PROSPECTs for Sterile Neutrino Searches at Reactors Pranava Teja Surukuchi Illinois Institute of Technology (on behalf of the PROSPECT collaboration). T. Surukuchi APS April Meeting 2017, Nu HoRIzons VII January 28 1
Overview Reactor neutrinos and antineutrino flux/spectrum predictions Reactor anomalies Global efforts addressing anomalies PROSPECT experiment 2
Reactors as Neutrino Sources Neutrinos are prolific source of neutrinos ~1021 neutrinos per GWth per second Reactor played crucial role in neutrino history Discovery Cross-section measurements Savannah River Neutrino Detector schematic Multiple mixing angle measurements 2016 Breakthrough prize Nu HoRIzons VII February 21 3
Neutrinos from Reactors Four main fission isotopes: 235 U, 238 U, 239 Pu, and 241 Pu Fission of fuel in reactor produces neutron rich daughters Neutron rich daughters beta decay and produces νe ~6 νe/fission based on fission isotope Z N 4
Estimating Neutrino Flux and Spectrum Conversion Approach Example: Fit virtual beta branches ab initio approach Use existing databases and sum the spectra from all the beta decay branches Databases are incomplete and uncertainties are big Conversion method Measure beta spectrum and fit it to virtual branches to convert to neutrino spectrum Assumptions impact the output i.e., forbidenness, weak magnetism and finite size corrections etc. Hybrid Approach ab initio for available data and use virtual beta branches for the rest Schreckenbach,%et%al,% Phys%LeA%B160%(1985) 9 5
Anomalies Reactor antineutrino experiments observe deficit in antineutrino rates compared to the predictions Reactor flux anomaly Recent Θ13 experiments at LEU reactors observe spectral deviations Could be a contribution from a single isotope or multiple isotopes Daya Bay - CPC 41 (1) (2017) Additional sterile neutrino could be a possible reason for the deficit Allowed regions for νe -> νs oscillations in 3+1 model PROSPECT - J Phys G 43 (2016) Large mass splitting -> ~Meter length oscillations Motivates short-baseline experiment with compact source, good position resolution Daya Bay - CPC 41 (1) (2017) Motivates reactor experiment with different fuel types and good energy resolution 6
More Discrepancies Daya Bay has recently reported IBD yields of U235 and Pu239 using evolution of LEU reactor fuel Showed that reactor flux models are incorrect at least for U235 Daya Bay - PRL 118 (2017) ~3σ IBD yields calculated from reactor rates (of 26 reactor antineutrino experiments) do not agree with Daya Bay measurement Daya Bay Evolution C. Giunti - arxiv1704.02276 Combined Daya Bay + Reactor Rates Saclay+ Huber Reactor Rates Could U235 be responsible for Reactor Antineutrino Anomaly? U235 preferred to be the cause when a single isotope is assumed to be the cause for the anomaly No reason to assume a single isotope is the cause for anomaly Daya Bay results in global context creates tension in IBD yields Oscillation to sterile states not considered Possible, but not definite 7
Further Perspective 2 = X a,b f,a X i F i,a i V 1 ab f,b X i F i,b i + ( th 1 1) 2 V ext,11. A combination fit with Daya Bay evolution data and global reactor rate data with only constraints on the 241 Pu was generated ~2σ 238U IBD yield obtained is ~2σ away from prediction Possible reasons for this discrepancy: Sterile neutrinos + Wrong 235 U or 239Pu flux estimates Wrong 238 U and 235 U and/or 239 Pu flux estimates Incorrect experimental IBD yields Y. Gebre, B. R. Littlejohn,, PRD 97, 013003 Motivates an experiment that truly probes the L/E nature of oscillations 8
Global Efforts Experiment Reactor/Fuel Baseline (m) Mobility Detection Material Segmentation Readout Energy Resolution PID Status DANSS Kalinin nuclear reactor (Russia) 3000 MWth LEU 10.7-12.7 Yes PS+Gd Sheets 2D, 5mm WLS fibers + SiPM and PMT 25%/ E Topology Collecting data NEOS Hanbit nuclear power complex (Korea) 2800 MWth LEU ~24 No GdLS - PMT Doubleended 5% @ 1MeV Recoil PSD Phase-1 complete Neutrino-4 SM-3 reactor (Russia) 100 MWth HEU 6-12 Yes GdLS 2D, 10 cm PMT Singleended Not available Topology Phase-1 complete PROSPECT High Flux Isotope Reactor (USA) 85 MWth HEU 7-12 Yes 6LiLS 2D, 14.6 cm PMT Doubleended 4.5%/ E Topology + recoil and capture PSD Commissioning and installation in progress Soliδ BR2 research reactor (Belgium) 40-80 MWth HEU 6-9 No PVT cubes+ 6Li:ZnS(Ag) sheets 3D, 5 cm WLS fibers + SiPM 20%/ E Topology + capture PSD Collecting data STEREO ILL research reactor (France) 58 MWth HEU 9-11 No GdLS 2D, 25 cm PMT Singleended 12% @ 2 MeV Recoil PSD Collecting data DANSS and NEOS performed oscillation analysis Some values from Mauro Mezzetto, neutrino 2016 9
NEOS - Experimental Setup Experiment Location 2.8 GWth LEU reactor 3.1 m diameter x 3.7 m height Detector 24 m away ~20 mwe overburden Detector Characteristics: LS: 1008 L single volume tank LAB+UG-F (9:1) with 0.5% Gd 38 x 8 PMTs in mineral oil buffer Shielding: Passive - 10 cm BPE and 10 cm Pb Active - 50T muon veto on 5 sides Chimney for source calibration Resolution = 5 % @ 1 MeV Data: 180 days reactor on and 46 reactor off 1976.7±3.4(85.1±1.4) reactor on(off) IBDs/day S:B = ~23 10
NEOS - Results 5 MeV bump seen at this short baseline Relative comparison between NEOS and modified Daya Bay near spectrum Normalization and covariance matrices unclear No strong evidence for oscillations Take DYB quoted unfolded covariance matrices Convolve with detector response matrix Add stats and detector syst Daya Bay unfolded spectrum modified to account for different fission fractions. Detector response applied to it. Plan to restart taking data for a longer period Observe fuel evolution over 500 days Different range of fission fractions from Daya Bay Phys. Rev. Lett. 118. 121802 (2017) 11
DANSS - Experimental Setup Experiment Location 3 GWth LEU reactor 3.1 m diameter x 3.7 m height Detector 10.7-12.7 m away ~50 mwe overburden Detector Characteristics: Movable detector 2500 polystyrene-based scintilllator strips Gd coating with 0.35% by weight 3 WLS fibers: 1 fiber readout by SiPM side fibers bunched and read out by PMT Shielding: Passive - 5 cm electrolytic copper, 8 cm BPE, 5 cm Pb, and 8 cm BPE Active - Muon veto on 5 sides Resolution = 25 % 12
DANSS - Data Data collected for 222 days ~5000 events/day in fiducial volume at the closest position 3 baselines at 3 positions 1/R 2 dependence observed For oscillation analysis, ratio of spectrum at 10.7(up) m to 12.7m(down) fit to oscillation model Used gaussian CLs method for fitting Unclear on the systematics taken into account Best-fit points excluded at 90% CL Exclusion Curve Plan to continue data taking Perform better calibration and systematic studies Use Feldman-Cousins method Danilov at Solvay Workshop 13
PROSPECT Experiment Nu HoRIzons VII February 21 14
Physics Goals: 1.Precisely measure reactor 235 U PROSPECT Experiment e spectrum 2.Search for short-baseline oscillations arising from ev-scale sterile neutrinos Detector and shielding package Movable Range (7-12 m) 7 m HFIR Core 15
would be clear indication of sterile oscillations Uncertainties in reactor flux or spectrum could not produce this baseline-dependent feature. Oscillation Search 1000 Oscillation Search Strategy n antineutrinos detectors? ve this question 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Energy (MeV) 1000 500 meters 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 7 Energ6y (Me5 V) 4 8 3 2 1 7 ) (m e 10 lin 11 Base 9 Energy (MeV) ission Distribution Perform PROSPECT Cross-section PROSPECT cross-section Reactor ee Reactor ν L vs E, oscillated L vs E, oscillated 500 HFIR Reactor To To reactor Reactor Sensitivity: 3 σ CL Phase-I (1 yr), Multiple Positions Phase-I (3 yr), Multiple Positions SBL Anomaly (Kopp), 95% CL a relative spectrum measurement between 154 independent detectors (segments) Oscillation Sensitivity All ν e Disappearance Exps (Kopp), 95% CL SBL + Gallium Anomaly (RAA), 95% CL Daya Bay Exclusion, 95% CL A χ2 testclear wasbaseline-dependent applied to the simulated IBD prompt spectrum + background provide Identical segments spectrum Independent of underlying reactor flux and spectrum models Systematic effects minimized by relative search and detector movement Δ m214 (σ, σb, σ10 e, σr, σb2b) = (100%, 2%, 10%, 1%, 1%) 3σ, 3 yr From [6] 1.02 e m214 [ev2] Background Osc./Unosc. Parameters α account for systematic uncertainties in signal, 1 background kground vs. Analysis 0.98 Cut Exclusion contours were determined from the evaluation of a no-oscillation Before cuts 0.96 2, θ ). model with respect to a 3+1 neutrino model parametrized by (Δm 41 14 Energy/PSD 0.94 Topology Best-fit values for sterile neutrinos Sensitivity: 0.92 3σ, 1 yr Fiducialization 1at 3 σ Phase I (1 yr) 0.90 from other experiments2 can be 10 Phase I (3 yr) at 3 σ Mass Splitting: 1.78 ev ; Osc. Amplitude: 0.09 0.88 Daya Bay excluded at 99.97% CL with a SBL Anomaly (Kopp), 95% CL PROSPECT (3 yr) 0.86 All ν Disappearance Exps (Kopp), 95% CL year of2.5prospect data. 0.0 0.5 1.0single 1.5 2.0 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 2 L/E (m/mev) SBL + Gallium Anomaly 95% CL 10(LSN), 10 1 1 sin2 2θ14 Three years of PROSPECT data will Daya Bay Exclusion, 95% CL nal Oscillatedyield neutrino rates a function of E high CLasexclusion oflaand majority Sensitivity of PROSPECT Experiment 10 of the reactor anomaly phase space. fit VII Developed covariance matrix-based Nu HoRIzons February 21 reproduces these sensitivity curves; 1.00 16
Spectrum Measurement Estimated IBD events - 160k/year Energy resolution 4.5%/ p E Perform most precise 235 U spectrum measurement Compare various reactor antineutrino spectrum models Provide a benchmark for future reactor antineutrino experiments Excellent complement to existing LEU reactor measurements 5000 e measured by ILL PROSPECT - J Phys G 43 (2016) PROSPECT - J Phys G 43 (2016) Improvement in precision over ILL Test various reactor antineutrino spectrum models 17
Antineutrino Source High Flux Isotope Reactor (85 MW) at ORNL HEU Reactor - ~93 % 235 U enrichment (>99% from 235 U) Short reactor cycles (~25 days) - Low P239 buildup (< 0.5%) e Compact core (0.5m high, 0.4 m wide) - No oscillation washout Detector Range ~47 % up-time >50% reactor off-time - Extensive background characterization ~ 3 years experience of on-site Data / Prediction 1.2 1.0 0.8 Previous data Daya Bay World Average 1-σ Exp. Unc. 1-σ Flux Unc. operation Easy 24/7 access 0.6 10 2 10 Distance (m) 3 10 Baseline coverage of the PROSPECT detector 18
Detector Design Cross-section of detector including the shielding package Single volume ~4 ton Li6-loaded liquid scintillator detector Optically divided into a 11x14 identical segments Each segment is a detector i.e., 154 detectors Low mass optical separators Minimum dead material Double-ended readout in-situ calibration access Single detector segment Cross-sectional view of a segment 19
Detection Mechanism Li6-loaded EJ-309 scintillator as target: Excellent background rejection High IBD detection efficiency Spatial and temporal dense energy deposition Inverse Beta Decay as the detection mechanism ν e 2.2 MeV γ p 1-10 MeV E e + Eν n γ 0.511 MeV e + e - γ Q(n, 6 Li) = 4.78 MeV E ee 0.5 MeV 0.511 MeV 6 Li 3 Pulse Shape allows for discrimination between gamma-like and neutron-like events α Delay PSD Paramater IBD Spatial coincidence of IBD events Accidentals Fast Neutrons Prompt PSD Parameter Comparison of coincidences t cap 40 μs t (~20%) nh n 6 Li (~80% of captures) 6 Li-loaded Liquid Scintillator Segmentation allows for background rejection 20
Background Characterization and Reduction HFIR background characterized in detail Both reactor related and uncorrelated backgrounds measured Lead wall designed to shield reactor related backgrounds Passive shield design motivated by measured backgrounds Local shielding joining reactor wall Multi-layer passive shielding Water bricks Polyethylene Outer neutron shielding for neutron moderation Lead High Z shielding Data Inner Neutron Shielding Suppress neutrons produced from spallation on lead NIM A 806 (2016) 401 Use outer layer of the detector as veto Effect of varying lead wall configuration on gammas Data MC NIM A 806 (2016) 401 P20 shield was able to shield the reactor backgrounds effectively ~ 25% the size of PROSPECT shielding Cosmic backgrounds can be calibrated out using data from reactor off time Nu HoRIzons VII February 21 21
Simulation Benchmarking Comparison of Data with PROSPECT MC P20 measured cosmic backgrounds during reactor-off periods PROSPECT Monte Carlo simulations agree well with the P20 data P20 prompt spectrum for IBD-like cosmic backgrounds Data MC PSD Projected PROSPECT Signal and Backgrounds MC MC shower veto topology IBD like events fiducialization Background Simulated signal (dashed) and cosmic backgrounds (solid) prompt energy spectrum through selection cuts Simulated signal and cosmic backgrounds after all selection cuts Projected S:B for PROSPECT full-size detector is better than 3:1 22
Detector Development Multi-layer highly reflective, rigid low mass reflectors Assembled PMT housings 3D printed pinwheel to join optical separators and support the optical lattice All material inside the detector are tested for chemical compatibility with the liquid scintillator LS shows long term stable performance Multiple prototypes validated the design of the various detector components Prototype source capsule Prototype optical diffuser Pinwheels give in-situ access to optical and source calibrations 23
Subcomponent Construction Optical separator fabrication PMT module components ready for assembly PMT testing First PMT module Production optical separator Liquid scintillator production Nu HoRIzons VII February 21 24
Assembly and Installation Assembly of first layer bird s eye view Detector Safely Shipped local reactor shield wall Assembled Inner Detector Detector Package Assembly video 25
Summary Reactor antineutrino experiments reported anomalous rate and shape measurements New precision reactor measurement with ability to search L/E signature of oscillations needed PROSPECT program Designed segmented LiLS detector and deployed multiple detectors at HFIR in preparation of a fullsize detector deployment Make precision 235 U spectrum measurement, complementary to LEU measurements and compare various models PROSPECT will be able to cover sterile neutrino best-fit point at better than 4σ in one calendar year and favored regions at 3σ in 3 yrs Detector construction finished, installation and commissioning in progress Data taking to commence soon 26
Thank you http://prospect.yale.edu arxiv:1309.7647 Nucl. Instru. Meth. Phys. Res. A 806 (2016) 401 Journal of Phys. G 43 (2016) 11 JINST 10 (2015) P11004 27