Double Chooz: Optimizing CHOOZ for a possible theta 13 measurement

TL;DR

Double Chooz aims to optimize reactor neutrino experiments by increasing target volume, reducing background, and controlling systematics to improve sensitivity to theta 13, potentially lowering its upper limit to 5 degrees.

Contribution

It introduces specific design improvements and systematic control methods to enhance the sensitivity of reactor neutrino experiments for measuring theta 13.

Findings

Detects approximately 50,000 antineutrinos in three years.

Achieves an estimated systematic uncertainty of 0.6%.

Reduces the upper limit on theta 13 to 5 degrees.

Abstract

The proposed Double Chooz theta 13 experiment is described. Double Chooz will be an optimized reactor disappearance experiment similar to the original CHOOZ. The optimization includes an increase in the signal to noise by increasing the target volume to twice the original CHOOZ, reducing singles background with a non-scintillating oil buffer region around the target and carefully controlling systematic uncertainties by measuring the electron antineutrino flux of the source with a near detector. The Double Chooz far detector will be situated in the same cavern as CHOOZ but will detect ~50000 electron antineutrinos in three years of operation. We estimate a systematic uncertainty of 0.6%, and a reduction of the upper limit on theta 13 to 5 degrees.