IsoDAR Neutrino Target R&D and Engineering

Columbia University, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

Neutrinos from accelerators and nuclear reactors have played a central role in our understanding of the properties of these elusive, hard-to-observe fundamental particles. Three different types of neutrino are known to exist, having been detected through their interaction via one of the known forces of nature. A fourth type of neutrino has been postulated, a so-called light sterile neutrino, that is presumed to only interact via gravity. This award funds the R&D and engineering necessary to bring the IsoDAR (Isotope Decay-At-Rest) experiment from the stage of a Conceptual Design Report to a Preliminary Design Report. IsoDAR is a novel, pure electron-antineutrino source that, when paired with an underground detector, allows for searches for sterile neutrinos and non-standard interactions. The issue that needs to be addressed is the high intensity targeting on a neutrino production target which has, so far, been studied with simulations and some initial engineering studies. Associated with this project, this program addresses four areas: 1) development of a globally competitive STEM workforce; 2) increased participation of women and minorities; 3) increased partnerships between academia and industry; and 4) improved well-being of individuals in society. This project will include a graduate student and students from the summer REU program, which averages 75% female participants. It will give them the opportunity to apprentice with industry contractors. Finally, this work has relevance for strong industrial collaboration because of the use of bright accelerators for isotope production and Accelerator Driven Systems (ADS) technology, applied, for example, to driving thorium reactors, thus supporting the development of safe nuclear energy sources. The IsoDAR antineutrino rates seem achievable with the proposed proton beam rates, but target cooling and radiation safety issues need more design work coupled with simulations. In addition, the target region has to use difficult materials such as lithium and beryllium to allow a large amount of 8Li to be produced. Thus, the design of the neutrino production target needs to be carefully engineered. The work being funded in this award is to bring the target engineering and cooling simulations to the level of a full detailed design with realistic costing. It will also fund a prototype test of the cooling simulation. The proposed target and cooling design study will explore the feasibility of new methods to target very high intensity beams. This is of high intellectual merit since high power targetry is an important question throughout the Intensity Frontier program. Thus, this award has the potential to be transformative in multiple areas of particle physics. In addition, developing a high intensity antineutrino source that can be taken to any large hydrogen-based neutrino detector will open up a large range possible future experiments.