Neutrino detector

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A neutrino detector is a device designed to detect neutrinos. Because neutrinos are very weakly interacting, neutrino detectors must be very large in order to detect a significant number of neutrinos. Neutrino detectors are often built underground in order to isolate the detector from cosmic rays and other radiational background.

Various detection methods have been used. Super Kamiokande is a large volume of water surrounded by phototubes that watch for the Cherenkov radiation emitted with an incoming neutrino creates an electron or muon in the water. The Sudbury Neutrino Observatory is similar, but uses heavy water as the detecting medium. Other detectors have consisted of large volumes of chlorine or gallium which are periodically checked for excesses of argon or germanium, respectively, which are created by neutrinos interacting with the original substance. MINOS uses solid plastic scintillator watched by phototubes, Borexino uses liquid psedocumene scintillator also watched by phototubes while the proposed NOνA detector will use liquid scintillator watched by Avalanche photodiodes.

The proposed acoustic detection of neutrinos via the thermo-acoustic effect is the subject of dedicated studies done by the ANTARES and IceCube collaborations.

For more information see the Neutrino detection section of the neutrino article.