Senior Thesis

Search for fractionally-charged particles in Super-Kamiokande

Alexander Tuna

April 2010

Thesis Committee: Chris Walter (Advisor)

ABSTRACT:

In this study, the search for fractionally-charged particles (FCPs) is extended to the Super-Kamiokande water Cherenkov detector. Monte Carlo techniques are used to simulate FCPs in Super-K and optimize algorithms to select FCPs from the cosmic rays. 40 days of data are analyzed, and no candidates were found for charges ranging from 2 3e to 1 5e. This data set corresponds to 90%-con dence upper limits on the ux of FCP in the cosmic rays ranging from 8:310􀀀15 to 2:610􀀀14 cm􀀀2s􀀀1sr􀀀1.

Here is the complete thesis in PDF: Tuna Thesis