Production of electron neutrinos at nuclear power reactors and the prospects for neutrino physics

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Abstract

High flux of electron neutrinos(${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\mathrm{e}}$) is produced at nuclear power reactors through the decays of nuclei activated by neutron capture. Realistic simulation studies on the neutron transport and capture at the reactor core were performed. The production of $^{51}\mathrm{C}\mathrm{r}$ and $^{55}\mathrm{F}\mathrm{e}$ give rise to monoenergetic ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\mathrm{e}}$'s at Q-values of 753 keV and 231 keV and fluxes of $8.3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ and $3.0\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\mathrm{e}}/\mathrm{fission}$, respectively. Using data from a germanium detector at the Kuo-Sheng Power Plant, we derived direct limits on the ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\mathrm{e}}$ magnetic moment and the radiative lifetime of ${\ensuremath{\mu}}_{\ensuremath{\nu}}<1.3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}8}{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{\mathrm{B}}$ and ${\ensuremath{\tau}}_{\ensuremath{\nu}}/{\mathrm{m}}_{\ensuremath{\nu}}>0.11\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{s}/\mathrm{eV}$ at $90%$ confidence level (CL), respectively. Indirect bounds on ${\ensuremath{\tau}}_{\ensuremath{\nu}}/{\mathrm{m}}_{\ensuremath{\nu}}^{3}$ were also inferred. The ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\mathrm{e}}$-flux can be enhanced by loading selected isotopes to the reactor core, and the potential applications and achievable statistical accuracies were examined. These include accurate cross-section measurements, studies of mixing angle ${\ensuremath{\theta}}_{13}$ and monitoring of plutonium production.

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