Speaker
Description
High-pressure gaseous argon time projection chambers (HPgTPCs) are being explored for neutrino physics because they combine higher target density with the good tracking and low detection thresholds of gaseous detectors. This allows for detailed reconstruction of the neutrino interaction final state, while also giving access to low-energy processes and rare signatures that are relevant for oscillation measurements and BSM searches. This talk presents an overview of ongoing detector R&D toward high-pressure gaseous argon TPC operation, with emphasis on micro-pattern gas detector charge amplification in argon-based mixtures. We report experimental characterization of a triple-GEM structure at pressures relevant for neutrino applications, including studies of gas gain and operational voltage envelopes across different gas mixtures. These measurements are being carried out at the GORG test stand at Fermilab and a new set up at IU, AGUILA, which can help define viable amplification and electronics noise regimes in conditions where higher density imposes stricter constraints on charge signals. These measurements can provide input to the optimization of high-pressure gaseous argon detectors for future neutrino experiments, including near-detector concepts such as ND-GAr in DUNE Phase II near detector upgrade. More broadly, this program shows how dedicated R&D can help expand the precision frontier in neutrino physics by enabling complementary reconstruction capabilities beyond conventional techniques.