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The NOνA Experiment at Fermilab (E929)

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Using the NuMI beam to search for electron neutrino appearance.

The NOνA experiment will search for νμ → νe oscillations in the existing NuMI neutrino beam using a 15 kiloton liquid scintillator detector .

The NOνA Experiment (Fermilab E929) will construct a detector optimized for electron neutrino detection in the existing NuMI neutrino beam. The primary goal of the experiment is to search for evidence of muon to electron neutrino oscillations. This oscillation, if it occurs, holds the key to many of the unanswered questions in neutrino oscillation physics. In addition to providing a measurement of the last unknown mixing angle, θ13, this oscillation channel opens the possibility of seeing matter/anti-matter asymmetries in neutrinos and determination of the ordering of the neutrino mass states.

NOνA requires a high intensity neutrino beam. Part of the NOνA project includes upgrades to the Fermilab accelerator and NuMI infrastructure ("ANU"). The NuMI beam is currently operational and has been supplying beam to the MINOS experiment since March of 2005. As presently designed the NuMI beam line is capable receiving 400 kW of primary beam power. The ANU upgrades will allow operation at 700 kW.


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The NOνA Detectors The NOνA detectors are optimized to provide efficient electron neutrino identification using a technology which can be scaled to very large mass. The NOνA detectors are constructed from liquid scintillator contained inside extruded PVC modules. The far detector, located near Ash River, will have a total mass of 15 kilotons and be 15.7 meters wide, 15.7 meters tall, and 78 meters long. A smaller copy of the far detector will be constructed in the NuMI beam on the Fermilab site to measure the neutrino event rates prior to oscillation.

The NOνA Collaboration
The NOνA collaboration consists of 181 scientists and engineers from 26 institutions. This photo was taken at Fermilab in May 2007.

Accelerator and NuMI Upgrades

Photo: Peter Ginter

Part of the NOνA project includes upgrades to the accelerator and neutrino beam lines (ANU). With the conclusion of the Collider program the Recycler ring, which is currently used as an anti-proton storage ring, can be re-commissioned as a pre-injector to the Main Injector ring. This modification with allow roughly a factor of two increase in beam power while increasing the beam intensity in the Recycler and Main Injector by only 10%, bringing the total beam power delivered to NOνA to 700 kW.

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