Very Rare Kaon Decays at the CERN SPS: The NA62 Experiment

Note: 3 PM
Speaker: Augusto Ceccucci, Spokesman NA62, CERN

When: October 1, 2012 (Mon), 03:00PM to 04:00PM (add to my calendar)
Location: PRB 595
Hosted by: Lawrence Sulak

This event is part of the HEE Seminar Series.

Abstract:

It is not usual to be able to address fundamental physics leveraging on existing infrastructure. This happens to be the case at CERN, where the exploitation of the LHC collider requires the super proton synchrotron (SPS) to be left in operation as injector. This enables, among others things, a world-leading program on rare kaon decays.

This line of research is addressed by the CERN NA62 experiment which employs a unique high momentum SPS secondary beam. The novel NA62 in-fight technique is complementary to stopped kaon experiments performed in the past at BNL and possibly in the future at J-PARC and FNAL. The speaker will review the physics goal and the status of the construction of the experiment which will receive the first commissioning beam in about a month from now.