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Title: Liquid Scintillation Detectors for High Energy Neutrinos

Abstract

Large open volume (not segmented) liquid scintillation detectors have been generally dedicated to low energy neutrino measurements, in the MeV energy region. We describe the potential employment of large detectors (>1 kiloton) for studies of higher energy neutrino interactions, such as cosmic rays and long-baseline experiments. When considering the physics potential of new large instruments the possibility of doing useful measurements with higher energy neutrino interactions has been overlooked. Here we take into account Fermat's principle, which states that the first light to reach each PMT will follow the shortest path between that PMT and the point of origin. We describe the geometry of this process, and the resulting wavefront, which we are calling the 'Fermat surface', and discuss methods of using this surface to extract directional track information and particle identification. This capability may be demonstrated in the new long-baseline neutrino beam from Jaeri accelerator to the KamLAND detector in Japan. Other exciting applications include the use of Hanohano as a movable long-baseline detector in this same beam, and LENA in Europe for future long-baseline neutrino beams from CERN. Also, this methodology opens up the question as to whether a large liquid scintillator detector should be given consideration formore » use in a future long-baseline experiment from Fermilab to the DUSEL underground laboratory at Homestake.« less

Authors:
;  [1]
  1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
21367056
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
AIP Conference Proceedings
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 1222; Journal Issue: 1; Conference: NuFact09: 11. international workshop on neutrino factories, superbeams and beta beams, Chicago, IL (United States), 20-25 Jul 2009; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3399273; (c) 2010 American Institute of Physics; Journal ID: ISSN 0094-243X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; CERN; COSMIC RAY DETECTION; FERMAT PRINCIPLE; FERMILAB; JAERI; LIQUID SCINTILLATION DETECTORS; MEV RANGE; MUONS; NEUTRINO BEAMS; NEUTRINO DETECTION; NEUTRINO REACTIONS; NEUTRINO-NUCLEON INTERACTIONS; NEUTRINOS; PARTICLE IDENTIFICATION; PARTICLE TRACKS; PHOSPHORS; PHOTOMULTIPLIERS; UNDERGROUND; BEAMS; DETECTION; ELEMENTARY PARTICLES; ENERGY RANGE; FERMIONS; INTERACTIONS; INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS; JAPANESE ORGANIZATIONS; LEPTON BEAMS; LEPTON REACTIONS; LEPTON-BARYON INTERACTIONS; LEPTON-HADRON INTERACTIONS; LEPTON-NUCLEON INTERACTIONS; LEPTONS; LEVELS; MASSLESS PARTICLES; MEASURING INSTRUMENTS; NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS; NUCLEAR REACTIONS; PARTICLE BEAMS; PARTICLE INTERACTIONS; PHOTOTUBES; RADIATION DETECTION; RADIATION DETECTORS; SCINTILLATION COUNTERS; US DOE; US ORGANIZATIONS

Citation Formats

Smith, Stefanie N, and Learned, John G. Liquid Scintillation Detectors for High Energy Neutrinos. United States: N. p., 2010. Web. doi:10.1063/1.3399273.
Smith, Stefanie N, & Learned, John G. Liquid Scintillation Detectors for High Energy Neutrinos. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3399273
Smith, Stefanie N, and Learned, John G. 2010. "Liquid Scintillation Detectors for High Energy Neutrinos". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3399273.
@article{osti_21367056,
title = {Liquid Scintillation Detectors for High Energy Neutrinos},
author = {Smith, Stefanie N and Learned, John G},
abstractNote = {Large open volume (not segmented) liquid scintillation detectors have been generally dedicated to low energy neutrino measurements, in the MeV energy region. We describe the potential employment of large detectors (>1 kiloton) for studies of higher energy neutrino interactions, such as cosmic rays and long-baseline experiments. When considering the physics potential of new large instruments the possibility of doing useful measurements with higher energy neutrino interactions has been overlooked. Here we take into account Fermat's principle, which states that the first light to reach each PMT will follow the shortest path between that PMT and the point of origin. We describe the geometry of this process, and the resulting wavefront, which we are calling the 'Fermat surface', and discuss methods of using this surface to extract directional track information and particle identification. This capability may be demonstrated in the new long-baseline neutrino beam from Jaeri accelerator to the KamLAND detector in Japan. Other exciting applications include the use of Hanohano as a movable long-baseline detector in this same beam, and LENA in Europe for future long-baseline neutrino beams from CERN. Also, this methodology opens up the question as to whether a large liquid scintillator detector should be given consideration for use in a future long-baseline experiment from Fermilab to the DUSEL underground laboratory at Homestake.},
doi = {10.1063/1.3399273},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/21367056}, journal = {AIP Conference Proceedings},
issn = {0094-243X},
number = 1,
volume = 1222,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Mar 30 00:00:00 EDT 2010},
month = {Tue Mar 30 00:00:00 EDT 2010}
}