Sterile Neutrino Search Using China Advanced Research Reactor

TL;DR

This paper evaluates the potential of the China Advanced Research Reactor to detect sterile neutrinos by measuring electron antineutrino survival probabilities at short baselines, focusing on constraining mixing parameters.

Contribution

It presents a feasibility study for sterile neutrino detection at a research reactor using short-baseline measurements with hydrogen and deuteron targets.

Findings

Potential to constrain mixing parameter $ ext{sin}^2(2 heta_{14})$ for $ ext{Δ}m_{14}^2 ext{~1 eV}^2$

Short baseline measurements are effective for sterile neutrino searches

Feasibility of using different target materials at the reactor

Abstract

We study the feasibility of a sterile neutrino search at the China Advanced Research Reactor by measuring $\bar {\nu}_e$ survival probability with a baseline of less than 15 m. Both hydrogen and deuteron have been considered as potential targets. The sensitivity to sterile-to-regular neutrino mixing is investigated under the "3(active)+1(sterile)" framework. We find that the mixing parameter $\sin^2(2\theta_{14})$ can be severely constrained by such measurement if the mass square difference $\Delta m_{14}^2$ is of the order of $\sim$1 eV$^2$.