Etudes des proprietes des neutrinos dans les contextes ...

tel-00450051, version 1 - 25 Jan 2010
Noνa
Intended to be the successor to MINOS, NOνA will consist of two detectors, one
at Fermilab (the near detector), and one in northern Minnesota (the far detector).
Neutrinos from NuMI will pass through 810 km of Earth to reach the far detector.
NOνA’s main goal is to observe the oscillation of muon to electron neutrinos. If a
non-zero value of θ13 is resolvable by the experiment, it will be possible to obtain
measurements of δ and the mass ordering by also observing the process νµ → νe.
2.5.2 Future long-term experiments
Among the future long-term projects are the Megaton detector experiments and
the experiments designed to measure the hardly reachable CP-violating phase δ.
The Megaton detectors
A series of experimental and theoretical studies are being conducted to assess the
astro particle physics potential of future large scale particle detectors as the next
generation underground observatories [18]. Three type of detection techniques
have been proposed all based on the use of large mass of liquid as active media:
the liquid argon (like in GLACIER), the liquid scintillator (LENA) and the water
Cherenkov (MEMPHYS [46], Hyper Kamiokande, UNO). The purpose for such
massive detectors, is multidisciplinary and may answer to the still remaining proton
decay question. Moreover, their potentiality is enormous in neutrino physics,
and more generally in the astro-particle field. It could improve the sensitivity
to known neutrino parameters, investigate the solar and atmospheric neutrino
more deeply, look for geoneutrinos, give tremendous information if a supernova
explosion occur, and even yield information about relic neutrino fluxes. Last but
not least, it would allow the exploration of a very small θ13 and the CP-violation
in the leptonic sector, if used in conjunction with future long-term neutrino accelerator
facilities.
1. Water Cherenkov.
As the cheapest available (active) target material, water is the only liquid
that is realistic for extremely large detectors, up to several hundreds or 1
thousand of kton. Water Cherenkov detectors have sufficiently good resolution
in energy, position. The technology is well proven, as previously used
e.g. in Kamiokande and Super-Kamiokande experiments.
2. Liquid scintillator.
Experiments using a liquid scintillator as active target provide high-energy
and angle resolution and offer low-energy threshold. They are particularly
attractive for low energy particle detection, as for example, supernoae, solar
neutrinos and geo-neutrinos. Also liquid scintillator detectors exploits a well
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