SIR Physics Investigation Abstract
DESIGNING THE ULTRA-RARE K+ DECAY EXPERIMENT AT FERMILAB
Presenter:
Donald J. Schmit, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, 1500 West Sullivan Road, Aurora, IL, 60506; donjuan1@imsa.edu
Mentor:
Dr. Erik Ramberg , Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory , PO BOX 500, Batavia, IL, 60510; 630-840-5731; 840-6311; ramberg@fnal.gov
Abstract:
CKM is an in-flight kaon decay, high energy physics experiment at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. It is aimed at determining one of the quark mixing elements of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix by measuring the rate of the ultra-rare charged kaon decay mode K+ Π+/Ν/Ν‾ (pi+/nu/nubar). The experiment has already been approved, and is in the midst of finalizing the design of the experimental apparatus. My work has mainly focused on redesigning one of the downstream detectors, the Cesium Iodide calorimeter of the Forward Veto System. Upon completing my study of possible calorimeter designs, my focus has moved to the overall downstream geometry of the experiment and the relative layout of the many detector systems. A majority of my work has been computer-based, creating a Monte Carlo simulation within the standard particle physics simulator GEANT.