Borexino: Geo-neutrino measurement at Gran Sasso, Italy

Agostini, M.; Altenmuller, K.; Appel, S.; Bellini, G.; Benziger, J.; Bick, D.; Bonfini, G.; Bravo, D.; Caccianiga, B.; Calaprice, F.; Caminata, A.; Cavalcante, P.; Chepurnov, A.; D'Angelo, D.; Davini, S.; Derbin, A.; Di Noto, L.; Drachnev, I.; Etenko, A.; Fomenko, K.; Formozov, A.; Franco, D.; Gabriele, F.; Galbiati, C.; Ghiano, C.; Giammarchi, M.; Goger-Neff, M.; Goretti, A.; Gromov, M.; Hagner, C.; Hungerford, E.; Ianni, A.; Ianni, A.; Jedrzejczak, K.; Jeschke, D.; Kobychev, V.; Korablev, D.; Korga, G.; Kryn, D.; Laubenstein, M.; Lehnert, B.; Litvinovich, E.; Lombardi, F.; Lombardi, P.; Ludhova, L.; Lukyanchenko, G.; Machulin, I.; Manecki, S.; Maneschg, W.; Marcocci, S.; Meroni, E.; Meyer, M.; Miramonti, L.; Misiaszek, M.; Montuschi, M.; Mosteiro, P.; Muratova, V.; Neumair, B.; Oberauer, L.; Obolensky, M.; Ortica, F.; Pallavicini, M.; Papp, L.; Perasso, L.; Pocar, A.; Ranucci, G.; Razeto, A.; Re, A.; Romani, A.; Roncin, R.; Rossi, N.; Schonert, S.; Semenov, D.; Simgen, H.; Skorokhvatov, M.; Smirnov, O.; Sotnikov, A.; Sukhotin, S.; Suvorov, Y.; Tartaglia, R.; Testera, G.; Thurn, J.; Toropova, M.; Unzhakov, E.; Vishneva, A.; Vogelaar, R. B.; Feilitzsch, F. V.; Wang, H.; Weinz, S.; Winter, J.; Wojcik, M.; Wurm, M.; Yokley, Z.; Zaimidoroga, O.; Zavatarelli, S.; Zuber, K.; Zuzel, G.

doi:10.4401/ag-7389

Geo-neutrinos, electron anti-neutrinos produced in b-decays of naturally occurring radioactive isotopes in the Earth, are a unique direct probe of our planet’s interior. After a brief introduction of the geo-neutrinos’ properties and of the main aims of their study, we discuss the features of a detector which has recently provided breakthrough achievements in the field, Borexino, a massive, calorimetric liquid scintillator detector installed at the underground Gran Sasso Laboratory. With its unprecedented ra-diopurity levels achieved in the core of the detection medium, it is the only experiment in operation able to study in real time solar neutrino interactions in the challenging sub-MeV energy region. Its superior technical properties allowed Borexino also to provide a clean detection of terrestrial neutrinos. Therefore, the description of the characteristics of the detected geo-neutrino signal and of the corresponding geological implications are the main core of the discussion contained in this work.

Borexino: Geo-neutrino measurement at Gran Sasso, Italy

Agostini M.;Altenmuller K.;Appel S.;Bellini G.;Benziger J.;Bick D.;Bonfini G.;Bravo D.;Caccianiga B.;Calaprice F.;Caminata A.;Cavalcante P.;Chepurnov A.;D'angelo D.;Davini S.;Derbin A.;Di Noto L.;Drachnev I.;Etenko A.;Fomenko K.;Formozov A.;Franco D.;Gabriele F.;Galbiati C.;Ghiano C.;Giammarchi M.;Goger-Neff M.;Goretti A.;Gromov M.;Hagner C.;Hungerford E.;Ianni A.;Ianni A.;Jedrzejczak K.;Jeschke D.;Kobychev V.;Korablev D.;Korga G.;Kryn D.;Laubenstein M.;Lehnert B.;Litvinovich E.;Lombardi F.;Lombardi P.;Ludhova L.;Lukyanchenko G.;Machulin I.;Manecki S.;Maneschg W.;Marcocci S.;Meroni E.;Meyer M.;Miramonti L.;Misiaszek M.;Montuschi M.;Mosteiro P.;Muratova V.;Neumair B.;Oberauer L.;Obolensky M.;Ortica F.;Pallavicini M.;Papp L.;Perasso L.;Pocar A.;Ranucci G.;Razeto A.;Re A.;Romani A.;Roncin R.;Rossi N.;Schonert S.;Semenov D.;Simgen H.;Skorokhvatov M.;Smirnov O.;Sotnikov A.;Sukhotin S.;Suvorov Y.;Tartaglia R.;Testera G.;Thurn J.;Toropova M.;Unzhakov E.;Vishneva A.;Vogelaar R. B.;Feilitzsch F. V.;Wang H.;Weinz S.;Winter J.;Wojcik M.;Wurm M.;Yokley Z.;Zaimidoroga O.;Zavatarelli S.;Zuber K.;Zuzel G.

2017-01-01

Abstract

Geo-neutrinos, electron anti-neutrinos produced in b-decays of naturally occurring radioactive isotopes in the Earth, are a unique direct probe of our planet’s interior. After a brief introduction of the geo-neutrinos’ properties and of the main aims of their study, we discuss the features of a detector which has recently provided breakthrough achievements in the field, Borexino, a massive, calorimetric liquid scintillator detector installed at the underground Gran Sasso Laboratory. With its unprecedented ra-diopurity levels achieved in the core of the detection medium, it is the only experiment in operation able to study in real time solar neutrino interactions in the challenging sub-MeV energy region. Its superior technical properties allowed Borexino also to provide a clean detection of terrestrial neutrinos. Therefore, the description of the characteristics of the detected geo-neutrino signal and of the corresponding geological implications are the main core of the discussion contained in this work.