La physique des particules élémentaires, aussi appelé physique des hautes énergies, est l'étude de l'infiniment petit, popularisée récemment par la découverte de nouvelles particules fondamentales permettant de consolider notre connaissance de la matière. Pour réaliser des mesures à une échelle aussi réduite, une méthode consiste à augmenter l’énergie des constituants de la matière, à l'aide d'accélérateur de particules, puis de les briser pour révéler leur constitution. Au-delà de l'intérêt en termes de physique expérimentale, réaliser des expériences de ce type est devenu une prouesse technologique grandissante avec les niveaux d’énergie atteints. La complexité de l’expérience CMS, cadre dans laquelle ce travail a été réalisé, donne une bonne mesure des défis technologiques relevés.<p>Afin d'affiner encore notre connaissance des processus mis en jeu lors collision de particules dans CMS, une mise à niveau du détecteur est prévue avant la fin de cette décennie. Certains sous-détecteurs actuellement installés, et notamment le spectromètre à muon dans la zone des bouchons, sont d’ores et déjà identifiés comme offrant des performances trop faibles pour l'augmentation du nombres d’événements prévu après cette mise à jour. Ce travail propose de réaliser une étude de faisabilité sur l'utilisation d'une technologie alternative pour ce sous-détecteur, notamment le Triple-GEM, pour combler ces limitations.<p>Une première partie de ce travail consiste en l'étude de cette nouvelle technologie de détecteur à gaz. Cependant, la mise en œuvre de cette technologie conduit à des modifications dans le système d'acquisition de données de CMS. La situation actuelle puis les implications d'un point de vue technique des modifications sont donc détaillées par la suite. Enfin, après avoir identifié les composants et les solutions permettant la collecte de résultats à l’échelle de l'ensemble du sous-détecteur, un système d'acquisition de données similaire a été réalisé et est décrit dans une dernière partie de ce travail. / Doctorat en Sciences / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Anhydrit II (AII) wird industriell hauptsächlich als Bindemittel bei der Fußbodenestrich-Herstellung eingesetzt. Zur Beschleunigung der Abbindereaktion und der daraus resultierenden schnelleren Verfestigung des Fußbodens wird Kaliumsulfat als Additiv verwendet. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wurden anorganische Salze (Sulfate und Chloride) im Vergleich zu Kaliumsulfat hinsichtlich ihrer beschleunigenden Wirkung auf die Abbindereaktion von AII untersucht, um eine mögliche Alternative und einen Mechanismus für die Wirkungsweise der Additive angeben zu können. Unter den verwendeten Salz-Additiven wurde keine Alternative zu K2SO4 für die industrielle Anwendung gefunden. Als Ursache für die beschleunigende Wirkung von K2SO4 wird die Bildung des Doppelsalzes Syngenit auf der Anhydrit-Oberfläche angenommen. Durch epitaktische Beziehungen von Kristallflächen oder den Zerfall des Syngenits wird die heterogene Gips-Keimbildung begünstigt und die Abbindereaktion beschleunigt.

La nécessité de simulations précises d’un réacteur nucléaire et spécialement dans des cas de cœurs et de configurations de combustible complexes, a imposé un usage accru de Codes Neutroniques Stochastiques (CNS). De plus, une demande a émergé pour des CNS à capacité inhérente d’estimation en continu de la variation de la composition isotopique du cœur ainsi qu’à couplage thermo-hydraulique optimisé. Des capacités supplémentaires sont exigées pour ces codes au vu de leur utilisation pour l’étude de nouveaux concepts de réacteur comme les Réacteurs Conduits par Accélérateur (RCA). Plus précisément, le réacteur hybride comprenant un réacteur nucléaire conventionnel et un accélérateur, nécessite l’analyse des deux composantes (réacteur – accélérateur) par un outil capable de couvrir le spectre énergétique neutronique extrêmement étendu qui caractérise ce système hybride.Ce travail présente les principales caractéristiques et capacités du nouveau CNS ANET (Advanced Neutronics with Evolution and Thermal hydraulic feedback) développé en collaboration du NCSR Demokritos (Grèce) avec CNRS/IDRIS et UPMC (France) et couvrant autant que possible les exigences exposées ci-dessus. ANET est basé sur la version ouverte du code PHE GEANT3.21 et est destiné à effectuer des analyses de cœurs de réacteurs conventionnels de génération II et III ainsi que des RCA. ANET est construit avec la capacité inhérentea) d’effectuer des calculs d’évolution du combustibleb) de simuler le processus de spallation dans le cas des RCAtout en tenant compte de la thermo-hydraulique du système.La version actuelle d’ANET utilise les trois estimateurs standard Monte Carlo pour le calcul du facteur de multiplication neutronique effectif (keff), soit l’estimateur de collision, celui d’absorption et celui de longueur de trace. Pour ce qui est du calcul du débit de fluence neutronique et des taux de réaction, les estimateurs de collision et de longueur de trace sont implémentés dans ANET suivant la procédure standard Monte Carlo. Pour ce qui concerne les calculs d’évolution (par exemple la consommation du combustible), une approche purement stochastique est implémentée dans ANET. A noter que la procédure usuelle consiste à coupler le code neutronique stochastique avec un code déterministe qui calcule la consommation du combustible. Pour les besoins d’analyse des RCA, le module INCL/ABLA a été incorporé dans ANET de façon à ce que le processus de spallation soit simulé par le code. La capacité d’ANET de simuler des configurations classiques a été démontrée en utilisant des résultats de mesures et des simulations de vérification effectuées en utilisant d’autres codes bien établis, ainsi qu’il est montré par la suite.Des données provenant de plusieurs installations et des analyses de problèmes-type internationaux ont été utilisés pour vérifier et valider les capacités d’ANET.Pour conclure, les résultats obtenus lors des comparaisons avec des mesures ou avec des simulations effectuées en utilisant d’autres codes neutroniques stochastiques ou déterministes, montrent qu’ANET possède la capacité de calculer correctement d’importants paramètres de systèmes critiques ou sous-critiques. Par ailleurs, l’application préliminaire d’ANET à des problèmes dépendant du temps fournit des résultats encourageants. ANET produit des estimations de consommation de combustible raisonnables, compte tenu que des incertitudes dans ce domaine sont souvent de l’ordre de 20% ou plus. Finalement, les performances du code dans le cas de KUCA montrent qu’ANET peut analyser des RCA de façon satisfaisante. / The necessity for precise simulations of a nuclear reactor especially in case of complex core and fuel configurations has imposed the increasing use of Monte Carlo (MC) neutronics codes. Besides, a demand of additional stochastic codes’ inherent capabilities has emerged regarding mainly the simulation of the temporal variations in the core isotopic composition as well as the incorporation of the T-H feedback. In addition to the above, the design of innovative nuclear reactor concepts, such as the Accelerator Driven System (ADSs), imposed extra requirements of simulation capabilities. More specifically, the combination of an accelerator and a nuclear reactor in the ADS requires the simulation of both subsystems for an integrated system analysis. Therefore a need arises for more advanced simulation tools, able to cover the broad neutrons energy spectrum involved in these systems.This work presents the main features and capabilities of the new MC neutronics code ANET (Advanced Neutronics with Evolution and Thermal hydraulic feedback), being developed in NCSR Demokritos (Greece) in cooperation with CNRS/IDRIS and UPMC (France) and intending to meet as effectively as possible the above described modelling requirements. ANET is based on the open-source version of the HEP code GEANT3.21 and is targeting to the creation of an enhanced computational tool in the field of reactor analysis, capable of simulating both GEN II/III reactors and ADSs. ANET is structured with inherent capability of (a) performing burnup calculations and (b) simulating the spallation process in the ADS analysis, while taking T-H feedback into account.The current ANET version utilizes the three standard Monte Carlo estimators for the neutron multiplication factor (keff) calculation, i.e. the collision estimator, the absorption estimator and the track-length estimator. Regarding the simulation of neutron fluence and reaction rates, the collision and the track-length estimators are implemented in ANET following the standard Monte Carlo procedure. For the burnup calculations ANET attempts to apply a pure Monte Carlo approach, adopting the typical procedure followed in stochastic codes. With respect to code improvements for the ADS analysis, so far ANET has incorporated the INCL/ABLA code so that the spallation process can be inherently simulated. The ANET reliability in typical computations was tested using observational data and parallel simulations by different codes as described in the following chapters.Various installations and international benchmarks were considered suitable for the verification and validation of all the previously mentioned features incorporated in the new code ANET. The obtained results are compared with experimental data from the nuclear infrastructures and with computations performed by well-established stochastic or deterministic neutronics codes and show satisfactory agreement with both measurements and independent computations, verifying thus ANET’s ability to successfully simulate important parameters of critical and subcritical systems. Also, the preliminary ANET application for dynamic analysis is encouraging since it indicates the code capability to inherently provide a reasonable prediction for the core inventory evolution taking into account the uncertainties of the order of 20% and even higher that are traditionally expected in core inventory evolution calculations. Lastly, the code performance in the KUCA case was found satisfactory demonstrating thus inherent capability of analyzing ADSs.

No description available.

The reaction 12C(α,γ)16O is of paramount importance for the nucleosynthesis of heavier elements in stars. It takes place during helium burning and determines the abundance of 12C and 16O at the end of this burning stage and therefore influences subsequent nuclear reactions. Currently the cross section at astrophysically relevant energies is not known with satisfactory precision. Due to the low cross section of the reaction, low background, high beam intensities and target thicknesses are necessary for experiments. Therefore a new laboratory hosting a 5 MV ion accelerator, was built in the shallow-underground tunnels of Felsenkeller. The main background component in such laboratories was investigated with a muon telescope in this thesis. It was found, that the rock overburden of about 45 m vertical depth reduces the muons by a factor of about 40 compared to the surface. Furthermore the results of the measurements were compared to a simulation based on the geometry of the facility and showed good agreement. In the next step the accelerator was put into operation. Since the experiment on 12C(α,γ)16O will be done in inverse kinematics, an intense carbon beam is necessary to reach sufficient statistics. For this, the creation and extraction of carbon ions in an external ion source was improved. The external source now provides steady currents of 12C− of above 100 μA. In the following the transmission through the accelerator and the high-energy beamline was tested with a beam restricted in width. The pressure of the gas stripper in the centre of the accelerator and the parameters of different focusing elements after the accelerator were varied. It was found, that for a desired carbon beam energy of below 9 MeV, the 2+ charge state is suited best, where up to 35% of the inserted beam could be transmitted. To ease the planning of future experiments and aid the analysis of the data, the target chamber and two different kinds of cluster detectors were modelled in Geant4. The low-energy region was verified by comparing the simulations to measurements with radioactive calibration sources. Deviations for the detectors were below 10% without target chamber, and up to 30% for individual germanium crystals of the Cluster Detectors with the target chamber. A first test measurement was undertaken to investigate the capabilities of the new laboratory. Solid tantalum targets implanted with 4 He were prepared. An ERDA analysis of the used solid targets showed contaminations with carbon and oxygen. These led to beam-induced background in the region of interest during the irradiation. Then the targets were irradiated with a carbon beam at two different energies. While no clear signal of 12C(α,γ)16O could be observed, the beam could be steered on the target for the whole duration of the beam time spanning five days. Problems during this test, like low beam current, were identified. These could be partly remedied in the scope of this thesis. Suggestions for improvements for a second test run were developed as well.

The current technology for sprayed concrete cannot do without various types of concrete admixtures allowing that more demanding requirements for quality and overall characteristics of Sprayed Concrete can be met. These are mainly concrete plastificators and set acceleration admixtures. In practice these technologies are employed especially in construction of underground structures where the working conditions are often very restricted. In these days Sprayed Concrete is usually applied by wet spraying where the fresh concrete is made in a batching plant and then transported to the construction site. That is why it is also important to pay attention to rheology characteristics of sprayed concrete. The concrete is then placed by a special spraying plant while it is ensured that all requirements and technical specifications for sprayed concrete are complied with. The characteristics are most affected by the admixtures - both plastificators and accelerators and their compatibility with cement. In order to acquire new evidence in the field of sprayed concrete technology and use of admixtures and their effect in relation with various types of cement a number of combinations of admixtures and cements were tested. Gradually results were obtained and recorded for rheology of cement mortars and concrete, for characteristics of young sprayed concrete mixes and for the comparison between the laboratory tests and findings from daily practice.

No description available.

While holding a firm position in popular culture and science fiction, Dark Matter (DM) is nonetheless a highly relevant topic at the forefront of modern particle physics. We study the applicability of characterizing DM particle candidates SUSY neutralino and sneutrino using Deep Learning (DL) methods. We focus on the monojet and mono-Z signatures and the emergence of missing transverse energy as the result of the undetectable DM candidates. Based on kinematic distributions of outgoing particles as input, a DM candidate classifier is built for each signature, along with a DM mass regressor. The DM candidate classifier obtained near perfect accuracy of 0.995 for the monojet, and 0.978 for mono-Z signature. The monojet and mono-Z mass regressors achieved a Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) of 17.9 % and 8.5 % respectively. Furthermore, we discuss both the shortcomings and simplification that our choice of model implied, as well as an interpretation of the results. Finally, we debate the prospects of DL in the discovery of new physics and it's use in experiments.

The problem that most, if not all, large companies deal with in one way or another, is to stay relevant and competitive as their industry evolves. They need to keep improving their current services or products but still need to keep their eyes open for disruption. This requires them to make long-term investments in research and development, which does not always result in a quick return. To stay relevant, corporations need to increase corporate innovation. Research on collaboration between startups and corporations has grown substantially in recent years, but there is a gap in academic literature focusing on the barriers of these collaborations. This qualitative study focuses on what perspective Icelandic corporate managers have towards collaborating with startups as part of their corporate innovation. To accomplish that, eight semi- structured interviews with top-level managers from large corporations were conducted. It was clear that all interviewees were very positive about collaborating with startups even though most of them had little or no experience from doing so themselves. Icelandic companies seem to be reluctant to invest the required time and resources it takes for these collaborations to be successful because of the lack of successful examples in Iceland so far. This research only looked at the barriers and benefits from the perspective of top-level managers in large corporations but future research could include the perspective of startups as well.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning have made a full impact on society the last decades, including the realm of particle physics. This thesis explores whether a neural network, a deep learning program mimicking the biological brain, can be used to reject noise in real time at the Radio Neutrino Observatory in Greenland (RNO-G). RNO-G aims to detect radio waves in the ice cape of Greenland, induced by ultra high energy neutrinos ($&gt;10^{18}$ eV). Due to the low flux of neutrinos at these energies, it is desired to increase the sensititivty of RNO-G by lowering the trigger threshold as much as possible. However, lowering the threshold is currently limited by unavoidable thermal noise fluctuations that would otherwise saturate the detector. Previous research has shown that a neural network could be used on a similar neutrino detector, ARIANNA, to reject thermal noise in real time, thus making it possible to lower the trigger threshold below the noise floor. This thesis aims to do the same for RNO-G.