The lunar Cherenkov technique is a promising method to resolve the mystery of the origin of the highest energy particles in nature, the ultra-high energy (UHE) cosmic rays. By pointing Earth-based radio-telescopes at the Moon to look for the characteristic nanosecond pulses of radio-waves produced when a UHE particle interacts in the Moon’s outer layers, either the cosmic rays (CR) themselves, or their elusive counterparts, the UHE neutrinos, may be detected. The LUNASKA collaboration aims to develop both the theory and practice of the lunar Cherenkov technique in order to utilise the full sensitivity of the next generation of giant radio telescope arrays in searching for these extreme particles. My PhD project, undertaken as part of the collaboration, explores three key aspects of the technique. In the first three chapters, I describe a Monte Carlo simulation I wrote to model the full range of lunar Cherenkov experiments. Using the code, I proceed to calculate the aperture to, and resulting limits on, a UHE neutrino flux from the Parkes lunar Cherenkov experiment, and to highlight a pre-existing discrepancy between existing simulation programs. An expanded version of the simulation is then used to determine the sensitivity of past and future lunar Cherenkov experiments to UHE neutrinos, and also the expected event rates for a range of models of UHE CR production. Limits on the aperture of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) to UHE CR are also calculated. The directional dependence of both the instantaneous sensitivity and time-integrated exposure of the aforementioned experiments is also calculated. Combined, these results point the way towards an optimal way utilisation of a giant radio-array such as the SKA in detecting UHE particles. The next section describes my work towards developing accurate parameterisations of the coherent Cherenkov radiation produced by UHE showers as expected in the lunar regolith. I describe a ‘thinning’ algorithm which was implemented into a pre-existing electromagnetic shower code, and the extensive measures taken to check its veracity. Using the code, a new parameterisation for radiation from electromagnetic showers is developed, accurate for the first time up to UHE energies. The existence of secondary peaks in the radiation spectrum is predicted, and their significance for detection experiments discussed. Finally, I present the data analysis from three runs of LUNASKA’s on-going observation program at the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA). The unusual nature of the experiment required both new methods and hardware to be developed, and I focus on the timing and sensitivity calibrations. The loss of sensitivity from finite-sampling of the electric field is modelled for the first time. Timing and dispersive constraints are used to determine that no pulses of lunar origin were detected, and I use my simulation software to calculate limits on an UHE neutrino flux from the experiment. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1371947 / Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Adelaide, School of Chemistry and Physics, 2009.

The lunar Cherenkov technique is a promising method to resolve the mystery of the origin of the highest energy particles in nature, the ultra-high energy (UHE) cosmic rays. By pointing Earth-based radio-telescopes at the Moon to look for the characteristic nanosecond pulses of radio-waves produced when a UHE particle interacts in the Moon’s outer layers, either the cosmic rays (CR) themselves, or their elusive counterparts, the UHE neutrinos, may be detected. The LUNASKA collaboration aims to develop both the theory and practice of the lunar Cherenkov technique in order to utilise the full sensitivity of the next generation of giant radio telescope arrays in searching for these extreme particles. My PhD project, undertaken as part of the collaboration, explores three key aspects of the technique. In the first three chapters, I describe a Monte Carlo simulation I wrote to model the full range of lunar Cherenkov experiments. Using the code, I proceed to calculate the aperture to, and resulting limits on, a UHE neutrino flux from the Parkes lunar Cherenkov experiment, and to highlight a pre-existing discrepancy between existing simulation programs. An expanded version of the simulation is then used to determine the sensitivity of past and future lunar Cherenkov experiments to UHE neutrinos, and also the expected event rates for a range of models of UHE CR production. Limits on the aperture of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) to UHE CR are also calculated. The directional dependence of both the instantaneous sensitivity and time-integrated exposure of the aforementioned experiments is also calculated. Combined, these results point the way towards an optimal way utilisation of a giant radio-array such as the SKA in detecting UHE particles. The next section describes my work towards developing accurate parameterisations of the coherent Cherenkov radiation produced by UHE showers as expected in the lunar regolith. I describe a ‘thinning’ algorithm which was implemented into a pre-existing electromagnetic shower code, and the extensive measures taken to check its veracity. Using the code, a new parameterisation for radiation from electromagnetic showers is developed, accurate for the first time up to UHE energies. The existence of secondary peaks in the radiation spectrum is predicted, and their significance for detection experiments discussed. Finally, I present the data analysis from three runs of LUNASKA’s on-going observation program at the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA). The unusual nature of the experiment required both new methods and hardware to be developed, and I focus on the timing and sensitivity calibrations. The loss of sensitivity from finite-sampling of the electric field is modelled for the first time. Timing and dispersive constraints are used to determine that no pulses of lunar origin were detected, and I use my simulation software to calculate limits on an UHE neutrino flux from the experiment. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1371947 / Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Adelaide, School of Chemistry and Physics, 2009.

Thesis (M.A.) - Carleton University, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 219-224). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (M.Sc.) - Carleton University, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 138-141). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (M.Sc.) - Carleton University, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 125-130). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--Carleton University, 1996. / Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

L'expérience STEREO a été proposé afin de donner une réponse sans ambiguïté àl'idée d'un état de neutrino stérile léger ($Delta m^{2}sim 1eV^{2}$) comme l'origine del'anomalie réacteur des antineutrinos. Le but de l'expérience est de confirmer ou de rejetercette hypothèse en recherchant un patron d'oscillation à courte distance (9-11 m) dans lespectre en énergie des $overline{nu_{e}}$'s émis par le réacteur nucléaire de recherchede l'Institut Laue-Langevin à Grenoble (France). A cet effet, le détecteur estcomposé de 2 tonnes du liquide scintillant dopé au Gd et lu par un réseau detubes photomultiplicateurs, et est segmenté en 6 cellules dans la direction depropagation des antineutrinos. Les $overline{nu_{e}}$'s sont détectés par le processusIBD en observant un signal corrélé dans letemps d'un dépôt d'énergie rapide d'un positron et un signal retardé produitpar la capture d'un neutron. La mesure des petites oscillations deformantle spectre d'énergie des antineutrinos nécessite une bonne résolution en énergieet une excellente connaissance de la réponse du détecteur. Ce manuscrit présenteune étude de simulation détaillée basée sur le logiciel Geant4 STEREO, ce quia permis le développement du système de calibration par sources. Ce système aété conçu pour répondre à toutes les exigences physiques de STEREO: calibrerl'échelle de l'énergie et de l'efficacité de capture de neutrons au niveau de 2%,connaître la réponse en énergie dans le spectre d'énergie réacteur antineutrino(1-8 MeV), étudier et la caractériser la réponse et des non-uniformités dudétecteur. A cet effet, on propose un système de calibration consistant en trois sous-systèmes:un sous-système automatisé pour déplacer des sources radioactives autour dudétecteur pour calibrer l'échelle en énergie dans chaque cellule de manièreindépendante. Un second sous-système pour déplacer une source AmBe sous ledétecteur, dont l'objectif est d'inter-calibrerl'efficacité de capture de neutrons entre les cellules. Enfin, un troisième systèmemanuel qui consistent en trois tubes de calibration placés à l'intérieur du liquidescintillante pour évaluer l'efficacité absolue de la capture des neutrons danstrois cellules différentes. La dernièrepartie de ce manuscrit est consacré à l'étude et la caractérisation du bruite de fond gammaet les signaux neutrino attendus. / The STEREO experiment has been proposed to give an unambiguous responseto the hypothesis of a light sterile neutrino state ($Delta m^{2}sim 1 eV^{2}$)as the origin of the reactor antineutrino anomaly. Its goal is to confirm or reject thishypothesis by searching at short distance (9-11 m) for a neutrino oscillation patternin the energy spectrum of the $overline{nu_{e}}$’s emitted by the research nuclear reactorof the Laue-Langevin Institute in Grenoble (France). To this end, the detector iscomposed of 2 tons of Gd-loaded liquid scintillator read out by an array of PMTs, andis segmented in 6 cells in the direction of the $overline{nu_{e}}$’s propagation. Antineutrinosare detected via the IBD process by observing a time correlatedsignal composed of a prompt energy deposit from a positron and a delayed signal produced bythe neutron capture. Measuring small oscillations superimposed on the reactor antineutrinoenergy spectrum requires a good energy resolution and an excellent knowledge ofthe detector response. This manuscript presents a dedicated Geant4 simulation studyof a calibration system based on radioactive sources.This system has been conceived to fulfill all the STEREO physics requirements:calibrating the energy scale and the neutron capture efficiency at the 2 % level,knowing the energy response in the reactor antineutrino energy spectrum (0-8 MeV),and characterizing the detector response in a broader sense (non-uniformities, non-linearity,particle identification, etc). To this end, we proposethree calibration subsystems: one automated subsystem to moveradioactive sources around the detector, whose main role is to calibrate the energy scale in each cellindependently; a second subsystem to inter-calibrate the neutron captureefficiency between cells by moving an AmBe source under the detector; and finally,a third subsystem consisting in three manualcalibration tubes inside the liquid scintillator, necessary to assess the absolute neutron captureefficiency inside three different cells. The final part of this manuscript is devoted tothe study of the selection criteria, and the proposal of methods to reject the expected gammabackground.

xii, 118 p. : ill. (some col.) A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / This dissertation describes a search for the decays B 0 [arrow right] invisible and B 0 [arrow right] invisible+γ, where invisible refers to a final state consisting of long lived particles with a low cross-section for interaction with matter, leading to a low probability of detection in typical particle detectors. While the branching fractions for these decays predicted by the Standard Model are far below what could be feasably measured by current experiments, new physics such as right-handed neutrinos propagating in large extra space-time dimensions or light R-parity violating neutralinos in supersymmetry could greatly enhance the branching fractions. The decays are searched for in data corresponding to 423.5 fb -1 integrated luminosity produced at the Υ(4 S ) resonance collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II B factory, corresponding to 2.30 × 10 8 B 0 B¯ 0 pairs. Using those events that contain a hadronically reconstructed neutral B meson, evidence for the signal decays is sought in the remainder of the event. In (5.00 ± 0.02) × 10 5 events with a fully reconstructed neutral B meson, a total of 39 events consistent with the B 0 [arrow right] invisible decay mode are seen in data with an expected background of 28.5 ± 7.8(stat.)±9.2(syst.) events, and 8 events consistent with the B 0 [arrow right] invisible+γ decay mode are seen in data mode with an expected background of 14.1 ± 5.5(stat.)±8.1(syst.) events, from which upper limits of [Special characters omitted.] ( B 0 [arrow right] invisible) < 11.7 × 10 -5 and of [Special characters omitted.] ( B 0 [arrow right] invisible+γ) < 4.3 × 10 -5 at the 90% confidence level are obtained. / Adviser: David Strom

Foi feita uma modificação da teoria magnetohidrodinâmica, incorporando a dinâmica dos neutrinos, chamada magnetohidrodinâmica de neutrinos. Elétrons e íons foram toma- dos como não-relativísticos, juntamente com os neutrinos eletrônicos (ultra) relativísticos acoplados via força eletro-fraca. Devido à ressonância com um feixe de neutrinos, foi prevista a desestabilização das ondas magnetosônicas rápidas. Admitindo modos oblí- quos, é possível detectar uma instabilidade que se torna mais forte quando o vetor de onda é paralelo ao campo magnético de equilíbrio, associando-se à onda magnetosônica lenta. Assumindo perturbações eletrostáticas em um plasma magnetizado composto por elétrons em um fundo iônico neutro, acoplado a neutrinos eletrônicos, foi considerado o papel desestabilizador dos feixes de neutrinos quanto aos modos de Trivelpiece-Gould. O campo magnético aumenta significativamente a taxa de crescimento linear, conforme cal- culado para os parâmetros de supernovas tipo II. Para o caso não magnetizado, a taxa de crescimento da instabilidade é encontrada para o vetor de onda paralelo ou perpendicular ao campo magnético substituindo-se a frequência de plasma pela frequência apropriada de Trivelpiece-Gould. Adicionalmente, considerou-se um modelo que combina as interações neutrino-plasma e as oscilações de sabores de neutrinos. Neste contexto, estudou-se o acoplamento entre ondas íon-acústicas e oscilações de sabores de neutrinos, obtendo-se uma nova instabilidade. Mostrou-se que a taxa de crescimento desta instabilidade não é modificada pela inclusão de efeitos colisionais. / A modification of the magnetohydrodynamic theory was made incorporating the dyna- mics of neutrinos, called neutrino magnetohydrodynamics. Electrons and ions were taken as non-relativistic, along with (ultra) relativistic electron neutrinos coupled via electro- weak force. Due to the resonance with the neutrino beam the destabilization of the fast magnetosonic wave was predicted. Then, oblique modes were admitted, resulting in a detection of an instability, which becomes stronger when the wave vector is parallel to the equilibrium magnetic field, associating with the slow magnetosonic wave. For the simplest case, assuming electrostatic perturbations in a magnetized plasma composed of electrons on a neutral ionic background, coupled with electronic neutrinos, the destabilizing role of the neutrino beams in Trivelpiece-Gould modes was considered. The magnetic field signi- ficantly increases the linear growth rate, as calculated for type II supernova parameters. For the nonmagnetized case, the growth rate of instability is found for the wave vector parallel or perpendicular to the magnetic field, replacing the plasma frequency with the appropriate frequency of Trivelpiece-Gould. For oblique propagation the growth rate is also found. Subsequently, a model combining neutrino-plasma interactions and neutrino flavor oscillations was studied in the case of the coupling between the ion-acoustic wa- ves and the oscillations of neutrino flavors. When included collision effects, the rate of growth of instability has shown that the coupling between the ion-acoustic waves and the oscillations of neutrino flavors in a completely ionized plasma remain the same.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T20:16:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 5714.pdf: 2237832 bytes, checksum: dd98c84e101a7f932a3822491f70f481 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-02-11 / Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos / In the first part of this work we describe the cosmological neutrinos as a composite quantum system and use the generalized theory of quantum measurements to acquire a probabilistic correlation between observable energies and flavor eigenstates. We associate flavor averaged and flavor weighted energies to, respectively, selective and non selective quantum measure schemes and avaliate the impact of these definitions in the calculation of a flavor effective mass that determines the neutrino contribution to the energy density of the cosmic inventory. Our results establish that if the cosmic neutrinos state is a maximal mixture all the procedures for the calculation of the energy density will generate the same results. In the second part we turn our attention to the free propagation of flavor states in the wave packet formalism. Interpreting each mass eigenstate, associated to a Gaussian momentum distribution, with a three qubit states, a flavor state is described as a quantum system composed of three subsystems. We consider the different correlations between the quantum superposition components in terms of subtle quantifiers and obtain a coherence scale compatible with the damping scale present in survival probabilities of a flavor, indicating a relation between the damping an the studied correlations. We investigate this relation in terms of the standard deviation between the damping and the density of states associated to the correlation quantifiers a deviation that is minimun only for certain values of the mass eigenstate momentum distribution width. / Na primeira parte deste trabalho descrevemos os neutrinos cosmológicos como um sistema quântico composto e utilizamos a teoria generalizada das medidas quânticas para obter uma correlacão probabilística entre energias observaveis e autoestados de sabor. Associamos as energias media e ponderada de sabor a, respectivamente, esquemas de medidas quânticas se¬letivas e nao seletivas e avaliamos o impacto destas diferentes definicoes de energia no calculo de massa efetiva de um sabor que determinam a contributo dos neutrinos para a densidade de energia do inventório cósmico. Nossos resultados estabelecem que se o estado dos neutrinos cosmológicos for uma mistura maximal todos os procedimentos de calculo da densidade irão gerar o mesmo resultado. Na segunda parte voltamos nossa atencao a propagacao livre de es¬tados de sabor no formalismo de pacotes de ondas. Interpretando cada autoestado de massa, associado a uma distribuiçao de momentum Gaussiana, como um estado de três qubits, um estado de sabor e descrito como um sistema quântico composto de três subsistemas. Consi-deramos as diferentes correlações entre as componentes da superposto quantica em termos de quantificadores apropriados e obtemos uma escala de coerâencia compatóvel com a escala de amortecimento das oscilaçcãoes presente nas probabilidades de sobrevivâencia de um sabor, indicando relacao entre este amortecimento e as correlacoes estudadas. Investigamos mais a fundo essa relacçãao em termos do desvio padrãao entre o amortecimento e a densidade de estados associada aos quantificadores de correlacao, desvio que e mínimo apenas para certos valores da largura da distribuicçãao de momentum dos estados de massa.