Dune Trigger and Physics studies

The project will comprise preparatory studies for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), at the Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBN), USA.

Neutrinos are generated from a 1.2 MW proton beam at Fermilab, USA, and travel 800km to the Standard Underground Facility. The beam is instrumented with two (near and far) detectors.

The Far Detector is based around an active volume of 40k-tonne of liquid Argon, instrumented as a time projection chamber.

In order to reduce the data volume produced by the Far Detector over the 20-year lifespan of the experiment, the data acquisition system includes several levels of data selection.

This project will include simulation studies to design and optimise data-selection algorithms, for implementation in programmable logic (FPGAs) and CPUs, and potentially also GPUs.

In addition studies will be undertaken to assess the viability of using DUNE to trigger on solar neutrinos, caused by DM annihilation.

Data analysis of the NP04 Run 2 data will be undertaken, as well as preparatory studies using simulation for the DUNE physics programme. The work will be conducted with the DUNE and DUNE UK collaborations, of which the student will become a member.