On the importance of low-energy beta beams for supernova neutrino physics

Abstract

Abstract. We show that low-energy beta beams are very well suited to obtain information about supernovaneutrino interactions. Linear combinations of low-energy beta-beam spectra are fitted to supernovaneutrino energy distributions. The resulting synthetic spectra are able to reproduce the response of a nuclear target to an incoming supernova neutrino flux in a very accurate way. This can provide important information about the neutrino response in a terrestrial detector. We illustrate this technique using deuterium and 16 O as target material. The procedure provides an easy and straightforward way to apply the results of a beta-beam neutrino-nucleus measurement to a supernova neutrino detector, virtually eliminating potential uncertainties due to nuclear-structure calculations.PACS. 25.30.Pt Neutrino scattering -26.50.+x Nuclear physics aspects of novae, supernovae, and other explosive environments -97.60.Bw Supernovae -13.15.+g Neutrino interactions

Understanding supernova-neutrino physics using low-energy beta-beams

“…Analysis of the method shows that it is able to distinguish between spectra roughly 1 MeV apart in average energy [3]. Moreover, the reconstruction is stable against experimentally inferred variations in the nuclear cross sections [3].…”

“…This method allows one to predict the supernova-neutrino response directly, starting from a number of beta-beam measurements, but without having to rely on theoretical cross-section predictions. Reversing the fit, the technique provides a way to reconstruct the main parameters of supernova-neutrino energy-distributions from the supernova-signal in a terrestrial detector [3]. Analysis of the method shows that it is able to distinguish between spectra roughly 1 MeV apart in average energy [3].…”

“…Reversing the fit, the technique provides a way to reconstruct the main parameters of supernova-neutrino energy-distributions from the supernova-signal in a terrestrial detector [3]. Analysis of the method shows that it is able to distinguish between spectra roughly 1 MeV apart in average energy [3]. Moreover the reconstruction is stable against experimentally-inferred variations in the nuclear cross-sections [3].…”