About project

RO-DUNE

Program 5.9 / 5.9.2 – CERN-RO
Project duration: 2024–2026

About the project

RO-DUNE is a Romanian contribution to CERN’s deep-underground neutrino physics program.
The project supports the development of the protoDUNE and DUNE detectors, focusing on background reduction, detector R&D, and new physics searches.

The research activities include:

– radioactive background characterization,
– modelling LAr–LXe scintillation and ionisation,
– studies of (α,n) reactions,
– searches for exotic particles such as WIMPs, strangelets, and axion quark nuggets.

Project objectives

Objective 1
Low-Energy Neutrino Physics

  • Studies with protoDUNE & DUNE

  • Shielding performance for α, n, μ, γ, e⁻

  • Detector response modelling

    • Objective 2
    Radioactive Background & Radiopurity

  • Material radiopurity

  • Background mitigation

  • Composition analysis

    • Objective 3
    Detector R&D: LAr–LXe Physics

  • Scintillation modelling (LAr+LXe)

  • Ionisation yield simulations

  • Detector optimisation

    • Objective 4
    (α,n) Reaction Studies

  • Cross-sections from TALYS/EMPIRE/JENDL

  • Branching ratios for excited states

  • Background production modelling

    • Synergies & Outreach

    Collaborations

    • Partnerships with CERN & DUNE

    • Synergies with detector R&D groups

    • Joint data analysis & simulation efforts

    Dissemination

      • Publications

      • Conference presentations

      • Workshops and seminars

    Outreach

      • Public talks

      • High-school activities

      • Science communication

    Support Activities

    • Detector operation & maintenance

    • Simulation tools development

    • Background analysis

    Team members

    Team Leader

    • Ionel Lazanu

    Members

    • Alexandru Jipa
    • Mihaela Parvu
    • Leonard Gebac
    • Marius Calin (until 2024)

    PhD Students

    • Ioana Lălău
    • Denis Barbu
    • Ana Irimia (until 2023)

    Master Students

    • Valentin Bugaescu

    Publications

    2025

    1. Measurement of Exclusive π⁺π⁻–argon Interactions Using ProtoDUNE-SP
    DUNE Collaboration, Saeed Abbaslu (IPM Tehran) et al.
    e-Print: 2511.13462 [hep-ex] (2025)

    2. First Measurement of π⁺π⁺–Ar and p–Ar Total Inelastic Cross Sections in the Sub-GeV Energy Regime with ProtoDUNE-SP
    DUNE Collaboration, Saeed Abbaslu (IPM Tehran) et al.
    e-Print: 2511.11925 [nucl-ex]

    3. Identification of low-energy kaons in the ProtoDUNE-SP detector
    DUNE Collaboration, Saeed Abbaslu et al.
    e-Print: 2510.08380 [hep-ex]

    4. Towards mono-energetic ν–Ar cross-section measurements with DUNE-PRISM
    DUNE Collaboration, S. Abbaslu et al.
    e-Print: 2509.07664 [hep-ex]

    5. Operation of a Modular 3D-Pixelated LArTPC in a Neutrino Beam
    DUNE Collaboration, S. Abbaslu et al.
    e-Print: 2509.07012 [physics.ins-det]

    6. Spatial and temporal evaluations of liquid argon purity in ProtoDUNE-SP
    DUNE Collaboration, Saeed Abbaslu et al.
    *JINST 20 (2025) P09008 • e-Print: 2507.08586

    7. Dark matter signatures in cosmic rays
    M. Maroudas, A. Argiriou, G. Cantatore, E. Georgiopoulou, M. Karuza et al.
    e-Print: 2506.17676 [astro-ph.HE]

    8. European Contributions to Fermilab Accelerator Upgrades for DUNE
    DUNE Collaboration, Adam Abed Abud (CERN) et al.
    e-Print: 2503.23744

    9. DUNE Software and Computing Research and Development
    DUNE Collaboration, Adam Abed Abud et al.
    e-Print: 2503.23743

    10. The DUNE Science Program
    DUNE Collaboration, Adam Abed Abud et al.
    e-Print: 2503.23291

    11. The DUNE Phase II Detectors
    DUNE Collaboration, Adam Abed Abud et al.
    e-Print: 2503.23293

    12. Nuclear effects in proton decay
    D. Barbu, M. Parvu, I. Lazanu (University of Bucharest)
    *Mod.Phys.Lett.A 40 (2025) 2550038 • e-Print: 2502.13981

    13. Neutrino interaction vertex reconstruction with Pandora deep learning
    DUNE Collaboration
    *EPJC 85 (2025) 697 • e-Print: 2502.06637

    2024

    14. Track-length extension fitting algorithm for LArTPCs
    DUNE Collaboration
    JINST 20 (2025) P02021 • e-Print: 2409.18288

    15. DUNE Phase II: scientific opportunities and detector concepts
    DUNE Collaboration
    JINST 19 (2024) P12005 • e-Print: 2408.12725

    16. Optimised neutron yield calculations from (α, n) reactions (SOURCES4)
    M. Parvu, P. Krawczun, V. Kudryavtsev
    Appl.Radiat.Isot. 225 (2025) 112035 • e-Print: 2408.10910

    17. Total inelastic K⁺–Ar cross section (5–7.5 GeV)
    DUNE Collaboration
    Phys.Rev.D 110 (2024) 092011 • e-Print: 2408.00582

    18. Supernova pointing capabilities of DUNE
    DUNE Collaboration
    Phys.Rev.D 111 (2025) 092006 • e-Print: 2407.10339

    19. A New Possible Way to Detect Axion Antiquark Nuggets
    I. Lazanu, M. Parvu (University of Bucharest)
    Symmetry 16 (2024) 869 • e-Print: 2407.04330

    20. Review of Neutron Yield from (α, n) Reactions
    D. Cano-Ott, S. Cebrián, P. Dimitriou, M. Gromov, M. Harańczyk et al.
    J.Phys.G (2025) • e-Print: 2405.07952

    21. Pixel-readout Liquid Argon TPC Performance
    DUNE Collaboration
    Instruments 8 (2024) 41 • e-Print: 2403.03212

    22. Exploring the detection of AQN in large liquid detectors
    I. Lazanu, M. Parvu (University of Bucharest)
    JCAP 05 (2024) 014 • e-Print: 2402.07312

    23. Doping liquid argon with xenon in ProtoDUNE-SP
    DUNE Collaboration
    JINST 19 (2024) P08005 • e-Print: 2402.01568

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