Sterile Neutrino Search Using China Advanced Research Reactor

Abstract

We study the feasibility of a sterile neutrino search at the China Advanced Research Reactor by measuring $\bar{\hat{I}}{½}_e$ survival probability with a baseline of less than 15 m. Both hydrogen and deuteron have been considered as potential targets. The sensitivity to sterile-to-regular neutrino mixing is investigated under the "3(active)+1(sterile)" framework. We find that the mixing parameter ${\sin }^2(2\hat{I}{¸}_{14})$ can be severely constrained by such measurement if the mass square difference $\hat{I}”m_{14}^2$ is of the order of $\sim$1 eV${}^2$.

27 pages, 11 figures