Attempt to observe the Cl37(νˉe)^{37}(\bar{\nu}e^-)Ar37^{37} reaction induced by reactor antineutrinos

Apr, 1959
1 page
Published in:
  • Bull.Am.Phys.Soc. 4 (1959) 217

Citations per year

19591975199120072023012345
Abstract:
An experiment has been performed to test whether fission product antineutrinos will invert the electron capture decay of Ar37^{37} by the reaction Cl37(νˉ,e)^{37}(\bar{\nu},e^-)Ar37^{37}. Three thousand gallons of carbon tetrachloride were exposed to the high antineutrino flux from a production reactor at the Savannah River plant. The argon-37 was isolated and counted in a low level counter. The cross section for this process was found to be less than 0.25 x 1045^{-45} cm2^2, a factor of 20 below the cross section calculated assuming neutrino-antineutrino identity. The result is consistent with the principle of lepton conservation. Argon-37 was observed in the experiment produced by cosmic radiation and fast neutrons. The Ar37^{37} observed in the experiment can be used to set an upper limit on the product of the solar neutrino flux and the average cross section for the neutrino capture reaction: ϕσˉ<1.1×1033\phi\bar{\sigma} < 1.1 \times 10^{-33} disintegrations sec1^{-1}.
0 References