Performance studies of thin gas gap Resistive Plate Chamber prototypes with low Global Warming Potential gases for the ANUBIS experiment

TL;DR

This study evaluates environmentally friendly low-GWP gas mixtures in thin gas gap RPC prototypes to determine their suitability for the ANUBIS experiment and other large-scale particle physics detectors.

Contribution

It provides experimental performance data on low-GWP gas mixtures in RPCs, advancing sustainable detector technology for high-energy physics experiments.

Findings

Low-GWP gases can achieve comparable efficiency to standard gases.

Performance metrics indicate viability of new gas mixtures for large RPC systems.

Results support adoption of eco-friendly gases in future detector designs.

Abstract

Resistive Plate Chambers (RPCs) have traditionally operated with high Global Warming Potential (GWP) gas mixtures, adding to the environmental footprint of large-scale physics experiments. In response, efforts are underway to explore environmentally friendly alternatives as a long-term solution and low-GWP as a feasible short- to medium-term replacement for standard RPC gases. This study tests a few mixtures in 50 cm $\times$ 50 cm, 1 mm single-gap High-Pressure Laminate (HPL) RPC prototypes, as part of ongoing efforts for the ANUBIS experiment, which will operate with a 9.8 m$^{3}$ active gas volume. Measurements of performance metrics, including current and efficiency, are conducted with both standard and modified mixtures to assess their viability in sustaining detector performance. The results are also relevant for large RPC systems in other experiments at the LHC, such as ATLAS and CMS, as well as in applications beyond the LHC, supporting a shift toward environmentally sustainable gas mixtures in particle physics detectors.