New large-volume detector at the Baksan Neutrino Observatory: Detector prototype

N A Ushakov,V B Petkov,V V Kuzminov,A M Gangapshev,E P Veretenkin,D M Voronin,A N Fazliakhmetov,V V Kazalov,G Ya Novikova,M M Kochkarov,Yu M Malyshkin,A D Lukanov,V N Gavrin,T V Ibragimova,E A Yanovich,A A Shikhin,A Yu Sidorenkov,B K Lubsandorzhiev,D Yu Kudrin

doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1787/1/012037

Abstract

At the Baksan Neutrino Observatory (Institute for Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow) deployed in the Caucasus mountains, it is proposed to create, at a depth corresponding to about 4700 mwe (meter water equivalent), a large-volume neutrino detector on the basis of a liquid scintillator with a target mass of 10 kt. This article describes the current state of the first stage of the project, namely a prototype detector with a scintillator mass of 0.5 t. The design of the detector, the equipment and methods used are described.

Highlights

A new large-volume Baksan neutrino telescope (10 kt ultrapure liquid scintillator) will be created at the Baksan Neutrino Observatory of the Institute for Nuclear Research (BNO INR) RAS [1].This multipurpose neutrino detector for detecting neutrino and antineutrino flows from the Sun, the Earth, and astrophysical sources will be located in the underground zone of the BNO at a depth of about 4700 mwe
The central zone serving as the target for neutrinos will be filled with an ultrapure liquid scintillator and surrounded by a second zone filled with a non-scintillating organic liquid to suppress signals from inner photodetectors
Short afterpulses caused by elastic scattering of electrons at the first dynode were measured with relatively weak illumination of several PE, which is associated with a long front of the main pulse with greater exposure

Summary

Introduction

A new large-volume Baksan neutrino telescope (10 kt ultrapure liquid scintillator) will be created at the Baksan Neutrino Observatory of the Institute for Nuclear Research (BNO INR) RAS [1] This multipurpose neutrino detector for detecting neutrino and antineutrino flows from the Sun, the Earth, and astrophysical sources will be located in the underground zone of the BNO at a depth of about 4700 mwe (meter water equivalent). Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd (2021) 012037 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1787/1/012037 reduced, which is determined by the depth, new methods for cleaning the scintillator and the distance of the Baksan neutrino observatory from industrial nuclear reactors—nuclear power plants In terms of the latter parameter, BNO is one of the best underground laboratories in which it is planned to place large-scale neutrino telescopes [1, 3]. With a concentration of 2 g/L PPO scintillation additive in a purified LAB, practically no deterioration of the scintillator transparency is observed

Detecting system The detection system mainly consists of two parts

Findings

Conclusions