Beam Profile Corrections for BL3 Neutron Intensity Monitor

ORAL

Abstract

The recent measurement of the lifetime of the free neutron using the beam method has an 8.7s (4σ) discrepancy with UCN measurements. The goal of the BL3 experiment is to improve the statistical error of this measurement and explore systematic uncertainties as an explanation for the discrepancy. A well-characterized neutron flux detector with flat response is important since the neutron flux enters linearly into the neutron lifetime. I will present a method of determining the average neutron beam position and RMS width using two rings of detectors and describe how to use this information to correct for the beam acceptance.

*This work is funded in part by the Department of Energy under contract DE-SC0014622

Publication: A. W. Nelsen et al. "Geometric Optimization of a Neutron Detector for In-Flight Measurement of the Neutron Lifetime." arXiv: 2010.11250​

Presenters

  • Austin W Nelsen

    • University of Kentucky

Authors

  • Austin W Nelsen

    • University of Kentucky
  • Emily Ballantyne

    • University of Kentucky
  • Rebecca Calvert

    • University of Kentucky
  • Sarah Vickers

    • University of Kentucky
  • Christopher Crawford

    • University of Kentucky