A proposed search for a fourth neutrino with a PBq antineutrino source

TL;DR

This paper proposes a method to test the existence of a hypothetical fourth neutrino using a high-activity antineutrino source placed inside a large liquid scintillator detector, aiming to detect oscillation patterns.

Contribution

It introduces a novel experimental setup with a PBq-scale antineutrino source to unambiguously identify neutrino mass differences and mixing angles.

Findings

Potential to detect energy-dependent oscillation patterns

Ability to determine neutrino mass differences and mixing angles

Feasibility of using a compact antineutrino source in large detectors

Abstract

Several observed anomalies in neutrino oscillation data can be explained by a hypothetical fourth neutrino separated from the three standard neutrinos by a squared mass difference of a few eV^2. We show that this hypothesis can be tested with a PBq (ten kilocurie scale) 144Ce or 106Ru antineutrino beta-source deployed at the center of a large low background liquid scintillator detector. In particular, the compact size of such a source could yield an energy-dependent oscillating pattern in event spatial distribution that would unabiguously determine neutrino mass differences and mixing angles.