Neutrino Geophysics at Baksan I: Possible Detection of Georeactor Antineutrinos

Abstract

J.M. Herndon in 90-s proposed a natural nuclear fission georeactor at the center of the Earth with a power output of 3-10 TW as an energy source to sustain the Earth magnetic field. R.S. Raghavan in 2002 y. pointed out that under certain condition antineutrinos generated in georeactor can be detected using massive scintillation detectors. We consider the underground Baksan Neutrino Observatory (4800 m.w.e.) as a possible site for developments in Geoneutrino physics. Here the intrinsic background level of less than one event/year in a liquid scintillation ~1000 target ton detector can be achieved and the main source of background is the antineutrino flux from power reactors. We find that this flux is ~10 times lower than at KamLAND detector site and two times lower than at Gran Sasso laboratory and thus at Baksan the georeactor hypothesis can be conclusively tested. We also discuss possible search for composition of georector burning nuclear fuel by analysis of the antineutrino energy spectrum.Comment: 7 pages in LaTeX, 3 PS figures, Submitted to Physics of Atomic Nucle