Spring Neutrino Studies Intern

The student will reside in the High Energy Physics Division (in-person, or in a virtual fashion) at ANL and will work with the team consisting of Dr. Zelimir Djurcic, Dr. Aleena Rafique, and Dr. Afroditi Papadopoulou. This project will focus on our current work on long-baseline neutrino experiment DUNE and in particular on the DUNE near detector simulation and data analysis. We will simulate near detector and its prototypes with neutrino beams (LBNF, NuMI) by using various versions of neutrino event generators (example: multiple versions of GENIE and NuWRO event generators). We will run these events through Geant4 simulation and look at selected final state events generated by these simulations (example study cases: charged-current quasi-elastic (CCQE) events, charge-current (CC) inclusive multiplicities). We will investigate the variation of these predictions and what measurements could be planned with DUNE near detector and near detector prototypes to start understanding neutrino interactions models relevant to DUNE. Steps to achieve this are: • Simulate near detector and/or its prototype ArgonCube2x2 with neutrino beams (LBNF, NuMI) by using various versions of neutrino event generators (example: multiple versions of GENIE and NuWRO event generators). We will run these events through Geant4 simulation and look at selected final state events generated by these simulations. • Initially select CC (charged-current) neutrino events classified by final state (particles produced by the neutrino interaction) multiplicity (number of particles). Here we will estimate the variation of these predictions. From above we will learn about information needed be obtained from ProtoDUNE-ND (aka ArgonCube2x2) to help test neutrino generators. These steps will also help defining the base generator model for future DUNE oscillation analyses, and identifying areas where new systematics need be incorporated.