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Radioactive Source Calibration for nEXO

ORAL

Abstract

The nEXO experiment aims to observe neutrinoless double beta decay of 136Xe with an expected sensitivity that exceeds 1028 years. If neutrinoless double beta decay occurs, it would suggest that the neutrino is a Majorana particle and that lepton number is not conserved. To observe neutrinoless double beta decay, the nEXO experiment will use a time projection chamber filled with 5 tonnes of isotopically enriched liquid xenon. The signature of neutrinoless double beta decay is a peak at the endpoint of the two-neutrino double beta decay spectrum, so the energy response of the detector must be well understood. To achieve its sensitivity goal, the experiment will need to be carefully calibrated by multiple complementary methods, including externally deployed gamma-ray sources (point-like sources) and sources dissolved in the liquid xenon (volumetric sources). This presentation will describe the radioactive source calibration methods planned for nEXO.

Presenters

  • Ariella Atencio

    Drexel University

Authors

  • Ariella Atencio

    Drexel University