Neutral-current detection in the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory

Conference · Tue Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1993

OSTI ID:10158624

Bowles, T J; Doe, P J; Fowler, M M; Hime, A; Robertson, R G.H.; Thornewell, P M; Wilhelmy, J B; Wilkerson, J F; Wouters, J M

The Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) will have the capability of detecting all active species of neutrinos with energies greater than 2.2 MeV by the neutral-current disintegration of deuterium. The comparison of this rate with the rate of inverse beta decay of the deuteron will yield a nearly model-independent answer to the question of whether electron neutrinos from the sun oscillate into mu or tau neutrinos. The signal of a neutral-current interaction is the liberation of a free neutron in the heavy-water detector, and we discuss a technique employing {sup 3}He proportional counters for registering these neutrons, particularly from the standpoint of the ultra-low backgrounds needed.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 10158624
• Report Number(s): LA-UR--93-1855; CONF-930187--4; ON: DE93014481
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

440104
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
662320
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
BETA DECAY
DEUTERIUM
HEAVY WATER
HELIUM 3
HIGH ENERGY PHYSICS INSTRUMENTATION
NEUTRAL-CURRENT INTERACTIONS
NEUTRINO DETECTION
NEUTRINO INTERACTIONS
NEUTRINO OSCILLATION
NEUTRON REACTIONS
PROPORTIONAL COUNTERS
SOLAR NEUTRINOS