Research and Development to Support MECO Experiment in RSVP

University Of California-Irvine, Irvine CA

Investigators

Abstract

This proposal requests support for Research and Development of the beamline and particle detector systems for MECO, one of the two experiments that comprise the RSVP initiative. The MECO (for Muon to Electron Conversion) experiment will search for the coherent conversion of muons into electrons in the field of an atomic nucleus. This is a process that violates muon and lepton number, commonly referred to as lepton flavor violation. MECO proposes to search for coherent muon conversion at a sensitivity a factor of 10000 times that of current experiments. The MECO experiment will be mounted at the Brookhaven National Laboratory, using the Alternate Gradient Synchrotron proton accelerator as a driver for a new, extremely intense muon beam. The muon beam uses a new technique involving producing muons in the bore of a superconducting solenoid and transporting them in a second solenoid to the region of a target in a third solenoid, in which they are stopped by a thin target. The conversion electrons are momentum analyzed in a set of particle detectors, also located in the bore of the third solenoid. While neither the beamline components nor the particle detectors are beyond the state of the art in their respective technologies, significant development and detailed design work are required before construction. The MECO experiment has been approved by the National Science Board to be included in the President's budget as an MRE project for FY 2002. This proposal is to support design work in five areas: superconducting solenoids, particle tracking detector and associated electronics, calorimetric electron detector and associated electronics, active cosmic ray shield, and modifications to the proton beam line. The work will be done by the MECO collaboration and by subcontract to an organization with expertise in the design and construction of large superconducting magnets.