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Verification tests of the GALLEX solar neutrino detector, with 71Ge produced in-situ from the beta-decay of 71As
Previously, it was demonstrated that the GALLEX solar neutrino detector responds properly to low energy neutrinos, by exposing it to two intense 51Cr-neutrino sources; the recovery yield of the product 71Ge was reported to be 93%±8%. New experiments, in which known amounts of radioactive 71As have d...
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Published in: | Physics letters. B 1998-09, Vol.436 (1), p.158-173 |
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Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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Online Access: | Get full text |
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Summary: | Previously, it was demonstrated that the GALLEX solar neutrino detector responds properly to low energy neutrinos, by exposing it to two intense
51Cr-neutrino sources; the recovery yield of the product
71Ge was reported to be 93%±8%. New experiments, in which known amounts of radioactive
71As have decayed to
71Ge in the full-scale gallium detector, strongly support this evidence. In several experiments, the gallium detector has been spiked with
∼10
5
71
As
atoms, under varying conditions of how the
71As was added (either carrier free, or with Ge carrier), how the gallium solution was mixed, and how long the
71Ge remained in the gallium.
71As decays by electron capture and positron emission to
71Ge, with a half life of 2.72 d. Hot atoms are produced by these decay modes with kinematics that mimic solar neutrino capture, although the
51Cr neutrino source provided a more perfect match. This relative disadvantage is offset by the much better statistics obtainable with the
71As. In all
71As experiments, the recovery of
71Ge from the gallium was 100%, with uncertainties of only ±1%. The combined results from the
51Cr sources and the
71As spikes rule out any loss mechanisms for
71Ge, including hot-atom chemical effects. Chemical processes in the aqueous gallium trichloride - hydrochloric acid solution guarantee that the
71Ge atoms formed in the GALLEX target will be quickly converted to extractable, volatile GeCl
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ISSN: | 0370-2693 1873-2445 |
DOI: | 10.1016/S0370-2693(98)00875-2 |