The PROSPECT Reactor Antineutrino Experiment

TL;DR

PROSPECT is a segmented liquid scintillator detector designed to precisely measure reactor antineutrino spectra and search for eV-scale sterile neutrinos by observing oscillations at meter-long baselines, addressing anomalies in neutrino physics.

Contribution

This paper presents the design, construction, and initial performance results of the PROSPECT detector, enabling new searches for sterile neutrinos and spectral deviations.

Findings

Successful construction and commissioning of the PROSPECT detector

Initial data characterizing detector performance

Potential to probe sterile neutrino parameter space within 3-4 years

Abstract

The Precision Reactor Oscillation and Spectrum Experiment, PROSPECT, is designed to make both a precise measurement of the antineutrino spectrum from a highly-enriched uranium reactor and to probe eV-scale sterile neutrinos by searching for neutrino oscillations over meter-long baselines. PROSPECT utilizes a segmented $^6$Li-doped liquid scintillator detector for both efficient detection of reactor antineutrinos through the inverse beta decay reaction and excellent background discrimination. PROSPECT is a movable 4-ton antineutrino detector covering distances of 7m to 13m from the High Flux Isotope Reactor core. It will probe the best-fit point of the $\bar\nu_e$ disappearance experiments at 4$\sigma$ in 1 year and the favored regions of the sterile neutrino parameter space at more than 3$\sigma$ in 3 years. PROSPECT will test the origin of spectral deviations observed in recent $\theta_{13}$ experiments, search for sterile neutrinos, and address the hypothesis of sterile neutrinos as an explanation of the reactor anomaly. This paper describes the design, construction, and commissioning of PROSPECT and reports first data characterizing the performance of the PROSPECT antineutrino detector.