Program and Presentations

Hans Jürgen Gils (KIT, KCETA)
KIT – A new model in higher education

Klaus Eitel (KIT, KCETA)
Introduction to ISAPP-SI09

Steen Hannestad (University of Aarhus)
Introduction to modern cosmology: part I, part II, part III

Guido Drexlin (KIT, KCETA)
Phenomenology of neutrinos & neutrino masses
Single ß decay experiments: overview and KATRIN

Hans Kraus (University of Oxford)
Dark Matter in Cosmology and Astrophysics

Klaus Eitel (KIT, KCETA)
Direct DM search and cryogenic bolometers

Ralph Engel (KIT, KCETA)
The physics of Cosmic Rays

Markus Roth (KIT, KCETA)
Overview of the Pierre Auger Observatory

Dieter Zeppenfeld (KIT, KCETA)
Particle Physics Programme at LHC

Thomas Müller (KIT, KCETA)
Overview of the CMS detector system

Wolfgang Menn (University of Siegen)
Indirect DM search -- balloons, satellites, ISS

Tim Huege (KIT, KCETA)
Advanced techniques for detection of UHE CR´s: part I, part II

Andreas Heiss (KIT, SCC)
Grid computing

Frank Hartmann (CERN & KIT)
Silicon detector technology

Joachim Wolf (KIT, KCETA)
Vacuum technology

Michal Kreps (KIT, KCETA)
Data analysis & neural networks

Manfred Lindner (MPIK, Heidelberg)
The Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik (MPIK), Heidelberg

Christian Buck (MPIK, Heidelberg)
The Double Chooz reactor neutrino experiment

Fedor Bezrukov (MPIK, Heidelberg)
keV scale sterile neutrino as Dark Matter

Joachim Kopp (MPIK, Heidelberg)
Mössbauer neutrinos

Determination of the top quark mass

Using CDF data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1/fb top pair candidates with lepton+jets signature are selected. To extract the fraction of top pair events in data a fit to the events total transverse energy is performed. Then the top mass is determined by reconstructing the kinematics of the top pair event.

Characterisation of silicon strip detectors

The participants will get an introduction in the functionality of silicon strip detectors. They will characterize test structures as well as unirradiated and irradiated strip sensors, before real data will be taken with a full module. A short analysis of the data will complete the exercise.

Measuring cosmic muon flux with a VME DAQ system

In this topic, you will develop a readout system based on 8” PMT´s immersed in a 125liter liquid scintillator chamber read out via a VME data acquisition system. After initialising VME components, testing the PMT performance and connecting the hardware you will measure cosmic muons and deduce the muon flux from the acquired data.

Calibration of the LOPES experiment for radio detection of cosmic rays

The LOPES experiment is an array of 30 radio detectors designed to measure pulsed radio emission from cosmic ray air showers in coincidence with the KASCADE-Grande experiment. For a precise measurement of these radio signals, the absolute calibration of the individual detector channels and the positions of the 30 LOPES antennas have to be known with high accuracy. In this project, we will perform a calibration of LOPES in the field using an external reference source and a differential GPS system, followed by a complete analysis of the measured raw data leading to the production of the final calibration quantities.

Study of the arrival direction distribution of UHECRs

It is expected that the deflection of cosmic rays due to magnetic fields decreases with energy and above 60 EeV might be smaller than a few degrees. Such small deflection angles allow the search for point sources or source regions. The aim of the project will be the discussion and application of different methods to search for point sources and the evaluation of the statistical significance of possible signals of anisotropy. 

Composition analysis using FADC traces recorded by the surface detector array of Auger

The surface detector array of the Auger Observatory consists of 1600 water Cherencov stations. Each station is equipped with 12t of water and is overlooked by 3 9"PMTs. The time traces recorded by the FADC system allow us, to derive quantities which are strongly correlated with the mass of the initiating primary cosmic particle. The aim is the separation of the prompt muon signal from the delayed electron/photon signal.

Inclusive flux of muons and its relation to hadronic interactions

After an introduction to analytic estimates of the inclusive muon flux, an explicit flux calculation is carried out. The influcence of the characteristics of hadronic multiparticle production on the muon flux predictions is investigated by modifying the extrapolation of the interaction model to very high energy. The resulting uncertainty of the flux is estimated.

Mass & energy analysis of cosmic rays

This topic is related to data analysis of air-shower measurements with KASCADE-Grande. The multi-detector experiment KASCADE-Grande detects air-showers generated by high-energy cosmic ray particles entering the Earth’s Atmosphere. The energy and mass of the incoming primary particle have to be deduced from the information of the measured secondary particles. 

DETECTORS: a cosmic ray demonstration experiment

Simple coffee cans are equipped with photo-multipliers and work as Water-Cherenkov-Detectors. In a stand alone mode or coupled for coincidence measurements the full portable detection system can be used for demonstration of a cosmic ray detector. The simple electronics will be learned, and experiments like muon rate determination below different absorbers, air-shower measurements, or estimation of the muon life time will be performed in this practical work.

KATRIN pre-spectrometer measurements

Besides its function as a high pass filter for the main spectrometer, the pre-spectrometer is used as a test bed for the final KATRIN setup. Practical work can be either measurements of background to identify its sources, transmission functions by means of an e-gun or improvement of the electrode configuration. Students get involved in XUHV-technology (p< 10^-13 bar), high speed multichannel data acquisition, particle tracking in electromagnetic fields and other topics.

Investigation of the earth magnetic field and the magnetic materials in the KATRIN main spectrometer building

Properties like the value and the symmetry of the magnetic field in the centre of the KATRIN main spectrometer define the high resolution, the transmission, and the low background of the precise energy filter for determining the electron anti-neutrino mass. Since with 0.3 mT the magnetic field is rather low there, any external influence like the earth magnetic field or magnetic materials in the vicinity of the main spectrometer have to be considered. You'll take part in systematic magnetic field measurements across the KATRIN main spectrometer building.

Installation of the inner electrode High Voltage system at the KATRIN main spectrometer

The electromagnetic properties of the KATRIN main spectrometer are of essential importance for the determination of the mass of the electron anti-neutrino. In this context a wire electrode system is being installed, in order to create and shape the high precision analyzing potential. You'll take part in the quality assurance activities during installation and test of the precision high voltage system.

Influence of magnetic fields on the rotor temperature of turbo molecular pumps

If turbo molecular pumps (TMP) are operated within a magnetic field environment, rotating materials (as the pump rotor) are heated up due to induced eddy currents. If the temperature exceeds a critical limit the pump can be destroyed. For experiments with many TMP´s operating in magnetic fields (as for KATRIN) it is essential to know this critical limit which corresponds to a maximum allowed magnetic field to ensure save operation of the pumps. The work will include the calibration of an infrared camera, which will be used for the temperature measurement and the performance of a few measurements at various magnetic fields.

Commissioning of the KATRIN differential pumping section

The Tritium source of KATRIN is windowless and operated at a pressure of about 0,003 mbar, whereas the pressure in the spectrometers must not exceed 10 fbar. This is achieved by an elaborate transport section which is opaque for Tritium, but transparent to beta-electrons. At the time of the SI, commissioning of the DPS is scheduled to begin. Students will participate in commissioning measurements or the preparation of these. Commissioning will comprise the determination of the gas flow reduction factor, magnetic field measurements and other topics.

grid computing

We will set up a Grid site including all necessary services and run Astroparticle Physics or HEP software on the Grid.

cloud computing

We will generate a virtual machine image with HEP or Astroparticle physics software and run it in the Cloud. Software from the 'own' experiment or alternatively, CMS Monte Carlo software can be used to do this practical work. Either the SCC Eucalyptus Cloud test bed or the Amazon Computing Cloud will be used.