Neutrino Oscillation Experiments at Nuclear Reactors

TL;DR

This paper reviews the current and future neutrino oscillation experiments using nuclear reactors, highlighting their roles in understanding neutrino properties and the potential of the KamLAND experiment.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of reactor-based neutrino oscillation experiments, emphasizing the significance of KamLAND for studying small neutrino mass differences.

Findings

Current experiments inform atmospheric neutrino anomaly

Future experiments like KamLAND will explore small neutrino mass differences

KamLAND's large mass and low threshold enable diverse physics investigations

Abstract

In this paper I give an overview of the status of neutrino oscillation experiments performed using nuclear reactors as sources of neutrinos. I review the present generation of experiments (Chooz and Palo Verde) with baselines of about 1 km as well as the next generation that will search for oscillations with a baseline of about 100 km. While the present detectors provide essential input towards the understanding of the atmospheric neutrino anomaly, in the future, the KamLAND reactor experiment represents our best opportunity to study very small mass neutrino mixing in laboratory conditions. In addition KamLAND with its very large fiducial mass and low energy threshold, will also be sensitive to a broad range of different physics.