Arrival Positions Research Articles

Development of a detector for inertial sensing of positronium at AEḡIS (CERN)

The primary goal of the AEgIS collaboration at CERN is to measure the gravitational acceleration on neutral antimatter. Positronium (Ps), the bound state of an electron and a positron, is a suitable candidate for a force-sensitive inertial measurement by means of deflectometry/interferometry. In order to conduct such an experiment, the impact position and time of arrival of Ps atoms at the detector must be detected simultaneously. The detection of a low-velocity Ps beam with a spatial resolution of (88 ± 5) μm was previously demonstrated [1]. Based on the methodology employed in [1] and [2], a hybrid imaging/timing detector with increased spatial resolution of about 10 μm was developed. The performance of a prototype was tested with a positron beam. The concept of the detector and first results are presented.

New developments from the TORCH R&D project

TORCH is a large-area and high-precision time-of-flight detector, designed to provide charged particle identification over a 2–20GeV/c momentum range. The TORCH detector comprises a 10 mm thick quartz radiator, instrumented with photon detectors, which precisely time and measure the arrival positions of the Cherenkov photons. The photon detectors are micro-channel plate photo-multiplier tubes (MCP-PMTs) comprising a finely segmented anode of 64 × 64 anode pads, electronically ganged into 64 × 8 pixels, over a 53 × 53mm2 area, an excellent intrinsic time resolution of ∼ 30ps, and a long lifetime of up to ≳ 5C/cm2. The current version of the MCP-PMTs used by TORCH have been developed with an industrial partner, Photek Ltd, to satisfy the stringent requirements of the detector. The TORCH R&D programme has successfully demonstrated the detector concept through extensive laboratory and beam tests. A TORCH prototype has been constructed and has yielded encouraging results when exposed to low momentum charged hadrons. Characteristic patterns of Cherenkov photons have been recorded, illustrating the required spatial accuracy and timing resolution of 70 ps per photon. Both laboratory and beam test results are approaching the design goals of the TORCH detector.

Where do recruits come from? Backward Lagrangian simulation for the deep water rose shrimps in the Central Mediterranean Sea

AbstractBackward‐in‐time Lagrangian dispersion models can efficiently reconstruct drifters trajectories by linking known arrival positions to potential sources. This approach was applied to the deep water rose shrimp (Parapenaeus longirostris) in the Strait of Sicily (central Mediterranean Sea). The objective was to identify the potential spawning areas of the larvae that settle in the known nursery grounds of the northern sector of the Strait of Sicily, thus quantifying the extent of the potential contribution to recruitment from the surrounding regions. Numerical simulations were performed over 11 years (2005–2015) and for two different periods (spring/summer and autumn/winter) corresponding to the species' spawning peaks in the region. The persistence over time of potential spawning areas was identified through a Hotspot analysis of the backward trajectories end‐points, filtered to meet a suitable depth range for spawners. The results confirmed the expected downstream connectivity between spawning and nursery grounds along the Sicilian–Maltese shelf and, notably, indicated that these spawning grounds contribute to the high productivity and resilience of deep water rose shrimp fisheries in the northern Strait of Sicily more than the spawning grounds in surrounding regions. A minor and time‐varying contribution is due to potential spawning areas identified on the African shelf. These results are important to adequately define the geographical scale for the assessment and management of this important fishery resource in the Strait of Sicily. In particular, the assumption of a single stock that does not consider the spatial structure of the population should be revised for the purpose of fisheries management.

Deep learning early stopping for non-degenerate ghost imaging

Quantum ghost imaging offers many advantages over classical imaging, including the ability to probe an object with one wavelength and record the image with another (non-degenerate ghost imaging), but suffers from slow image reconstruction due to sparsity and probabilistic arrival positions of photons. Here, we propose a two-step deep learning approach to establish an optimal early stopping point based on object recognition, even for sparsely filled images. In step one we enhance the reconstructed image after every measurement by a deep convolutional auto-encoder, followed by step two in which a classifier is used to recognise the image. We test this approach on a non-degenerate ghost imaging setup while varying physical parameters such as the mask type and resolution. We achieved a fivefold decrease in image acquisition time at a recognition confidence of 75%. The significant reduction in experimental running time is an important step towards real-time ghost imaging, as well as object recognition with few photons, e.g., in the detection of light sensitive structures.

Angular MIMO for Underwater Wireless Optical Communications: Link Modeling and Tracking

Angular imaging multiple-input--multiple-output (A-MIMO) is investigated for short-range, high-speed underwater wireless optical communications (UWOCs) where, unlike conventional imaging MIMO (C-MIMO), data are transmitted in an angle rather than in space. In this approach, the strict requirements of on-axis alignment and fixed channel length are relaxed. This technique also allows for simpler estimation of the relative misalignment between the transmitter and the receiver from the received image. For the first time, we derive a comprehensive model for the underwater A-MIMO link by taking into account link misalignment, background noise, as well as seawater absorption and scattering. Power distributions at the receiver are modeled by the angle of arrival of the received signal on the lens and its position of arrival on the focal plane of the detector. We further propose and model a tracked A-MIMO (TA-MIMO) system that maintains the alignment between the two ends of the link, for which the distribution of the residual tracking error is calculated. The UWOC channel capacity is then estimated for buoyed-to-fixed (B2F) (which has dominant angular misalignments) and mobile-to-fixed (M2F) (which has dominant off-axis misalignment) communication scenarios. Numerical results indicate that in the B2F scenario, A-MIMO is sensitive to angular misalignments; however, TA-MIMO outperforms C-MIMO. In the case of M2F links, A-MIMO greatly outperforms C-MIMO when off-axis misalignments are present. This work serves as a design guide to determine the selection of A-MIMO, TA-MIMO, or C-MIMO receivers depending on the misalignment conditions for a particular underwater application.

Radio-to-Gamma-Ray Synchrotron and Neutrino Emission from Proton–Proton Interactions in Active Galactic Nuclei

We explore possible physical origin of correlation between radio wave and very-high-energy neutrino emission in active galactic nuclei (AGN), suggested by recently reported evidence for correlation between neutrino arrival directions and positions of brightest radio-loud AGN. We show that such correlation is expected if both synchrotron emitting electrons and neutrinos originate from decays of charged pions produced in proton-proton interactions in parsec-scale relativistic jet propagating through circum-nuclear medium of the AGN.

Simple flash screens for shaped charge jet and flyer velocity measurements

The paper describes a novel technique for measuring the velocity of fast flying objects. The technique utilises a series of simple single-use screens which are placed along the expected flight path. The projectile interaction with the screen generates a flash of light which is captured by an optical fibre connected to the light detecting device. The velocities are calculated from the signal arrival times and screen positions. The flash screens were tested using copper shaped charge jets and flyer discs accelerated by explosive charges made of sensitised nitromethane. In addition to the simple time of arrival measurement with VOD-815, the light signals were recorded using an OPTIMEX-64 light analyser which enabled checking their intensity and reproducibility. Some of the experiments were also carried out using a UHSi 12/24 high-speed camera. The flyer plate velocities measured were compared with empirical calculations from a Gurney model.

Analysis of Template-Based Detection Algorithms for Inshore Bryde’s Whale Short Pulse Calls

Marine mammals use sound for communication and echolocation within their ecosystems. The detection of these sounds is an important aspect of signal processing, such that we can estimate the spatial position and direction of arrival of these mammals, and have an understanding of their ecology. Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) is widely used to understand marine mammal movement and vocal repertoire. In PAM, datasets are accumulated over days, months or years. Thus, it is impracticable to manually analyse the datasets because it is very large. This motivated the development of automated sound detection techniques for marine mammals, which most often varies depending on the vocal duration, frequency range and call type. In this paper, continuous recordings of Bryde's whale (Balaenoptera edeni edeni) short pulse calls (<; 3.1s long) were collected on a weekly basis from December 2018 to April 2019 on sighting of the individual in a single site in the endmost South-West of South Africa. The sound, previously not documented off South Africa, was observed on visual confirmation of the presence of inshore Brydes's whale. In addition, the paper develops and analyses two automated template-based detection algorithms for this short pulse call, employing dynamic time warping (DTW) and linear predictive coding (LPC) techniques. These proposed template-based detectors are novel, as they have not being previously used in Bryde's whale sound detection in the literature. When applied to the continuous recordings of the short pulse calls, the DTW-based and LPC-based detection algorithms obtained a sensitivity of 96.04% and 97.14% respectively for high signal-to-noise ratio (about 10dB above the ambient sound). Otherwise, for low SNR, the DTW-based and LPC-based detection algorithms obtained a sensitivity of 94.98% and 96.00% respectively. These detection algorithms exhibit low computational time complexity and can be modified to analyse the movement of obscure but vocal marine species instead of manual identification.

Traveltimes and conversion-point positions for P-SV converted wave propagation in a transversely isotropic medium: numerical calculations and physical model studies

This study uses ultrasonic physical modelling to test the accuracies of numerical calculations of traveltimes and conversion-point (CP) positions for P-SV wave propagation in a horizontal transversely isotropic (TI) medium. Study results show that the traveltimes and CP positions for P-SV wave propagation on the isotropic plane of a TI medium computed using Fermat’s minimum-time principle are the same as those of using the isotropic non-hyperbolic moveout equation and the isotropic CP equation. However, for P-SV wave propagation on the symmetry-axis plane of a TI medium, the arrival times and CP positions of SV-waves are difficult to determine by any ray methods when the propagation directions of SV-waves are within the cuspoidal SV-wave group velocities zone. But the first arrival times and the propagation of the dominant energy of P-SV waves can still be analysed by ray methods. Based on the calculation of Fermat’s minimum-time principle, if the source-receiver offset is greater than a critical distance, the reflection angles of the converted SV-waves are fixed at a specific angle with a local maximum SV-wave group velocity of the neighbourhood area. This is because the converted SV-waves prefer to propagate along the cuspoidal directions with larger amplitude and higher velocity. Verified by the physical modelling, the Fermat’s minimum-time principle used to calculate traveltimes of P-SV waves is better than the anisotropic non-hyperbolic moveout equation. The physical modelling for the CP position experiment can give a clearer visualisation of the variations of CP positions in the profile, and the feasibility of using Fermat’s minimum-time principle to determine CP positions is also better than that of the anisotropic CP equations. Therefore, in the seismic data processing, Fermat’s minimum-time method is recommended to accurately determine the arrival times and CP positions of P-SV wave propagation in TI media.

Direct evidence of laser-induced shock wave plasma from organic targets in low pressure He ambient gas, showing the effect of target hardness on its propagation speed and the resulted spectral performance

We report the experimental evidence of shock wave plasma generation by direct observation of the plasma propagation using 68 mJ 1064 nm Nd-doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser irradiation on a relatively soft organic sample in He ambient gas at 2 kPa. The density jump associated with the arrival of the plasma front at a certain position is detected by means of the highly sensitive interferometric technique, in conjunction with the observation of the first appearance of the plasma emission at the same position and time of the plasma front arrival. The result shows that the plasma front moves at the Sedov speed, which is typical of shock wave propagation, yielding an excellent emission spectrum for the harder sample. The shock front speed is further found to decrease in the case of a softer sample, resulting in lesser spectroscopic performance, as demonstrated by the emission spectra measured from mochi samples of different hardnesses. The result of this study is promising for paving the way to extending the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy application to the much needed spectrochemical analysis of agricultural and food products.

Strong lensing signatures of luminous structure and substructure in early-type galaxies

The arrival times, positions, and fluxes of multiple images in strong lens systems can be used to infer the presence of dark subhalos in the deflector, and thus test predictions of cold dark matter models. However, gravitational lensing does not distinguish between perturbations to a smooth gravitational potential arising from baryonic and non-baryonic mass. In this work, we quantify the extent to which the stellar mass distribution of a deflector can reproduce flux ratio and astrometric anomalies typically associated with the presence of a dark matter subhalo. Using Hubble Space Telescope images of nearby galaxies, we simulate strong lens systems with real distributions of stellar mass as they would be observed at redshift $z_d=0.5$. We add a dark matter halo and external shear to account for the smooth dark matter field, omitting dark substructure, and use a Monte Carlo procedure to characterize the distributions of image positions, time delays, and flux ratios for a compact background source of diameter 5 pc. By convolving high-resolution images of real galaxies with a Gaussian PSF, we simulate the most detailed smooth potential one could construct given high quality data, and find scatter in flux ratios of $\approx 10\%$, which we interpret as a typical deviation from a smooth potential caused by large and small scale structure in the lensing galaxy. We demonstrate that the flux ratio anomalies arising from galaxy-scale baryonic structure can be minimized by selecting the most massive and round deflectors, and by simultaneously modeling flux ratio and astrometric data.

The laser calibration system of the TOP detector

The TOP detector of the Belle II Experiment at KEK is a particle identification detector, devoted mainly to the separation of charged pions and kaons. The Cherenkov photons produced in fused silica bars are detected by an array of micro-cannel plate photomultipliers, and the position and time of arrival of the photoelectrons are used to identify the particle. In order to achieve a time resolution of less than 100ps, the performance of electronics and PMTs must be continuously monitored by a high resolution laser calibration system. Here we report about the design, characterization, construction and installation of this light distribution system consisting of a picosecond laser source, a printed light circuit (PLC), long single mode fibers coupled to bundles of multimode fibers terminated with graded index microlenses, to provide illumination of all the PMT pixels with time jitter less than 50ps.

Sound source positioning using microphone array installed on a flying drone

This study presents an application of acoustic source localization using microphone array installed on a drone. Although recent technology of drone enables to record audio and video, there are still acoustic problems such as engine noise, propeller-induced flow noise, microphone directivity, etc. Such unwanted noise shows strong tonal characteristics with broad band noise contents. To acquire usable acoustic signal from array measurements while a drone is flying, we implemented acoustic signal conditioning and array processing. The approach to the problem is to adapt beamforming and TDOA techniques that provide localization capability of multiple sources and the position or direction of arrival of source, respectively. The array configuration and angle resolution are adjusted depending on the application requirements. We limit our attention to stable hovering condition to rule out position and heading error occurred by the drone motion. The experimental results of position estimation under a various noise conditions are discussed in the study.

Multiple-photon disambiguation on stripline-anode Micro-Channel Plates

Large-Area Picosecond Photo-Detectors (LAPPDs) show great potential for expanding the performance envelope of Micro-Channel Plates (MCPs) to areas of up to 20×20cm and larger. Such scaling introduces new challenges, including how to meet the electronics readout burden of ever larger area MCPs. One solution is to replace the traditional grid anode used for readout with a microwave stripline anode, thus allowing the channel count to scale with MCP width rather than area.However, stripline anodes introduce new issues not commonly dealt with in grid-anodes, especially as their length increases. One of these issues is the near simultaneous arrival of multiple photons on the detector, creating possible confusion about how to reconstruct their arrival times and positions. We propose a maximum a posteriori solution to the problem and verify its performance in simulated scintillator and water-Cherenkov detectors.

The design and performance of a prototype water Cherenkov optical time-projection chamber

A first experimental test of tracking relativistic charged particles by ‘drifting’ Cherenkov photons in a water-based optical time-projection chamber (OTPC) has been performed at the Fermilab Test Beam Facility. The prototype OTPC detector consists of a 77cm long, 28cm diameter, 40kg cylindrical water mass instrumented with a combination of commercial 5.1×5.1cm2 micro-channel plate photo-multipliers (MCP-PMT) and 6.7×6.7cm2 mirrors. Five MCP-PMTs are installed in two columns along the OTPC cylinder in a small-angle stereo configuration. A mirror is mounted opposite each MCP-PMT on the inner surface of the detector cylinder, effectively increasing the photo-detection efficiency and providing a time-resolved image of the Cherenkov light on the opposing wall. Each MCP-PMT is coupled to an anode readout consisting of thirty 50Ω microstrips. A 180-channel data acquisition system digitizes the MCP-PMT signals on one end of the microstrips using the PSEC4 waveform sampling-and-digitizing chip operating at a sampling rate of 10.24Gigasamples-per-second. The single-ended microstrip readout determines the time and position of a photon arrival at the face of the MCP-PMT by recording both the direct signal and the pulse reflected from the unterminated far end of the strip. The detector was installed on the Fermilab MCenter secondary beam-line behind a steel absorber where the primary flux is multi-GeV muons. Approximately 80 Cherenkov photons are detected for a through-going muon track in a total event duration of ~2ns. By measuring the time-of-arrival and the position of individual photons at the surface of the detector to ≤100ps and a few mm, respectively, we have measured a spatial resolution of ~15mm for each MCP-PMT track segment, and, from linear fits over the entire track length of ~40cm, an angular resolution on the track direction of ~60mrad.

Toward Neutron Radiography Using Two Arrays of Nb-Based Current-Biased Kinetic Inductance Detectors With &lt;sup&gt;10&lt;/sup&gt;B Converter Sandwiched In-Between

A superconducting nanowire detector with a <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">10</sup> B conversion layer is useful for sensing a single neutron at a high operation rate. We use <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">7</sup> Li ion and <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">4</sup> He ion emitted as two independent heat sources in opposite direction, which are associated with nuclear reaction <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">10</sup> B(n, <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">4</sup> He) <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">7</sup> Li to identify the XV position of neutron arrival. We probe a change rate in the kinetic inductance L <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">k</sub> originating from kinetic inertia of the Cooper pairs. Our detector is different from a well-known microwave kinetic inductance detector and, hence, is named as a current-biased kinetic inductance detector. We use two sets of meanderlines made of Nb nanowires with superconducting readout taps to monitor local signals. In between the X meander and the V meander, we sandwiched a <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">10</sup> B layer acting as a neutron conversion layer to two charged particles. We succeeded in observing signal induced by nuclear reaction. We plan to build a megapixel neutron imager by coupling 10-bit linear position-sensitive arrays with single-flux quantum circuits to read (X,V) position of neutron arrival in the future.

Imaging and Rapid-Scanning Ion Mass Spectrometer (IRM) for the CASSIOPE e-POP Mission

The imaging and rapid-scanning ion mass spectrometer (IRM) is part of the Enhanced Polar Outflow Probe (e-POP) instrument suite on the Canadian CASSIOPE small satellite. Designed to measure the composition and detailed velocity distributions of ions in the ∼1–100 eV/q range on a non-spinning spacecraft, the IRM sensor consists of a planar entrance aperture, a pair of electrostatic deflectors, a time-of-flight (TOF) gate, a hemispherical electrostatic analyzer, and a micro-channel plate (MCP) detector. The TOF gate measures the transit time of each detected ion inside the sensor. The hemispherical analyzer disperses incident ions by their energy-per-charge and azimuth in the aperture plane onto the detector. The two electrostatic deflectors may be optionally programmed to step through a sequence of deflector voltages, to deflect ions of different incident elevation out of the aperture plane and energy-per-charge into the sensor aperture for sampling. The position and time of arrival of each detected ion at the detector are measured, to produce an image of 2-dimensional (2D), mass-resolved ion velocity distribution up to 100 times per second, or to construct a composite 3D velocity distribution by combining successive images in a deflector voltage sequence. The measured distributions are then used to investigate ion composition, density, drift velocity and temperature in polar ion outflows and related acceleration and transport processes in the topside ionosphere.

Characterization of supersonic radiation diffusion waves

Supersonic and diffusive radiation flow is an important test problem for the radiative transfer models used in radiation-hydrodynamics computer codes owing to solutions being accessible via analytic and numeric methods. We present experimental results with which we compare these solutions by studying supersonic and diffusive flow in the laboratory. We present results of higher-accuracy experiments than previously possible studying radiation flow through up to 7 high-temperature mean free paths of low-density, chlorine-doped polystyrene foam and silicon dioxide aerogel contained by an Au tube. Measurements of the heat front position and absolute measurements of the x-ray emission arrival at the end of the tube are used to test numerical and analytical models. We find excellent absolute agreement with simulations provided that the opacity and the equation of state are adjusted within expected uncertainties; analytical models provide a good phenomenological match to measurements but are not in quantitative agreement due to their limited scope.

Perception of spin and the interception of curved football trajectories

Using plain white and chequered footballs, we evaluated observers’ sensitivity to rotation direction and the effects of ball texture on interceptive behaviour. Experiment 1 demonstrated that the maximal distance at which observers (n = 8) could perceive the direction of ball rotation decreased when rotation frequency increased from 5 to 11 Hz. Detection threshold distances were nevertheless always larger for the chequered (decreasing from 47 to 28 m) than for the white (decreasing from 15 to 11 m) ball. In Experiment 2, participants (n = 7) moved laterally along a goal line to intercept the two balls launched with or without ±4.3 Hz sidespin from a 30-m distance. The chequered ball gave rise to shorter movement initiation times when trajectories curved outward (±6 m arrival positions) or did not curve (±2 m arrival positions). Inward curving trajectories, arriving at the same ±2 m distances from the participants as the non-curving trajectories, evoked initial movements in the wrong direction for both ball types, but the amplitude and duration of these reversal movements were attenuated for the chequered ball. We conclude that the early detection of rotation permitted by the chequered ball allowed modulation of interception behaviour without changing its qualitative characteristics.

Multi-bit quantum random number generation by measuring positions of arrival photons.

We report upon the realization of a novel multi-bit optical quantum random number generator by continuously measuring the arrival positions of photon emitted from a LED using MCP-based WSA photon counting imaging detector. A spatial encoding method is proposed to extract multi-bits random number from the position coordinates of each detected photon. The randomness of bits sequence relies on the intrinsic randomness of the quantum physical processes of photonic emission and subsequent photoelectric conversion. A prototype has been built and the random bit generation rate could reach 8 Mbit/s, with random bit generation efficiency of 16 bits per detected photon. FPGA implementation of Huffman coding is proposed to reduce the bias of raw extracted random bits. The random numbers passed all tests for physical random number generator.