Concept for a space-based near-solar neutrino detector

Abstract

The concept of putting a neutrino detector in close orbit of the Sun has been unexplored until very recently. The primary scientific return is to vastly enhance our understanding of the solar interior, which is a major NASA goal. Preliminary calculations show that such a spacecraft, if properly shielded, can operate in space environments while taking data from neutrino interactions. These interactions can be distinguished from random background rates of solar electromagnetic emissions, galactic charged cosmic-rays, and gamma-rays by using a double pulsed signature. Early simulations of this project have shown this veto schemes to be successful in eliminating background and identifying the neutrino interaction signal in upwards of 75% of gamma ray interactions and nearly 100% of other interactions. Hence, we propose a new instrument to explore and study the Sun. Due to inverse square scaling, this instrument has the potential to outperform Earth-based experiments in several domains such as making measurements not accessible from the Earth’s orbit.