Supernova Observation Via Neutrino-Nucleus Elastic Scattering in the CLEAN Detector

Published

February 1, 2003

Author(s)

C J. Horowitz, Kevin Coakley, D N. Mckinsey

Abstract

Development of large mass detectors for low energy neutrinos and dark matter may allow supernova detection via neutrino-nucleus elastic scattering. An elastic detector could observe a few, or more, events per ton for a galactic supernova at 10 kpc (3.1 x 1020 m). This large yield, a factor of at least 20 greater than existing light water detectors, arises because of the very large coherent cross section and the sensitivity to all flavors of neutrinos and antineutrinos. An elastic scattering detector can provide important information on the flux and spectrum of nu_υ and nu_tau from supernovae. We consider many detectors and a range of target materials from 4He to 208Pb. Monte Carlo simulations of low energy backgrounds are presented for the liquid neon based CLEAN detector. The simulated background is much smaller than the expected signal from a galactic supernova.

Citation

Physical Review D (Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology)

Pub Type

Journals

Citation

Horowitz, C. , Coakley, K. and McKinsey, D. (2003), Supernova Observation Via Neutrino-Nucleus Elastic Scattering in the CLEAN Detector, Physical Review D (Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology) (Accessed January 15, 2025)