Quasiparticle Random Phase Approximation of Inelastic Neutrino-Lead Scattering (2015)

Undergraduate: Michael Sokoletsky

Faculty Advisor: Jonathan Engel
Department: Physics & Astronomy

---

Understanding how subatomic particles called neutrinos work is one of the biggest challenges in contemporary physics. Unfortunately, not only is it difficult to construct experiments that can detect them, but it is also often difficult to distinguish the detection of neutrinos from the detection of other particles. In this study, we tackle the latter challenge by considering one possible source of such non-neutrino particles -- lead shielding surrounding the experiments. Although designed to repel background neutrinos, lead shielding can also react with the experimental neutrinos to produce more particles called neutrons. An analysis of such reactions is carried out in several stages. First, models from nuclear physics are used to understand the different states lead can be in. Second, these models are combined with the theory of how neutrinos react with matter to find out how likely they are to react with lead. Finally, statistical methods are used to determine the number of neutrons produced in these reactions. Our analysis can ultimately help scientists account for the presence of neutrons in neutrino detection experiments, thereby improving their accuracy.