Directional Response of Several Geometries for Reactor-Neutrino Detectors

Abstract

We report simulation studies of six low-energy electron-antineutrino detector designs, with the goal of determining their ability to resolve the direction to an antineutrino source. Such detectors with target masses on the one-ton scale are well-suited to reactor monitoring at distances of 5--25 meters from the core. They can provide accurate measurements of reactor operating power, fuel mix, and burnup, as well as unsurpassed nuclear non-proliferation information in a non-contact cooperating reactor scenario such as those used by IAEA. A number of groups around the world are working on programs to develop detectors similar to some of those in this study. Here, we examine and compare several approaches to detector geometry for their ability not only to detect the inverse beta decay (IBD) reaction, but also to determine the source direction of incident antineutrinos. The information from these detectors provides insight into reactor power and burning profile, which is especially useful in constraining the clandestine production of weapons material. In a live deployment, a non-proliferation detector must be able to isolate the subject reactor, possibly from a field of much-larger power reactors; directional sensitivity can help greatly with this task. We also discuss implications for using such detectors in longer-distance observation of reactors, from a few km to hundreds of km. We have modeled six abstracted detector designs, including two for which we have operational data for validating our computer modeling and analytical processes. We have found that the most promising options, regardless of scale and range, have angular resolutions on the order of a few degrees, which is better than any yet achieved in practice by a factor of at least two.