Search

The possibility of the BEST experiment on electron neutrino disappearance with intense artificial sources of electron neutrino 51Cr is considered. BEST has the great potential to search for transitions of active neutrinos to sterile states with Δm2 ∼ 1 eV2 and to set the limits on short baseline electron neutrino disappearance oscillation parameters. The possibility of the further constraints the oscillation parameters region with using 65Zn source is discussed.

The SAGE experiment, which measures the flux of solar neutrinos, contains approximately 50 tonnes of liquid gallium metal. Low-energy neutrinos interact with the isotope Ga 71 in the Ga and convert it into Ge 71 at a rate of approximately one atom per day. In each measurement of the solar neutrinos about 210 μg of a stable Ge isotope in a Ga matrix is added to the Ga and the mixture is stirred to homogeneity. After a 30-day exposure of the gallium to solar neutrinos, any germanium is chemically extracted from the gallium. The Ge is converted into the gas germane and the number of Ge 71 atoms that it contains is measured in a proportional counter. After 6 months of counting, the Ge is removed from the counter, dissolved in an aqueous solution, and the isotopic content of Ge in this solution is measured by ICP-MS. The efficiency of extraction of Ge from the Ga is calculated from the measured mass and isotopic content of added and extracted Ge. In 75 recent exposures of the Ga to solar neutrinos the average Ge extraction efficiency was 97.7 ± 1.1%. This uncertainty in extraction efficiency is much less than the 3.3% uncertainty obtained by measurements of Ge mass alone, i.e., without isotopic analysis.

A technique for the measurement of activities of intense β sources by measuring the continuous gamma-radiation (internal bremsstrahlung) spectra is developed. A method for reconstructing the spectrum recorded by a germanium semiconductor detector is described. A method for the absolute measurement of the internal bremsstrahlung spectrum of 51Cr is presented.

A method for measuring the activity of high-intensity radioactive sources via registration of innerbremsstrahlung spectra was developed. Equations that connect the spectrum shape to the activity of different parts of a source and to the γ activity of background impurities were obtained. A technique was developed that allows unambiguous elimination of the detector influence on spectral measurements. A procedure for modeling the passage of γ radiation through the source substance and protection is described, and the calculation of the germanium-detector response functions, which was performed with the Monte Carlo method using the Geant4 package, is presented. The developed method can be used for independent measurements of the activity of neutrino sources of the 51Cr and 37Ar type as an alternative to calorimetric measurements.

The proposal for an experiment on a 2-zone gallium target of a solar Galliumgermanium neutrino telescope at the Baksan neutrino observatory of the INR RAS with a 65Zn source for short baseline neutrino oscillations search is considered. The possibilities of determining the parameters of oscillations, the necessary characteristics of the neutrino source, the possibility of its production and its use are described. The expected results of measurements with a 65Zn source are compared with the results expected in the experiment BEST with the 51Cr source.

The potential of the SAGE and BOREXINO experiments with 51Cr artificial neutrino sources for searches for and determination of parameters of short-baseline oscillations.

In April 2004, a neutrino source was produced by irradiating a 330-kg piece of pressed calcium oxide at the fast-neutron reactor BN-600 (Zarechny, Russia) for six months. The 37Ar isotope was obtained via the (n, α) reaction on 40Ca, and 37Ar was extracted from an aqueous solution of nitric acid in which the solid target was dissolved. After that, 37Ar was purified and sealed into a capsule. This source was used to measure the neutrino-capture rate in metalic gallium for neutrinos from 37Ar decay, which have an energy close to that of the main line of solar 7Be neutrinos (863 keV). The target of the SAGE Gallium-Germanium Neutrino Telescope was irradiated by using this source at the Baksan Neutrino Observatory (Institute for Nuclear Research, Russian Academy of Sciences). The source activity was measured by several methods during its production, in the course of irradiation, and after its completion. The weighted mean of the activity for six measurements was 409 ± 2 kCi at the beginning of irradiation of the gallium target (04:00 Moscow time, 30.04.2004). The scatter in the activity values obtained by different methods does not exceed 5%.

The activity of an artificial neutrino source based on 37Ar was measured by a specially developed method of directly counting 37Ar decays in a proportional counter. This source was used to irradiate the target of the SAGE radiochemical gallium—germanium neutrino telescope at the Baksan Neutrino Observatory (Institute for Nuclear Research, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow), whereupon the measurements were performed at the Institute of Reactor Materials (Zarechny, Sverdlovsk oblast, Russia). The method used to prepare gaseous samples for measurements in proportional counters and the counting procedure are described. The measured activity of the 37Ar neutrino source is 405.1 ± 3.7 kCi (corrected for decays that occurred within the period between the instant of activity measurement and the commencement of the irradiation of Ga target at 04:00 Moscow time, 30.04.2004).

A design of an artificial neutrino source with an activity of 400 kCi and a technology for filling it with 37Ar are described. The compliance of this source to Russian and international safety standards is confirmed by the test results.

Combined analysis of the data of 92 runs of SAGE during the 12-year period January 1990 through December 2001 gives a capture rate of solar neutrinos with energy more than 233 keV of 70.9 −5.2 +5.3 (stat.) −3.2 +3.7 (syst.) SNU. This represents only 55% of the predicted standard solar model rate of ∼130 SNU. The results of individual runs as well as the results of combined analysis of all runs during yearly, monthly, and bimonthly periods are presented. No compelling evidence for temporal variations is observed. By an analysis of the SAGE results combined with those from all other solar neutrino experiments, we make the first estimate of the electron neutrino pp flux that reaches the Earth to be (4.6 ± 1.2) x 10 10 /(cm 2 s). Assuming that neutrinos oscillate to active flavors the pp neutrino flux emitted in the solar fusion reaction is approximately (7.6 ± 2.0) x 10 10 /(cm 2 s), in agreement with the standard solar model calculation of (5.95 ± 0.06) x 10 10 /(cm 2 s).

The solar neutrino capture rate measured by the Russian-American Gallium Experiment on a metallic gallium target SAGE during the time from January 1990 through December 2000 is 77.0 −6.2 −3.0 +6.2 +3.5 SNU, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. The experimental procedures and data analysis are presented.

We present measurements of the solar neutrino capture rate on metallic gallium in the Soviet-American gallium experiment (SAGE) over a period of slightly more than half the 22-year solar cycle. A combined analysis of 92 runs over the twelve-year period from January 1990 until December 2001 yields a capture rate of 70.8 −5.2 +5.3 (stat) −3.2 +3.7 (sys) SNU for solar neutrinos with energies above 0.233 MeV. This value is slightly more than half the rate predicted by the standard solar model, 130 SNU. We present the results of new runs since April 1998 and analyze all runs combined by years, months, and bimonthly periods beginning in 1990. A simple analysis of the SAGE results together with the results of other solar neutrino experiments gives an estimate of (4.6±1.2)× 1010 neutrinos cm−2 s−1 for the flux of the electron pp neutrinos that reach the Earth without changing their flavor. The flux of the pp neutrinos produced in thermonuclear reactions in the Sun is estimated to be (7.6 ± 2.0) × 1010 neutrinos cm−2 s−1, in agreement with the value of (5.95±0.06)×1010 neutrinos cm−2 s−1 predicted by the standard solar model.

Data on a direct determination of systematic uncertainties caused by the background production of germanium isotopes in the radiochemical SAGE experiment measuring the solar-neutrino flux are analyzed. The result obtained for the rate of 68Ge production is 6.5(1±1.0) times greater than the expected one; the rate of 69Ge production does not exceed preliminary estimates. The above result for 68Ge corresponds to the systematic uncertainty that is caused by the interaction of cosmic-ray muons and which is equal to 5.8% (4.5 SNU) at a solar-neutrino-capture rate of 77.0 SNU. An experiment is proposed that would test the effect of cosmic-ray muon influence on the SAGE systematic uncertainty and which would be performed at the location of the underground scintillation telescope facilities of the Baksan Neutrino Observatory (Institute for Nuclear Research, Russian Academy of Sciences).

The parameters of the gas mixture for the proportional counters have been optimized using calibrations with 55Fe and Cd-Se sources. As a result, the accuracy in determining the energy region of 71Ge decays detected in the SAGE experiment with the aim of measuring the solar neutrino flux has been improved.

The solar-neutrino-capture rate measured by the Russian-American Gallium Experiment on metallic gallium during the period from January 1990 to December 1997 is (67.2 −7.0−3.0 +7.2+3.5 ) SNU, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. This result represents a 7σ depression in the neutrino flux in relation to the predicted standard-solar-model rates. The experimental procedures used and data analysis are presented.

The neutrino capture rate measured by the Russian-American Gallium Experiment is well below that predicted by solar models. To check the response of this experiment to low-energy neutrinos, a 517 kCi source of 51Cr was produced by irradiating 512.7 g of 92.4%-enriched 50Cr in a high-flux fast neutron reactor. This source, which mainly emits monoenergetic 747-keV neutrinos, was placed at the center of a 13.1 tonne target of liquid gallium and the cross section for the production of 71Ge by the inverse beta decay reaction was measured to be (5.55 +/- 0.60 (stat.) +/- 0.32 (syst.)) x 10^(-45) cm^2. The ratio of this cross section to the theoretical cross section of Bahcall for this reaction is 0.95 +/- 0.12 (exp.) +/- 0.03 (theor.) and to the cross section of Haxton is 0.87 +/- 0.11 (exp.) +/- 0.09 (theor.). This good agreement between prediction and observation implies that the overall experimental efficiency for the solar neutrino measurements is correctly determined and provides considerable evidence for the reliability of the solar neutrino measurement., 20 pages including figures in two column format

An intense source of 37Ar was produced by the (n, α) reaction on 40Ca by irradiating calcium oxide in the fast neutron breeder reactor at Zarechny, Russia. The 37Ar was released from the solid target, sealed into a small source, and was used to irradiate 13 tonnes of gallium metal in the Russian-American gallium solar neutrino experiment SAGE. The initial source strength was 409 ± 2 kCi. The measured production rate of 71Ge on gallium metal was 11.0+1.0−0.9 (stat) ± 0.6 (syst.) atoms per day, which is 0.79+0.09−0.10 of the theoretically calculated production rate.

An intense source of {sup 37}Ar was produced by the (n,{alpha}) reaction on {sup 40}Ca by irradiating 330 kg of calcium oxide in the fast neutron breeder reactor at Zarechny, Russia. The {sup 37}Ar was released from the solid target by dissolution in acid, collected from this solution, purified, sealed into a small source, and brought to the Baksan Neutrino Observatory where it was used to irradiate 13 tonnes of gallium metal in the Russian-American gallium solar neutrino experiment SAGE. Ten exposures of the gallium to the source, whose initial strength was 409{+-}2kCi, were carried out during the period April to September 2004. The {sup 71}Ge produced by the reaction {sup 71}Ga({nu}{sub e},e{sup -}){sup 71}Ge was extracted, purified, and counted. The measured production rate was 11.0{sub -0.9}{sup +1.0} (stat){+-}0.6 (syst) atoms of {sup 71}Ge/d, which is 0.79{sub -0.10}{sup +0.09} of the theoretically calculated production rate. When all neutrino source experiments with gallium are considered together, there is an indication the theoretical cross section has been overestimated.

The Russian-American solar neutrino experiment has measured the capture rate of neutrinos on metallic gallium in a radiochemical experiment at the Baksan Neutrino Observatory. Eight years of measurement give the result 67.2 (+7.2,-7.0) (+3.5,-3.0) solar neutrino units, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. The restrictions these results impose on vacuum neutrino oscillation parameters are given., Comment: 4 pages including 3 figures, Revtex, minor content changes, Phys. Rev. Lett. (in press)

The status of the feasibility studies for a proposed Ga source experiment to search for possible electron neutrino transitions into sterile states is presented. The advantages of the proposed technique are considered. The experiment has the potential to detect neutrino oscillation transitions with mass-squared difference Δm2 > 0.5 eV2 with a sensitivity to disappearance of electron neutrinos of a few percent

The solar neutrino capture rate measured by SAGE is well below that predicted by solar models. To check the overall experimental efficiency, we exposed 13tonnes of Ga metal to a reactor-produced 517kCi source of {sup 51}Cr. The ratio of the measured production rate to that predicted from the source activity is 0.95{plus_minus}0.11(stat)+0.05/{minus}0.08(syst). This agreement verifies that the experimental efficiency is measured correctly, establishes that there are no unknown systematic errors at the 10{percent} level, and provides considerable evidence for the reliability of the solar neutrino measurement. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}