We propose the liquid-scintillator detector LENA (Low Energy Neutrino Astronomy) as a next-generation neutrino observatory on the scale of 50 kt. The outstanding successes of the Borexino and KamLAND ...experiments demonstrate the large potential of liquid-scintillator detectors in low-energy neutrino physics. LENA's physics objectives comprise the observation of astrophysical and terrestrial neutrino sources as well as the investigation of neutrino oscillations. In the GeV energy range, the search for proton decay and long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiments complement the low-energy program. Based on the considerable expertise present in European and international research groups, the technical design is sufficiently mature to allow for an early start of detector realization.
The gamma background flux below 3000 keV in the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS), Italy, has been measured using a 3" diameter NaI(Tl) detector at different underground positions: In hall ...A, hall B, the interferometer tunnel, and inside the Large Volume Detector (LVD). The integrated flux is 0.3--0.4 s\(^{-1}\)cm\(^{-2}\) at the first three locations, and is lower by two orders of magnitude inside LVD. With the help of Monte Carlo simulations for every location, the contribution of the individual primordial isotopes to the background has been determined. Using an 11" diameter NaI(Tl) detector, the background neutron flux in the LNGS interferometer tunnel has been estimated. Within the uncertainties, the result agrees with those from other neutron measurements in the main halls.
A future large-volume liquid scintillator detector such as the proposed 50 kton LENA (Low Energy Neutrino Astronomy) detector would provide a high-statistics measurement of terrestrial antineutrinos ...originating from β-decays of the uranium and thorium chains. Additionally, the neutron is scattered in the forward direction in the detection reaction \documentclass12pt{minimal}
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\bar v_e + p \to n + e^ +
$$\end{document}. Henceforth, we investigate to what extent LENA can distinguish between certain geophysical models on the basis of the angular dependence of the geoneutrino flux. Our analysis is based on a Monte-Carlo simulation with different levels of light yield, considering an unloaded PXE scintillator. We find that LENA is able to detect deviations from isotropy of the geoneutrino flux with high significance. However, if only the directional information is used, the time required to distinguish between different geophysical models is of the order of severals decades. Nonetheless, a high-statistics measurement of the total geoneutrino flux and its spectrum still provides an extremely useful glance at the Earth’s interior.
EarthMoonPlanets99:253-264,2006 A future large-volume liquid scintillator detector such as the proposed 50
kton LENA (Low Energy Neutrino Astronomy) detector would provide a
high-statistics ...measurement of terrestrial antineutrinos originating from
$\beta$-decays of the uranium and thorium chains. Additionally, the neutron is
scattered in the forward direction in the detection reaction $\bar\nu_e+p\to
n+e^+$. Henceforth, we investigate to what extent LENA can distinguish between
certain geophysical models on the basis of the angular dependence of the
geoneutrino flux. Our analysis is based on a Monte-Carlo simulation with
different levels of light yield, considering an unloaded PXE scintillator. We
find that LENA is able to detect deviations from isotropy of the geoneutrino
flux with high significance. However, if only the directional information is
used, the time required to distinguish between different geophysical models is
of the order of severals decades. Nonetheless, a high-statistics measurement of
the total geoneutrino flux and its spectrum still provides an extremely useful
glance at the Earth's interior.
Astropart.Phys.27:21-29,2007 A future large-volume liquid scintillator detector would provide a
high-statistics measurement of terrestrial antineutrinos originating from
$\beta$-decays of the uranium ...and thorium chains. In addition, the forward
displacement of the neutron in the detection reaction $\bar\nu_e+p\to n+e^+$
provides directional information. We investigate the requirements on such
detectors to distinguish between certain geophysical models on the basis of the
angular dependence of the geoneutrino flux. Our analysis is based on a
Monte-Carlo simulation with different levels of light yield, considering both
unloaded and gadolinium-loaded scintillators. We find that a 50 kt detector
such as the proposed LENA (Low Energy Neutrino Astronomy) will detect
deviations from isotropy of the geoneutrino flux significantly. However, with
an unloaded scintillator the time needed for a useful discrimination between
different geophysical models is too large if one uses the directional
information alone. A Gd-loaded scintillator improves the situation
considerably, although a 50 kt detector would still need several decades to
distinguish between a geophysical reference model and one with a large neutrino
source in the Earth's core. However, a high-statistics measurement of the total
geoneutrino flux and its spectrum still provides an extremely useful glance at
the Earth's interior.
A future large-volume liquid scintillator detector such as the proposed 50 kton LENA (Low Energy Neutrino Astronomy) detector would provide a high-statistics measurement of terrestrial antineutrinos ...originating from \(\beta\)-decays of the uranium and thorium chains. Additionally, the neutron is scattered in the forward direction in the detection reaction \(\bar\nu_e+p\to n+e^+\). Henceforth, we investigate to what extent LENA can distinguish between certain geophysical models on the basis of the angular dependence of the geoneutrino flux. Our analysis is based on a Monte-Carlo simulation with different levels of light yield, considering an unloaded PXE scintillator. We find that LENA is able to detect deviations from isotropy of the geoneutrino flux with high significance. However, if only the directional information is used, the time required to distinguish between different geophysical models is of the order of severals decades. Nonetheless, a high-statistics measurement of the total geoneutrino flux and its spectrum still provides an extremely useful glance at the Earth's interior.
A future large-volume liquid scintillator detector would provide a high-statistics measurement of terrestrial antineutrinos originating from \(\beta\)-decays of the uranium and thorium chains. In ...addition, the forward displacement of the neutron in the detection reaction \(\bar\nu_e+p\to n+e^+\) provides directional information. We investigate the requirements on such detectors to distinguish between certain geophysical models on the basis of the angular dependence of the geoneutrino flux. Our analysis is based on a Monte-Carlo simulation with different levels of light yield, considering both unloaded and gadolinium-loaded scintillators. We find that a 50 kt detector such as the proposed LENA (Low Energy Neutrino Astronomy) will detect deviations from isotropy of the geoneutrino flux significantly. However, with an unloaded scintillator the time needed for a useful discrimination between different geophysical models is too large if one uses the directional information alone. A Gd-loaded scintillator improves the situation considerably, although a 50 kt detector would still need several decades to distinguish between a geophysical reference model and one with a large neutrino source in the Earth's core. However, a high-statistics measurement of the total geoneutrino flux and its spectrum still provides an extremely useful glance at the Earth's interior.
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