Supervisors: Dr Anna Holin (RAL PPD) and Prof. Helen O'Keeffe (Lancaster University)
Tokai to Kamioka (T2K) is a current-generation long-baseline neutrino experiment located in Japan. An intense beam of muon (anti)neutrinos is produced via the J-PARC facility and its properties are measured at distances of 280 m and 295 m downstream of the production. Studying the transition of muon (anti)neutrinos to other types of (anti)neutrinos allows the T2K experiment to make precision measurements of the parameters that govern the oscillation process. Recent results from the T2K experiment have provided the first hints of CP-violation in the neutrino sector. The T2K near detector (ND280) is currently being upgraded, which provides an exciting opportunity to use the new ND280 detector components to further improve selections and particle identification methods for use in cross-section and oscillation analyses.
T2K members from the Particle Physics Department (PPD) at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and the Lancaster University Physics Department are involved with the oscillation analysis, development of near detector samples and maintenance and operation of the near detector data acquisition systems.
The Hyper-Kamiokande experiment is a next-generation long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment that is currently under construction in Japan. Hyper-Kamiokande will use an upgraded (anti)neutrino beam and a water Cherenkov detector around eight times larger than that used in T2K. With this approach, Hyper-Kamiokande will have greater sensitivity to CP-violation in the neutrino sector and will also undertake a rich programme of physics, including studies of proton decay, atmospheric and solar neutrinos, and neutrinos emitted by a supernova. Lancaster University and the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory are involved with several aspects of the Hyper-Kamiokande experiment including development of the data acquisition (DAQ) and trigger systems, characterisation and selection of components for the outer detector and sensitivity studies that examine how different aspects of the Hyper-Kamiokande detectors (near, intermediate and far) impact the oscillation analysis.
The studentship will focus on analysis of data from the T2K experiment and its use in the measurement of (anti)neutrino oscillation parameters. The student will also be involved with the Hyper-Kamiokande experiment, participating the DAQ design effort, outer detector measurements taking place at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and/or the sensitivity studies. The student will spend time at both institutions, participate in regular video conference calls with collaborators and travel to meetings and the experiment site. Long-term visits to Japan to support data taking (T2K) and/or construction (Hyper-Kamiokande) are possible.
For further information please contact both Dr Anna Holin (anna.holin@stfc.ac.uk) and Prof. Helen O'Keeffe
