Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Abstract This paper presents a simulation/experimental technique used in the design of optimum pe... more Abstract This paper presents a simulation/experimental technique used in the design of optimum performance read-out electronics for a new cosmic ray telescope composed of scintillator bars. This new detector, called SciBar Cosmic Ray Telescope (SciCRT), is installed on top of Sierra Negra volcano in Mexico, operating at an atmospheric depth of 575 g cm−2. The severe atmospheric conditions and high background rate of the place currently limit the performance of the detector, therefore the requirements of our design are low power consumption and high throughput rate. The simulation developed considers the interaction of high energy cosmic ray muons with the scintillator bar, generation and propagation of photons inside a wavelength shifting fiber (WLS) fiber and the detection by a multi-anode photomultiplier (MAPMT). To produce realistic signals coming from the interaction of particles, our method relies on the extraction of different parameters throughout experiment to include them in the simulation. In addition, the paper presents a muon cosmic ray experiment designed to validate the results of the simulation and test the performance of the new electronics.
Proceedings of 37th International Cosmic Ray Conference — PoS(ICRC2021), 2021
We have found an interesting event registered by the solar neutron telescopes installed at high m... more We have found an interesting event registered by the solar neutron telescopes installed at high mountains in Bolivia (5250 m a.s.l.) and Mexico (4600 m a.s.l.). The event was observed November 7th of 2004 in association with a large solar flare of magnitude X2.0. Some features in our registers and in two satellites (GOES 11 and SOHO) reveal the presence of electrons and protons as possible products of neutron decay. Solar neutron decay protons (sndp) were recorded on board ISEE3 satellite in June 3rd, 1982. On October 19th, 1989, the ground level detectors installed in Goose Bay and Deep River revealed the registration of solar neutron decay protons (sndp). Therefore this is the second example that such an evidence is registered on the Earth ′ s surface.
Charged particles injected into dielectric material of artificial satellites may cause data flipp... more Charged particles injected into dielectric material of artificial satellites may cause data flipping, command errors and charges in dielectric material properties. In this work we report the results of an evaluation of rare earth aluminates as possible radiation shields for its application in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite construction. With help of Geant4 software, we calculated the radiation dose that a target receives at a typical LEO (685 km) as a function of the shield thickness. The target used was a silicon plate, the shields used were hollow cubes of rare earth aluminate walls (YAlO 3 , LaAlO 3 , NdAlO 3 and GdAlO 3), and we also used aluminium oxide (Al 2 O 3). The radiation source was the measured fluxes of electron and proton with a spectrum corresponding to a LEO. We found that of the total radiation dose received by the target without shield is 5847 microGy/hour, of which, the electrons contribute with 94.9% and the protons with 5.1%. The rare earth aluminates are a better shield than the Al 2 O 3 to protect a target against the radiation that permeates a LEO near to equator.
Proceedings of 35th International Cosmic Ray Conference — PoS(ICRC2017), 2017
The SciBar Cosmic ray telescope (SciCRT) is installed on the top of the Sierra Negra volcano with... more The SciBar Cosmic ray telescope (SciCRT) is installed on the top of the Sierra Negra volcano with the main goal of observing solar neutrons to investigate the ion acceleration process during solar flares. Using scintillator bars as a medium to stop energetic particles, the SciCRT is capable of recording both energy deposited on the bars and direction of the incoming particles with high resolution. The original DAQ system was used in neutrino oscillation experiment (low event rate), therefore operation of the electronics on cosmic ray experiment is limited. To improve the SciCRT performance as a solar neutron telescope, development of custom made DAQ electronics is essential. Our first step onto this task was the design and construction of a new fast readout back-end board using SiTCP. The installation of this new system on Sierra Negra and its further improvement on the data acquisition for the detector will be analyzed on separate paper on this conference. The development of new front end electronics is the next stage of the upgrading process. To achieve this goal, we are developing new electronics applying the time over threshold (ToT) technique, using a FPGA to process the signal from one 64-channel multi anode photomutiplier tube (MAPMT). In this paper we will present the details of this new system and several tests performed to guarantee its proper operation to detect solar neutrons.
Proceedings of The 34th International Cosmic Ray Conference — PoS(ICRC2015), 2016
SciCRT (SciBar Cosmic Ray Telescope) is a new project to observe cosmic rays via a full active sc... more SciCRT (SciBar Cosmic Ray Telescope) is a new project to observe cosmic rays via a full active scintillator tracker. Our aim is to detect high energy solar neutrons produced by the interaction between accelerated ions and the solar atmosphere and to observe muons to research anisotropy of Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCRs). In the previous ICRC in Brazil, we reported that the detector has been installed at Mt. Sierra Negra (4,600 m above sea level) in April 2013. We also reported that the current VME-based data acquisition (DAQ) system does not have enough capacity to deal with GCR-induced neutrons at such a high altitude mountain. Moreover noises produced by the VME readout prevent the DAQ system counting the trigger rate and make the current trigger process complicated. Therefore we have developed a fast readout DAQ system, optimized to our experimental environment within an Open-It project. We employed SiTCP, a hardware-based network processor, developed for high energy physics. We have developed a brand-new back-end board (BEB) based SiTCP and tested it at Mt. Sierra Negra in 2014. Then we determined the definitive design for the new BEB. We replaced the muon and a part of the neutron DAQ system with the new DAQ system in June, 2015. We will introduce the basic performance evaluation and the configuration of the new DAQ system which is operated at Mt. Sierra Negra.
In this work, we evaluated the efficiency of cerium oxide as sunscreen using titanium oxide as st... more In this work, we evaluated the efficiency of cerium oxide as sunscreen using titanium oxide as standard comparison material. Geant4 software was used to perform numerical simulation, we calculated the radiation dose that ultraviolet radiation deposits in a skin sample as a function of thin film thickness of the sunscreens. We found that in the interval between 5 and 15 nm of the thin film thickness and for wavelengths between 160 and 400 nm, cerium oxide has the potential to reduce the radiation dose more than 10% with respect to the same thickness band of titanium oxide. Using thin films of cerium oxide and titanium oxide with same thicknesses and greater than 45 nm, the difference in the attenuation of the radiation dose for both materials is less than 1%. The results lead us to propose cerium oxide as an alternative material to titanium oxide for the manufacture of sunscreens.
Abstract In this work we report the flux of protons and neutral emission measured at the top of t... more Abstract In this work we report the flux of protons and neutral emission measured at the top of the Sierra Negra volcano at 4600 m.a.s.l. (575 g/cm 2 ), in Eastern Mexico. As an example of the capability of the mini-SciCR as a cosmic ray detector we present the Forbush decrease recorded on March 7, 2012. These data were obtained with a cosmic ray detector prototype called mini-SciCR that was operating from October 2010 to July 2012. Our main aims were to measure the hadronic component flux of the secondary cosmic ray and to show the appropriate performance of all system of the detector. To separate the signals of protons from other charged particles we obtained the energy deposition pattern when they cross the detector using a Monte Carlo simulation, and to separate the signals of neutral emission we used an anticoincidence system between the edge bars and the internal bars of the detector. The mini-SciCR is a prototype of a new cosmic ray detector called SciBar Cosmic Ray Telescope (SciCRT) installed in the same place, which is in the process of calibration. The SciCRT will work mainly as a Solar Neutron and Muon Telescope, it is designed to achieve: (1) larger effective area than the current Solar Neutron Telescope, (2) higher energy resolution to determine the energy spectrum of solar neutrons, (3) lower energy threshold, and (4) higher particle identification ability.
We are currently in the process of calibration of a new cosmic ray detector called SciBar Cosmic ... more We are currently in the process of calibration of a new cosmic ray detector called SciBar Cosmic Ray Telescope (SciCRT) located at the top of the Sierra Negra volcano at 4,600 m.a.s.l., in Eastern Mexico. The SciCRT will work mainly as a Solar Neutron and Muon Telescope, with a high angular resolution (∼ 1 •), but it will also serve as a gamma ray and hadron shower detector. The mini-SciCR is a prototype of the SciCRT, it uses the same scintillator bars and recording hardware, the size of the mini-SciCR is 1/1568 compared with the SciCRT. In this paper we will report the main results obtained with the mini-SciCR that was operating at the top of the Sierra Negra volcano from October 2010 to July 2012. Our main aims were to show the appropriate performance of all the detector systems and to develop a tecnique to separate the flux of soft and hard secondary cosmic rays with the help of a Monte Carlo simulation, our energy range of interest is from 100 MeV to a few GeV. Aditionally we will report results with a modification of the detector setup that helped to confirm the correct identification of the particle species.
We installed a very sensitive solar neutron telescope at Mt. Sierra Negra (4,600 m above sea leve... more We installed a very sensitive solar neutron telescope at Mt. Sierra Negra (4,600 m above sea level) in Mexico in April, 2013. This new solar neutron telescope is four times more sensitive than the current solar neutron telescope at Mt. Sierra Negra, due to its high detection efficiency of neutrons. This project is called SciCRT (SciBar for the Cosmic Ray Telescope) . The data taking speed of the current system is limited to 1 kHz, although the expected count rate of background neutrons is 20 kHz. To reduce the data taking dead time, we started to develop a new system using SiTCP to replace the current system which uses traditional VME. SiTCP enables us to transfer high speed data from Field Programmable Gate Array to DAQ PC with Transmission Control Protocol. We could achieve the readout speed of 48 kHz in some specific condition, and we are continuing several tests to apply this new system to a more realistic experimental situation. In this paper, we will present details of the des...
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Abstract This paper presents a simulation/experimental technique used in the design of optimum pe... more Abstract This paper presents a simulation/experimental technique used in the design of optimum performance read-out electronics for a new cosmic ray telescope composed of scintillator bars. This new detector, called SciBar Cosmic Ray Telescope (SciCRT), is installed on top of Sierra Negra volcano in Mexico, operating at an atmospheric depth of 575 g cm−2. The severe atmospheric conditions and high background rate of the place currently limit the performance of the detector, therefore the requirements of our design are low power consumption and high throughput rate. The simulation developed considers the interaction of high energy cosmic ray muons with the scintillator bar, generation and propagation of photons inside a wavelength shifting fiber (WLS) fiber and the detection by a multi-anode photomultiplier (MAPMT). To produce realistic signals coming from the interaction of particles, our method relies on the extraction of different parameters throughout experiment to include them in the simulation. In addition, the paper presents a muon cosmic ray experiment designed to validate the results of the simulation and test the performance of the new electronics.
Proceedings of 37th International Cosmic Ray Conference — PoS(ICRC2021), 2021
We have found an interesting event registered by the solar neutron telescopes installed at high m... more We have found an interesting event registered by the solar neutron telescopes installed at high mountains in Bolivia (5250 m a.s.l.) and Mexico (4600 m a.s.l.). The event was observed November 7th of 2004 in association with a large solar flare of magnitude X2.0. Some features in our registers and in two satellites (GOES 11 and SOHO) reveal the presence of electrons and protons as possible products of neutron decay. Solar neutron decay protons (sndp) were recorded on board ISEE3 satellite in June 3rd, 1982. On October 19th, 1989, the ground level detectors installed in Goose Bay and Deep River revealed the registration of solar neutron decay protons (sndp). Therefore this is the second example that such an evidence is registered on the Earth ′ s surface.
Charged particles injected into dielectric material of artificial satellites may cause data flipp... more Charged particles injected into dielectric material of artificial satellites may cause data flipping, command errors and charges in dielectric material properties. In this work we report the results of an evaluation of rare earth aluminates as possible radiation shields for its application in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite construction. With help of Geant4 software, we calculated the radiation dose that a target receives at a typical LEO (685 km) as a function of the shield thickness. The target used was a silicon plate, the shields used were hollow cubes of rare earth aluminate walls (YAlO 3 , LaAlO 3 , NdAlO 3 and GdAlO 3), and we also used aluminium oxide (Al 2 O 3). The radiation source was the measured fluxes of electron and proton with a spectrum corresponding to a LEO. We found that of the total radiation dose received by the target without shield is 5847 microGy/hour, of which, the electrons contribute with 94.9% and the protons with 5.1%. The rare earth aluminates are a better shield than the Al 2 O 3 to protect a target against the radiation that permeates a LEO near to equator.
Proceedings of 35th International Cosmic Ray Conference — PoS(ICRC2017), 2017
The SciBar Cosmic ray telescope (SciCRT) is installed on the top of the Sierra Negra volcano with... more The SciBar Cosmic ray telescope (SciCRT) is installed on the top of the Sierra Negra volcano with the main goal of observing solar neutrons to investigate the ion acceleration process during solar flares. Using scintillator bars as a medium to stop energetic particles, the SciCRT is capable of recording both energy deposited on the bars and direction of the incoming particles with high resolution. The original DAQ system was used in neutrino oscillation experiment (low event rate), therefore operation of the electronics on cosmic ray experiment is limited. To improve the SciCRT performance as a solar neutron telescope, development of custom made DAQ electronics is essential. Our first step onto this task was the design and construction of a new fast readout back-end board using SiTCP. The installation of this new system on Sierra Negra and its further improvement on the data acquisition for the detector will be analyzed on separate paper on this conference. The development of new front end electronics is the next stage of the upgrading process. To achieve this goal, we are developing new electronics applying the time over threshold (ToT) technique, using a FPGA to process the signal from one 64-channel multi anode photomutiplier tube (MAPMT). In this paper we will present the details of this new system and several tests performed to guarantee its proper operation to detect solar neutrons.
Proceedings of The 34th International Cosmic Ray Conference — PoS(ICRC2015), 2016
SciCRT (SciBar Cosmic Ray Telescope) is a new project to observe cosmic rays via a full active sc... more SciCRT (SciBar Cosmic Ray Telescope) is a new project to observe cosmic rays via a full active scintillator tracker. Our aim is to detect high energy solar neutrons produced by the interaction between accelerated ions and the solar atmosphere and to observe muons to research anisotropy of Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCRs). In the previous ICRC in Brazil, we reported that the detector has been installed at Mt. Sierra Negra (4,600 m above sea level) in April 2013. We also reported that the current VME-based data acquisition (DAQ) system does not have enough capacity to deal with GCR-induced neutrons at such a high altitude mountain. Moreover noises produced by the VME readout prevent the DAQ system counting the trigger rate and make the current trigger process complicated. Therefore we have developed a fast readout DAQ system, optimized to our experimental environment within an Open-It project. We employed SiTCP, a hardware-based network processor, developed for high energy physics. We have developed a brand-new back-end board (BEB) based SiTCP and tested it at Mt. Sierra Negra in 2014. Then we determined the definitive design for the new BEB. We replaced the muon and a part of the neutron DAQ system with the new DAQ system in June, 2015. We will introduce the basic performance evaluation and the configuration of the new DAQ system which is operated at Mt. Sierra Negra.
In this work, we evaluated the efficiency of cerium oxide as sunscreen using titanium oxide as st... more In this work, we evaluated the efficiency of cerium oxide as sunscreen using titanium oxide as standard comparison material. Geant4 software was used to perform numerical simulation, we calculated the radiation dose that ultraviolet radiation deposits in a skin sample as a function of thin film thickness of the sunscreens. We found that in the interval between 5 and 15 nm of the thin film thickness and for wavelengths between 160 and 400 nm, cerium oxide has the potential to reduce the radiation dose more than 10% with respect to the same thickness band of titanium oxide. Using thin films of cerium oxide and titanium oxide with same thicknesses and greater than 45 nm, the difference in the attenuation of the radiation dose for both materials is less than 1%. The results lead us to propose cerium oxide as an alternative material to titanium oxide for the manufacture of sunscreens.
Abstract In this work we report the flux of protons and neutral emission measured at the top of t... more Abstract In this work we report the flux of protons and neutral emission measured at the top of the Sierra Negra volcano at 4600 m.a.s.l. (575 g/cm 2 ), in Eastern Mexico. As an example of the capability of the mini-SciCR as a cosmic ray detector we present the Forbush decrease recorded on March 7, 2012. These data were obtained with a cosmic ray detector prototype called mini-SciCR that was operating from October 2010 to July 2012. Our main aims were to measure the hadronic component flux of the secondary cosmic ray and to show the appropriate performance of all system of the detector. To separate the signals of protons from other charged particles we obtained the energy deposition pattern when they cross the detector using a Monte Carlo simulation, and to separate the signals of neutral emission we used an anticoincidence system between the edge bars and the internal bars of the detector. The mini-SciCR is a prototype of a new cosmic ray detector called SciBar Cosmic Ray Telescope (SciCRT) installed in the same place, which is in the process of calibration. The SciCRT will work mainly as a Solar Neutron and Muon Telescope, it is designed to achieve: (1) larger effective area than the current Solar Neutron Telescope, (2) higher energy resolution to determine the energy spectrum of solar neutrons, (3) lower energy threshold, and (4) higher particle identification ability.
We are currently in the process of calibration of a new cosmic ray detector called SciBar Cosmic ... more We are currently in the process of calibration of a new cosmic ray detector called SciBar Cosmic Ray Telescope (SciCRT) located at the top of the Sierra Negra volcano at 4,600 m.a.s.l., in Eastern Mexico. The SciCRT will work mainly as a Solar Neutron and Muon Telescope, with a high angular resolution (∼ 1 •), but it will also serve as a gamma ray and hadron shower detector. The mini-SciCR is a prototype of the SciCRT, it uses the same scintillator bars and recording hardware, the size of the mini-SciCR is 1/1568 compared with the SciCRT. In this paper we will report the main results obtained with the mini-SciCR that was operating at the top of the Sierra Negra volcano from October 2010 to July 2012. Our main aims were to show the appropriate performance of all the detector systems and to develop a tecnique to separate the flux of soft and hard secondary cosmic rays with the help of a Monte Carlo simulation, our energy range of interest is from 100 MeV to a few GeV. Aditionally we will report results with a modification of the detector setup that helped to confirm the correct identification of the particle species.
We installed a very sensitive solar neutron telescope at Mt. Sierra Negra (4,600 m above sea leve... more We installed a very sensitive solar neutron telescope at Mt. Sierra Negra (4,600 m above sea level) in Mexico in April, 2013. This new solar neutron telescope is four times more sensitive than the current solar neutron telescope at Mt. Sierra Negra, due to its high detection efficiency of neutrons. This project is called SciCRT (SciBar for the Cosmic Ray Telescope) . The data taking speed of the current system is limited to 1 kHz, although the expected count rate of background neutrons is 20 kHz. To reduce the data taking dead time, we started to develop a new system using SiTCP to replace the current system which uses traditional VME. SiTCP enables us to transfer high speed data from Field Programmable Gate Array to DAQ PC with Transmission Control Protocol. We could achieve the readout speed of 48 kHz in some specific condition, and we are continuing several tests to apply this new system to a more realistic experimental situation. In this paper, we will present details of the des...
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Papers by Ernesto Ortiz