Sensitivity of Seismically Cued Antineutrino Detectors to Nuclear Explosions

Carr, Rachel; Dalnoki-Veress, Ferenc; Bernstein, Adam

doi:10.1103/PhysRevApplied.10.024014

Title: Sensitivity of Seismically Cued Antineutrino Detectors to Nuclear Explosions

Journal Article · Mon Aug 13 00:00:00 EDT 2018 · Physical Review Applied

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevApplied.10.024014· OSTI ID:1608920

Carr, Rachel ^[1]; Dalnoki-Veress, Ferenc ^[2]; Bernstein, Adam ^[3]

Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)
Middlebury Inst. of International Studies, Monterey, CA (United States)
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

Here, we evaluate the sensitivity of large gadolinium-doped water detectors to antineutrinos released by nuclear-fission explosions, using updated signal and background models and taking advantage of the capacity for seismic observations to provide an analysis trigger. Under certain realistic conditions, the antineutrino signature of a 250-kton pure-fission explosion could be identified several hundred kilometers away, in a detector about the size of the largest module currently proposed for a basic physics experiment. In principle, such an observation could provide rapid confirmation that the seismic signal coincided with a fission event, possibly useful for international monitoring of nuclear-weapon tests. We discuss the limited potential for seismically cued antineutrino observations to constrain fission yield, differentiate pure fission from fusion-enhanced weapon tests, indicate that the seismic evidence of an explosion had been intentionally masked, or verify the absence of explosive testing in a targeted area. We conclude that advances in seismic monitoring and neutrino physics have made the detection of explosion-derived antineutrinos more conceivable than previously asserted, but the size and cost of sufficiently sensitive detectors continue to limit applications.

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Research Organization:: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC52-07NA27344

OSTI ID:: 1608920

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1464308

Report Number(s):: LLNL-JRNL-784761; PRAHB2; 978018; TRN: US2105124

Journal Information:: Physical Review Applied, Vol. 10, Issue 2; ISSN 2331-7019

Publisher:: American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 4 works

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