Particle Signatures Research Articles

Search amps up for signatures of cosmic particles in ancient minerals

Advances in imaging and data handling open new possibilities.

Scintillation event imaging with a single photon avalanche diode camera

Position and time measurements of scintillation events encode information about the radiation source. Single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) arrays offer multiple-megapixel spatial resolution and tens of picoseconds temporal resolution for detecting single photons. Current lensless designs for measuring scintillation events use sensors that are lower in spatial resolution. Camera-based designs use sensors that are lower in temporal resolution or readout rate and cannot image individual interactions. Here we propose to image scintillation events in a thick, monolithic scintillator using a high-resolution SPAD camera. We demonstrate that a commercial SPAD camera is able to gather sufficient signal to image individual scintillation events and observe 3D shifts in their spatial distribution. Simulations show that a SPAD camera can localize individual scintillation events in 3D. We report direct imaging of gamma-ray interactions in a scintillator with a SPAD camera. The proposed design may allow to measure complex signatures of individual particles interacting in the scintillator.

From ashes to answers: decoding acoustically agglomerated soot particle signatures

This study investigated the possibility of extending the soot morphology analyses to acoustically agglomerated soot deposited on the surface of smoke alarms and of applying the validity of soot analysis for unique chemical signatures in the field of fire investigations. Through collecting soot samples, including agglomerated soot acquired from smoke alarms, this research presents a pioneering stride in soot morphology data analyses conducted by leveraging advanced deep learning methodologies. Preliminary outcomes underline that the proposed convolutional neural network model has the potential to decode intricate soot characteristics and to distinguish soot particle images between diverse fuel types and burning conditions. In particular, for the acoustically agglomerated soot collected by smoke alarms, it was also found possible to decode their intricate morphology by applying the proposed data-driven approach.

Interplay of freeze-in and freeze-out: Lepton-flavored dark matter and muon colliders

We study a lepton-flavored dark matter model and its signatures at a future muon collider. We focus on the less-explored regime of feeble dark matter interactions, which suppresses the dangerous lepton-flavor-violating processes, gives rise to dark matter freeze-in production, and leads to long-lived particle signatures at colliders. We find that the interplay of dark matter freeze-in and its mediator freeze-out gives rise to an upper bound of around TeV scales on the dark matter mass. The signatures of this model depend on the lifetime of the mediator and can range from generic prompt decays to more exotic long-lived particle signals. In the prompt region, we calculate the signal yield, study useful kinematics cuts, and report tolerable systematics that would allow for a 5σ discovery. In the long-lived region, we calculate the number of charged tracks and displaced lepton signals of our model in different parts of the detector and uncover kinematic features that can be used for background rejection. We show that, unlike in hadron colliders, multiple production channels contribute significantly, which leads to sharply distinct kinematics for electroweakly charged long-lived particle signals. Ultimately, the collider signatures of this lepton-flavored dark matter model are common among models of electroweak-charged new physics, rendering this model a useful and broadly applicable benchmark model for future muon collider studies that can help inform work on detector design and studies of systematics. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

On the Formation of Trapped Electron Radiation Belts at Ganymede

AbstractThis study presents evidence of stably trapped electrons at Jupiter's moon Ganymede. We model energetic electron pitch angle distributions and compare them to observations from the Galileo Energetic Particle Detector to identify signatures of trapped particles during the G28 encounter. We trace electron trajectories to show that they enter Ganymede's mini‐magnetospheric environment, become trapped, and drift around the moon for up to 30 min, in some cases stably orbiting the moon multiple times. Conservation of the first adiabatic invariant partially contributes to energy changes throughout the electrons' orbits, with additional acceleration driven by local electric fields, before they return to Jupiter's magnetosphere or impact the surface. These trapped particles manifest as an electron population with an enhanced flux compared to elsewhere within the mini‐magnetosphere that are detectable by future spacecraft.

Europa's Influence on the Jovian Energetic Electron Environment as Observed by Juno's Micro Advanced Stellar Compass

AbstractThe micro Advanced Stellar Compass is an attitude reference for the MAG investigation onboard Juno. The μASC camera head unit images the star field with a CCD that is also sensitive to particles with enough energy to pass through the camera shielding: >15 MeV electrons and >80 MeV protons. This provides the capability to monitor fluxes of high‐energy particles in Jupiter’s magnetosphere. A survey of energetic electron fluxes sampled during the first 47 Juno orbits reveals instances of variations observed when Juno is traversing the M‐shell of the Galilean moons. Juno's traversal of the Europa M‐shell often results in distinctly particle signatures. We present the μASC observations of increased electron flux during the crossing of Europa’s plasma wake, and depletion of energetic electron flux on the upstream side. The upstream/downstream differences indicate that the wake environment of Europa drives strong pitch angle scattering on relativistic electrons.

Identifying the seeding signature in cloud particles from hydrometeor residuals

Abstract. Cloud seeding experiments for modifying clouds and precipitation have been underway for nearly a century; yet practically all the attempts to link precipitation enhancement or suppression to the presence of seeding materials within clouds remain elusive. In 2019, the Cloud–Aerosol Interaction and Precipitation Enhancement Experiment (CAIPEEX) investigated residuals of cloud hydrometeors in seeded and non-seeded clouds with an airborne mini aerosol mass spectrometer (mAMS). The mAMS was utilized in conjunction with a counterflow virtual impactor (CVI) inlet with a cutoff diameter size of approximately 7 µm. The evaporated cloud droplets from the CVI inlet as cloud residuals were evaluated through the mAMS. The chlorine (Cl) associated with hygroscopic materials, i.e. calcium chloride (CaCl2) and potassium (K), which serve as the oxidizing agents in the flares, is found in relatively higher concentrations in the seeded clouds compared to the non-seeded clouds. In convective clouds, Cl and K as cloud residuals were found even at a vertical distance of 2.25 km from the cloud base. Major findings from the seeding impact are an increase in the number concentration of small (< 20 µm) droplets and an indication of raindrop formation at 2.25 km above the cloud base. It is demonstrated that the seed particle signature can be traced inside clouds along with the microphysical impacts.

Spatial Evolution Characteristics of Plasmapause Surface Wave During a Geomagnetic Storm on 16 July 2017

AbstractBoundary dynamics are crucial for the transport of energy, mass, and momentum in geospace. The recently discovered plasmapause surface wave (PSW) plays a key role in the inner magnetosphere dynamics. However, a comprehensive investigation of spatial variations of the PSW remains absent. In this study, we elucidate the spatial characteristics of a PSW through observations from multiple spacecrafts in the magnetosphere. Following the initiation of the PSW, quasi‐periodic injections of energetic ions, rather than electrons, are suggested to serve as energy source of the PSW. Based on the distinct wave and particle signatures, we categorize the PSW into four regions: seed region, growth region, stabilization region and decay region, spanning from nightside to afternoon plasmapause. These findings advance our understanding of universal boundary dynamics and contribute to a deeper comprehension of the pivotal roles of surface waves in the energy couplings within the magnetosphere‐plasmasphere‐ionosphere system.

Electrical Alignment Signatures of Ice Particles Before Intracloud Lightning Activity Detected by Dual‐Polarized Phased Array Weather Radar

AbstractThe cloud electrification process has great significance in understanding the microphysical properties, electrical characteristics, and evolution of thunderstorms. This study employs an X‐band dual‐polarized multiparameter phased array weather radar (MP‐PAWR) to observe the electrical alignment signatures of ice particles before the first intracloud (IC) lightning flash, and to explore the evolution of the upper charge region in the early electrification stage of an isolated thunderstorm. Negative KDP signatures associated with vertically oriented ice particles by strong electric fields in the upper parts of the thunderstorm are analyzed by introducing composite KDP, which is defined as a minimum KDP value observed in a vertical column across all elevation scans at each specific horizontal grid point at and above a designated layer. About 7 min before the first IC lightning flash, the mean canting angle of ice particles in the upper parts of the cloud changed from horizontal to vertical by strong electric fields, and the concentration of vertically aligned ice particles on the top of the cloud reached the maximum 30 s before the first IC lightning flash. These signatures exhibit an early electrification process in the upper parts of the thunderstorm. These results indicate that with the high spatial and temporal resolution, MP‐PAWRs have the ability not only to detect the rapid evolution of microphysical structures but also to observe the early electrification of thunderstorms, which will facilitate forecasting IC lightning flash initiation combined with graupel presence signatures in the mixed‐phase region in normal operation.

Improving the potential of BDF@SPS to search for new physics with liquid argon time projection chambers

Beam dump experiments proposed at the SPS are perfectly suited to explore the parameter space of models with long-lived particles, thanks to the combination of a large intensity with a high proton beam energy. In this paper, we study how the exploration power may be augmented further by installing a detector based on liquid argon time projection chamber technology. In particular, we consider several signatures of new physics particles that may be uniquely searched for with such a detector, including double bang events with heavy neutral leptons, inelastic light dark matter, and millicharged particles.

Constraining the Influence of Callisto's Perturbed Electromagnetic Environment on Energetic Particle Observations

AbstractThis study focuses on constraining the role that Callisto's perturbed electromagnetic environment had on energetic charged particle signatures observed during the Galileo mission. To do so, we compare data from the Energetic Particle Detector (EPD) obtained during four close encounters of the moon with a model framework that combines hybrid simulations for low‐energy plasma and test‐particle tracing simulations for high‐energy particles. By comparing model results for energetic particle dynamics in both uniform and perturbed electromagnetic fields, we systematically disentangle the role that geometric effects (i.e., absorption of particles by Callisto's solid surface) have on observed energetic particle signatures compared to those associated with Callisto's perturbed electromagnetic environment (generated by the moon's induced magnetic field and plasma interaction currents). We show that observed flux drop‐outs in the energetic ion pitch angle distributions (PADs) are largely driven by their absorption by Callisto's surface: their large gyroradii exceed the size of the moon, facilitating their impact onto the icy surface and preventing their detection by EPD. However, features observed in the energetic electron PADs can only be explained with an accurate representation of the moon's perturbed environment, since electrons closely follow the orientation of the electromagnetic fields. Our findings therefore illustrate the key role that the moon's induced field and magnetospheric plasma interaction have on the dynamics of energetic electrons, emphasizing the importance of accurately modeling Callisto's locally perturbed electromagnetic environment when attempting to interpret data from past and future encounters, including those anticipated from the upcoming JUICE mission.

The bouncing barrier revisited: Impact on key planet formation processes and observational signatures

Context. A leading paradigm in planet formation is currently the streaming instability and pebble accretion scenario. Notably, dust must grow into sizes in a specific regime of Stokes numbers in order to make the processes in the scenario viable and sufficiently effective. The dust growth models currently in use do not implement some of the growth barriers suggested to be relevant in the literature. Aims. We investigate if the bouncing barrier, when effective, has an impact on the timescales and efficiencies of processes such as the streaming instability and pebble accretion as well as on the observational appearance of planet-forming disks. Methods. We implemented a formalism for the bouncing barrier into the publicly available dust growth model DustPy and ran a series of models to understand the impact. Results. We found that the bouncing barrier has a significant effect on the dust evolution in planet-forming disks. In many cases, it reduces the size of the typical or largest particles available in the disk; it produces a very narrow, almost monodisperse, size distribution; and it removes most μm-sized grains in the process, with an impact on scattered light images. It modifies the settling and therefore the effectiveness of and timescales for the streaming instability and for pebble accretion. An active bouncing barrier may well have observational consequences: It may reduce the strength of the signatures of small particles (e.g., the 10 μm silicate feature), and it may create additional shadowed regions visible in scattered light images. Conclusions. Modeling of planet formation that leans heavily on the streaming instability and on pebble accretion should take the bouncing barrier into account. The complete removal of small grains in our model is not consistent with observations. However, this could be resolved by incomplete vertical mixing or some level of erosion in collisions.

Exploitation of Magnetic Susceptibility Data for Soil Stability Analysis: A Watershed Study of the Oued Ghiss Dam in the Central Rif, Morocco

The water erosion of soil in northern Morocco raises significant concerns due to its potential impact on the sustainability and productivity of the land. The objective of our study is to evaluate water erosion by utilizing magnetic susceptibility of soil particles in the watershed of the Oued Ghiss Dam. Magnetic susceptibility measurements were taken on 25cm deep profiles collected from six distinct areas, distributed based on pedology, slope, and land use. The results reveal significant variations in susceptibility. Transects 5 and 6 stand out with significantly higher magnetic susceptibility values compared to other transects, indicating relative soil stability under dense forest cover. Transect 2 also exhibits a range of magnetic susceptibility from 21.05 to 51.67 x 10-8 m³/kg, suggesting relative stability despite slight changes in magnetic susceptibility due to vegetation density and morphometric characteristics. Transects 1, 3, and 4 display lower magnetic susceptibility ranges, indicating signs of active erosion in bare soils. Magnetic signatures of soil particles provide crucial insights into soil dynamics in the Central Rif region of Morocco, emphasizing the impact of geodynamic factors and land use on the degree of evolution and degradation.

A fast and time-efficient machine learning approach to dark matter searches in compressed mass scenario

Various analyses for searching for the signature of SUSY or exotic particles have been carried out by the experiments at CERN. These analyses made use of traditional cut and count methods. While this method has yielded promising results, it has been challenging in the region where the mass difference between SUSY particles is small. Deep learning is currently widely employed in most data analysis tasks, including high energy physics, and has made significant advances in almost all fields for collecting and interpreting huge data samples. In this paper, a fast and time-efficient classification technique is proposed, utilizing machine learning algorithms to distinguish dark matter signal from SM background in compressed mass spectra scenarios at a center-of-mass energy of 14 TeV. A classification model was built in a short amount of time using 2D histograms produced with less amount of data, effectively reducing computational costs through the transfer learning of pre-trained deep models while maintaining a high level of classification accuracy.

Significant Impact of Hydrothermalism on the Biogeochemical Signature of Sinking and Sedimented Particles in the Lau Basin

AbstractIron (Fe) is an essential micronutrient for diazotrophs, which are abundant in the Western Tropical South Pacific Ocean (WTSP). Their success depends on the numerous trace metals, particularly Fe, released from shallow hydrothermal vents along the Tonga Arc. This study aimed to explore the spatio‐temporal impact of hydrothermal fluids on particulate trace metal concentrations and biological activity. To identify the composition of sinking particles across a wide area of the WTSP, we deployed sediment traps at various depths, both close and further west of the Tonga Arc. Seafloor sediments were cored at these deployment sites, including at a remote location in the South Pacific Gyre. The sinking particles were composed of a large amount of biological material (up to 88 mg d−1), indicative of the high productivity of the region. A significant portion of this material (∼21 ± 12 wt.%) was lithogenic of hydrothermal origin, as revealed through Al‐Fe‐Mn tracing. The sinking material showed similar patterns between lithogenic and biogenic fractions, indicating that hydrothermal input within the photic layer triggered surface production. A hydrothermal fingerprint was suggested in the sediments due to the high sedimentation rates (>47 cm kyr−1) and the presence of large, heterogeneous, metal‐rich particles. The presence of nearby active deep hydrothermal sources was suspected near the Lau Ridge due to the large particle size (1–976 μm) and the significant excess of Fe and Mn (2–20 wt.%). Overall, this study revealed that hydrothermal sources have a significant influence on the biogeochemical signature of particles in the region.

Proton Pump Inhibitor Use and Complications of Cirrhosis Are Linked With Distinct Gut Microbial Bacteriophage and Eukaryotic Viral-Like Particle Signatures in Cirrhosis.

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) modulate the progression of cirrhosis to hepatic encephalopathy (HE) and can affect the bacterial microbiome. However, the impact of PPI on the virome in cirrhosis using viral-like particle (VLP) analysis is unclear. We determined the VLP in the stool microbiome in patients with cirrhosis cross-sectionally (ascites, HE, and PPI use analyzed) who were followed up for 6-month hospitalizations and through 2 clinical trials of PPI withdrawal and initiation. In a cross-sectional study, PPI users had greater ascites prevalence and 6-month hospitalizations, but VLP α diversity was similar. Among phages, PPI users had lower Autographviridae and higher Streptococcus phages and Herelleviridae than nonusers, whereas opposite trends were seen in ascites and HE. Trends of eukaryotic viruses (higher Adenoviridae and lower Virgaviridae/Smacoviridae) were similar for PPI, HE, and ascites. Twenty-one percent were hospitalized, mostly due to HE. α Diversity was similar in the hospitalized/nonhospitalized/not groups. Higher Gokushovirinae and lower crAssphages were related to hospitalizations such as HE-related cross-sectional VLP changes. As part of the clinical trial, PPIs were added and withdrawn in 2 different decompensated groups over 14 days. No changes in α diversity were observed. Withdrawal reduced crAssphages, and initiation reduced Gokushovirinae and Bacteroides phages. In cirrhosis, PPI use has a gut microbial VLP phage signature that is different from that in HE and ascites, and VLP changes are linked with hospitalizations over 6 months, independent of clinical biomarkers. Eukaryotic viral patterns were consistent across PPI use, HE, and ascites, indicating a relationship with the progression of cirrhosis. PPIs alone showed modest VLP changes with withdrawal or initiation. Distinct phage and eukaryotic viral patterns are associated with the use of PPIs in cirrhosis.

The Maximum Energy of Shock-accelerated Cosmic Rays

Identifying the accelerators of Galactic cosmic ray (CR) protons with energies up to a few PeV (1015 eV) remains a theoretical and observational challenge. Supernova remnants (SNRs) represent strong candidates because they provide sufficient energetics to reproduce the CR flux observed at Earth. However, it remains unclear whether they can accelerate particles to PeV energies, particularly after the very early stages of their evolution. This uncertainty has prompted searches for other source classes and necessitates comprehensive theoretical modeling of the maximum proton energy, , accelerated by an arbitrary shock. While analytic estimates of have been put forward in the literature, they do not fully account for the complex interplay between particle acceleration, magnetic field amplification, and shock evolution. This paper uses a multizone, semianalytic model of particle acceleration based on kinetic simulations to place constraints on for a wide range of astrophysical shocks. In particular, we develop relationships between , shock velocity, size, and ambient medium. We find that SNRs can only accelerate PeV particles under a select set of circumstances, namely, if the shock velocity exceeds ∼104 km s−1 and escaping particles drive magnetic field amplification. However, older and slower SNRs may still produce observational signatures of PeV particles due to populations accelerated when the shock was younger. Our results serve as a reference for modelers seeking to quickly produce a self-consistent estimate of the maximum energy accelerated by an arbitrary astrophysical shock. 1 1 Presented as a thesis to the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, The University of Chicago, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a Ph.D. degree.

The energetic particle environment of a GJ 436 b-like planet

ABSTRACTA key first step to constrain the impact of energetic particles in exoplanet atmospheres is to detect the chemical signature of ionization due to stellar energetic particles and Galactic cosmic rays. We focus on GJ 436, a well-studied M dwarf with a warm Neptune-like exoplanet. We demonstrate how the maximum stellar energetic particle momentum can be estimated from the stellar X-ray luminosity. We model energetic particle transport through the atmosphere of a hypothetical exoplanet at orbital distances between $a=0.01\text{ and }0.2\,$au from GJ 436, including GJ 436 b’s orbital distance (0.028 au). For these distances, we find that, at the top of atmosphere, stellar energetic particles ionize molecular hydrogen at a rate of $\zeta _{\rm StEP,H_2} \sim 4\times 10^{-10}\text{ to }2\times 10^{-13}\, \mathrm{s^{-1}}$. In comparison, Galactic cosmic rays alone lead to $\zeta _{\rm GCR, H_2}\sim 2\times 10^{-20}\!-\!10^{-18} \, \mathrm{s^{-1}}$. At 10 au, we find that ionization due to Galactic cosmic rays equals that of stellar energetic particles: $\zeta _{\rm GCR,H_2} = \zeta _{\rm StEP,H_2} \sim 7\times 10^{-18}\, \rm {s^{-1}}$ for the top-of-atmosphere ionization rate. At GJ 436 b’s orbital distance, the maximum ion-pair production rate due to stellar energetic particles occurs at pressure $P\sim 10^{-3}\,$bar, while Galactic cosmic rays dominate for $P\gt 10^2\,$bar. These high pressures are similar to what is expected for a post-impact early Earth atmosphere. The results presented here will be used to quantify the chemical signatures of energetic particles in warm Neptune-like atmospheres.

Dark matter and radiative neutrino masses in conversion-driven scotogenesis

The scotogenic model generates Majorana neutrino masses radiatively, with dark matter particles running in the loop. We explore the parameter space in which the relic density of fermionic dark matter is generated via a conversion-driven freeze-out mechanism. The necessity for small Yukawa couplings to initiate chemical decoupling for conversion processes naturally reproduces small neutrino masses as long as the active neutrinos are hierarchical. The model can also resolve the recently reported deviation in the $W$-boson mass while satisfying constraints from direct detection, charged lepton flavor violation as well as collider bounds. Parts of the parameter space lead to long-lived particle signatures to be probed at the LHC.

Elemental and isotopic signatures of individual particles in chondrite matrix using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Elemental and isotopic signatures of individual particles in chondrite matrix using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry