Research and development of a helium-4 based solar neutrino detector

Technical Report · Tue Jun 30 00:00:00 EDT 1992

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7277513· OSTI ID:7277513

Lanou, R E; Maris, H J; Seidel, G M

In this report we describe results of experiments to detect low energy radiation in superfluid helium. The ultimate aim of this research is to establish the feasibility of this technique for use in detecting neutrinos from the p-p and Be-7 reactions in the sun. In these experiments we have seen the first detection of 5.5 MeV {alpha} particles via evaporation from a bath of superfluid helium. An {alpha} particle excites phonons and rotons in the liquid helium, and these excitations are sufficiently energetic to evaporate helium atoms when they reach the free surface of the liquid. The evaporated atoms are detected calorimetrically by a thin wafer suspended above the liquid. The approximate overall efficiency of this process has been determined and we compare the experimental results with expectations. We have also been able to detect evaporation induced by a flux of gamma rays from a Cs-137 source. Preparations made for new experiments are also discussed.

• Research Organization: Brown Univ., Providence, RI (United States). Dept. of Physics
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: FG02-88ER40452
• OSTI ID: 7277513
• Report Number(s): DOE/ER/40452-7; ON: DE92017390
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
SOLAR NEUTRINOS
NEUTRINO DETECTION
BERYLLIUM 7
HELIUM 4
PROGRESS REPORT
PROTON-PROTON INTERACTIONS
SUPERFLUIDITY
ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES
BARYON-BARYON INTERACTIONS
BERYLLIUM ISOTOPES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DETECTION
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FERMIONS
HADRON-HADRON INTERACTIONS
HELIUM ISOTOPES
INTERACTIONS
ISOTOPES
LEPTONS
LIGHT NUCLEI
MASSLESS PARTICLES
NEUTRINOS
NUCLEI
NUCLEON-NUCLEON INTERACTIONS
PARTICLE INTERACTIONS
PROTON-NUCLEON INTERACTIONS
RADIATION DETECTION
RADIATIONS
RADIOISOTOPES
SOLAR PARTICLES
SOLAR RADIATION
STABLE ISOTOPES
STELLAR RADIATION
662430* - Properties of Leptons- (1992-)
662320 - Neutrino Interactions- (1992-)
440104 - Radiation Instrumentation- High Energy Physics Instrumentation