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GADZOOKS! Antineutrino Spectroscopy with Large Water Cerenkov Detectors

John F. Beacom·Mark R. Vagins
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Abstract

We propose modifying large water Čerenkov detectors by the addition of 0.2% gadolinium trichloride, which is highly soluble, newly inexpensive, and transparent in solution. Since Gd has an enormous cross section for radiative neutron capture, with $\sum E_γ= 8$ MeV, this would make neutrons visible for the first time in such detectors, allowing antineutrino tagging by the coincidence detection reaction $\barν_e + p \to e^+ + n$ (similarly for $\barν_μ$). Taking Super-Kamiokande as a working example, dramatic consequences for reactor neutrino measurements, first observation of the diffuse supernova neutrino background, Galactic supernova detection, and other topics are discussed.

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John F. Beacom, Mark R. Vagins. 2003-09-26. GADZOOKS! Antineutrino Spectroscopy with Large Water Cerenkov Detectors. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.93.171101

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