The HUNTER Sterile Neutrino Search: Progress Towards a 131-Cs Decay Source

POSTER

Abstract

The HUNTER experiment (Heavy Unseen Neutrinos by Total Energy-Momentum Reconstruction) is a search for sterile neutrinos with keV-scale mass. We will measure on 131-Cs radioactive decays to reconstruct their electron neutrino missing mass, with a probability of measuring a keV sterile neutrino proportional to the coupling sin2(θe4). Charged decay products will be measured by reaction-microscope spectrometers with high solid angle, and the trigger x-ray will be detected using scintillator and silicon photomultiplier arrays, all with sufficient resolution to reconstruct a keV missing mass. The 131-Cs decay source will consist of an actively controlled MOT. The 9.7 d half-life of 131-Cs, along with the goal of running the experiment continuously for one year, present unique challenges for the MOT. We will present progress on the MOT system being developed at UCLA, including demonstration of an efficient thermionic emission-based atomic source.

*We are grateful for the support of the W. M. Keck Foundation and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, which has made this work possible.

Publication: C J Martoff et al 2021 Quantum Sci. Technol. 6 024008

Presenters

  • Eddie Chang

    • University of California, Los Angeles

Authors

  • Eddie Chang

    • University of California, Los Angeles

  • Eric R Hudson

    • UCLA
    • University of California, Los Angeles

  • Paul Hamilton

    • University of California, Los Angeles
    • UCLA

  • Christian Schneider

    • University of California Los Angeles
    • University of California, Los Angeles

  • Peter F Smith

    • University of California Los Angeles

  • Graciela B Gelmini

    • University of California, Los Angeles

  • Alexander Kusenko

    • University of California, Los Angeles

  • Kevork N Abazajian

    • University of California, Irvine

  • Charles J Martoff

    • Temple University

  • Francesco Granato

    • Temple University

  • Victoria Palmaccio

    • Temple University

  • Xunzhen Yu

    • Temple University

  • Andrew L Renshaw

    • University of Houston

  • Frank Malatino

    • University of Houston

  • Peter D Meyers

    • Princeton University

  • Basu Lamichhane

    • Earlham College

  • Guy Ron

    • The Hebrew University of Jerusalem