Exploring CEνNS with NUCLEUS at the Chooz nuclear power plant
Exploring CEνNS with NUCLEUS at the Chooz nuclear power plant
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DOI：
10.1140/epjc/s10052-019-7454-4
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发表时间：
2019-12-01
影响因子：
4.4
通讯作者：
Zolotarova, A.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Angloher, G.;Ardellier-Desages, F.;Zolotarova, A.
相干弹性中微子-核散射（CE nu NS）提供了一种独特的方法来研究中微子的性质，并寻找新的物理超越标准模型。核反应堆是在低能量下探索这一过程的有希望的来源，因为它们提供了大通量的反中微子，典型的能量为几兆电子伏。本文介绍了一种研究CE nu NS的新一代实验。NUCLEUS实验将使用低温探测器，其特点是能量阈值前所未有的低，时间响应足够快，可以在地面条件下运行。对低能核反冲的灵敏度和高的事件率容限是测量反应堆反中微子CE_nu_NS的严格要求。本文介绍了一个新的核试验场-法国埃因霍温核电站的甚近场（VNS）。VNS位于两个4.25GW（th）反应堆堆芯之间，符合NUCLEUS的要求。给出了中子和μ子背景的现场测量的第一个结果，预期占主导地位的背景贡献。在本文中，提出了一个初步的实验装置与专用的主动和被动背景减少技术和第一背景估计。此外，还研究了探测器在浅覆盖层与主动子否决器同时工作的可行性。最后，本文通过一项敏感性研究，指出了NUCLEUS在俄罗斯核电站的物理潜力。
Coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CE nu NS) offers a unique way to study neutrino properties and to search for new physics beyond the Standard Model. Nuclear reactors are promising sources to explore this process at low energies since they deliver large fluxes of antineutrinos with typical energies of a few MeV. In this paper, a new-generation experiment to study CE nu NS is described. The NUCLEUS experiment will use cryogenic detectors which feature an unprecedentedly low-energy threshold and a time response fast enough to be operated under above-ground conditions. Both sensitivity to low-energy nuclear recoils and a high event rate tolerance are stringent requirements to measuring CE nu NS of reactor anti-neutrinos. A new experimental site, the Very-Near-Site (VNS), at the Chooz nuclear power plant in France is described. The VNS is located between the two 4.25GW(th) reactor cores and matches the requirements of NUCLEUS. First results of on-site measurements of neutron and muon backgrounds, the expected dominant background contributions, are given. In this paper a preliminary experimental set-up with dedicated active and passive background reduction techniques and first background estimations are presented. Furthermore, the feasibility to operate the detectors in coincidence with an activemuon veto at shallow overburden is studied. The paper concludes with a sensitivity study pointing out the physics potential of NUCLEUS at the Chooz nuclear power plant.