Modular Neutron Array: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 09:03, 15 February 2009

Revision as of 23:14, 20 April 2010

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[[ImageFile:mona_abovemona above.jpg|thumb|200px|right|The MoNA Array]]

{{Orphan|date=February 2009}}

[[Image:mona_above.jpg|thumb|200px|right|The MoNA Array]]

The '''Modular Neutron Array (MoNA)''' is a large-area, high efficiency [[neutron detector]] that is used in basic research of rare isotopes at [[Michigan State University]]'s [[National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory]] (NSCL), a nuclear physics research facility. It is specifically designed for detecting [[neutrons]] stemming from breakup reactions of fast fragmentation beams.

== The MoNA Detector Array ==

The Modular Neutron Array consists of 144 individual detector modules. Each module is based on a plastic [[scintillator]] measuring 10  cm by 10  cm by 200  cm. This scintillator bar is fitted with light guides on each end that direct the light into one [[photo-multiplier tube]] on each end. Each detector module is wrapped in a light-tight material, allowing the detector array to be arranged in different configurations.

In its original configuration, MoNA consisted of 9 vertical layers of 16 detectors stacked closely, having an active area of 2.0 m wide by 1.6 m tall. In its current arrangement (depicted in the image to the right), it is stacked in four separate sections of 2, 2, 2, and 3 layers each, respectively, separated by spaces ranging from 0.5 to 0.8 meters. It measures both the position and time of neutron events with multiple-hit capability. The energy of a neutron is based on a time-of-flight measurement. This information together with the detected position of the neutron is used to construct the momentum vector of the neutrons.<ref>B. Luther et al., Nucl. Instr. And Methods A505, 33 (2003)</ref><ref>T. Baumann et al., Nucl. Instr. And Methods A543, 517 (2005)</ref>

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==External links==

*[http://www.cord.edu/dept/physics/mona/overview_collaboration.html MoNA homepage]

[[Category:Michigan State University]]