Double-Chooz: a search for Theta13

TL;DR

The Double-Chooz experiment aims to precisely measure the neutrino mixing angle Theta13 by using two detectors to improve sensitivity and reduce systematic errors, advancing neutrino physics and nuclear monitoring.

Contribution

It introduces a dual-detector setup with improved systematic control to measure Theta13 more accurately than previous experiments.

Findings

Projected sensitivity of sin^2(2θ13) down to 0.05 by 2009.

Potential to reach 0.03-0.02 sensitivity by 2011.

Use of near detector as a nuclear power plant monitoring tool.

Abstract

The Double-Chooz experiment goal is to search for a non-vanishing value of the Theta13 neutrino mixing angle. This is the last step to accomplish prior moving towards a new era of precision measurements in the lepton sector. The current best constraint on the third mixing angle comes from the CHOOZ reactor neutrino experiment $\sin(2\theta_{13})^{2}<0.2$ (90% C.L., $\Delta m_{atm}^{2}=2.0$ eV$^{2}$). Double-Chooz will explore the range of $\sin(2\theta_{13})^{2}$ from 0.2 to 0.03-0.02, within three years of data taking. The improvement of the CHOOZ result requires an increase in the statistics, a reduction of the systematic error below one percent, and a careful control of the backgrounds. Therefore, Double-Chooz will use two identical detectors, one at 150 m and another at 1.05 km distance from the Chooz nuclear cores. In addition, we will to use the near detector as a ``state of the art'' prototype to investigate the potential of neutrinos for monitoring the civil nuclear power plants. The plan is to start operation with two detectors in 2008, and to reach a sensitivity sin$^{2}$$(2\theta_{13})$ of 0.05 in 2009, and 0.03-0.02 in 2011.