16-N as a calibration source for Super-Kamiokande

TL;DR

This paper presents a new calibration method for Super-Kamiokande using 16-N decay, cross-validated with the LINAC, achieving better than 1% agreement in energy scale calibration.

Contribution

The study introduces a neutron generator-based technique for 16-N production, providing an independent calibration check with different systematic uncertainties.

Findings

Calibration accuracy better than 1%

Consistent results between neutron generator and LINAC methods

Effective use of natural 16-N background for calibration

Abstract

The decay of 16-N is used to cross check the absolute energy scale calibration for solar neutrinos established by the electron linear accelerator (LINAC). A deuterium-tritium neutron generator was employed to create 16-N via the (n,p) reaction on 16-O in the water of the detector. This technique is isotropic and has different systematic uncertainties than the LINAC. The results from this high statistics data sample agree with the absolute energy scale of the LINAC to better than 1%. A natural source of 16-N from the capture of mu^- on 16-O, which is collected as a background to the solar neutrino analysis, is also discussed.