Using Reactors to Measure $\theta_{13}$

TL;DR

This paper discusses the potential of next-generation reactor neutrino experiments to precisely measure the mixing angle θ13, emphasizing their advantages over other methods and exploring experimental setups to achieve high sensitivity.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of using reactor neutrino experiments to measure θ13 with high precision, analyzing sensitivities, limitations, and proposing experimental configurations.

Findings

Reactor experiments can measure θ13 without ambiguities from other parameters.

Sensitivity to sin^2 2θ13 at the 0.01 level is potentially achievable.

Experimental setups vary in cost and sensitivity, with specific configurations discussed.

Abstract

A next-generation neutrino oscillation experiment using reactor neutrinos could give important information on the size of mixing angle $\theta_{13}$. The motivation and goals for a new reactor measurement are discussed in the context of other measurements using off-axis accelerator neutrino beams. The reactor measurements give a clean measure of the mixing angle without ambiguities associated with the size of the other mixing angles, matter effects, and effects due to CP violation. The key question is whether a next-generation experiment can reach the needed sensitivity goals to make a measurement for $\sin^{2}2\theta_{13}$ at the 0.01 level. The limiting factors associated with a reactor disappearance measurement are described with some ideas of how sensitivities can be improved. Examples of possible experimental setups are presented and compared with respect to cost and sensitivity.