The calibration of the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory using uniformly distributed radioactive sources
ArXiv 0912.2991 (2009)
Abstract:
The production and analysis of distributed sources of 24Na and 222Rn in the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) are described. These unique sources provided accurate calibrations of the response to neutrons, produced through photodisintegration of the deuterons in the heavy water target, and to low energy betas and gammas. The application of these sources in determining the neutron detection efficiency and response of the 3He proportional counter array, and the characteristics of background Cherenkov light from trace amounts of natural radioactivity is described.The Sudbury Neutrino Observatory
Annual Review of Nuclear and Particle Science 59 (2009) 431-465
Abstract:
The solar neutrino problem arose when the first measurements of the flux of neutrinos from the Sun, taken by Raymond Davis, Jr. with a Cl-Ar radiochemical detector, fell substantially below the value predicted theoretically by John Bahcall. Bahcall's prediction came from a detailed model of the nuclear reactions powering the Sun. Resolution of the problem came three decades later with the observation of nonelectron flavors of neutrinos in the solar flux. The use of heavy water in the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) experiment provided a means to measure both electron and nonelectron components, and the presence of the latter showed that neutrino flavor conversion was taking place - a hallmark of neutrino oscillation and mass. The solar models were vindicated, and the Standard Model of elementary particles and fields had to be revised. Here we present an account of the SNO project, its conclusions to date, and its ongoing analysis. Copyright © 2009 by Annual Reviews. All rights reserved.High sensitivity measurement of 224Ra and 226Ra in water with an improved hydrous titanium oxide technique at the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory
ArXiv 0803.4162 (2008)
Abstract:
The existing hydrous titanium oxide (HTiO) technique for the measurement of 224Ra and 226Ra in the water at the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) has been changed to make it faster and less sensitive to trace impurities in the HTiO eluate. Using HTiO-loaded filters followed by cation exchange adsorption and HTiO co-precipitation, Ra isotopes from 200-450 tonnes of heavy water can be extracted and concentrated into a single sample of a few millilitres with a total chemical efficiency of 50%. Combined with beta-alpha coincidence counting, this method is capable of measuring 2.0x10^3 uBq/kg of 224Ra and 3.7x10^3 uBq/kg of 226Ra from the 232Th and 238U decay chains, respectively, for a 275 tonne D2O assay, which are equivalent to 5x10^16 g Th/g and 3x10^16 g U/g in heavy water.Determination of the νe and total 8B solar neutrino fluxes using the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory Phase I data set
PHYSICAL REVIEW C 75:4 (2007) ARTN 045502
A search for neutrinos from the solar hep reaction and the diffuse supernova neutrino background with the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory
ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL 653:2 (2006) 1545-1551