Abstract
We propose modifying large water Čerenkov detectors by the addition of 0.2% gadolinium trichloride, which is highly soluble, newly inexpensive, and transparent in solution. Since Gd has an enormous cross section for radiative neutron capture, with , this would make neutrons visible for the first time in such detectors, allowing antineutrino tagging by the coincidence detection reaction (similarly for ). Taking Super-Kamiokande as a working example, dramatic consequences for reactor neutrino measurements, first observation of the diffuse supernova neutrino background, galactic supernova detection, and other topics are discussed.
- Received 25 September 2003
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.93.171101
©2004 American Physical Society