Double Beta Decay

Neodymium, a rare earth element, will be added to the liquid scintillator in SNO+ (at 0.1% by weight). This will enable a search for neutrinoless double beta decay of the isotope 150Nd. Discovery of this rare decay process would reveal whether neutrinos are their own antiparticles or not and can determine the absolute neutrino mass scale.

Low Energy Solar Neutrinos

SNO+ will detect solar neutrinos with lower energies than SNO. This will enable precision studies of neutrino oscillations and the coupling between neutrinos and dense matter. SNO+ will detect the pep and CNO solar neutrinos, helping us understand the nuclear reactions that power the Sun.

Supernova Neutrinos

SNO+ can detect the huge burst of neutrinos which comes from a supernova – the collapse and explosion of a massive star – in our galaxy. Analysis of these neutrinos will add much to the understanding of these important astrophysical processes and provide a glimpse at neutrino properties (neutrino mass and mixing) that are affected by energetic and dense astrophysical environments.

Collaborating Institutions

Queen’s UniversityUniversity of Alberta Laurentian University SNOLABTRIUMFBrookhaven National LaboratoryUniversity of California, BerkeleyUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of WashingtonArmstrong Atlantic State UniversityBlack Hills State UniversityUniversity of North CarolinaUniversity of OxfordUniversity of SussexQueen Mary University of LondonUniversity of LeedsUniversity of LiverpoolUniversity of SheffieldLIP Lisbon and CoimbraTU-Dresden

Project Milestones and ScheduleApr 05 NSERC-funded R&D begins

Nov 06 SNO detector switched off

Apr 07 NSF funds SNO+ research group in the US

May 07 SNO heavy water removed, inspections begin

Aug 07 SNOLAB approves SNO+ space & resources

Jan 08 IPP approves SNO+ as an official IPP project

Apr 08 NSERC funds transition, construction activities

Sep 08 FedNor support for development of SNO+ CFI

Jun 09 CFI funds the SNO+ and DEAP Projects

Feb 10 STFC awards funds to SNO+ UK

Sep 10 FCT Portugal funding of LIP Lisbon and Coimbra

Sep 11 Anchors and floor liner installed in Cavity

Oct 11 New SNO+ electronics installed

Jan 12 Hold-down rope net installed on AV

Feb 12 First SNO+ air-filled detector running

Summer 12 Sanding of AV to remove radon isotopes

Fall 12 Begin installation of scintillator purification plant.

Early 2013 commissioning scintillator process systems

Early 2013 SNO+ water-filled detector running

Mid 2013 Begin filling SNO+ with liquid scintillator

Mid 2013 START OF SNO+ DATA TAKING!

The SNO+ acrylic vessel filled with liquid scintillator (0.86 g/cm3) will be buoyant. A new hold-down system with a rope net has been installed on top of the vessel, and is tied to the floor anchors.

the successor experiment to the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory

Now that the SNO experiment has completed taking data and has returned its heavy water, the detector is being renovated and upgraded in order to fill its core with liquid scintillator, turning it into a new experiment.

SNO+ scientists have developed a new liquid scintillator for use in neutrino experiments. Linear alkylbenzene is the basis of a safe and inexpensive scintillating liquid that gives off 50-100 times more light than water.

The linear alkylbenzene that has the best optical properties is produced by Petresa Canada’s plant in Bécancour, QC.

Existing SNO phototubes (being inspected in the photo above) will detect the scintillation light.

Geo Neutrinos

The Earth glows with anti-neutrinos because of the natural radioactivity of its interior, mainly from uranium and thorium. SNO+ can detect these geo neutrinos. How much of Earth’s heat is radiogenic? What models of Earth’s chemical origin are valid? Composition of the continental crust? SNO+ data will help answer these questions. The local geology around Sudbury is well characterized, making this an ideal site for geo neutrino measurements.

Known process

Does this exist?

Neutrino Physics Goals of SNO+

Work in the SNO Cavity (in the photos above and right) to install anchors in the floor.

SNO+ is a multi-purpose neutrino detector that addresses questions in diverse fields including particle physics, astrophysics and geosciences.

Rope net installation from atop the phototube structure (photo above).

Reactor Neutrinos

Nuclear power reactors emit anti-neutrinos that SNO+ will detect. SNO+ will study reactor neutrino oscillations, probing physics beyond the Standard Model.

Detector operator “watching” for a burst of supernova neutrinos.