arXiv subjects

R. J. de Meijer

Publications and source records attributed to R. J. de Meijer.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2014

Upper limit on the cross section for reactor antineutrinos changing 22Na decay rates

In this paper we present results of a long-term observation of the decay of 22Na in the presence of a nuclear fission reactor. The measurements were made outside the containment wall of and underneath the Koeberg nuclear power plant near Cape Town, South Africa. Antineutrino fluxes ranged from ~5*10^11 to 1.6*10^13 cm^-2 s^-1 during this period. We show that the coincidence summing technique provides a sensitive tool to measure a change in the total decay constant as well as the branching ratio between EC and beta+ decay of 22Na to the first excited state in 22Ne. We observe a relative change in count rate between reactor-ON and reactor-OFF equal to (-0.51+/-0.11)*10^-4. After evaluating possible systematic uncertainties we conclude that the effect is either due to a hidden instrumental cause or due to an interaction between antineutrinos and the 22Na nucleus. An upper limit of ~0.03 barn has been deduced for observing any change in the decay rate of 22Na due to antineutrino interactions.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2013

Forming the Moon from terrestrial silicate-rich material

Recent high-precision measurements of the isotopic composition of lunar rocks demonstrate that the bulk silicate Earth and the Moon show an unexpectedly high degree of similarity. This is inconsistent with one of the primary results of classic dynamical simulations of the widely accepted giant impact model for the formation of the Moon, namely that most of the mass of the Moon originates from the impactor, not Earth. Resolution of this discrepancy without changing the main premises of the giant impact model requires total isotopic homogenisation of Earth and impactor material after the impact for a wide range of elements including O, Si, K, Ti, Nd and W. Even if this process could explain the O isotope similarity, it is unlikely to work for the much heavier, refractory elements. Given the increasing uncertainty surrounding the giant impact model in light of these geochemical data, alternative hypotheses for lunar formation should be explored. In this paper, we revisit the hypothesis that the Moon was formed directly from terrestrial mantle material. We show that the dynamics of this scenario requires a large amount of energy, almost instantaneously generated additional energy. The only known source for this additional energy is nuclear fission. We show that it is feasible to form the Moon through the ejection of terrestrial silicate material triggered by a nuclear explosion at Earths core-mantle boundary (CMB), causing a shock wave propagating through the Earth. Hydrodynamic modelling of this scenario shows that a shock wave created by rapidly expanding plasma resulting from the explosion disrupts and expels overlying mantle and crust material.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2008

Assessing the feasibility and consequences of nuclear georeactors in the Earths core mantle boundary

We assess the likelihood and geochemical consequences of the presence of nuclear georeactors in the core mantle boundary region (CMB) between Earths silicate mantle and metallic core. Current geochemical models for the Earths interior predict that U and Th in the CMB are concentrated exclusively in the mineral calcium silicate perovskite (CaPv), leading to predicted concentration levels of approximately 12 ppm combined U and Th, 4.5 Ga ago if CaPv is distributed evenly throughout the CMB. Assuming a similar behaviour for primordial 244Pu provides a considerable flux of neutrons from spontaneous fission. We show that an additional concentration factor of only an order of magnitude is required to both ignite and maintain self sustaining georeactors based on fast fission. Continuously operating georeactors with a power of 5 TW can explain the observed isotopic compositions of helium and xenon in the Earths mantle. Our hypothesis requires the presence of elevated concentrations of U and Th in the CMB, and is amenable to testing by direction sensitive geoneutrino tomography.

physics.geo-ph↗

arXiv2006

Towards Earth AntineutRino TomograpHy (EARTH)

The programme Earth AntineutRino TomograpHy (EARTH) proposes to build ten underground facilities each hosting a telescope. Each telescope consists of many detector modules, to map the radiogenic heat sources deep in the interior of the Earth by utilising direction sensitive geoneutrino detection. Recent hypotheses target the core-mantle boundary (CMB) as a major source of natural radionuclides and therefore of radiogenic heat. A typical scale of the processes that take place at the CMB is about 200km. To observe these processes from the surface requires an angular resolution of about 3 degrees. EARTH aims at creating a high-resolution 3D-map of the radiogenic heat sources in the interior of the Earth. It will thereby contribute to a better understanding of a number of geophysical phenomena observed at the surface of the Earth. This condition requires a completely different approach from the monolithic detector systems as e.g. KamLAND. This paper presents, for such telescopes, the boundary conditions set by physics, the estimated count rates, and the first initial results from Monte Carlo simulations and laboratory experiments. The Monte Carlo simulations indicate that the large volume telescope should consist of detector modules each comprising a very large number of detector units, with a cross section of roughly a few square centimetres. The signature of an antineutrino event will be a double pulse event. One pulse arises from the slowing down of the emitted positron, the other from the neutron capture. In laboratory experiments small sized, 10B-loaded liquid scintillation detectors were investigated as candidates for direction sensitive, low-energy antineutrino detection.

physics.geo-ph↗

arXiv2004

Quest for a Nuclear Georeactor

Knowledge about the interior of our planet is mainly based on the interpretation of seismic data from earthquakes and nuclear explosions, and of composition of meteorites. Additional observations have led to a wide range of hypotheses on the heat flow from the interior to the crust, the abundance of certain noble gases in gasses vented from volcanoes and the possibility of a nuclear georeactor at the centre of the Earth. This paper focuses on a proposal for an underground laboratory to further develop antineutrinos as a tool to map the distribution of radiogenic heat sources, such as the natural radionuclides and the hypothetical nuclear georeactor.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2004

Quest for the Nuclear Georeactor

The paper focuses on a proposal for an underground antineutrino antenna to further develop the dectection of these particles as a tool to map the distribution of radiogenic heat sources, such as the natural radionuclides and a hypothetical nuclear georeactor.

physics.geo-ph↗