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UWinnipeg physicist presents results at international conference

Dr. Blair Jamieson

Dr. Blair Jamieson

UWinnipeg Assistant Professor Blair Jamieson presented the latest results using anti-neutrino data collected by the Tokai to Kamioka (T2K) neutrino oscillation experiment at the Twelfth Conference on the Intersections of Particle and Nuclear Physics on May 19, 2015. T2K released its first measurement of muon-antineutrino disappearance in a seminar at the KEK High Energy Accelerator Research Organization on May 18, 2015. This result has been obtained from data taken from May 2014 – March 2015.  He was selected to present these results for this collaborative effort at this internationally
recognized physics conference.

These latest results from T2K confirm that muon flavoured anti-neutrinos change flavour in a similar way to their regular matter counter parts.  The measurement was done using the T2K neutrino beam, which is produced at a high intensity proton accelerator called the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex. If muon anti-neutrinos did not change flavours as they crossed Japan, 59.8 events would have been expected in the far detector (Super-Kamiokande).  Only 17 events were observed in the far detector, confirming that these neutrinos change flavour in the same way as muon neutrinos.

Jamieson has been doing research on neutrino physics since he was a post-doctoral researcher.  As a postdoc he did research on solar neutrinos with the Sudbury Neutrino Observator (SNO) , famous for solving the solar neutrino problem.  In his second postdoc he led the first tests of the Time Projection Chambers (TPCs) of the T2K near detector complex, using one of the beamlines at TRIUMF (Canada’s laboratory for particle and nuclear physics).  He is currently a co-convenor for the T2K’s near detector electron neutrino physics analysis group.

More detailed information on the T2K experiment and collaboration can be found at http://t2k-experiment.org.

TRIUMF is Canada’s national laboratory for particle and nuclear physics. Together with its partner, AAPS Inc., TRIUMF also seeks to commercialize its technologies for the benefit of all Canadians. Located on the south campus of the University of British Columbia, TRIUMF receives operating support from the Government of Canada through a contribution agreement via National Research Council Canada; the Government of British Columbia provides capital for new buildings. TRIUMF is owned and operated as a joint venture by a consortium of the following Canadian universities: University of Alberta, University of British Columbia, University of Calgary, Carleton University, University of Guelph, University of Manitoba, McGill University, McMaster University, Université de Montréal, University of Northern British Columbia, Queen’s University, University of Regina, Saint Mary’s University, Simon Fraser University, University of Toronto, University of Victoria, University of Winnipeg, and York University. For more information, please visit TRIUMF.

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