Greetings, fellow physicists and science enthusiasts! I’m thrilled to share with you the exciting world of nuclear and particle physics and provide you with an inside look at how I supervise a Run Coordination (RunCo) week for the SIDDHARTA-2 Experiment at the DAFNE Collider in Frascati. Our experiment aims to achieve a groundbreaking milestone - measuring the first-ever X-ray transition to the fundamental level of kaonic deuterium. In this blog post, I’ll walk you through the intricate process of supervising shifters, checking DAFNE’s performance, and monitoring experiment parameters. I’ll make a dedicated post on why is is important to make this measurement; for the moment, have a look at my presentation at strong public lecture series.

Understanding the Experiment

Before diving into the nuts and bolts of RunCo week, let’s briefly recap the essence of our experiment. SIDDHARTA-2 is located at the DAFNE (Double Annular Factory for Nice Experiments) Collider, inside the National Laboratory of Frascati of INFN in Italy. Our primary objective is to study kaonic deuterium, an exotic, short-lived atomic system containing a negatively charged kaon and a deuterium nucleus.

The Big Challenge

Measuring the X-ray transition to the fundamental level of kaonic deuterium is no small feat. Kaons, particles that contain strange quarks, are notoriously difficult to produce and handle and require a specialized facility like DAFNE. My role in this week is to ensure that all aspects of the experiment run smoothly.

Supervising the Shifters

During RunCo week, one of my crucial responsibilities is overseeing the shifters. Shifters are physicist from all over the world (in fact our collaboration comprises universities and institutes from Europe and Japan) who work in shifts, 24 hours a day, to keep the experiment running continuously. They monitor the detectors, data acquisition systems, and the beam parameters, ensuring that everything is functioning correctly. I work closely with the shifters to provide guidance, troubleshoot issues, and ensure they stay well-rested and alert.

Checking DAFNE’s Performance

A significant part of our experiment’s success relies on the performance of the DAFNE Collider itself. DAFNE is a complex machine that accelerates electrons and positrons to high energies, colliding them at the heart of our experiment. To guarantee optimal performance, I regularly check the collider’s parameters, such as beam intensity and stability. Any deviation from the desired conditions could affect our data quality and results.

Monitoring Experiment Parameters

Inside the SIDDHARTA-2 apparatus, we have a multitude of detectors and sensors to monitor various experiment parameters. These parameters include kaons signals, target temperature, pressure, and detector counts. Constant vigilance is required to ensure that these parameters are within acceptable ranges to collect reliable data. For that in the past years I’ve built a custom framework which provides real-time data.

Data Analysis and Collaboration

While RunCo week is primarily focused on running the experiment and data collection, it’s essential to keep in mind that the journey doesn’t end here. Once the data is collected, it undergoes rigorous analysis and processing to extract meaningful results.

Conclusion

Supervising a Run Coordination week for the SIDDHARTA-2 Experiment at the DAFNE Collider is an thrilling and challenging task. It requires a combination of expertise, teamwork, and dedication to advance our knowledge of the fundamental building blocks of the universe. As we strive to achieve the first-ever X-ray transition measurement of kaonic deuterium, the hard work of scientists and engineers around the world brings us one step closer to unraveling the mysteries of particle physics. Stay tuned for more updates from the world of nuclear and particle physics!