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Measurement of space charge effects in the MicroBooNE LArTPC using cosmic muons

Journal Article · · JINST
Large liquid argon time projection chambers (LArTPCs), especially those operating near the surface, are susceptible to space charge effects. In the context of LArTPCs, the space charge effect is the build-up of slow-moving positive ions in the detector primarily due to ionization from cosmic rays, leading to a distortion of the electric field within the detector. This effect leads to a displacement in the reconstructed position of signal ionization electrons in LArTPC detectors (“spatial distortions”), as well as to variations in the amount of electron-ion recombination experienced by ionization throughout the volume of the TPC. We present techniques that can be used to measure and correct for space charge effects in large LArTPCs by making use of cosmic muons, including the use of track pairs to unambiguously pin down spatial distortions in three dimensions. The performance of these calibration techniques are studied using both Monte Carlo simulation and MicroBooNE data, utilizing a UV laser system as a means to estimate the systematic bias associated with the calibration methodology.
Research Organization:
Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC), Menlo Park, CA (United States); Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States); Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP) (SC-25)
Contributing Organization:
MicroBooNE
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-07CH11359
OSTI ID:
1685026
Report Number(s):
FERMILAB-PUB-20-367-ND; arXiv:2008.09765; oai:inspirehep.net:1812969
Journal Information:
JINST, Journal Name: JINST Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 15
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Measurement of space charge effects in the MicroBooNE LArTPC using cosmic muons
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