We propose to detect and to study neutrino neutral current coherent scattering off atomic nuclei with a two-phase emission detector using liquid xenon as a working medium. Expected signals and backgrounds are calculated for two possible experimental sites: Kalinin Nuclear Power Plant in the Russian Federation and Spallation Neutron Source at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the USA. Both sites have advantages as well as limitations. However the experiment looks feasible at either location. Preliminary design of the detector and supporting R&D program are discussed. ___________________________________

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The standard three-neutrino oscillation paradigm, associated with small squared mass splittings ∆m 2 0.1 eV 2 , has been successfully built up over the last 15 years using solar, atmospheric, long baseline accelerator and reactor neutrino experiments. However, this well-established picture might suffer from anomalous results reported at very short baselines in some of these experiments. If not experimental artifacts, such results could possibly be interpreted as the existence of at least an additional fourth sterile neutrino species, mixing with the known active flavors with an associated mass splitting ∆m 2 new 0.01 eV 2 , and being insensitive to standard weak interactions. Precision measurements at very short baselines (5-15 m) with intense MeVνe emitters can be used to probe these anomalies. In this article, the expectedνe signal and backgrounds of a generic experiment which consists of deploying an intense β − radioactive source inside or in the vicinity of a large liquid scintillator detector are studied. The technical challenges to perform such an experiment are identified, along with quantifying the possible source and detector induced systematics, and their impact on the sensitivity to the observation of neutrino oscillations at short baselines.

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We propose to test for short baseline neutrino oscillations, implied by the recent reevaluation of the reactor antineutrino flux and by anomalous results from the gallium solar neutrino detectors. The test will consist of producing a 75 kCi 144 Ce -144 Pr antineutrino source to be deployed in the Kamioka Liquid Scintillator Anti-Neutrino Detector (KamLAND). KamLANDs 13 m diameter target volume provides a suitable environment to measure energy and position dependence of the detected neutrino flux. A characteristic oscillation pattern would be visible for a baseline of about 10 m or less, providing a very clean signal of neutrino disappearance into a yet-unknown, sterile state. Such a measurement will be free of any reactor-related uncertainties. After 1.5 years of data taking the Reactor Antineutrino Anomaly parameter space will be tested at > 95% C.L.