Reactor monitoring with direction-sensitive detectors

Abstract

Nuclear power reactors account for a small fraction of the Earth’s total antineutrino luminosity. Past experiments, with baselines between ~10 m and ~1000 km, have successfully measured the rate and spectrum of reactor-born . Additionally detecting the incident direction of reactor luminosity. Past experiments, with baselines between ~10 m and ^1000 km, have successfully measured the rate and spectrum of reactor-born would constitute an important milestone in the development of reactor monitoring for nuclear non-proliferation since this information could aid in identifying undeclared nuclear reactors. Here we examine the prospects of using low-background, direction-sensitive tracking detectors to remotely monitor nuclear reactors. For an experiment sited at SNOLab, we calculate that an exposure of 56-78 (31-46) tonne-months is needed to detect the flux of produced by a 3758-MW reactor at a distance of 13 km at 95% (90%) confidence level.