DANSS: Detector of the reactor AntiNeutrino based on Solid Scintillator

TL;DR

The DANSS project develops a compact, solid scintillator-based neutrino detector capable of close-proximity reactor monitoring and fundamental neutrino research, with high segmentation and background suppression.

Contribution

It introduces a novel, safe, movable neutrino spectrometer with high segmentation and background suppression, suitable for reactor monitoring and neutrino oscillation studies.

Findings

Demonstrated operability with a pilot prototype at a nuclear reactor.

Achieved background suppression to 1% level.

Projected sensitivity to neutrino oscillation parameters.

Abstract

The DANSS project is aimed at creating a relatively compact neutrino spectrometer which does not contain any flammable or other dangerous liquids and may therefore be located very close to the core of an industrial power reactor. As a result, it is expected that high neutrino flux would provide about 15,000 IBD interactions per day in the detector with a sensitive volume of 1 m$^3$. High segmentation of the plastic scintillator will allow to suppress a background down to a 1% level. Numerous tests performed with a simplified pilot prototype DANSSino under a 3 GW$_{th}$ reactor of the Kalinin NPP have demonstrated operability of the chosen design. The DANSS detector surrounded with a composite shield is movable by means of a special lifting gear, varying the distance to the reactor core in a range from 10 m to 12 m. Due to this feature, it could be used not only for the reactor monitoring, but also for fundamental research including short-range neutrino oscillations to the sterile state. Supposing one-year measurement, the sensitivity to the oscillation parameters is expected to reach a level of $sin^2(2\theta)$ ~ 0.005 with $\Delta m^2 \subset (0.02-5.0)$ eV$^2$.