CSEDI Collaborative Research: Neutrino Geophysics: collaboration between geology and particle physics

地球内部辐射大约46太瓦（TW，1012 J s-1）的热量（今天核能的总产量约为1太瓦）。 地球的热能来自行星的冷却，潮汐摩擦和内核生长的贡献较小，放射性元素的衰变也有很大贡献。这些热量供应的确切比例是未知的。 板块构造是当今地球内部热传输的主要表现形式。大型构造板块产生于大洋中脊，并穿过地球仪的表面到达深海海沟，在那里它们插入地球内部，将寒冷的板块送入内部，使地球冷却。 为了更好地了解固体地球内部以及地球表面发生的动态过程，我们必须建立一个地球组成和结构的全面模型，该模型与地质学、地球化学、地球物理学和粒子物理学领域的观测结果内在一致。天然存在的放射性元素的丰度和分布是理解地球动力学不可或缺的，因为放射性热提供了一个关键的能量来源，用于驱动地幔对流，板块构造和整个地球的演化。 拟议研究的主要目标是：（1）了解地球中天然放射性元素的性质和三维分布，特别是钾、钍和铀，它们产生地球99%的辐射热;（2）建立一个内部一致的地球模型，包括地球的热构成和演变;（3）建立地球模型，可以根据新开发的反中微子探测器的数据进行测试。 （反中微子是在放射性元素的β衰变过程中产生的中性核粒子。拟议的工作计划涉及动态建模，以确定地球主要储层，即大陆地壳、地幔和金属核的几何形状、分布和化学组成。 将结合反中微子数据对模型结果进行解释，以便建立一个地球组成和结构的全面三维模型。

The Earth's interior radiates approximately 46 terawatts (TW, 1012 J s-1) of heat (total combined production of nuclear power today is about 1 TW of energy). The Earth's thermal energy comes from the cooling of the planet, minor contributions from tidal friction and inner core growth, and significantly from the decay of radioactive elements. The exact proportional contribution of these heat supplies is unknown. Plate tectonics is the primary manifestation of heat transport within the Earth today. Large tectonic plates are produced at mid-ocean ridges and transported across the surface of the globe to deep ocean trenches, where they plunge into the Earth's interior sending cold slabs into the interior and cooling the planet. In order to better understand the dynamic processes that occur both within the solid Earth as well as on the planet's surface, we must develop a comprehensive model of Earth composition and structure that is internally consistent with observations from the fields of geology, geochemistry, geophysics and particle physics. The abundance and distribution of naturally-occurring radioactive elements is integral to the understanding of Earth dynamics, as radiogenic heat provides a key source of energy that serves to drive mantle convection, plate tectonics and the evolution of the entire planet. The primary objectives of the proposed research are to: (1) understand the nature and three-dimensional distribution of naturally-occurring radioactive elements in the Earth, particularly potassium, thorium and uranium, which produce 99% of all radiogenic heat in the Earth; (2) develop an internally consistent model of the Earth, including the thermal constitution and evolution of the planet; and, (3) build Earth models that can be tested against data from newly developed antineutrino detectors. (Antineutrinos are neutral nuclear particles produce during beta-decay of radioactive elements.) The proposed work plan involves dynamic modeling to determine the geometry, distribution and chemical composition of the Earth's major reservoirs, namely the continental crust, mantle and metallic core. Model results will be interpreted in conjunction with antineutrino data in order to develop a comprehensive, three-dimensional model of Earth composition and structure.