Design and performances of neutrino superbeams at the european spallation source

Job description:

The European Spallation Source (ESS), with its 5 MW proton beam power, offers a unique opportunity to build the most intense neutrino Super Beam in the world. The ESSnuSB ( http://essnusb.eu/ ) project which goal is to study the matter/antimatter asymmetry in the leptonic sector, has demonstrated the feasibility of such Super Beam at ESS [1]. Moreover, it has proved that it will be able to measure the CP phase with a precision lower than 8° [2]. The objective of the next phase, called ESSnuSB+, also funded by the European Union, will be to extend the ESSnuSB physics program in particular to sterile neutrino studies and neutrino cross section measurements by investigating the possibility to add complementary facilities such a new target station for a Low Energy nuSTORM Ring (LEnuSTORM) and a Low Energy Monitored Beam (LEMNB) in combination with a new near detector.

The candidate joining the neutrino group of IPHC/IN2P3 in Strasbourg is expected to work on the design and the development of the ESSnuSB+ target station facility elements which strongly influence the intensity of the final neutrino beam, the energy and the physics performances of the whole experiment. In order to optimize the parameters of this system, all the processes have to be simulated from the particle production in the target, the propagation of the particles, the interaction of neutrinos inside the detector and extract the corresponding physics performance. More precisely, the goal of this position will be to optimize the target station facility using simulations based on Monte Carlo codes.

Activities:

• Optimize the hadronic collector regarding the physics requirement.
• Participate to the design of the pion and muon extraction and the initial focusing system.
• Study additional elements of the target station facility.

Competences

• Have a PhD in experimental particle or astroparticle physics.
• Have experience in detector simulation with Monte Carlo codes used in high energy physics (FLUKA/GEANT4).
• Have a good English level (B2 level according to the European framework of reference for languages).

Work context

The IPHC is a laboratory that combines disciplinary and multidisciplinary excellence with research and development conducted by its teams at the international level. It contains four departments with a total of 393 employees. The proposed post-doctoral program will be realized in the Neutrino group belonging to the Department of Subatomic Research.

The Neutrino group activities are split within the neutrino oscillation long baseline design study ESSnuSB+ and the JUNO nuclear reactor experiment. The ESSnuSB+ subgroup is currently composed of two permanent researchers/professors and four engineers.

Constraints and risks

Trips to participate to the ESSnuSB+ collaboration meetings in Europe and to international conferences are expected.

The application must include the following documents:

• Motivation letter
• Copies of certificates and diplomas
• Curriculum Vitae
• List of publications

For Application : https://emploi.cnrs.fr/Offres/CDD/UMR7178-FLODIE-005/Default.aspx?lang=EN

In addition to the application, the applicant must arrange to have at least two reference letters sent directly to Eric Baussan ( eric.baussan@iphc.cnrs.fr ).

References:

[1] A. Alekou et Al, « The European Spallation Source neutrino super-beam conceptual design report », Eur.Phys.J.ST 231 (2022) 21, 3779-3955 ; DOI: 10.1140/epjs/s11734-022-00664-w

[2] A. Alekou et Al, « The ESSnuSB design study: overview and future prospects », arXiv:2303.17356 ; DOI : https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2303.17356