Search for the θ13 mixing angle with the Double Chooz experiment

Abstract

The Double Chooz reactor neutrino experiment will search for a non vanishing θ13 mixing angle with unprecedented sensitivity, which might open the way to unveiling CP violation in the leptonic sector. The measurement of this angle will be based in a precise comparison of the antineutrino spectrum at two identical detectors located at different distances from the Chooz nuclear reactor cores in France. Double Chooz is particularly attractive because of its capability to measure sin2(2θ13) to 3σ if sin2(2θ13) > 0.05 or to exclude sin2(2θ13) down to 0.03 at 90% C.L. for Δm231 = 2.5 × 10−3 eV2 in three years of data taking with both detectors. The installation of the far detector at 1 km from the reactors is almost completed and the first neutrino interactions are expected by end 2010.