First Real Time Detection of Beryllium Solar Neutrinos by Borexino
21.08.2007 —
An international research team including members of the Excellence Cluster ‘Universe’ reports a spectacular experimental finding from Borexino: for the first time researchers succeeded in detecting solar low-energetic neutrinos in real time. In contrast to low-energetic Beryllium neutrinos, their Boron counterparts were thoroughly examined in the past.
The Borexino detector at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso in Italy started its operation just a few months ago. The neutrino trap uses a liquid scintillator with 300 tons of fluid that produces sufficient light to watch low energy neutrino events via elastic scattering by electrons. “The first measurements showed light flashes caused by about 50 neutrinos from Beryllium decay in the core of the detector”, says Lothar Oberauer, member of the Universe Cluster.
Solar neutrinos provide a unique opportunity to observe the nuclear fusion reactions that power the Sun. The energy released by the Sun is the result of a thermonuclear reaction chain triggered by the fusion of four protons to produce one He-4 (Helium) nucleus. The processes following this initial event deliver elements like Be-7 (Beryllium) and B-8 (Boron), accompanied by the emission of neutrinos. While the B-8 neutrinos were intensively studied during the last decade, the Be-7 flux could be directly measured for the first time, thus leveraging the standard solar model. Furthermore the spectroscopic observation of solar neutrinos will provide insight in the fundamental properties of these elementary particles.
Proceed to original publication: http://arxiv.org
Proceed to German press release: www.physik.tu-muenchen.de
Contact:
Technische Universität München
Physik Department, Lehrstuhl für Experimentalphysik-Astroteilchenphysik
Prof. Dr. Lothar Oberauer
James Franck Strasse, 85747 Garching
Telefon:+49 (0)89 289-12509
E-Mail: Lothar.Oberauer@ph.tum.de
Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik
Dr. Stefan Schönert
Saupfercheckweg 1, 69117 Heidelberg
Telefon: +49 (0)6221 516-803
E-Mail: Stefan.Schoenert@mpi-hd.mpg.de
Social Networks
