For data quality diagnostics see Data Quality page

Latest DQ

For a list and info of recent data series in online spreadsheet form: dataserieslist.xlsx

For a table of data series after Run 54 see Data series table from database

For a key between series times and MIDAS ODB run number see MIDAS run number key

For locations of raw data, primary and backup, see this spreadsheet (updated 2016 Aug 13)
Data backup instructions here

For a G106a analysis tasks summary see R54-55-56 analysis

36 series of Y-88 data at +4/-4 V = 18 hours

Data series were also taken for Run 54 using the MIDAS DAQ. They are not included in the list above but they are included in the database:

Data series table from database

Note that this list also contains data taken with the LabVIEW DAQ and currently the table does not distinguish between the two DAQs.

• general goal: enough neutron events to calculate a NR band (Cf data), enough low-yield surface events to characterize discrimination (bg data), at a few different biases
• Four biases chosen: -4/+4, -2/+2, +2/-2, +4/-4 V
• Desired neutron counts: 1000 events in 5-20 keV range, 1000 events in 20-100 keV range
• Estimated neutron rates: with optimized thresholds, 50/hour in low energy range, 135/hour in high energy range (note: lowering thresholds improved low-E neutron rate by 3×)
  • thus need 20 hours of Cf data at each bias
• Desired surface event counts: 5000 events in 5-100 keV range
• We don't have Pb-210 so main source of surface events is Am gammas. Only a small fraction of these will have yields dipping as low as NR. These events are also localized. So it's not likely we will really reach the desired surface event goal.
• Haven't fully defined surface event goal (what yield range?), so haven't estimated rates. Maybe data-in-hand should be considered sufficient.

Current neutron status:

• can reach goal in 3 days of data-taking. (Add to this times for transfers and any other pauses)
• can reach 50% of goal in 0.33 days of data-taking.

• general goal: enough data to resolve gamma lines (bg and Ba data) over a wide range of biases
• chosen biases: -8 to +8 V side 1 (opposite on side 2) in 2 V steps, possibly also include -10 and +10 V
• lines 10 keV (activation), 60 keV (Am), 356 keV (Ba). Others will probably be too weak, but can look
• For the 356 keV line (at -4/+4 V), tried Side1-Qinner peak fits for various amounts of Ba data; for 15/30/60 minutes of data, error in mean is 20/12/9 %. Probably want at least 30 minutes at each bias, more is preferable
• For the 10 keV line (at -4/+4 V), tried Side1-Qinner peak fits for various amounts of background data; for 15/30/60 minutes of data, error in mean is 10/9/6 %. Probably want at least 30 minutes at each bias, more is preferable
• 60 keV peak is stronger than 10 keV peak so it is not a limiting factor
• biases greater than 4 V must be done during working hours

Current status:

• for 60 minutes of each type and bias: 0.4 days of working-hours data-taking
• for 30 minutes of each type and bias: almost done

1. Y-Be source for NR-scale calibration: Anthony thinks we can maybe do better with this than what was done at Soudan because of less material between mono-energetic neutron source and detector. But logistics of borrowing Soudan source and thinking through the required shielding setup would take time, so think about this for the next run.
2. Take MIDAS data: Anthony suggests taking Cf data at a standard bias, enough to see a NR band, with MIDAS. If good plots can be reproduced it will ensure nothing is wrong with MIDAS-taken data.
3. Noise tests: looking at our phonon noise PSDs, Sunil and Matt Pyle suggested some followup tests. These could be done in a day.
4. Y-88 data to search for MISS events: initial calculations from Hannah suggest we could get a pretty good rate (over 10/hour) of MISS-like events with the source placed within about half a meter of the detector, above or below detector. We can try taking some with the source above shining through gaps in the internal lead shielding – or after removing shield with source below cryostat – but better if shield is actually present, so maybe partially dismantled shield – we also brainstormed on ideas for getting the source in and out of the shield under the cryostat.
5. HV mode temperature study: study more closely temperature increases seen at high HV biases, look at temperatures at different stages, compare to controlled heating of still, MC, detector (via flashing). May give insight into where heat is being generated in HV mode. Could be done in a day.
6. No-shield data: Suggestion came up today to take some background data without the shield to try to get a cosmogenic neutron rate, compare to with-shield data. Would need to think about how long we'd need to do this to see some neutrons.

Runs 1-53