This thesis highlights the development and analysis of multiple neutrino detectors deployed to the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory as part of the COHERENT experiment. It includes a preliminary measurement of the neutrino-induced neutron cross section on lead, and analysis that led to the first inclusive electron-neutrino charged-current measurement on iodine. These results add to the small number of inelastic neutrino-nucleus cross sections measured in this energy range, which are useful for understanding supernova and solar neutrino detection sensitivity. Additionally, it discusses preliminary work for and design of COHERENT’s ton-scale NaI coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CEvNS) detector, currently being deployed to the SNS. Finally, it includes information on a campaign to measure the nuclear recoil quenching factor of NaI using multiple crystals, attempting to resolve inconsistencies with existing measurements.

NuInt07, the fifth in a series of international workshops, was held at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia, IL. It was the successful continuation of a series of workshops focused solely on the understanding and measurement of low energy neutrino-nucleus interactions. Neutrino cross sections in the few-GeV energy range are an important ingredient for neutrino oscillation experiments as well as being interesting in their own right. Such measurements and their accompanying theoretical calculations had not been updated for decades. The goal of this workshop series has been to remedy this situation by providing an environment where both experimentalists and theorists in nuclear and high energy physics can come together to review and discuss recent progress in neutrino-nucleus measurements and calculations.

The study of neutrinos and their interaction with matter has made many important contributions to our present knowledge of physics. This advanced text introduces neutrino physics and presents a theoretical framework for describing relativistic particles. It gives a pedagogical description of the neutrino, its properties, the standard model of electroweak interactions, and neutrino scattering from leptons and nucleons. Focusing on the role of nuclear effects, the discussion extends to various processes of quasielastic, inelastic, and deep inelastic scattering from nucleons and nuclei. Neutrino sources, detection and oscillation, along with the role of neutrinos in astrophysics and motivation for the need of physics beyond the standard model are discussed in detail. This topical book will stimulate new ideas and avenues for research, and will form a valuable resource for advanced students and researchers working in the field of neutrino physics.

This thesis describes the experimental work that finally led to a successful measurement of coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering—a process proposed forty-three years ago. The experiment was performed at the Spallation Neutron Source facility, sited at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, in Tennessee. Of all known particles, neutrinos distinguish themselves for being the hardest to detect, typically requiring large multi-ton devices for the job. The process measured here involves the difficult detection of very weak signals arising from nuclear recoils (tiny neutrino-induced “kicks” to atomic nuclei), but leads to a much larger probability of neutrino interaction when compared to all other known mechanisms. As a result of this, “neutrino technologies” using miniaturized detectors (the author's was handheld and weighed only 14 kg) become a possibility. A large community of researchers plans to continue studying this process, facilitating an exploration of fundamental neutrino properties that is presently beyond the sensitivity of other methods.

Neutrinos play a key role in many areas of particle physics, nuclear physics and astrophysics. The recent discovery of neutrino oscillation has given the first hint of new physics beyond the standard model. Clearly, it is extremely important to study further the oscillation and other fundamental properties of neutrinos. It is also important to improve our knowledge of neutrino-nucleus reactions, which are crucial for understanding a large class of astrophysical phenomena. These and many other interesting questions can be investigated at stopped pion neutrino facilities like the one planned for the Spallation Neutron Source at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The purpose of the Carolina Symposium was twofold: (1) to explore and exchange ideas on the latest developments in general frontiers of neutrino physics and related fields; (2) to address specific issues pertaining to the above-mentioned stopped pion neutrino facility. Among the topics covered in the proceedings are: cosmology and neutrino; standard model tests with neutrinos; neutrino oscillation, experiments and theories; dark matter search; double beta-decay; rare events detection techniques; the solar neutrino problem; supernova explosion; nucleosynthesis; and the ORLaND project.

Neutrinos in Cosmology, Astro, Particle and Nuclear Physics