The Majorana Parts Tracking Database

TL;DR

The paper presents a novel database system using CouchDB to track components' history, transportation, and radiation exposure in the Majorana Demonstrator, enhancing quality assurance and purity for neutrinoless double beta decay search.

Contribution

It introduces a schema-free database approach for detailed parts tracking, integrating logistics, processing history, and radiation exposure data for ultra-low background experiments.

Findings

Improved logistics and quality assurance during construction.

Accurate estimation of cosmic radiation exposure for parts.

Enhanced data management for ultra-pure physics experiments.

Abstract

The Majorana Demonstrator is an ultra-low background physics experiment searching for the neutrinoless double beta decay of $^{76}$Ge. The Majorana Parts Tracking Database is used to record the history of components used in the construction of the Demonstrator. The tracking implementation takes a novel approach based on the schema-free database technology CouchDB. Transportation, storage, and processes undergone by parts such as machining or cleaning are linked to part records. Tracking parts provides a great logistics benefit and an important quality assurance reference during construction. In addition, the location history of parts provides an estimate of their exposure to cosmic radiation. A web application for data entry and a radiation exposure calculator have been developed as tools for achieving the extreme radio-purity required for this rare decay search.