CeSOX: An experimental test of the sterile neutrino hypothesis with Borexino

Gromov, M.; Agostini, M.; Altenmã¼ller, K.; Appel, S.; Atroshchenko, V.; Bagdasarian, Z.; Basilico, D.; Bellini, G.; Benziger, J.; Bick, D.; Bonfini, G.; Bravo, D.; Caccianiga, B.; Calaprice, F.; Caminata, A.; Caprioli, S.; Carlini, M.; Cavalcante, P.; Chepurnov, A.; Choi, K.; Clouã©, O.; Collica, L.; Cribier, M.; D'Angelo, D.; Davini, S.; Derbin, A.; Ding, X. F.; Di Ludovico, A.; Di Noto, L.; Drachnev, I.; Durero, M.; Farinon, S.; Fischer, V.; Fomenko, K.; Formozov, A.; Franco, D.; Gabriele, F.; Gaffiot, J.; Galbiati, C.; Gschwender, M.; Ghiano, C.; Giammarchi, M.; Goretti, A.; Guffanti, D.; Hagner, C.; Houdy, T.; Hungerford, E.; Ianni, Aldo; Ianni, Andrea; Jonqueres, N.; Jany, A.; Jeschke, D.; Kobychev, V.; Korablev, D.; Korga, G.; Kornoukhov, V.; Kryn, D.; Lachenmaier, T.; Lasserre, T.; Laubenstein, M.; Litvinovich, E.; Lombardi, F.; Lombardi, P.; Ludhova, L.; Lukyanchenko, G.; Lukyanchenko, L.; Machulin, I.; Manuzio, G.; Marcocci, S.; Maricic, J.; Mention, G.; Martyn, J.; Meroni, E.; Meyer, M.; Miramonti, L.; Misiaszek, M.; Muratova, V.; Musenich, R.; Neumair, B.; Oberauer, L.; Opitz, B.; Orekhov, V.; Ortica, F.; Pallavicini, M.; Papp, L.; Penek, O.; Pilipenko, N.; Pocar, A.; Porcelli, A.; Ranucci, G.; Razeto, A.; Re, A.; Redchuk, M.; Romani, A.; Roncin, R.; Rossi, N.; Rottenanger, S.; Schã¶nert, S.; Scola, L.; Semenov, D.; Skorokhvatov, M.; Smirnov, O.; Sotnikov, A.; Stokes, L. F. F.; Suvorov, Y.; Tartaglia, R.; Testera, G.; Thurn, J.; Toropova, M.; Trantel, A.; Unzhakov, E.; Veyssiã©re, C.; Vishneva, A.; Vivier, M.; Vogelaar, R. B.; Von Feilitzsch, F.; Wang, H.; Weinz, S.; Wojcik, M.; Wurm, M.; Yokley, Z.; Zaimidoroga, O.; Zavatarelli, S.; Zuber, K.; Zuzel, G.

doi:10.1088/1742-6596/934/1/012003

The third phase of the Borexino experiment that's referred to as SOX is devoted to test the hypothesis of the existence of one (or more) sterile neutrinos at a short baseline (~5–10m). The experimental measurement will be made with artificial sources namely with a 144Ce–144Pr antineutrino source at the first stage (CeSOX) and possibly with a 51Cr neutrino source at the second one. The fixed 144Ce–144Pr sample will be placed beneath the detector in a special pit and the initial activity will be about 100 – 150 kCi. The start of data taking is scheduled for April 2018. The article gives a short description of the preparation for the first stage and shows the expected sensitivity.