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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
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
4138 Physics Research Building

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.