N. Higashi

Bio: N. Higashi is an academic researcher from Kyoto University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Compton scattering & Gamma ray. The author has an hindex of 6, co-authored 11 publications receiving 455 citations.

The case for a directional dark matter detector and the status of current experimental efforts

Abstract: We present the case for a dark matter detector with directional sensitivity. This document was developed at the 2009 CYGNUS workshop on directional dark matter detection, and contains contributions from theorists and experimental groups in the field. We describe the need for a dark matter detector with directional sensitivity; each directional dark matter experiment presents their project's status; and we close with a feasibility study for scaling up to a one ton directional detector, which would cost around $150M.

Development of the balloon-borne sub-MeV gamma-ray Compton camera using an electron-tracking gaseous TPC and a scintillation camera

Abstract: We have developed an Electron-Tracking Compton Camera (ETCC) for use onboard a balloon to observe sub-MeV/MeV gamma rays from celestial objects. The ETCC is constructed with a three dimensional gaseous tracker for recoil electrons from Compton scattering, and GSO:Ce pixel scintillator arrays as absorber of the Compton-scattered gamma-ray. By using the ETCC, we can reconstruct the energy and direction of individual gamma rays. We have developed a prototype ETCC with a (30 cm)3 TPC, and tested its performance in the range of 356 - 835 keV in the laboratory. As the result, we succeeded in taking images of gamma ray sources and determined a detection efficiency of 9.0 × 10−6 and an effective area of 8.0 × 10−3 cm2 at 662 keV for the prototype ETCC. Furthermore, we developed a new power saving readout circuit for the scintillators that achieves the electric power consumption of 0.41 W/channel, an energy dynamic range of 81 - 1333 keV, and an energy resolution of 10.3% at full width at half maximum at 662 keV.

Development of an Electron-Tracking Compton Camera using CF4 gas at high pressure for improved detection efficiency

Abstract: We have developed an Electron-Tracking Compton Camera (ETCC) for medical imaging and MeV gamma-ray astronomy. The ETCC consists of a gaseous Time Projection Chamber ( μ -TPC) and pixel scintillator arrays. To improve the detection efficiency, we have optimized the gas mixture in the μ -TPC and operated the ETCC at high pressure. Basic characteristics such as the gas gain, drift velocity, energy resolution, and position resolution of the μ -TPC were examined, and using this optimization, both the efficiency and the angular resolution of the ETCC were measured. We achieved a steady gas gain of ∼ 20 , 000 in Ar/CF4/isoC4H10 (54:40:6) at 1.4 atm. The diffusion constant in Ar/CF4/isoC4H10 (54:40:6) at 1.4 atm was ∼ 2 times better than in Ar/C2H6 (90:10) at 1 atm. The efficiency in Ar/CF4/isoC4H10 (54:40:6) at 1.4 atm was also ∼ 2 times higher than in Ar/C2H6 (90:10) at 1 atm.

In vivo proton range verification: a review

Abstract: Protons are an interesting modality for radiotherapy because of their well defined range and favourable depth dose characteristics. On the other hand, these same characteristics lead to added uncertainties in their delivery. This is particularly the case at the distal end of proton dose distributions, where the dose gradient can be extremely steep. In practice however, this gradient is rarely used to spare critical normal tissues due to such worries about its exact position in the patient. Reasons for this uncertainty are inaccuracies and non-uniqueness of the calibration from CT Hounsfield units to proton stopping powers, imaging artefacts (e.g. due to metal implants) and anatomical changes of the patient during treatment. In order to improve the precision of proton therapy therefore, it would be extremely desirable to verify proton range in vivo, either prior to, during, or after therapy. In this review, we describe and compare state-of-the art in vivo proton range verification methods currently being proposed, developed or clinically implemented.

Dark matter direct-detection experiments

Abstract: In recent decades, several detector technologies have been developed with the quest to directly detect dark matter interactions and to test one of the most important unsolved questions in modern physics. The sensitivity of these experiments has improved with a tremendous speed due to a constant development of the detectors and analysis methods, proving uniquely suited devices to solve the dark matter puzzle, as all other discovery strategies can only indirectly infer its existence. Despite the overwhelming evidence for dark matter from cosmological indications at small and large scales, clear evidence for a particle explaining these observations remains absent. This review summarises the status of direct dark matter searches, focusing on the detector technologies used to directly detect a dark matter particle producing recoil energies in the keV energy scale. The phenomenological signal expectations, main background sources, statistical treatment of data and calibration strategies are discussed.

Colloquium: Annual modulation of dark matter

Abstract: Direct detection experiments, which are designed to detect the scattering of dark matter off nuclei in detectors, are a critical component in the search for the Universe’s missing matter. This Colloquium begins with a review of the physics of direct detection of dark matter, discussing the roles of both the particle physics and astrophysics in the expected signals. The count rate in these experiments should experience an annual modulation due to the relative motion of the Earth around the Sun. This modulation, not present for most known background sources, is critical for solidifying the origin of a potential signal as dark matter. The focus is on the physics of annual modulation, discussing the practical formulas needed to interpret a modulating signal. The dependence of the modulation spectrum on the particle and astrophysics models for the dark matter is illustrated. For standard assumptions, the count rate has a cosine dependence with time, with a maximum in June and a minimum in December. Well-motivated generalizations of these models, however, can affect both the phase and amplitude of the modulation. Shown is how a measurement of an annually modulating signal could teach us about the presence of substructure in the galactic halo or about the interactions between dark and baryonic matter. Although primarily a theoretical review, the current experimental situation for annual modulation and future experimental directions is briefly discussed.

Dark matter direct-detection experiments

Abstract: In the past decades, several detector technologies have been developed with the quest to directly detect dark matter interactions and to test one of the most important unsolved questions in modern physics. The sensitivity of these experiments has improved with a tremendous speed due to a constant development of the detectors and analysis methods, proving uniquely suited devices to solve the dark matter puzzle, as all other discovery strategies can only indirectly infer its existence. Despite the overwhelming evidence for dark matter from cosmological indications at small and large scales, a clear evidence for a particle explaining these observations remains absent. This review summarises the status of direct dark matter searches, focussing on the detector technologies used to directly detect a dark matter particle producing recoil energies in the keV energy scale. The phenomenological signal expectations, main background sources, statistical treatment of data and calibration strategies are discussed.

Exploring ν signals in dark matter detectors

Abstract: We investigate standard and non-standard solar neutrino signals in direct dark matter detection experiments. It is well known that even without new physics, scattering of solar neutrinos on nuclei or electrons is an irreducible background for direct dark matter searches, once these experiments reach the ton scale. Here, we entertain the possibility that neutrino interactions are enhanced by new physics, such as new light force carriers (for instance a ``dark photon'') or neutrino magnetic moments. We consider models with only the three standard neutrino flavors, as well as scenarios with extra sterile neutrinos. We find that low-energy neutrino-electron and neutrino-nucleus scattering rates can be enhanced by several orders of magnitude, potentially enough to explain the event excesses observed in CoGeNT and CRESST. We also investigate temporal modulation in these neutrino signals, which can arise from geometric effects, oscillation physics, non-standard neutrino energy loss, and direction-dependent detection efficiencies. We emphasize that, in addition to providing potential explanations for existing signals, models featuring new physics in the neutrino sector can also be very relevant to future dark matter searches, where, on the one hand, they can be probed and constrained, but on the other hand, their signatures could also be confused with dark matter signals.