Neutrino Oscillations at Reactors: What Next?

We shortly review past and future experiments at reactors aimed at searches for neutrino masses and mixing. We also consider new idea to search at Krasnoyarsk for small mixing angle oscillations in the atmosheric neutrino mass parameter region.Comment: 9 pages, LaTeX 2.09, 6 Postscript figures. Talk given at Non-Accelerator New Physics Conference, Dubna, 28.06-03.07.199

Utility of the inverse partial fluorescence for electronic structure studies of battery materials

X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) is one of the most widely used experimental techniques to study the electronic and spatial structure of materials. Fluorescence yield mode is bulk-sensitive, but has several serious problems coming from saturation effects. In this study, we show the usefulness of partial fluorescence yields in addressing these problems. We discuss the different behaviors of La2NiMnO6 and LiMnO2 at the Mn 2p absorption edges. The total fluorescence yield produces misleading spectra for LiMnO2 due to the absence of high-Z (Z: atomic number) elements. We conclude that the measurement of the inverse partial fluorescence yield is essential in studies of LiMnO2, which is a hotly debated Li-ion battery material.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figure

The Kr2Det project: Search for mass-3 state contribution |U_{e3}|^2 to the electron neutrino using a one reactor - two detector oscillation experiment at Krasnoyarsk underground site

The main physical goal of the project is to search with reactor antineutrinos for small mixing angle oscillations in the atmospheric mass parameter region around {\Delta}m^{2}_{atm} ~ 2.5 10^{-3} eV^2 in order to find the element U_{e3} of the neutrino mixing matrix or to set a new more stringent constraint (U_{e3} is the contribution of mass-3 state to the electron neutrino flavor state). To achieve this we propose a "one reactor - two detector" experiment: two identical antineutrino spectrometers with $\sim$50 ton liquid scintillator targets located at ~100 m and ~1000 m from the Krasnoyarsk underground reactor (~600 mwe). In no-oscillation case ratio of measured positron spectra of the \bar{{\nu}_e} + p \to e^{+} + n reaction is energy independent. Deviation from a constant value of this ratio is the oscillation signature. In this scheme results do not depend on the exact knowledge of the reactor power, nu_e spectra, burn up effects, target volumes and, which is important, the backgrounds can periodically be measured during reactor OFF periods. In this letter we present the Krasnoyarsk reactor site, give a schematic description of the detectors, calculate the neutrino detection rates and estimate the backgrounds. We also outline the detector monitoring and calibration procedures, which are of a key importance. We hope that systematic uncertainties will not accede 0.5% and the sensitivity U^{2}_{e3} ~4 10^{-3} (at {\Delta}m^{2} = 2.5 10^{-3} eV^2) can be achieved.Comment: Latex 2e, 9 pages and 5 ps figure

Orbital Symmetries of Charge Density Wave Order in YBa2Cu3O6+x

Charge density wave (CDW) order has been shown to compete and coexist with superconductivity in underdoped cuprates. Theoretical proposals for the CDW order include an unconventional $d$-symmetry form factor CDW, evidence for which has emerged from measurements, including resonant soft x-ray scattering (RSXS) in YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{6+x}$ (YBCO). Here, we revisit RSXS measurements of the CDW symmetry in YBCO, using a variation in the measurement geometry to provide enhanced sensitivity to orbital symmetry. We show that the $(0\ 0.31\ L)$CDW peak measured at the Cu$L$edge is dominated by an$s$form factor rather than a$d$form factor as was reported previously. In addition, by measuring both$(0.31\ 0\ L)$and$(0\ 0.31\ L)$peaks, we identify a pronounced difference in the orbital symmetry of the CDW order along the$a$and$b$axes, with the CDW along the$a$ axis exhibiting orbital order in addition to charge order.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figures + supplementary informatio

Resonant X-Ray Scattering Measurements of a Spatial Modulation of the Cu 3d and O 2p Energies in Stripe-Ordered Cuprate Superconductors

A prevailing description of the stripe phase in underdoped cuprate superconductors is that the charge carriers (holes) phase segregate on a microscopic scale into hole rich and hole poor regions. We report resonant elastic x-ray scattering measurements of stripe-ordered La$_{1.475}$Nd$_{0.4}$Sr$_{0.125}$CuO$_4$ at the Cu $L$ and O $K$ absorption edges that identify an additional feature of stripe order. Analysis of the energy dependence of the scattering intensity reveals that the dominant signature of the stripe order is a spatial modulation in the energies of Cu 3d and O 2p states rather than the large modulation of the charge density (valence) envisioned in the common stripe paradigm. These energy shifts are interpreted as a spatial modulation of the electronic structure and may point to a valence-bond-solid interpretation of the stripe phase.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure

The symmetry of charge order in cuprates

Charge-ordered ground states permeate the phenomenology of 3d-based transition metal oxides, and more generally represent a distinctive hallmark of strongly-correlated states of matter. The recent discovery of charge order in various cuprate families fueled new interest into the role played by this incipient broken symmetry within the complex phase diagram of high-Tc superconductors. Here we use resonant X-ray scattering to resolve the main characteristics of the charge-modulated state in two cuprate families: Bi2201 and YBCO. We detect no signatures of spatial modulations along the nodal direction in Bi2201, thus clarifying the inter-unit-cell momentum-structure of charge order. We also resolve the intra-unit-cell symmetry of the charge ordered state, which is revealed to be best represented by a bond-order with modulated charges on the O-2p orbitals and a prominent d-wave character. These results provide insights on the microscopic description of charge order in cuprates, and on its origin and interplay with superconductivity.Comment: A high-resolution version with supplementary material can be found at: http://www.phas.ubc.ca/~quantmat/ARPES/PUBLICATIONS/Articles/CDW_symmetry.pd

Inverse Beta Decay in a Nonequilibrium Antineutrino Flux from a Nuclear Reactor

The evolution of the reactor antineutrino spectrum toward equilibrium above the inverse beta-decay threshold during the reactor operating period and the decay of residual antineutrino radiation after reactor shutdown are considered. It is found that, under certain conditions, these processes can play a significant role in experiments seeking neutrino oscillations.Comment: 8 pages including 5 ps figure

Physical Behavior in Older Persons during Daily Life: Insights from Instrumented Shoes.

Activity level and gait parameters during daily life are important indicators for clinicians because they can provide critical insights into modifications of mobility and function over time. Wearable activity monitoring has been gaining momentum in daily life health assessment. Consequently, this study seeks to validate an algorithm for the classification of daily life activities and to provide a detailed gait analysis in older adults. A system consisting of an inertial sensor combined with a pressure sensing insole has been developed. Using an algorithm that we previously validated during a semi structured protocol, activities in 10 healthy elderly participants were recorded and compared to a wearable reference system over a 4 h recording period at home. Detailed gait parameters were calculated from inertial sensors. Dynamics of physical behavior were characterized using barcodes that express the measure of behavioral complexity. Activity classification based on the algorithm led to a 93% accuracy in classifying basic activities of daily life, i.e., sitting, standing, and walking. Gait analysis emphasizes the importance of metrics such as foot clearance in daily life assessment. Results also underline that measures of physical behavior and gait performance are complementary, especially since gait parameters were not correlated to complexity. Participants gave positive feedback regarding the use of the instrumented shoes. These results extend previous observations in showing the concurrent validity of the instrumented shoes compared to a body-worn reference system for daily-life physical behavior monitoring in older adults

Effects of neutrino oscillations and neutrino magnetic moments on elastic neutrino-electron scattering

We consider elastic antineutrino-electron scattering taking into account possible effects of neutrino masses and mixing and of neutrino magnetic moments and electric dipole moments. Having in mind antineutrinos produced in a nuclear reactor we compute, in particular, the weak-electromagnetic interference terms which are linear in the magnetic (electric dipole) moments and also in the neutrino masses. We show that these terms are, however, suppressed compared to the pure weak and electromagnetic cross section. We also comment upon the possibility of using the electromagnetic cross section to investigate neutrino oscillations.Comment: 12 pages, REVTEX file, no figures, submitted to Phys.Rev.