Identification and reconstruction of low-energy electrons in the ProtoDUNE-SP detector

Journal Article · 30 May 2023 · Physical Review. D.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.107.092012 · OSTI ID:2325397

Abed Abud, A. ^[1]

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1. European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Meyrin (Switzerland). Dune Collaboration. et al.

Measurements of electrons from ν_e interactions are crucial for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) neutrino oscillation program, as well as searches for physics beyond the standard model, supernova neutrino detection, and solar neutrino measurements. This article describes the selection and reconstruction of low-energy (Michel) electrons in the ProtoDUNE-SP detector. ProtoDUNE-SP is one of the prototypes for the DUNE far detector, built and operated at CERN as a charged particle test beam experiment. A sample of low-energy electrons produced by the decay of cosmic muons is selected with a purity of 95%. This sample is used to calibrate the low-energy electron energy scale with two techniques. An electron energy calibration based on a cosmic ray muon sample uses calibration constants derived from measured and simulated cosmic ray muon events. Another calibration technique makes use of the theoretically well-understood Michel electron energy spectrum to convert reconstructed charge to electron energy. In addition, the effects of detector response to low-energy electron energy scale and its resolution including readout electronics threshold effects are quantified. Finally, the relation between the theoretical and reconstructed low-energy electron energy spectra is derived, and the energy resolution is characterized. The low-energy electron selection presented here accounts for about 75% of the total electron deposited energy. After the addition of lost energy using a Monte Carlo simulation, the energy resolution improves from about 40% to 25% at 50 MeV. These results are used to validate the expected capabilities of the DUNE far detector to reconstruct low-energy electrons.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States); Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC), Menlo Park, CA (United States); Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA (United States); Univ. of Rochester, NY (United States); Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States); Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP); USDOE
• Contributing Organization: DUNE Collaboration
• Grant/Contract Number: AC02-07CH11359; SC0023471; SC0008475; AC02-05CH11231; SC0010005; SC0007859
• OSTI ID: 2325397
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 1897095; OSTI ID: 2242416; OSTI ID: 2280991; OSTI ID: 2322544; OSTI ID: 2341258; OSTI ID: 2349411
• Report Number(s): FERMILAB-PUB-22-784; CERN-EP-DRAFT-MISC-2022-008; arXiv:2211.01166; oai:inspirehep.net:2175473
• Journal Information: Physical Review. D., Vol. 107, Issue 9; ISSN 2470-0010
• Publisher: American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English