Liquid Scintillation Detectors for High Energy Neutrinos

Journal Article · Tue Mar 30 00:00:00 EDT 2010 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3399273· OSTI ID:21367056

Smith, Stefanie N; Learned, John G ^[1]

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1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States)

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.

• OSTI ID: 21367056
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1222, 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; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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