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Nuclear Physics Seminar - Shirley Li (The Ohio State University) New Opportunities with Solar Neutrinos

Shirley Li - The Ohio State University
October 17, 2016
1:30PM - 2:30PM
4138 Physics Research Building

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Add to Calendar 2016-10-17 13:30:00 2016-10-17 14:30:00 Nuclear Physics Seminar - Shirley Li (The Ohio State University) New Opportunities with Solar Neutrinos Crucial questions about solar neutrinos remain unanswered. Our knowledge of stellar fusion processes and neutrinos themselves is incomplete.  Neutrino detectors such as Super-Kamiokande have the exposure needed, but backgrounds are limiting.  A leading background is the beta decays of isotopes produced by cosmic-ray muons and their secondary particles, which initiate nuclear spallation reactions.  I will discuss my comprehensive studies of the spallation backgrounds, from calculating their production rates, to understanding their production mechanisms, to how to implement better background rejection methods.  I will also discuss how our work will enable better probes of both solar and neutrino physics.  4138 Physics Research Building Department of Physics physics@osu.edu America/New_York public

Crucial questions about solar neutrinos remain unanswered.

 Our knowledge of stellar fusion processes and neutrinos themselves is incomplete.  Neutrino detectors such as Super-Kamiokande have the exposure needed, but backgrounds are limiting.  A leading background is the beta decays of isotopes produced by cosmic-ray muons and their secondary particles, which initiate nuclear spallation reactions.  I will discuss my comprehensive studies of the spallation backgrounds, from calculating their production rates, to understanding their production mechanisms, to how to implement better background rejection methods.  I will also discuss how our work will enable better probes of both solar and neutrino physics.