Astro/Particle Seminar

The Calibration Systems for the Borexino Solar Neutrino Experiment

Jose Maneira
Queen's University

Time
Tue. November 19, 2002     11:30 AM     Room 201

Abstract

Borexino is a new underground, real-time detector for low-energy solar neutrinos in construction at the Gran Sasso National Laboratories (LNGS), in Italy. The detection medium is 300 tons of liquid scintillator which, due to its high light output, allows the study of the sub-MeV Be-7 solar neutrinos. The low energy threshold, however, requires extremely low radioactivity background levels, and this constraint was determinant in the design of several of the detector sub-systems. So, for calibration and monitoring of the detector response, in addition to a source positioner inside the active volume, several non-invasive methods were developed, in which the hardware is external to the ultra-pure scintillator in order to minimize contamination risk. After reviewing the goals, design and status of the experiment, this talk will focus on the strategies and design of the various calibration subsystems.

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