromatographic purification with reverse removal of impurities. It includes chromatographic separation (purification), reduction, conditioning (which includes decantation, centrifugation, washing, grinding, and drying), and 82Se foil production. The conditioning stage, during which highly dispersed elemental selenium is obtained by the reduction of purified selenious acid (H2SeO3) with sulfur dioxide (SO2) represents the crucial step in the preparation of radiopure 82Se samples. The natural selenium (600 g) was first produced in this procedure in order to refine the method. The technique developed was then used to produce 2.5 kg of radiopure enriched selenium (82Se). The produced 82Se samples were wrapped in polyethylene (12 μm thick) and radionuclides present in the sample were analyzed with the BiPo-3 detector. The radiopurity of the plastic materials (chromatographic column material and polypropylene chemical vessels), which were used at all stages, was determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis. The radiopurity of the 82Se foils was checked by measurements with the BiPo-3 spectrometer, which confirmed the high purity of the final product. The measured contamination level for 208Tl was 8–54 μBq/kg, and for 214Bi the detection limit of 600 μBq/kg has been reached.

Published
2019

22. Detailed studies of $^{100}$Mo two-neutrino double beta decay in NEMO-3

Author

S. Blot, I. Vanushin, Lukas Fajt, M. Bongrand, Frédéric Nowacki, Karel Smolek, R. Saakyan, C. Vilela, B. Soulé, C. Augier, Masaharu Nomachi, Vl. I. Tretyak, S. Jullian, A. Smetana, V.E. Kovalenko, H. Gómez, Y. A. Ramachers, Jose Busto, F. Mauger, J. J. Evans, P. Guzowski, Y. Lemière, A. S. Barabash, S. Calvez, C. Patrick, A. Huber, D.V. Filosofov, M. Macko, Jouni Suhonen, A. Chapon, X. Sarazin, F. Xie, A. Chopra, Z. J. Liptak, A. J. Caffrey, R. Hodák, A. Žukauskas, V.I. Umatov, J.P. Cesar, Ph. Hubert, S. Torre, C. Girard-Carillo, X. Garrido, V. G. Egorov, O.I. Kochetov, S. Söldner-Rembold, F. Mamedov, E. Rukhadze, Yu. Shitov, V. Brudanin, D. Boursette, G. Eurin, D. Waters, J. C. Thomas, J. K. Sedgbeer, S. I. Konovalov, H. Ohsumi, F. Piquemal, T. Le Noblet, E. Chauveau, Guillaume Lutter, Dominique Durand, R. Dvornický, C. Cerna, Kevin Lang, Pavel P. Povinec, Ch. Marquet, C. Macolino, G. Oliviéro, C. Hugon, F. Nova, A. Minotti, A. Pin, R. L. Flack, L. Dawson, D. Lalanne, J. L. Reyss, B. Morgan, Michele Cascella, P. Loaiza, C. L. Riddle, R. B. Pahlka, L. Simard, D. Duchesneau, A. Remoto, R. Salazar, X.R. Liu, C.S. Sutton, R. Arnold, V. I. Tretyak, A.A. Smolnikov, G. Szklarz, B. Guillon, Fedor Šimkovic, P. Přidal, Igor Nemchenok, J. Mott, V. V. Timkin, Vit Vorobel, A. Salamatin, A. Basharina-Freshville, F. Perrot, H. Tedjditi, S. Blondel, I. Stekl, Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien (IPHC), Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire de l'Accélérateur Linéaire (LAL), Université Paris-Sud - Paris 11 (UP11)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Centre de Physique des Particules de Marseille (CPPM), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Aix Marseille Université (AMU), Centre d'Etudes Nucléaires de Bordeaux Gradignan (CENBG), Université Sciences et Technologies - Bordeaux 1-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire de physique corpusculaire de Caen (LPCC), Université de Caen Normandie (UNICAEN), Normandie Université (NU)-Normandie Université (NU)-École Nationale Supérieure d'Ingénieurs de Caen (ENSICAEN), Normandie Université (NU)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire d'Annecy de Physique des Particules (LAPP/Laboratoire d'Annecy-le-Vieux de Physique des Particules), Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire Souterrain de Modane (LSM - UMR 6417), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3), Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement [Gif-sur-Yvette] (LSCE), Université Paris-Saclay-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), NEMO-3, Arnold, R, Augier, C, Barabash, A, Basharina-Freshville, A, Blondel, S, Blot, S, Bongrand, M, Boursette, D, Brudanin, V, Busto, J, Caffrey, A, Calvez, S, Cascella, M, Cerna, C, Cesar, J, Chapon, A, Chauveau, E, Chopra, A, Dawson, L, Duchesneau, D, Durand, D, Dvornicky, R, Egorov, V, Eurin, G, Evans, J, Fajt, L, Filosofov, D, Flack, R, Garrido, X, Girard-Carillo, C, Gomez, H, Guillon, B, Guzowski, P, Hodak, R, Huber, A, Hubert, P, Hugon, C, Jullian, S, Kochetov, O, Konovalov, S, Kovalenko, V, Lalanne, D, Lang, K, Lemiere, Y, Noblet, T, Liptak, Z, Liu, X, Loaiza, P, Lutter, G, Macko, M, Macolino, C, Mamedov, F, Marquet, C, Mauger, F, Minotti, A, Morgan, B, Mott, J, Nemchenok, I, Nomachi, M, Nova, F, Nowacki, F, Ohsumi, H, Oliviero, G, Pahlka, R, Patrick, C, Perrot, F, Pin, A, Piquemal, F, Povinec, P, Pridal, P, Ramachers, Y, Remoto, A, Reyss, J, Riddle, C, Rukhadze, E, Saakyan, R, Salamatin, A, Salazar, R, Sarazin, X, Sedgbeer, J, Shitov, Y, Simard, L, Simkovic, F, Smetana, A, Smolek, K, Smolnikov, A, Soldner-Rembold, S, Soule, B, Stekl, I, Suhonen, J, Sutton, C, Szklarz, G, Tedjditi, H, Thomas, J, Timkin, V, Torre, S, Tretyak, V, Umatov, V, Vanushin, I, Vilela, C, Vorobel, V, Waters, D, Xie, F, Zukauskas, A, Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Université Paris-Sud - Paris 11 (UP11), Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Normandie Université (NU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3), Laboratoire d'Annecy de Physique des Particules (LAPP), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes [2016-2019] (UGA [2016-2019])-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris-Saclay-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ), Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Université de Haute-Alsace (UHA) Mulhouse - Colmar (Université de Haute-Alsace (UHA))-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Sciences et Technologies - Bordeaux 1 (UB)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes [2016-2019] (UGA [2016-2019]), Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris-Saclay-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), and Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)

Subjects
Particle physics, S029MT, Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous), FOS: Physical sciences, Elementary particle, [PHYS.NEXP]Physics [physics]/Nuclear Experiment [nucl-ex], nucl-ex, invariance: Lorentz, 01 natural sciences, 7. Clean energy, neutrinoless double beta decay, decay modes, Physics, Particles & Fields, double-beta decay: (0neutrino), SEARCH, Double beta decay, 0103 physical sciences, ground state, Nuclear Experiment (nucl-ex), 010306 general physics, 0206 Quantum Physics, Engineering (miscellaneous), Nuclear Experiment, Majoron, S076H2N, Physics, Science & Technology, HALF-LIFE, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, MO-100, High Energy Physics::Phenomenology, Nuclear & Particles Physics, violation: Lorentz, nucleus: transition, STATES, statistics, Physical Sciences, 0202 Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics, spectral, electron: energy spectrum, High Energy Physics::Experiment, Neutrino, Ground state, Energy (signal processing), Radioactive decay, Lepton
Abstract

The full data set of the NEMO-3 experiment has been used to measure the half-life of the two-neutrino double beta decay of $^{100}$Mo to the ground state of $^{100}$Ru, $T_{1/2} = \left[ 6.81 \pm 0.01\,\left(\mbox{stat}\right) ^{+0.38}_{-0.40}\,\left(\mbox{syst}\right) \right] \times10^{18}$ y. The two-electron energy sum, single electron energy spectra and distribution of the angle between the electrons are presented with an unprecedented statistics of $5\times10^5$ events and a signal-to-background ratio of ~80. Clear evidence for the Single State Dominance model is found for this nuclear transition. Limits on Majoron emitting neutrinoless double beta decay modes with spectral indices of n=2,3,7, as well as constraints on Lorentz invariance violation and on the bosonic neutrino contribution to the two-neutrino double beta decay mode are obtained., 11 pages, 9 figures

Published
2019

23. Determination of homogeneity of the top surface deadlayer in an old HPGe detector

Author

Mark Stals, H. Stroh, Sonja Schreurs, Gerd Marissens, Leen Verheyen, Michel Bruggeman, Wouter Schroeyers, Stef Geelen, Mikael Hult, and Guillaume Lutter

Subjects
Radiation, Materials science, business.industry, Detector, γ-ray spectrometry, HPGe detectors, Deadlayer, Atmospheric temperature range, 010403 inorganic & nuclear chemistry, 01 natural sciences, Particle detector, Collimated light, 030218 nuclear medicine & medical imaging, 0104 chemical sciences, Semiconductor detector, Crystal, 03 medical and health sciences, 0302 clinical medicine, Optics, Measuring instrument, Coaxial, business
Abstract

A collimated source of 241Am was scanned over the endcap of a 21 year old coaxial HPGe-detector that had spent about 75% of its life at room temperature (and the remaining time at 77 K). The detector response was recorded and used as a measure of the relative thickness of the top deadlayer. This thickness was not homogeneous and was thicker near to the outer surface of the crystal compared to the centre, which could be a result of increased diffusion of Li atoms during times the detector was kept at room temperature. The results were compared with two newer HPGe-detectors that proved to have homogeneous top deadlayers. This work was supported by the EUFRAT open access work package of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre within the EURATOM programme under Horizon 2020 (project number 13-14). The work was also performed under the JRC/SCK.CEN collaboration agreement. Many thanks to the institutes which contributed to the development of the I-IEROICA infrastructure within the GERDA collaboration: INFN-Padova (Italy), MPIK-Heidelberg (Germany), Universitat Tubingen (Germany). The work of the HADES-staff of Euridice at SCK.CEN is gratefully acknowledged.

Published
2019

24. Final results on $${}^\mathbf{82 }{\hbox {Se}}$$ double beta decay to the ground state of $${}^\mathbf{82 }{\hbox {Kr}}$$ from the NEMO-3 experiment

Author

Ph. Hubert, F. Nova, A. Basharina-Freshville, F. Piquemal, O.I. Kochetov, B. Morgan, A. S. Barabash, C. L. Riddle, G. Eurin, A. Remoto, D.V. Filosofov, H. Ohsumi, A. J. Caffrey, T. Le Noblet, Dominique Durand, S. I. Konovalov, R. Hodák, P. Přidal, R. Saakyan, F. Xie, N.I. Rukhadze, Michele Cascella, R. L. Flack, B. Guillon, S. Calvez, Karol Lang, X.R. Liu, P. Loaiza, Jouni Suhonen, Jose Busto, P. Guzowski, Y. Lemière, S. Jullian, C.S. Sutton, Ch. Marquet, C. Macolino, C. Hugon, Karel Smolek, A. A. Klimenko, A. Chopra, Z. J. Liptak, A.A. Smolnikov, Yu. Shitov, B. Soulé, C. Vilela, A. Chapon, J. L. Reyss, Lukas Fajt, X. Sarazin, V.E. Kovalenko, R. B. Pahlka, F. Perrot, F. Mauger, Fedor Šimkovic, Guillaume Lutter, J. J. Evans, D. Lalanne, Igor Nemchenok, F. Nowacki, C. Augier, J. Mott, Y. A. Ramachers, S. Blot, G. Szklarz, M. Bongrand, J. C. Thomas, A. Huber, J.P. Cesar, S. Torre, F. Mamedov, I. Vanushin, V. I. Tretyak, C. Cerna, D. Boursette, V. V. Timkin, D. Waters, L. Dawson, D. Duchesneau, V.I. Umatov, C. Patrick, X. Garrido, Vl. I. Tretyak, V. Brudanin, S. Söldner-Rembold, R. Salazar, R. Arnold, A. Smetana, A. Žukauskas, H. Gómez, E. Chauveau, Pavel P. Povinec, Masaharu Nomachi, L. Simard, V. G. Egorov, E. Rukhadze, Vit Vorobel, S. Blondel, and I. Stekl

Subjects
Physics, Particle physics, Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous), 010308 nuclear & particles physics, 01 natural sciences, Lepton number, MAJORANA, Double beta decay, 0103 physical sciences, Beta (velocity), Neutrino Ettore Majorana Observatory, Neutrino, 010306 general physics, Ground state, Engineering (miscellaneous), Majoron
Abstract

Using data from the NEMO-3 experiment, we have measured the two-neutrino double beta decay ( $2\nu \beta \beta $ ) half-life of$^{82}$ Se as $T_{\smash {1/2}}^{2\nu } \!=\! \left[ 9.39 \pm 0.17\left( \text{ stat }\right) \pm 0.58\left( \text{ syst }\right) \right] \times 10^{19}$ y under the single-state dominance hypothesis for this nuclear transition. The corresponding nuclear matrix element is $\left| M^{2\nu }\right| = 0.0498 \pm 0.0016$ . In addition, a search for neutrinoless double beta decay ( $0\nu \beta \beta $ ) using 0.93 kg of$^{82}$ Se observed for a total of 5.25 y has been conducted and no evidence for a signal has been found. The resulting half-life limit of $T_{1/2}^{0\nu } > 2.5 \times 10^{23} \,\text{ y } \,(90\%\,\text{ C.L. })$ for the light neutrino exchange mechanism leads to a constraint on the effective Majorana neutrino mass of $\langle m_{\nu } \rangle < \left( 1.2{-}3.0\right) \,\text{ eV }$ , where the range reflects $0\nu \beta \beta $ nuclear matrix element values from different calculations. Furthermore, constraints on lepton number violating parameters for other $0\nu \beta \beta $ mechanisms, such as right-handed currents, majoron emission and R-parity violating supersymmetry modes have been set.

Published
2018

25. Tracing radioactivity from Fukushima in the Northern Pacific Ocean

Author

Michio Aoyama, Mikael Hult, Guillaume Lutter, H. Stroh, Gerd Marissens, Faidra Tzika, and Yasunori Hamajima

Subjects
Water Pollutants, Radioactive, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Fukushima Nuclear Accident, Operations research, Tracing, Sensitivity and Specificity, 01 natural sciences, Pacific ocean, 030218 nuclear medicine & medical imaging, law.invention, 03 medical and health sciences, 0302 clinical medicine, law, Nuclear power plant, Environmental monitoring, Seawater, Radiometry, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Radioisotopes, Radionuclide, Pacific Ocean, Radiation, Ocean current, Reproducibility of Results, Plankton, Spectrometry, Gamma, Oceanography, Environmental science, Biological Assay, Environmental Monitoring
Abstract

Following the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, a campaign of sampling and measuring anthropogenic radionuclides in North Pacific seawater was set up. The main aim was to study natural processes using these radionuclides as tracers. Because of dilution, the activities of anthropogenic radionuclides at long range were very low and their measurement required advanced pre-concentration techniques and underground gamma-ray spectrometry. Data and metrological aspects of the measurements using HPGe-detectors are presented and discussed. (C) 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Published
2016

26. Searching for neutrinoless double beta decay with GERDA

Author

S. Hemmer, V. N. Kornoukhov, Matthias Laubenstein, K. Pelczar, V. G. Egorov, K. T. Knöpfle, R. Brugnera, M. Balata, A. A. Vasenko, Guillaume Lutter, T. Wester, A. M. Bakalyarov, V. I. Lebedev, A.A. Smolnikov, A. Lazzaro, V. V. Kuzminov, Matteo Agostini, C. Wiesinger, L. Vanhoefer, Thomas Kihm, B. Schneider, Anna Julia Zsigmond, M. Shirchenko, E. Doroshkevich, Manfred Lindner, L. B. Bezrukov, Oliver Schulz, Kai Zuber, C. Macolino, L. Stanco, V. V. Kazalov, E. Shevchik, O.I. Kochetov, G. Zuzel, R. Falkenstein, H. V. Kirpichnikov, Jochen Schreiner, Alberto Pullia, A. Garfagnini, D. R. Zinatulina, O. Selivanenko, V.B. Brudanin, C. Ransom, J. Janicsko, A.-K. Schütz, Hardy Simgen, Werner Hofmann, Allen Caldwell, M. Miloradovic, V. I. Gurentsov, K. N. Gusev, A. Hegai, K. Panas, T. Bode, A. Kish, A. M. Gangapshev, Marcin Wójcik, N. Di Marco, R. Mingazheva, Christian Bauer, A. Lubashevskiy, A. Domula, R. Kneiβl, Cinzia Sada, M. Junker, J. Hakenmüller, P. Grabmayr, B. Schwingenheuer, K. von Sturm, Mikael Hult, R. Hiller, Stefano Riboldi, E. Bellotti, Bayarto Lubsandorzhiev, Stefan Schönert, C. Gooch, P. Moseev, Luciano Pandola, V. Wagner, I. Zhitnikov, I. R. Barabanov, Laura Baudis, M. Misiaszek, A. A. Klimenko, M. Heisel, N. Rumyantseva, F. Salamida, S. V. Zhukov, Alessandro Bettini, B. Cattadori, A. Kirsch, Y. Kermaïdic, V. D'Andrea, Ivano Lippi, L. V. Inzhechik, W. Maneschg, E. A. Yanovich, C. Schmitt, A. V. Veresnikova, A. Chernogorov, J. Jochum Csáthy, A. Wegmann, Igor Nemchenok, Bela Majorovits, E. V. Demidova, and S. Belogurov

Subjects
Paper, Physics, History, Particle physics, Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, Double beta decay, FOS: Physical sciences, Instrumentation and Detectors (physics.ins-det), Nuclear Experiment (nucl-ex), Nuclear Experiment, ddc, Computer Science Applications, Education
Abstract

The GERmanium Detector Array (GERDA) experiment located at the INFN Gran Sasso Laboratory (Italy), is looking for the neutrinoless double beta decay of Ge76, by using high-purity germanium detectors made from isotopically enriched material. The combination of the novel experimental design, the careful material selection for radio-purity and the active/passive shielding techniques result in a very low residual background at the Q-value of the decay, about 1e-3 counts/(keV kg yr). This makes GERDA the first experiment in the field to be background-free for the complete design exposure of 100 kg yr. A search for neutrinoless double beta decay was performed with a total exposure of 47.7 kg yr: 23.2 kg yr come from the second phase (Phase II) of the experiment, in which the background is reduced by about a factor of ten with respect to the previous phase. The analysis presented in this paper includes 12.4 kg yr of new Phase II data. No evidence for a possible signal is found: the lower limit for the half-life of Ge76 is 8.0e25 yr at 90% CL. The experimental median sensitivity is 5.8e25 yr. The experiment is currently taking data. As it is running in a background-free regime, its sensitivity grows linearly with exposure and it is expected to surpass 1e26 yr within 2018., 8 pages, to appear in the proceedings of TAUP2017

Published
2020

27. Underground gamma-ray measurements of radium isotopes from hydrothermal plumes in the deep Pacific Ocean

Author

Gerd Marissens, Paul B. Henderson, Mikael Hult, Katarzyna Sobiech-Matura, Guillaume Lutter, Matthew A. Charette, and Hardy Simgen

Subjects
Radiation, Isotope, Geotraces, Ocean chemistry, Gamma ray, chemistry.chemical_element, Climate change, 010403 inorganic & nuclear chemistry, 01 natural sciences, Pacific ocean, Hydrothermal circulation, 030218 nuclear medicine & medical imaging, 0104 chemical sciences, Radium, 03 medical and health sciences, 0302 clinical medicine, Oceanography, chemistry, Environmental science
Abstract

The radium isotopes 226Ra and 228Ra can provide important data on the dynamics of deep-sea hydrothermal plumes that travel the oceans for decades and have great impact on the ocean chemistry. This study focuses on parameters important for obtaining low detection limits for 228Ra using gamma-ray spectrometry. It is present at mBq-levels in samples collected during the US GEOTRACES 2013 cruise to the Southeast Pacific Ocean.

Published
2019

28. Improved Limit on Neutrinoless Double- β Decay of Ge76 from GERDA Phase II

Author

L. V. Inzhechik, D. R. Zinatulina, O. Schulz, Mikael Hult, T. Comellato, V. G. Egorov, M. Balata, V. Wagner, G. Zuzel, L. Vanhoefer, C. Bauer, A. A. Vasenko, T. Bode, Stefano Riboldi, A.-K. Schütz, A. Hegai, N. Di Marco, M. Misiaszek, F. Salamida, R. Brugnera, A. Garfagnini, V. V. Kuzminov, Matteo Agostini, Manfred Lindner, J. Janicskó Csáthy, V. N. Kornoukhov, Y. Kermaïdic, A. Kish, K. Pelczar, A. V. Veresnikova, J. Hakenmüller, I. Zhitnikov, Ivano Lippi, Allen Caldwell, A. Chernogorov, M. Junker, C. Wiesinger, A. Wegmann, M. Shirchenko, R. Hiller, L. Pertoldi, Igor Nemchenok, Guillaume Lutter, A. Kirsch, O. Selivanenko, A. M. Bakalyarov, A. Lubashevskiy, W. Maneschg, S. Hemmer, M. Laubenstein, E. A. Yanovich, K. von Sturm, Bela Majorovits, R. Falkenstein, P. Grabmayr, B. Schneider, I. V. Kirpichnikov, V. I. Gurentsov, V. V. Kazalov, M. Miloradovic, D. Borowicz, J. Biernat, Bayarto Lubsandorzhiev, R. Mingazheva, C. Schmitt, B. Schwingenheuer, R. Kneißl, O.I. Kochetov, Th. Kihm, A. M. Gangapshev, P. Moseev, Luciano Pandola, A. A. Klimenko, Werner Hofmann, M. Heisel, N. Rumyantseva, A. Zschocke, Alessandro Bettini, E. V. Demidova, S. Belogurov, C. Macolino, A. Pullia, Cinzia Sada, V. D'Andrea, A. Lazzaro, S. Schönert, K. Panas, T. Wester, A.A. Smolnikov, C. Cattadori, Anna Julia Zsigmond, Kai Zuber, M. M. Wojcik, E. Bellotti, E. Doroshkevich, L. B. Bezrukov, E. Shevchik, A. Domula, L. Stanco, V.B. Brudanin, C. Ransom, Hardy Simgen, Josef Jochum, I. R. Barabanov, S. V. Zhukov, K. N. Gusev, K. T. Knöpfle, and Laura Baudis

Subjects
Semileptonic decay, Physics, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Phase (waves), General Physics and Astronomy, chemistry.chemical_element, Germanium, Type (model theory), 01 natural sciences, chemistry, Double beta decay, 0103 physical sciences, Sensitivity (control systems), Atomic physics, 010306 general physics, Energy (signal processing), Diode
Abstract

The GERDA experiment searches for the lepton-number-violating neutrinoless double-β decay of ^{76}Ge (^{76}Ge→^{76}Se+2e^{-}) operating bare Ge diodes with an enriched ^{76}Ge fraction in liquid argon. The exposure for broad-energy germanium type (BEGe) detectors is increased threefold with respect to our previous data release. The BEGe detectors feature an excellent background suppression from the analysis of the time profile of the detector signals. In the analysis window a background level of 1.0_{-0.4}^{+0.6}×10^{-3} counts/(keV kg yr) has been achieved; if normalized to the energy resolution this is the lowest ever achieved in any 0νββ experiment. No signal is observed and a new 90% C.L. lower limit for the half-life of 8.0×10^{25} yr is placed when combining with our previous data. The expected median sensitivity assuming no signal is 5.8×10^{25} yr.

Published
2018

29. Searching Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay with Gerda Phase II

Author

V. D'Andrea, O. Schulz, L. B. Bezrukov, J. Janicskó Csáthy, Elena Sala, E. Shevchik, K. Panas, A. Lazzaro, A. Kirsch, Josef Jochum, Y. Kermaïdic, S. Schönert, W. Maneschg, Ivano Lippi, E. A. Yanovich, Stefano Nisi, R. Mingazheva, I. Zhitnikov, I. R. Barabanov, A. Lubashevskiy, C. Gooch, C. Wiesinger, S. V. Zhukov, B. Schweisshelm, B. Schwingenheuer, A. Garfagnini, M. Shirchenko, T. Wester, A. Domula, A.A. Smolnikov, C. Cattadori, Anna Julia Zsigmond, Kai Zuber, V. I. Gurentsov, T. Comellato, V. Kazalov, A. Kish, A. V. Veresnikova, L. Stanco, V. G. Egorov, M. M. Wojcik, Allen Caldwell, L. Ioannucci, Bayarto Lubsandorzhiev, V. Wagner, M. Balata, C. Ransom, C. Bauer, Stefano Riboldi, M. Junker, C. Hahne, A. Chernogorov, F. Salamida, A. A. Vasenko, Th. Kihm, L. Vanhoefer, Hardy Simgen, T. Bode, L. V. Inzhechik, S. Hemmer, M. Reissfelder, R. Hiller, V. B. Brudanin, K. von Sturm, E. Bellotti, M. Misiaszek, H. Seitz, A. Wegmann, Manfred Lindner, M. Giordano, E. Doroshkevich, Igor Nemchenok, R. Kneißl, B. Schneider, G. Zuzel, P. Moseev, Bela Majorovits, Luciano Pandola, D. R. Zinatulina, Werner Hofmann, A. A. Klimenko, M. Heisel, N. Rumyantseva, M. Laubenstein, P. Holl, J. Hakenmüller, P. Grabmayr, A. Zschocke, I. V. Kirpichnikov, Mikael Hult, E. V. Demidova, M. Miloradovic, O. Selivanenko, S. Belogurov, R. Falkenstein, Jochen Schreiner, C. Schmitt, V. N. Kornoukhov, K. Pelczar, Guillaume Lutter, A. M. Bakalyarov, A.-K. Schütz, A. Hegai, N. Di Marco, K. N. Gusev, R. Brugnera, V. V. Kuzminov, K. T. Knöpfle, Matteo Agostini, Laura Baudis, Gerd Marissens, O.I. Kochetov, A. M. Gangapshev, Alessandro Bettini, C. Macolino, A. Pullia, and Cinzia Sada

Subjects
Physics, Ge-76, Particle physics, Double beta decay, Phase (waves), Beta (velocity), Neutrino, Neutrinoless double beta decay, Semiconductor detector
Abstract

An observation of neutrinoless double beta ([Formula: see text]) decay would allow to shed light onto the nature of neutrinos. Gerda (GERmanium Detector Array) aims to discover this process in a background-free search using [Formula: see text]Ge. The experiment is located at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS) of the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) in Italy. Bare, isotopically enriched, high purity germanium detectors are operated in liquid argon. Gerda follows a staged approach. In Phase II 35.6 kg of enriched germanium detectors are operated since December 2015. The application of active background rejection methods, such as a liquid argon scintillation light read-out and pulse shape discrimination of germanium detector signals, allows to reduce the background index to the intended level of [Formula: see text] cts/(keV⋅kg⋅yr). No evidence for the [Formula: see text] decay has been found in 23.2 kg⋅yr of Phase II data, and together with data from Phase I the up-to-date most stringent half-life limit for this process in [Formula: see text]Ge has been established, at a median sensitivity of 5.8⋅10[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]yr the 90[Formula: see text]% C.L. lower limit is 8.0⋅10[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]yr.

Published
2018

30. Measurement of anthropogenic radionuclides in post-Fukushima Pacific seawater samples

Author

Guillaume Lutter, Michio Aoyama, Faidra Tzika, Mikael Hult, Yasunori Hamajima, Gerd Marissens, and H. Stroh

Subjects
Detection limit, Anthropogenic radionuclides, Nuclear and High Energy Physics, Chemistry, Science, Radiochemistry, Condensed Matter Physics, Nuclear Energy and Engineering, Underground laboratory, Seawater, Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality, detection limit · fukushima · gamma-ray spectrometry · monte carlo · radiocesium · underground laboratory, Waste Management and Disposal, Instrumentation, Gamma ray spectrometry
Abstract

Following the accident at the Daiichi Fukushima nuclear power plant in 2011, a vast number of Pacific seawater samples from many locations far from Fukushima have been collected by Japanese investigators. Due to dilution, the activities of radionuclides from North Pacific seawater samples are very low, which calls for extraordinary measures when being measured. This study focuses on the metrological aspects of the gamma-ray spectrometry measurements performed on such samples in two underground laboratories; at HADES (by JRC-IRMM in Belgium), and at Ogoya (by Kanazawa University in Japan). Due to many samples and long measurement times, all available HPGe detectors needed to be employed. In addition to single coaxial detectors, this involved multidetector systems and well detectors. Optimization of detection limits for different radionuclides and detectors was performed using Monte Carlo simulations.

Published
2015

31. Modeling of Neutron Spectra Based on Activation Analysis

Author

H. Stroh, N. Jovančević, Gerd Marissens, M. Fridman, Stephan Oberstedt, F.-J. Hambsch, Mikael Hult, Guillaume Lutter, and L. Daraban

Subjects
Bonner sphere, Physics, unfolding technique, 252Cf neutron spectrum, Fission, Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Nuclear Theory, Neutron stimulated emission computed tomography, activation measurement, Neutron scattering, Physics and Astronomy(all), Nuclear physics, Prompt neutron, Neutron flux, Neutron cross section, Prompt fission neutron spectra, Neutron, Nuclear Experiment
Abstract

Safe and economical use of nuclear energy and particularly the development of GEN-IV reactors impose a better understanding of prompt neutron emission in fission, as well as of the fission process as such. Therefore, accurate measurements of the prompt fission neutron spectra (PFNS) are very important. In this work, we are testing the possibility to determine the PFNS by an activation method called DONA (DOsimetry and Spectroscopy using Neuron Activation) recently developed at IRMM (Wieslander et al., 2010, Lovestam et al., 2009). This type of modeling of the neutron spectra, based on the activation analysis, can provide new information about an old problem which still exists today, i.e. the discrepancy between measured integral and differential data (Capote et al., 2012). The problem is that the calculated average cross section for a certain neutron reaction, by using the differential experimental PFNS, in many cases cannot reproduce satisfactorily the integral measured cross section values. The modeling of the neutron spectra by the DONA technique was tested with the standard neutron spectrum of the spontaneous fission of 252 Cf. We analyzed the sensitivity of the unfolding procedure to the initial neutron energy spectrum, the influence of the neutron scattering, the possibility of using different activation reactions and we also made an estimation of the lowest measurable neutron fluence rate.

Published
2015
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32. Characterization of 226Ra activity in low-level slag reference standards

Author

María T. Crespo Vázquez, Guillaume Lutter, Faidra Tzika, Mikael Hult, Marcos Mejuto Mendieta, and Belén Caro Marroyo

Subjects
Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis, Metallurgy, Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health, Slag, Mineralogy, Metallurgical industry, Pollution, Analytical Chemistry, Metrology, Nuclear Energy and Engineering, visual_art, Underground laboratory, visual_art.visual_art_medium, Environmental science, Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and imaging, Hpge detector, Reference standards, Spectroscopy, Gamma ray spectrometry
Abstract

Within the EURAMET European Metrology Research Programme project IND04 named MetroMetal, several different reference standards have been developed for the metallurgical industry. This paper describes the characterisation of low-levels of 226Ra in samples of slag. The activity was determined through spiking with a known amount of solution containing 226Ra to a previously characterised slag material. The measurements were performed at both 225 m underground and aboveground. The total (spiked + natural) massic activity of 226Ra obtained from the gamma-ray spectrometry measurements was (126.3 ± 5.6) Bq/kg. A comparison of the different measurements and studies of the distribution of radon-daughters in the samples is presented.

Published
2014

33. Coordinated underground measurements of gamma-ray emitting radionuclides for plasma physics research

Author

József Németh, András Fenyvesi, I. Bandac, Aldo Ianni, Jungmin Jo, Faidra Tzika, D. Degering, Junghee Kim, Guillaume Lutter, H. Stroh, Matthias Laubenstein, Mun Seung Cheon, Jun Young Kim, S. Zoletnik, Mikael Hult, Anne de Vismes-Ott, Gerd Marissens, Soohyun Son, G. Bonheure, Suk-Ho Hong, Mihály Braun, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Milano (INFN), Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), PRP-ENV/STEME/LMRE, Laboratoire de Mesure de la Radioactivité dans l’Environnement, Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), Seoul National University [Seoul] (SNU), Wigner Research Centre for Physics of the H.A.S 29-33 Konkoly Thege Miklós út, Budapest 1121, Hungary, and Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, MSIP EN1601-7National Research Council of Science and Technology, NST PG1314European Commission, EC

Subjects
Physics, [PHYS]Physics [physics], Radiation, Tokamak, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Nuclear engineering, Gamma ray, Plasma, complex mixtures, 01 natural sciences, Charged particle, 010305 fluids & plasmas, law.invention, Nuclear physics, law, KSTAR, 0103 physical sciences, Neutron, Plasma diagnostics, Neutron activation
Abstract

International audience; Forty-eight samples made of CaF2, LiF and YVO4 were placed inside the KSTAR Tokamak and irradiated by neutrons and charged particles from eight plasma pulses. The aim was to provide information for plasma diagnostics. Due to the short pulse durations, the activities induced in the samples were low and therefore measurements were performed in five low-background underground laboratories. Details of the underground measurements, together with data on the quality control amongst the radiometric laboratories, are presented. © 2016

Published
2017

34. Advancements in NORM metrology – Results and impact of the European joint research project MetroNORM

Author

Branko Vodenik, L. Szucs, Stefaan Pommé, Jiři Hůlka, F. Cardellini, M. Reis, F.J. Maringer, N. Michielsen, Alexander Mauring, V. Peyres, Simon Jerome, J C J Dean, M. Stietka, Monika Mazanova, Guillaume Lutter, Mikael Hult, Andreas Baumgartner, Bogusław Michalik, F. Kabrt, Roy Pöllänen, Hannah Wiedner, Sylvie Pierre, Cyrus Larijani, Maria Marouli, P. Kovář, Teresa Crespo, Philippe Cassette, Federal Office of Metrology and Surveying [Vienna] (BEV), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences [Wien] (BOKU), Université médicale de Vienne, Autriche, Agenzia Nazionale per le nuove Tecnologie, l’energia e lo sviluppo economico sostenibile (ENEA), Laboratoire National Henri Becquerel (LNHB), Département Métrologie Instrumentation & Information (DM2I), Laboratoire d'Intégration des Systèmes et des Technologies (LIST), Direction de Recherche Technologique (CEA) (DRT (CEA)), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Direction de Recherche Technologique (CEA) (DRT (CEA)), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université Paris-Saclay-Laboratoire d'Intégration des Systèmes et des Technologies (LIST), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université Paris-Saclay, Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas Medioambientales y Tecnológicas [Madrid] (CIEMAT), National Physical Laboratory [Teddington] (NPL), Statni Ustav Radiacni Ochrany, JRC Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements [Geel] (IRMM), European Commission - Joint Research Centre [Geel] (JRC), Cesky Metrologicky Institut Brno (CMI), Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority, Główny Instytut Górnictwa, Laboratoire de Physique et de Métrologie des Aérosols (DSU/SERAC/LPMA), Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority [Helsinki] (STUK), Fluminense Federal University [Niterói], Magyar Kereskedelmi Engedelyezesi Hivatal (MKEH), Jozef Stefan Institute [Ljubljana] (IJS), European Project: IND57,MetroNORM, Universität für Bodenkultur Wien = University of Natural Resources and Life [Vienne, Autriche] (BOKU), Agenzia Nazionale per le nuove Tecnologie, l’energia e lo sviluppo economico sostenibile = Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Laboratoire d'Intégration des Systèmes et des Technologies (LIST (CEA)), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université Paris-Saclay-Laboratoire d'Intégration des Systèmes et des Technologies (LIST (CEA)), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université Paris-Saclay-Département d'instrumentation Numérique (DIN (CEA-LIST)), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA), and Laboratoire de Physique et de Métrologie des Aérosols (IRSN/DSU/SERAC/LPMA)

Subjects
In-situ alpha spectrometry, Engineering, EFFICIENCY, Decay data, Nanotechnology, Natural radionuclides, Radionuclide metrology, [PHYS.NEXP]Physics [physics]/Nuclear Experiment [nucl-ex], 010403 inorganic & nuclear chemistry, 01 natural sciences, 030218 nuclear medicine & medical imaging, 03 medical and health sciences, 0302 clinical medicine, [PHYS.PHYS.PHYS-INS-DET]Physics [physics]/Physics [physics]/Instrumentation and Detectors [physics.ins-det], DETECTOR, Gamma ray spectrometry, Natural radioactivity, Radiation, business.industry, GAMMA-RAY SPECTROMETRY, 0104 chemical sciences, Metrology, Joint research, Activity measurements, NORM, Norm (mathematics), Systems engineering, RADON, business
Abstract

Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Radionuclide Metrology - Low Level Radioactivity Measurement Techniques (ICRM-LLRMT), 26 -30 September 2016, Seattle, USA; International audience; The results of the three years European Metrology Research Programme's (EMRP) joint research project 'Metrology for processing materials with high natural radioactivity' (MetroNORM) are presented. In this project, metrologically sound novel instruments and procedures for laboratory and in-situ NORM activity measurements have been developed. Additionally, standard reference materials and sources for traceable calibration and improved decay data of natural radionuclides have been established.

Published
2017

35. Search for Neutrinoless Quadruple- β Decay of Nd150 with the NEMO-3 Detector

Author

A. Smetana, A. Žukauskas, V. G. Egorov, R. Saakyan, X. Sarazin, E. Rukhadze, R. Salazar, S. Calvez, Vit Vorobel, F. Nova, D. Waters, O.I. Kochetov, J. J. Evans, D. Lalanne, S. Blot, Vl.I. Tretyak, A.J. Caffrey, B. Morgan, S. Söldner-Rembold, A. Huber, B. Guillon, E. Chauveau, J. Busto, J. C. Thomas, L. Dawson, Masaharu Nomachi, C. L. Riddle, A. Remoto, P. Loaiza, V. I. Tretyak, V. V. Timkin, C. Cerna, C. Augier, R. Arnold, C. Vilela, R. Hodák, A. Basharina-Freshville, H. Ohsumi, C.S. Sutton, T. Le Noblet, Dominique Durand, X.R. Liu, Guillaume Lutter, D. Duchesneau, Hector Gomez, Fedor Šimkovic, Karol Lang, A. S. Barabash, Y. A. Ramachers, Igor Nemchenok, Michele Cascella, Jouni Suhonen, J. Mott, D.V. Filosofov, F. Xie, Karel Smolek, Frédéric Nowacki, Pavel P. Povinec, D. Štefánik, Ch. Marquet, P. Přidal, I. Stekl, X. Garrido, B. Soulé, F. Perrot, J.P. Cesar, A.A. Smolnikov, S. Torre, Yu. Shitov, V.I. Umatov, F. Mamedov, F. Piquemal, V.E. Kovalenko, F. Mauger, D. Boursette, G. Szklarz, G. Eurin, M. Macko, C. Macolino, C. Hugon, R. L. Flack, J. L. Reyss, R. B. Pahlka, S. Blondel, C. Patrick, A. A. Klimenko, M. Bongrand, V.B. Brudanin, I. Vanushin, L. Fajt, P. Guzowski, Y. Lemière, A. Chapon, L. Simard, A. Chopra, Z. J. Liptak, Ph. Hubert, S. Jullian, and S. I. Konovalov

Subjects
Physics, Particle physics, Electron energy spectrum, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Detector, General Physics and Astronomy, chemistry.chemical_element, Electron, 01 natural sciences, 7. Clean energy, Neodymium, Lepton number, Beta decay, Nuclear physics, chemistry, 0103 physical sciences, Underground laboratory, 010306 general physics
Abstract

We report the results of a first experimental search for lepton number violation by four units in the neutrinoless quadruple-β decay of Nd150 using a total exposure of 0.19 kg yr recorded with the NEMO-3 detector at the Modane Underground Laboratory. We find no evidence of this decay and set lower limits on the half-life in the range T1/2>(1.1–3.2)×1021 yr at the 90% C.L., depending on the model used for the kinematic distributions of the emitted electrons.

Published
2017

36. Search for the decay of nature's rarest isotopeTa180m

Author

B. Lehnert, Kai Zuber, Guillaume Lutter, and Mikael Hult

Subjects
Physics, Isotope, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Electron capture, 0103 physical sciences, Underground laboratory, Atomic physics, 010306 general physics, 01 natural sciences
Abstract

$^{180m}\mathrm{Ta}$ is the rarest naturally occurring quasistable isotope and the longest lived metastable state which is known. Its possible decay via the ${\ensuremath{\beta}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ or the electron capture channel has never been observed. This article presents a search for the decay of $^{180m}\mathrm{Ta}$ with an ultralow background Sandwich HPGe $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ spectrometry setup in the HADES underground laboratory. No signal is observed and improved lower partial half-life limits are set with a Bayesian analysis to $5.8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{16}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{yr}$ for the ${\ensuremath{\beta}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ channel and $2.0\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{17}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{yr}$ for the electron capture channel (90 % credibility). The total half-life of $^{180m}\mathrm{Ta}$ is longer than $4.5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{16}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{yr}$. This is more than a factor of two improvement compared to previous searches.

Published
2017

37. A gamma-ray spectrometry analysis software environment

Author

H. Stroh, Faidra Tzika, Guillaume Lutter, Mikael Hult, and Gerd Marissens

Subjects
Radiation, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, business.industry, Computer science, Monte Carlo method, Analytical chemistry, Mass spectrometry, 01 natural sciences, Computational science, Software, General purpose, Monte carlo code, Radionuclide metrology, 0103 physical sciences, Analysis software, 010306 general physics, business, Gamma ray spectrometry
Abstract

At the JRC-Geel's RadioNuclide Metrology sector, a Monte Carlo code based on EGSnrc, and a general purpose calculation sheet implemented in Microsoft Excel®, have been developed to make the quantitative gamma-ray spectrometry analysis of samples simpler and more robust. The further aim is that the software can be used by non-experts in gamma-ray spectrometry e.g. external researchers using JRC-Geel's facilities through the EUFRAT transnational access scheme. This paper presents the developed Monte Carlo software and the functionality included in the calculation sheet.

Published
2017

38. Search for Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay with the GERDA experiment: Phase II

Author

Christian Bauer, A. Lubashevskiy, Oliver Schulz, Alberto Pullia, V. I. Gurentsov, I. R. Barabanov, M. Heisel, C. Macolino, A. Garfagnini, S. V. Zhukov, M. Balata, Bayarto Lubsandorzhiev, J. Schreiner, L. Vanhoefer, T. Bode, E. Doroshkevich, R. Brugnera, M. Salathe, V. V. Kazalov, V. V. Kuzminov, J. Janicsko, Manfred Lindner, T. Wester, Matteo Agostini, A.A. Smolnikov, D. R. Zinatulina, Matthias Laubenstein, C. Cattadori, Kai Zuber, Allen Caldwell, Ivano Lippi, V. Egorov, Josef Jochum, D. Palioselitis, A. Kish, S. Schoenert, K. N. Gusev, A. K. Schuetz, E. Medinaceli, V. Wagner, O. Selivanenko, J. Janicskó Csáthy, Marcin Wójcik, V. D'Andrea, W. Maneschg, C. Gooch, E. A. Yanovich, K. T. Knoepfle, Cinzia Sada, P. Grabmayr, Stefano Riboldi, A. A. Vasenko, K. von Sturm, Giovanni Benato, A. Lazzaro, A. Domula, A. Hegai, E. V. Demidova, Mikael Hult, I. Zhitnikov, M. Misiaszek, B. Schwingenheuer, B. Lehnert, G. Zuzel, C. Wiesinger, R. Mingazheva, M. Shirchenko, M. Allardt, N. Di Marco, V. I. Lebedev, V.B. Brudanin, Hardy Simgen, V. N. Kornoukhov, K. Pelczar, S. Hemmer, Alessandro Bettini, P. Moseev, Luciano Pandola, R. Kneissl, A. Kirsch, S. Belogurov, A. A. Klimenko, Laura Baudis, A. V. Veresnikova, J. Hakenmüller, Guillaume Lutter, A. M. Bakalyarov, D. Borowicz, A. Chernogorov, N. Rumyantseva, K. Panas, B. Schneider, H. Y. Liao, Werner Hofmann, R. Falkenstein, I. V. Kirpichnikov, Luca Stanco, C. Schmitt, M. Miloradovic, A. Wegmann, Igor Nemchenok, F. Salamida, Bela Majorovits, M. Junker, L. B. Bezrukov, E. Shevchik, Thomas Kihm, E. Bellotti, N. Frodyma, O.I. Kochetov, S. T. Belyaev, A. M. Gangapshev, and L. V. Inzhechik

Subjects
Nuclear physics, Physics, chemistry, Double beta decay, Liquid argon, Underground laboratory, Phase (waves), chemistry.chemical_element, Germanium, Sensitivity (control systems), Energy (signal processing), Semiconductor detector
Abstract

The GERmanium Detector Array (GERDA) experiment, located at the Gran Sasso underground laboratory in Italy, is built for the search of $0\nu\beta\beta$ decay in $^{76}$Ge. GERDA operates bare high purity germanium detectors submersed in liquid Argon (LAr). Phase I of the experiment was completed reaching an exposure of about 21 kg$\cdot$yr with a background level of $10^{-2}$ cts/(ke V $\cdot$ kg $\cdot$ yr). GERDA Phase I set a limit on the $0\nu\beta\beta$ decay of $^{76}$Ge of $T_{1/2}^{0\nu} > 2.1 \cdot 10^{25}$ yr. In Phase II 35 kg of germanium detectors enriched in $^{76}$Ge are operated to reach an exposure of 100 kg$\cdot$yr. The design goal is to reduce the background by one order of magnitude to reach the sensitivity for $T_{1/2}^{0\nu} = \mathcal{O} (10^{26} )$ yr. The Phase II setup comprises thirty newly produced Broad Energy Germanium (BEGe) detectors. They contribute to the background reduction with better energy resolution and enhanced pulse shape discrimination. To achieve the necessary background reduction, the setup was complemented with LAr veto. The hardware upgrade for Phase II was finished and all detectors were deployed in December 2015. We present the first results of Phase II with 10.8 kg$\cdot$yr exposure reached in June 2016.

Published
2017

39. Study of the GERDA Phase II background spectrum

Author

V. I. Gurentsov, R. Kneißl, V. G. Egorov, D. Palioselitis, V. D'Andrea, M. Balata, E. Shevzik, L. Vanhoefer, L. B. Bezrukov, V. B. Brudanin, M. Allardt, Matthias Laubenstein, A. V. Veresnikova, M. Salathe, M. Junker, M. M. Wojcik, C. Schmitt, R. Mingazheva, BayarJon Paul Lubsandorzhiev, V. Kazalov, C. Cattadori, B. Schwingenheuer, J. Janicskó Csáthy, A. Domula, R. Brugnera, A. Kish, L. V. Inzhechik, A. Lubashevskiy, A. Kirsch, Oliver Schulz, V. V. Kuzminov, Alessandro Bettini, V. Wagner, I. Zhitnikov, W. Maneschg, E. A. Yanovich, Matteo Agostini, Alberto Pullia, M. Miloradovic, A. Wegmann, C. Bauer, Igor Nemchenok, V. I. Lebedev, A. Garfagnini, Manfred Lindner, L. Stanco, Stefano Riboldi, Bela Majorovits, D. Borowicz, A. Chernogorov, E. Medinaceli, Allen Caldwell, Laura Baudis, I.V. Kirpichnikov, A.A. Vasenko, O. Selivanenko, I. R. Barabanov, B. Lehnert, S. V. Zhukov, Hardy Simgen, E.V. Demidova, S. Belogurov, M. Misiaszek, H. Y. Liao, K. Panas, D. R. Zinatulina, K. N. Gusev, K. T. Knöpfle, C. Gooch, K. von Sturm, E. Bellotti, A.-K. Schütz, Stefan Schönert, A. Hegai, N. Di Marco, E. Doroshkevich, F. Salamida, Cinzia Sada, Giovanni Benato, J. Hakenmüller, Ivano Lippi, C. Wiesinger, Werner Hofmann, Mikael Hult, M. Shirchenko, G. Zuzel, T. Bode, R. Falkenstein, Jochen Schreiner, S. Hemmer, K. Pelczar, Guillaume Lutter, B. Schneider, A. M. Bakalyarov, P. Grabmayr, J. Jochum, T. Wester, A.A. Smolnikov, A. Lazzaro, Kai Zuber, V.N. Kornoukhov, O.I. Kochetov, S. T. Belyaev, A. M. Gangapshev, Th. Kihm, P. Moseev, Luciano Pandola, A. A. Klimenko, M. Heisel, N. Rumyantseva, C. Macolino, and N. Frodyma

Subjects
Physics, History, Background spectrum, Physics and Astronomy (all), Phase (waves), Nuclear Matrix, Astrophysics, Beta Decay, Bolometers, Beta Decay, Bolometers, Nuclear Matrix, Computer Science Applications, Education
Published
2017

40. Limits on uranium and thorium bulk content in GERDA Phase I detectors

Author

V. N. Kornoukhov, K. Pelczar, Guillaume Lutter, A. M. Bakalyarov, K. Panas, R. Falkenstein, Jochen Schreiner, C. Schmitt, D. Palioselitis, V. G. Egorov, Allen Caldwell, K. T. Knöpfle, M. Salathe, T. Wester, O. Fedorova, V. I. Gurentsov, B. Lehnert, M. Balata, N. Frodyma, E. Medinaceli, L. Vanhoefer, K. von Sturm, T. Bode, A.A. Smolnikov, C. Cattadori, Kai Zuber, Laura Baudis, Cinzia Sada, Alessandro Bettini, O.I. Kochetov, Bayarto Lubsandorzhiev, A. Kish, R. Mingazheva, K. Freund, Marcin Wójcik, Stefano Riboldi, M. Junker, P. Grabmayr, H. Y. Liao, B. Schwingenheuer, Giovanni Benato, A.-K. Schütz, G. Zuzel, A. Hegai, S. T. Belyaev, V. D'Andrea, M. Misiaszek, C. Wiesinger, J. Jochum, A. M. Gangapshev, M. Shirchenko, V. V. Kazalov, E. V. Demidova, I. R. Barabanov, P. Moseev, Thomas Kihm, K. N. Gusev, D. R. Zinatulina, Luciano Pandola, V. I. Lebedev, A. A. Klimenko, S. V. Zhukov, M. Allardt, R. Brugnera, Stefan Schönert, L. B. Bezrukov, S. Belogurov, M. Heisel, Mikael Hult, E. Shevchik, V. V. Kuzminov, N. Rumyantseva, Matteo Agostini, Christian Bauer, A. Kirsch, A. Wegmann, Manfred Lindner, S. Hemmer, Igor Nemchenok, L. V. Inzhechik, A. Lubashevskiy, E. Doroshkevich, Bela Majorovits, W. Maneschg, A. Lazzaro, A. di Vacri, I. V. Kirpichnikov, Werner Hofmann, A. Domula, E. A. Yanovich, C. Macolino, M. Walter, B. Schneider, O. Selivanenko, R. Kneißl, Ivano Lippi, L. Stanco, V.B. Brudanin, N. Becerici-Schmidt, Hardy Simgen, E. Bellotti, D. Borowicz, M. Stepaniuk, J. Hakemüller, A. V. Veresnikova, J. Janicskó Csáthy, A. Chernogorov, I. Zhitnikov, F. Salamida, Oliver Schulz, Alberto Pullia, A. Garfagnini, Matthias Laubenstein, V. Wagner, A. A. Vasenko, Laboratoire de l'Accélérateur Linéaire (LAL), Université Paris-Sud - Paris 11 (UP11)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), GERDA, and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Université Paris-Sud - Paris 11 (UP11)

Subjects
Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, radiopurity, Isotopes of germanium, germanium: double-beta decay, chemistry.chemical_element, FOS: Physical sciences, double beta decay, Germanium, Radiopurity, [PHYS.NEXP]Physics [physics]/Nuclear Experiment [nucl-ex], 7. Clean energy, 01 natural sciences, Uranium and thorium, germanium detectors, Nuclear physics, Double beta decay, 0103 physical sciences, thorium: admixture, germanium: detector, Nuclide, [PHYS.PHYS.PHYS-INS-DET]Physics [physics]/Physics [physics]/Instrumentation and Detectors [physics.ins-det], Nuclear Experiment (nucl-ex), uranium and thorium bulk content, 010306 general physics, Nuclear Experiment, background: radioactivity, Physics, Range (particle radiation), 010308 nuclear & particles physics, uranium: admixture, Thorium, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Instrumentation and Detectors (physics.ins-det), Uranium, Germanium detectors, Uranium and thorium bulk content, chemistry, radioactivity, bulk content, DOUBLE-BETA DECAY, Decay chain, GERDA
Abstract

Internal contaminations of $^{238}$U, $^{235}$U and $^{232}$Th in the bulk of high purity germanium detectors are potential backgrounds for experiments searching for neutrinoless double beta decay of $^{76}$Ge. The data from GERDA Phase~I have been analyzed for alpha events from the decay chain of these contaminations by looking for full decay chains and for time correlations between successive decays in the same detector. No candidate events for a full chain have been found. Upper limits on the activities in the range of a few nBq/kg for $^{226}$Ra, $^{227}$Ac and $^{228}$Th, the long-lived daughter nuclides of $^{238}$U, $^{235}$U and $^{232}$Th, respectively, have been derived. With these upper limits a background index in the energy region of interest from $^{226}$Ra and $^{228}$Th contamination is estimated which satisfies the prerequisites of a future ton scale germanium double beta decay experiment., Comment: 2 figures, 7 pages

Published
2017

41. Radiological characterization and evaluation of high volume bauxiteresidue alkali activated concretes

Author

Tom Croymans, Gerd Marissens, Guillaume Lutter, Sonja Schreurs, Wouter Schroeyers, Krivenko Pavel, Anton Pasko, Oleksandr Kovalchuk, and Mikael Hult

Subjects
Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis, Potassium Radioisotopes, 0211 other engineering and technologies, Mineralogy, activity concentration, activity concentration index, effective dose, Bauxite residue, concrete, 02 engineering and technology, Alkalies, engineering.material, Effective dose (radiation), Mining, 030218 nuclear medicine & medical imaging, 03 medical and health sciences, Residue (chemistry), 0302 clinical medicine, Radiation Monitoring, Occupational Exposure, 021105 building & construction, Activity concentration, Aluminum Oxide, Environmental Chemistry, Waste Management and Disposal, Radionuclide, Waste management, Construction Materials, business.industry, Thorium, General Medicine, Radiation Exposure, Pollution, Red mud, Spectrometry, Gamma, Bauxite, engineering, Uranium, Environmental science, Occupational exposure, Radiation protection, Ukraine, business
Abstract

Bauxite residue, also known as red mud, can be used as an aggregate in concrete products. The study involves the radiological characterization of different types of concretes containing bauxite residue from Ukraine. The activity concentrations of radionuclides from the 238U, 232Th decay series and 40K were determined for concrete mixture samples incorporating 30, 40, 50, 60, 75, 85 and 90% (by mass) of bauxite residue using gamma-ray spectrometry with a HPGe detector. The studied bauxite residue can, from a radiological point of view using activity concentration indexes developed by Markkanen, be used in concrete for building materials and in road construction, even in percentages reaching 90% (by mass). However, when also occupational exposure is considered it is recommended to incorporate less than 75% (by mass) of Ukrainian bauxite residue during the construction of buildings in order to keep the dose to workers below the dose criterion used by Radiation Protection (RP) 122 (0.3 mSv/a). Considering RP122 for evaluation of the total effective dose to workers no restrictions are required for the use of the Ukrainian bauxite residue in road construction. The authors would like to acknowledge networking support by the COST Action TU1301. www.norm4building.org. This work was supported by the European Commission within HORIZON2020 via the EURATOM project EUFRAT.

Published
2017

42. The cross section functions for neutron induced reactions with Rhenium in the energy range 13.0–19.5 MeV

Author

H. Stroh, F.-J. Hambsch, Stephan Oberstedt, Guillaume Lutter, Marzio Vidali, L. Daraban, N. Jovančević, Mikael Hult, Gerd Marissens, W. Geerts, and C. Bonaldi

Subjects
Range (particle radiation), Work (thermodynamics), Isotope, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Physics, QC1-999, chemistry.chemical_element, Rhenium, 01 natural sciences, Nuclear physics, Cross section (physics), chemistry, 0103 physical sciences, Neutron, 010306 general physics, Energy (signal processing), Neutron activation
Abstract

The technique for measuring neutron activation cross-sections using wide energy neutron beams (NAXSUN) was recently developed at JRC-Geel . This method is based on the detection of the gamma activity induced by the activation of the samples in different but overlapping neutron fields and following an unfolding procedure. In the present work, measurements of the cross-section functions by the NAXSUN technique for the (n,a), (n,2n), (n,p) and (n,3n) reactions on rhenium isotopes 185 Re and 187 Re were performed. The results are the first experimental data for the mentioned reaction cross-sections in the energy range 13.0–19.5 MeV. The obtained data are of interest for possible applications of Re in nuclear technology and medicine.

Published
2017

43. First results of GERDA Phase II and consistency with background models

Author

R. Falkenstein, D. Palioselitis, Jochen Schreiner, O. Schulz, I. V. Kirpichnikov, M. Miloradovic, E. V. Demidova, O.I. Kochetov, D. Borowicz, S. T. Belyaev, A. M. Gangapshev, R. Mingazheva, N. Frodyma, V. I. Gurentsov, Alberto Pullia, V. G. Egorov, A. Garfagnini, M. Balata, B. Schwingenheuer, R. Brugnera, V. V. Kuzminov, Bayarto Lubsandorzhiev, R. Kneißl, E. Shevzik, J. Hakenmüller, M. Salathe, Matteo Agostini, V. I. Lebedev, L. Vanhoefer, K. Pelczar, K. N. Gusev, Th. Kihm, Matthias Laubenstein, A. M. Bakalyarov, Marcin Wójcik, E. Doroshkevich, L. V. Inzhechik, P. Grabmayr, Alessandro Bettini, A. Kirsch, Guillaume Lutter, T. Wester, P. Moseev, S. Hemmer, V. D'Andrea, L. B. Bezrukov, Luciano Pandola, J. Jochum, F. Salamida, W. Maneschg, K. T. Knöpfle, A.A. Smolnikov, A. Lazzaro, Christian Bauer, A. A. Klimenko, V.N. Kornoukhov, E. A. Yanovich, A. V. Veresnikova, S. Belogurov, K. Panas, C. Schmitt, A. Wegmann, Igor Nemchenok, Manfred Lindner, A. A. Vasenko, Kai Zuber, E. Medinaceli, M. Heisel, M. Allardt, N. Rumyantseva, C. Cattadori, A. Chernogorov, Bela Majorovits, C. Macolino, A. Lubashevskiy, B. Schneider, I. R. Barabanov, E. Bellotti, C. Gooch, A.-K. Schütz, S. V. Zhukov, A. Hegai, S. Schönert, B. Lehnert, D. R. Zinatulina, G. Zuzel, N. Di Marco, J. Janicskó Csáthy, O. Selivanenko, L. Stanco, V.B. Brudanin, Mikael Hult, Hardy Simgen, A. Kish, A. Domula, V. Wagner, I. Zhitnikov, Cinzia Sada, Giovanni Benato, M. Junker, Laura Baudis, H. Y. Liao, Werner Hofmann, Allen Caldwell, K. von Sturm, Ivano Lippi, V. Kazalov, Stefano Riboldi, M. Misiaszek, C. Wiesinger, M. Shirchenko, and T. Bode

Subjects
Physics, History, Background spectrum, Particle physics, Physics and Astronomy (all), Consistency (statistics), Phase (waves), Liquid argon, DECAY, Computer Science Applications, Education
Published
2017

44. Development of alkali activated cements and concrete mixture design with high volumes of red mud

Author

Niels Vandevenne, Guillaume Lutter, Wouter Schroeyers, Sonja Schreurs, Krivenko Pavel, Oleksandr Kovalchuk, Tom Croymans, Mikael Hult, and Anton Pasko

Subjects
Materials science, CEMENTITIOUS MATERIAL, BAUXITE RESIDUE, 0211 other engineering and technologies, 02 engineering and technology, law.invention, Aluminosilicate, law, 021105 building & construction, COMPOSITES, General Materials Science, Composite material, Civil and Structural Engineering, Red mud, GEOPOLYMERS, Cement, Building and Construction, Alkali activated cements, 021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology, Microstructure, Portland cement, Compressive strength, CERAMICS, METAKAOLIN, Hardening (metallurgy), Structure formation, Mortar, MICROSTRUCTURE, 0210 nano-technology, BEHAVIOR, Concrete
Abstract

Dedicated cement compositions were formulated to enable the incorporation of large volume fractions of red mud in alkali activated cements, taking into account the role of the aluminosilicate phase in the processes of hydration and hardening. High volume red mud alkali activated cements were synthesized using a proper combination of red mud, low basic aluminosilicate compounds with a glass phase (blast-furnace slag) and additives selected from high-basic Ca-containing cements with a crystalline structure (Portland cement). Compressive strength of the cements under study is 30-60 MPa (tested in mortar). The microstructure of the hardened cement paste and the role of red mud in the structure formation process were investigated. In addition to the use of red mud in cement, its use as an aggregate in concrete was studied to enable the use of larger quantities in the final concrete. In concrete road bases, the use of red mud can reach even 90% by mass. Since enhanced concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides can be present in red mud this aspect was investigated to make sure that these materials are safe to use from a radiological point of view. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. The authors would like to acknowledge networking support by the COST Action TU1301 (www.norm4building.org).This work was supported by the European Commission within HORIZON2020 via the EURATOM project EUFRAT for transnational access. The technical support of Gerd Marissens and Heiko Stroh is gratefully acknowledged.

Published
2017

45. The BiPo-3 detector

Author

L. Simard, S. Blot, M. Bongrand, H. Gómez, A. Chopra, Z. J. Liptak, Jose Busto, P. Guzowski, Y. Lemière, Y. A. Ramachers, S. I. Konovalov, E. Chauveau, F. Perrot, B. Richards, V. V. Timkin, V.I. Umatov, X. Garrido, E. Birdsall, Pavel P. Povinec, Masaharu Nomachi, L. Fajt, Vit Vorobel, S. Torre, P. Přidal, V. Brudanin, G. Eurin, F. Mamedov, A.J. Caffrey, S. Söldner-Rembold, D. Boursette, Ruben Saakyan, O.I. Kochetov, C. Vilela, X.R. Liu, F. Piquemal, C. Hugon, Guillaume Lutter, J. Mott, M. Macko, Karol Lang, A. Jeremie, A. Žukauskas, Karol Holý, Yu. Shitov, S. De Capua, Michele Cascella, V. G. Egorov, A.A. Smolnikov, E. Rukhadze, P. Loaiza, S. Calvez, D. Waters, X. Sarazin, Joleen Pater, A. Smetana, J. J. Evans, D. Duchesneau, A. S. Barabash, Juergen Thomas, S. Blondel, I. Stekl, A. Huber, C. Cerna, D.V. Filosofov, V. I. Tretyak, V.E. Kovalenko, F. Mauger, G. Oliviéro, Fedor Šimkovic, R. L. Flack, Igor Nemchenok, B. Guillon, H. Ohsumi, M. Kauer, T. Le Noblet, R. B. Pahlka, Dominique Durand, Vl.I. Tretyak, F. Nova, S. Jullian, B. Morgan, A. A. Klimenko, C. L. Riddle, A. Remoto, A. Basharina-Freshville, R. Hodák, Karel Smolek, B. Soulé, Ch. Marquet, Laboratoire de l'Accélérateur Linéaire (LAL), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Université Paris-Sud - Paris 11 (UP11), Centre de Physique des Particules de Marseille (CPPM), Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Centre d'Etudes Nucléaires de Bordeaux Gradignan (CENBG), Université Sciences et Technologies - Bordeaux 1-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire d'Annecy de Physique des Particules (LAPP), Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire de physique corpusculaire de Caen (LPCC), Université de Caen Normandie (UNICAEN), Normandie Université (NU)-Normandie Université (NU)-École Nationale Supérieure d'Ingénieurs de Caen (ENSICAEN), Normandie Université (NU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3), Laboratoire Souterrain de Modane (LSM - UMR 6417), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes [2016-2019] (UGA [2016-2019])-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3), Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Ministère de l'Education nationale, de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche (M.E.N.E.S.R.), Université Paris-Sud - Paris 11 (UP11)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Aix Marseille Université (AMU), Laboratoire d'Annecy de Physique des Particules (LAPP/Laboratoire d'Annecy-le-Vieux de Physique des Particules), Normandie Université (NU)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3), Université Sciences et Technologies - Bordeaux 1 (UB)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes [2016-2019] (UGA [2016-2019]), and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)

Subjects
Photomultiplier, measurement methods, chemistry.chemical_element, Scintillator, 010403 inorganic & nuclear chemistry, 01 natural sciences, Bismuth, Nuclear physics, thallium, Optics, Neutrino Ettore Majorana Observatory, Double beta decay, Double beta-decay detectors, 0103 physical sciences, bismuth, [PHYS.PHYS.PHYS-INS-DET]Physics [physics]/Physics [physics]/Instrumentation and Detectors [physics.ins-det], background: radioactivity, FOIL method, scintillation counter, Physics, Radiation, photomultiplier, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, business.industry, Detector, double-beta decay, 0104 chemical sciences, chemistry, Scintillation counter, admixture, Low-radioactivity measurements, business
Abstract

The BiPo-3 detector is a low radioactive detector dedicated to measuring ultra-low natural contaminations of 208Tl and 214Bi in thin materials, initially developed to measure the radiopurity of the double β decay source foils of the SuperNEMO experiment at the μBq/kg level. The BiPo-3 technique consists in installing the foil of interest between two thin ultra-radiopure scintillators coupled to low radioactive photomultipliers. The design and performances of the detector are presented. In this paper, the final results of the 208Tl and 214Bi activity measurements of the first enriched 82Se foils are reported for the first time, showing the capability of the detector to reach sensitivities in the range of some μBq/kg.

Published
2017

46. Determination of dead-layer variation in HPGe detectors

Author

Gerd Marissens, Guillaume Lutter, A. Garfagnini, E. Andreotti, Mikael Hult, S. Hemmer, and K. von Sturm

Subjects
Physics, Radiation, Physics::Instrumentation and Detectors, business.industry, Monte Carlo method, Detector, chemistry.chemical_element, Germanium, Particle detector, Semiconductor detector, Optics, chemistry, Measuring instrument, High Energy Physics::Experiment, business, Spectroscopy, Hpge detector
Abstract

The dead-layer uniformity of the top surface of two high purity germanium detectors has been studied using a novel automated scanning set-up that allows a fine-grained topography of a detector's top and lateral surfaces. Comparisons between measurements and Monte Carlo simulations allowed implementation of a dead-layer variation into the detector model, which reproduces the measurements results. The effect of the non-uniform dead-layer on activity determinations based on low-energy γ-rays (i.e. below ~100 keV) has been determined to be of the order of 10% or more.

Published
2014

47. A low-energy set-up for gamma-ray spectrometry of NORM tailored to the needs of a secondary smelting facility

Author

Wouter Schroeyers, Tom Croymans, Gerd Marissens, I. Vandael Schreurs, Faidra Tzika, H. Stroh, Guillaume Lutter, Sonja Schreurs, and Mikael Hult

Subjects
Radiation, business.industry, 010501 environmental sciences, Pb-210, Po-210, metallurgy, industry, gamma-ray spectrometry, naturally occurring radionuclides, 01 natural sciences, 010309 optics, Low energy, Norm (mathematics), 0103 physical sciences, Smelting, Environmental science, Process engineering, business, Measurement station, Gamma ray spectrometry, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences
Abstract

A measurement station dedicated for quantitative radiological characterisation of naturally occurring radio-nuclides in a metallurgical company and based on gamma-ray spectrometry was developed. The station is intended for performing quality control of final non-ferrous metal products and for radiological checks of incoming materials. A low-background point-contact HPGe-detector was used and the signal was split in two branches to enable collecting simultaneously spectra with high amplification (for gamma-ray energies below 250 keV) and low amplification. This work was supported by the EMRP joint research project 'Metrology for processing materials with high natural radioactivity' (MetroNORM, JRP IND57) which has received funding from the European Union on the basis of Decision No 912/2009/EC. The EMRP is jointly funded by the EMRP participating countries within EURAMET and the European Union.

Published
2016
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48. Limit on the radiative neutrinoless double electron capture of $$^{36}$$ 36 Ar from GERDA Phase I

Author

Marc Walter, O.I. Kochetov, J. Janicskó Csáthy, D. Palioselitis, S. T. Belyaev, A. M. Gangapshev, H. Wilsenach, V. I. Gurentsov, R. Brugnera, C. Wiesinger, M. Stepaniuk, M. Heisel, V. V. Kuzminov, Matteo Agostini, B. Lehnert, I. Zhitnikov, A. Domula, C. Macolino, R. Mingazheva, Bayarto Lubsandorzhiev, M. Shirchenko, K. Freund, L. V. Inzhechik, L. B. Bezrukov, B. Schwingenheuer, Oliver Schulz, A. V. Veresnikova, M. Balata, E. Doroshkevich, O. Fedorova, A. Chernogorov, E. V. Demidova, V.B. Brudanin, A. Lazzaro, Alberto Pullia, Hardy Simgen, I. V. Kirpichnikov, E. Medinaceli, I. R. Barabanov, N. Frodyma, A. Garfagnini, M. Miloradovic, W. Maneschg, E. A. Yanovich, S. V. Zhukov, Alessandro Bettini, V. Egorov, S. Belogurov, A.-K. Schütz, V. I. Lebedev, J. Schreiner, A. Hegai, G. Heusser, A. Kirsch, Marcin Wójcik, P. Grabmayr, N. Barros, M. Salathe, L. Vanhoefer, T. Bode, K. T. Knöpfle, Cinzia Sada, Manfred Lindner, P. Moseev, S. Hemmer, Luciano Pandola, R. Kneißl, Matthias Laubenstein, Giovanni Benato, A. A. Klimenko, N. Rumyantseva, V. Wagner, A. Wegmann, O. Selivanenko, C. Gooch, Igor Nemchenok, A. A. Vasenko, K. N. Gusev, B. Schneider, Bela Majorovits, Thomas Kihm, Josef Jochum, V. V. Kazalov, D. R. Zinatulina, G. Zuzel, Ivano Lippi, V. D'Andrea, A. Kish, Mikael Hult, J. Hakenmüller, Stefano Riboldi, K. Panas, M. Misiaszek, M. Allardt, E. Bellotti, A. di Vacri, Werner Hofmann, Allen Caldwell, Luca Stanco, F. Salamida, K. von Sturm, T. Wester, A.A. Smolnikov, C. Cattadori, Kai Zuber, D. Borowicz, Christian Bauer, A. Lubashevskiy, Stefan Schönert, M. Junker, Laura Baudis, V. N. Kornoukhov, H. Y. Liao, K. Pelczar, Guillaume Lutter, A. M. Bakalyarov, R. Falkenstein, and C. Schmitt

Subjects
Physics, Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous), 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Electron capture, High Energy Physics::Phenomenology, Phase (waves), chemistry.chemical_element, Germanium, Physics::Data Analysis, Statistics and Probability, 01 natural sciences, 7. Clean energy, Lepton number, Semiconductor detector, Nuclear physics, MAJORANA, chemistry, 0103 physical sciences, Radiative transfer, High Energy Physics::Experiment, Neutrino, Nuclear Experiment, 010306 general physics, Engineering (miscellaneous)
Abstract

Neutrinoless double electron capture is a process that, if detected, would give evidence of lepton number violation and the Majorana nature of neutrinos. A search for neutrinoless double electron capture of $^{36}$Ar has been performed with germanium detectors installed in liquid argon using data from Phase I of the GERmanium Detector Array (GERDA) experiment at the Gran Sasso Laboratory of INFN, Italy. No signal was observed and an experimental lower limit on the half-life of the radiative neutrinoless double electron capture of $^{36}$Ar was established: $T_{1/2} > $ 3.6 $\times$ 10$^{21}$ yr at 90 % C.I.

Published
2016

49. A new versatile underground gamma-ray spectrometry system

Author

Gerd Marissens, E. Andreotti, M. Misiaszek, Mikael Hult, Ayhan Yüksel, Ulf Rosengård, Guillaume Lutter, and Namik Sahin

Subjects
HPGe-detector, Physics::Instrumentation and Detectors, Nuclear engineering, Radiation Dosage, Sensitivity and Specificity, Particle detector, Nuclear physics, Radiation Protection, Shield, low-level gamma-ray spectrometry, Radiometry, Radioisotopes, Physics, compton suppression, Radiation, Spectrometer, shielding, Detector, Reproducibility of Results, Equipment Design, underground laboratory, Semiconductor detector, Equipment Failure Analysis, Spectrometry, Gamma, Electromagnetic shielding, Measuring instrument, High Energy Physics::Experiment, Electronic anticoincidence
Abstract

The newest development in IRMM's underground analytical facility is a large lead shield lined with copper that is versatile and can host several detectors of different types. The characteristics and the background performance of the shield are described for four different detector configurations involving HPGe-detectors and NaI-detectors. The shield has been designed to swap detectors, while still maintaining a low background. This enables testing of detectors for other experiments and optimisation of detection limits for specific radionuclides in different projects.

Published
2013

50. Radiopurity of a CeBr3 crystal used as scintillation detector

Author

E. Andreotti, Ulf Rosengård, Faidra Tzika, Stephan Oberstedt, R. Billnert, Gerd Marissens, Andreas Oberstedt, Guillaume Lutter, and Mikael Hult

Subjects
Nuclear physics, Physics, Detection limit, Crystal, Nuclear and High Energy Physics, Radionuclide, Cerium bromide, Radiochemistry, Underground laboratory, Scintillator, Primordial radionuclides, Instrumentation, Gamma ray spectrometry
Abstract

Cerium bromide (CeBr3) has recently been shown to exhibit several properties making it a suitable material as a scintillation detector in nuclear physics applications. The intrinsic activity of gamma-ray emitting radionuclides in a 38.1 mm x 38.1 mm (diameter x height) crystal of CeBr3 was investigated. The measurements were carried out in the HADES underground laboratory located 225 m underground. Two primordial radionuclides were detected; Ac-227 (and its daughters) with massic activity of 0.30 +/- 0.02 Bq/kg and La-138 with massic activity of 7.4 +/- 1.0 mBq/kg. Two activation products were also detected; Ce-139 and Br-82. Their massic activities (assuming a homogeneous distribution in the crystal) just before taking the CeBr3 crystal underground were 4.3 +/- 0.3 mBq/kg and 18 +/- 4 mBq/kg correspondingly. None of the other common primordial radionuclides (K-49, Ra-226, Ra-228, Th-228, and U-235) were detected and their detection limits were below 2 mBq/kg except for U-238 for which the upper limit was 135 mBq/kg and Pb-210 with an upper limit of 600 mBq/kg.

Published
2013

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