Speaker
Mark Pitt
(Virginia Tech)
Description
Mark Pitt, Virginia Tech, on behalf of the LENS Collaboration
The Low-Energy Neutrino Spectroscopy (LENS) experiment is designed to precisely measure in real time
the spectral flux of the low energy solar neutrinos (pp, $^7$Be, pep, and CNO, comprising > 99% of the solar neutrino flux)
via charged-current capture on indium-115 (with a threshold of 114 keV). LENS will allow a comparison of the neutrino
and photon luminosities of the sun that will test the basic assumptions of solar astrophysics and the overall validity of the MSW-LMA neutrino model.
The individual flux results will improve limits on $\theta_{12}$ and the pp spectrum can directly probe the temperature profile of fusion energy production.
To adequately suppress the dominant background (indium beta decay), a detector technology utilizing a novel optical segmentation method with indium-loaded
liquid scintillator has been developed. A modest 1~m$^3$ prototype detector (miniLENS), in development for installation in the Kimballton Underground
Research Facility (KURF), will validate the expected performance and allow for optimization of the full scale ~ 200 ton LENS experiment. The detector
design and simulation, liquid-loaded scintillator studies, and detector development work will be discussed.
Author
Mark Pitt
(Virginia Tech)
