Hanohano:A Deep Ocean Antineutrino Observatory

Abstract

This paper presents the science potential of a deep ocean antineutrino observatory being developed at Hawaii and elsewhere. The observatory design allows for relocation from one site to another. Positioning the observaory some 60 km distant from a nuclear reactor complex enables preecision measurement of neutrino mixing parameters, leading to a determination of neutrino mass hierarchy and theta_13. At a mid-Pacific location, the observatory measures the flux of uranium and thorium decay series antineutrinos from earth's mantle and performs a sensitive search for a hypothetical natural fission reactor in earth's core. A subequent deployment at another mid-ocean location would test lateral homogeneity of uranium and thorium in earth's mantle. These measurements have significance for earth energy studies.

Comments: Poster presented at ICHEP08, Philadelphia, USA, July 2008. 3 pages. PDF