Liquid Scintillator: when it’s clearly a good choice to when it’s unclear?

Mark Chen,
Queen's University
 

Abstract

In this colloquium, I’ll talk about liquid scintillator neutrino detectors. SNO+ is the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) filled with liquid scintillator. I’ll present recent (preliminary) results from SNO+ including measurements of the oscillation of neutrinos from nuclear power reactors in Ontario and the detection of geoneutrinos. I’ll also describe the upcoming 3rd phase of SNO+ that will dissolve tellurium in the liquid scintillator to search for neutrinoless double beta decay, seeking to understand the origin of neutrino mass and their matter-antimatter properties. If time permits, I’ll also talk about some of my recent research on “opaque” liquid scintillators.

Timbits, coffee, tea will be served in STI A before the colloquium.