Award Abstract #0320832
Collaborative Reseach: Development of a Particle Tracking System for the Qweak Experiment

NSF Org:	PHY Division of Physics
Initial Amendment Date:	July 26, 2003
Latest Amendment Date:	August 12, 2008
Award Number:	0320832
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	Kathleen V. McCloud PHY Division of Physics MPS Directorate for Mathematical & Physical Sciences
Start Date:	September 1, 2003
Expires:	August 31, 2009 (Estimated)
Awarded Amount to Date:	$161700
Investigator(s):	Mark Pitt pitt@vt.edu (Principal Investigator) Caren Hagner (Co-Principal Investigator) Norman Morgan (Co-Principal Investigator)
Sponsor:	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University 1880 Pratt Drive BLACKSBURG, VA 24060 540/231-5281
NSF Program(s):	MAJOR RESEARCH INSTRUMENTATION
Field Application(s):	0000099 Other Applications NEC
Program Reference Code(s):	OTHR, 0000
Program Element Code(s):	1189

ABSTRACT

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University will design and

build the `Region 2' tracking chambers for the Qweak experiment at

Jefferson Lab. This experiment will make a high precision measurement

at very low momentum transfer of the proton's weak charge, which is its

coupling to the neutral Z boson. A high precision value of the weak

mixing angle at low momentum transfer will be extracted, thus providing

a sensitive test of the predicted energy scale dependence of this quantity

in the electroweak standard model. A failure to observe this expected

behavior could provide evidence for physics beyond the presently accepted

Standard Model. There are many candidate extensions to the Standard Model

that would generate observable effects in this experiment.

The Region 2 wire chambers are an essential component of the particle

tracking system, which is needed in order to precisely measure the

kinematics of the elastically scattered electrons, as well as for

critical studies of experimental backgrounds. The chambers will consist

of two sets of 50 cm x 50 cm horizontal drift chambers. Each drift

chamber will have a total of 6 planes of wires. The expected resolution

will be about 200 microns, providing an angular resolution of < 1 mrad.

The Region 2 drift chambers will provide quality educational experiences

for both graduate and undergraduate students. The timescale of the

project is well matched to the typical timescale of a graduate student's

time in graduate school, so the student will get to participate in all

hardware and software phases of the project. The tasks needed to

complete the project include design and construction of the chambers, the

front-end electronics, and the gas handling system, testing of the finished

product, implementation in the Qweak experiment, and data analysis and tracking

code development when the experiment takes data. We expect to involve

two graduate students and at least two undergraduate students in this

effort, under the supervision of the faculty and senior research staff

at Virginia Tech.

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