INFN Gran Sasso National Laboratory Research Articles

Low energy background measurement (∼ 0.8 MeV) with the LVD

In the Large Volume Detector (INFN Gran Sasso National Laboratory, Italy) the low energy counting rate (E ∼ 0.8 MeV) of each counter is continuously monitored with a sampling rate of 6/hour. From the analysis of the time variation of these signals in correlation with the measurement obtained by a radon-meter we can conclude that the products of radon decay represent an important source of background for LVD counters in this energy range. In addition, we used these measurements to calibrate our counters in terms of radon detection sensitivity.

Search for low energy ν in correlation with the 8 events observed by the EXPLORER and NAUTILUS detectors in 2001

We report on a search for low-energy neutrino (antineutrino) bursts in correlation with the 8 time coincident events observed by the gravitational waves detectors EXPLORER and NAUTILUS (GWD) during the year 2001. The search, conducted with the LVD detector (INFN Gran Sasso National Laboratory, Italy), has considered several neutrino reactions, corresponding to different neutrino species, and a wide range of time intervals around the (GWD) observed events. No evidence for statistically significant correlated signals in LVD has been found. Assuming two different origins for neutrino emission, the cooling of a neutron star from a core-collapse supernova or from coalescing neutron stars and the accretion of shocked matter, and taking into account neutrino oscillations, we derive limits to the total energy emitted in neutrinos and to the amount of accreting mass, respectively.