Graduate Research Positions
Our group offers opportunities for independent study and graduate research on the KamLAND, Daya Bay, and CUORE experiments. The Kamioka Liquid Scntillator Antineutrino Detector (KamLAND) is an ongoing reactor neutrino experiment in Japan. KamLAND made the first observation of reactor antineutrino disappearance in 2003 and has made the most precise measurement of Δm^2_12 (one of the neutrino mixing parameters) to date. Our group is responsible for the operation of an advanced 4π calibration system. This system was commissioned in summer 2006 and is currently taking data. The KamLAND collaboration is also preparing for the first direct observation of 7Be solar neutrinos. This low-energy phase of KamLAND is expected to start in summer 2007.
MARE - Neutrino mass measurement with microcalorimeters The MARE-I experiment in Milan, Italy, will use microcalorimeters to measure the beta decay spectrum of Rhenium-187. The experiment is under construction and data taking will start in Fall 2007. Prof. Dan McCammon’s astro- and space physics group and Heeger’s group in experimental neutrino physics offer a joint research opportunity for a PhD thesis in this area. This research position involves data taking and analysis with the MARE-I experiment in Italy and participation in the development of microcalorimeters and physics studies for the future MARE-2 experiment. This position could begin as early as summer 2007, or in the Fall. >> more information
The Daya Bay reactor neutrino experiment is a US-China-Russia collaboration to search for and measure the yet unknown neutrino mixing angle θ13. The experiment will be located at the Daya Bay nuclear power plant near Hong Kong, China. The collaboration is currently performing R&D and simulations for the experiment. Construction will start in 2007 and first data taking is expected for 2009.
CUORE is a bolometric experiment to search for neutrinoless double beta decay and to measure the absolute mass of neutrinos. An array of TeO2 crystals cooled to 8mK is used to measure the energy released in nuclear decays and to search for the yet unseeen neutrinoless double beta decay. CUORICINO, a prototype to CUORE, is currently running at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory in Italy.
All experiments offer excellent opportunities for graduate research in reactor and solar neutrino physics involving hardware R&D, simulations, and timely data taking. For more information, contact heeger@wisc.edu or stop by my office in 4114 Chamberlin Hall.
Undergraduate and Summer Research
There are many opportuities for undergraduate and summer research in our group involving a wide range of projects from laboratory tests and hardware R&D to software development and simulations. Here are some ideas for possible research projects:
- Calculation of neutrino oscillation in the Daya Bay reactor experiment
- Understanding neutrino production in nuclear reactors
- Analyzing calibration data from the KamLAND experiment
- Testing of instrumentation for KamLAND or Daya Bay