Search

Existence of hypothetical fourth neutrino, so-called sterile neutrino, is one of open issues in the particle and neutrino physics. This fourth neutrino is a candidate for explaining some anomalies reported in LSND, MiniBoone, reactor experiments, and gallium experiments. To search for the existence of the sterile neutrino, we report detailed analysis of a feasible experiment for short baseline electron antineutrino (${\bar{\nu}}_{e}$) disappearance study, in which a ${\bar{\nu}}_{e}$ source from $^{8}$Li generator is considered under non-accelerator system. For $^{8}$Li production, we suggest to use $^{252}$Cf source as an intense neutron emitter, by which one can produce $^{8}$Li isotope through $^{7}$Li(n,$\gamma$)$^{8}$Li reaction, effectively. Using the $^{8}$Li generator, one does not need any accelerator or reactor facilities because the generator can be placed on any present and/or planned neutrino detectors as closely as possible. For the effect of the possible sterile neutrinos, we estimate expected neutrino flux and event rates from the neutrino source scheme, and show neutrino disappearance features and possible reaction rate changes by the sterile neutrino using the spectral shape analysis.

To investigate the existence of sterile neutrino, we propose a new neutrino production method using $^{13}$C beams and a $^{9}$Be target for short-baseline electron antineutrino (${\bar{\nu}}_{e}$) disappearance study. The production of secondary unstable isotopes which can emit neutrinos from the $^{13}$C + $^{9}$Be reaction is calculated with three different nucleus-nucleus (AA) reaction models. Different isotope yields are obtained using these models, but the results of the neutrino flux are found to have unanimous similarities. This feature gives an opportunity to study neutrino oscillation through shape analysis. In this work, expected neutrino flux and event rates are discussed in detail through intensive simulation of the light ion collision reaction and the neutrino flux from the beta decay of unstable isotopes followed by this collision. Together with the reactor and accelerator anomalies, the present proposed ${\bar{\nu}}_{e}$ source is shown to be a practically alternative test of the existence of the $\Delta m^{2}$ $\sim$ 1 eV$^{2}$ scale sterile neutrino.

We have developed MICROMEGAS (MICRO MEsh GASeous) detectors for detecting {\alpha} particles emitted from an 241-Am standard source. The voltage applied to the ionization region of the detector is optimized for stable operation at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. The energy of {\alpha} particles from the 241-Am source can be varied by changing the flight path of the {\alpha} particle from the 241 Am source. The channel numbers of the experimentally-measured pulse peak positions for different energies of the {\alpha} particles are associated with the energies deposited by the alpha particles in the ionization region of the detector as calculated by using GEANT4 simulations; thus, the energy calibration of the MICROMEGAS detector for {\alpha} particles is done. For the energy calibration, the thickness of the ionization region is adjusted so that {\alpha} particles may completely stop in the ionization region and their kinetic energies are fully deposited in the region. The efficiency of our MICROMEGAS detector for {\alpha} particles under the present conditions is found to be ~ 97.3 %.

A new scheme for the short baseline electron antineutrino (${\bar{\nu}}_{e}$) disappearance study is investigated. We propose to use an intense neutron emitter, $^{252}$Cf, which produces $^{8}$Li isotope through the $^{7}$Li(n,$\gamma$)$^{8}$Li reaction; $^{8}$Li is a ${\bar{\nu}}_{e}$ emitter via $\beta^{-}$ decay. Because this ${\bar{\nu}}_{e}$ source needs neither accelerator nor reactor facilities, the ${\bar{\nu}}_{e}$ can be placed on any neutrino detectors as closely as possible. This short baseline circumstance with a suitable detector enables us to study the existence of possible sterile neutrinos, in particular, on 1 eV mass scale. Also, complementary comparison studies among different neutrino detectors can become feasible by using ${\bar{\nu}}_{e}$ from the $^{8}$Li source. As an example, applications to hemisphere and cylinder shape scintillator detectors are performed in detail with the expectation signal modification by the sterile neutrino. Sensitivities to mass and mixing angles of sterile neutrinos are also presented for comparison with those of other neutrino experiments.

Production of a neutrino source through proton induced reaction is studied by using the particle transport code, GEANT4. Unstable isotope such as $^{27}$Si can be produced when $^{27}$Al target is bombarded by 15 MeV energetic proton beams. Through the beta decay process of the unstable isotope, a new electron-neutrino source in the 1.0 $\sim$ 5.0 MeV energy range is obtained. Proton induced reactions are simulated with JENDL High Energy File 2007 (JENDL/HE-2007) data and other nuclear data. For radioactive decay processes, we use "G4RadioactiveDecay" model based on the Evaluated Nuclear Structure Data File (ENSDF). We suggest target systems required for future's solar neutrino experiments, in particular, for the vacuum-matter transition region. As for the detection system of the new neutrino source, we evaluate reaction rates for available radiochemical detectors and LENA type scintillator detector. Possibility of detecting sterile neutrinos is also discussed.

We develop a new hadronic model for GEANT4 that is specialized for the disintegration of the deuteron by photons, $d\gamma \to n p$. For the description of two-nucleon interactions, we employ a pionless effective field theory with dibaryon fields (dEFT). We apply the new model of GEANT4 (G4dEFT) to the calculations of the total and the differential cross sections in $d\gamma \to n p$ and compare the results with empirical data. As an application of the new model, we calculate the neutron yield from the $\gamma + {\rm CD}_2$ process. G4dEFT predicts peaks for the neutron yield, but the existing model of GEANT4 does not show such behavior., Comment: published in the Journal of Korean Physical Society

A so-called "two-step reaction scheme", in which neutron-rich rare isotopes obtained from ISOL are post-accelerated and bombarded on a second target, is employed to estimate the production yields of exotic rare isotopes. The production yields of neutron-rich rare isotope fragments induced by 200 MeV/u $^{132}$Sn beams bombarded on a $^{9}$Be target are estimated with Monte Carlo code, GEANT4. To substantiate the use of GEANT4 for this study, benchmark calculations are done for 80 MeV/u $^{59}$Co, 95 MeV/u $^{72}$Zn, 500 MeV/u $^{92}$Mo, and 950 MeV/u $^{132}$Sn beams on the $^{9}$Be target. It is found that $^{132}$Sn beams can produce neutron-rich rare isotopes with 45 $\leq$ Z $\leq$ 50 more effectively than $^{238}$U beams at the same energy per nucleon.

A new data-based charge exchange model of GEANT4 dedicated to the $^{9}$Be(p,n)$^{9}$B reaction is developed by taking the ENDF/B-VII.1 differential cross-section data as input. Our model yields results that are in good agreement with the experimental neutron yield spectrum data obtained for proton beams of energy $(20\sim35)$ MeV. In particular, in contrast to all the considered GEANT4 hadronic models, the peak structure resulting from the discrete neutrons generated by the charge-exchange reaction is observed to be accurately reproduced in our model.

Neutron shielding simulations by using GEANT4 and PHITS code are performed. As a neutron source, $^{252}$Cf is considered and the energy distribution of the neutrons emitted from $^{252}$Cf is assumed the Watt fission spectrum. The neutron dose equivalent rates with and without the shield are estimated for shielding materials such as graphite, iron, polyethylene, NS-4-FR and KRAFTON-HB. For the neutron shielding simulations by using GEANT4, high precision (G4HP) model with G4NDL 4.2 based on ENDF-VII data are used. And for PHITS simulations, JENDL-4.0 library are used for the same purpose. It is found that differences between the shielding calculations by using GEANT4 with G4NDL 4.2 and PHITS with JENDL-4.0 library are not significant for all cases considered in this work. We investigate the accuracy of the neutron dose equivalent rates obtained from GEANT4 and PHITS by comparing our simulation results with experimental data and other values calculated earlier. Calculated neutron dose equivalent rates agree well with the experimental dose equivalent rates within 20% errors except for polyethylene. For polyethylene material, discrepancy between the calculations and the experiments are up to 40% but all simulations show consistent features.

The percentage depth dose distributions in inhomogeneous phantoms with lung and bone equivalent media are studied. For lung equivalent media a Balsa wood is used, and for a soft bone equivalent media a compound material with epoxy resin, hardener and calcium carbonate is used. Polystyrene slabs put together with these materials are used as an inhomogeneous phantom. Dose measurements are performed with Gafchromic EBT film by using photon beams from 6MV CyberKnife at the Seoul Uridul Hospital. The cone sizes of the photon beams are varied from 5, 10 to 30 mm. As a simulation tool GEANT4 Monte Carlo code v9.4.p02 is used. When the Balsa wood is inserted in the phantom, the dose measured with EBT film is found to be significantly different from the dose without the EBT film in and beyond the Balsa wood region, particularly for small field sizes. On the other hand, when the soft bone equivalent material is inserted in the phantom, discrepancy between the dose measured with EBT film and the dose without EBT film can be seen only in the region of bone equivalent material. GEANT4 simulations are done with and without the EBT film to compare the simulation results with measurements. We find that the simulations including EBT film agree with the measurements for all the cases within an error of $2.2\%$. Also, we find the "doses to phantom" without the EBT film differ from the "doses to film" up to $29\%$, which shows that for accurate dose estimations for inhomogeneous phantoms with EBT film the presence of the EBT film needs to be taken into account properly in particular for small fields.

Weak interactions in two-nucleon system at low energies are explored in the framework of effective field theory. We review our recent calculations of parity-violating observables in radiative neutron capture on a proton at threshold where both pionful and pionless theories are employed., Comment: Contribution to SSP2009, Taiwan, June2-5, 2009

Low energy proton-proton scattering is studied in pionless effective field theory. Employing the dimensional regularization and MS-bar and power divergence subtraction schemes for loop calculation, we calculate the scattering amplitude in 1S0 channel up to next-to-next-to leading order and fix low-energy constants that appear in the amplitude by effective range parameters. We study regularization scheme and scale dependence in separation of Coulomb interaction from the scattering length and effective range for the S-wave proton-proton scattering., Comment: 23 pages, 6 eps figures, revised considerably, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. C