Geoneutrinos

Neutrino geophysics is an emerging interdisciplinary field with the potential to map the abundances and distribution of radiogenic heat sources in the continental crust and deep Earth. To date, data from two different experiments quantify the amount of Th and U in the Earth and begin to put constrai...

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Main Authors: Ondřej Šrámek, William F. McDonough, John G. Learned
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2012-01-01
Series:Advances in High Energy Physics
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/235686
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author Ondřej Šrámek
William F. McDonough
John G. Learned
author_facet Ondřej Šrámek
William F. McDonough
John G. Learned
author_sort Ondřej Šrámek
collection DOAJ
description Neutrino geophysics is an emerging interdisciplinary field with the potential to map the abundances and distribution of radiogenic heat sources in the continental crust and deep Earth. To date, data from two different experiments quantify the amount of Th and U in the Earth and begin to put constraints on radiogenic power in the Earth available for driving mantle convection and plate tectonics. New improved detectors are under construction or in planning stages. Critical testing of compositional models of the Earth requires integrating geoneutrino and geological observations. Such tests will lead to significant constraints on the absolute and relative abundances of U and Th in the continents. High radioactivity in continental crust puts limits on land-based observatories' capacity to resolve mantle models with current detection methods. Multiple-site measurement in oceanic areas away from continental crust and nuclear reactors offers the best potential to extract mantle information. Geophysics would benefit from directional detection and the detectability of electron antineutrinos from potassium decay.
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spelling doaj-art-c1d07c8c4b384b9d859b1e3d445e36d52025-08-20T02:19:15ZengWileyAdvances in High Energy Physics1687-73571687-73652012-01-01201210.1155/2012/235686235686GeoneutrinosOndřej Šrámek0William F. McDonough1John G. Learned2Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USADepartment of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822, USANeutrino geophysics is an emerging interdisciplinary field with the potential to map the abundances and distribution of radiogenic heat sources in the continental crust and deep Earth. To date, data from two different experiments quantify the amount of Th and U in the Earth and begin to put constraints on radiogenic power in the Earth available for driving mantle convection and plate tectonics. New improved detectors are under construction or in planning stages. Critical testing of compositional models of the Earth requires integrating geoneutrino and geological observations. Such tests will lead to significant constraints on the absolute and relative abundances of U and Th in the continents. High radioactivity in continental crust puts limits on land-based observatories' capacity to resolve mantle models with current detection methods. Multiple-site measurement in oceanic areas away from continental crust and nuclear reactors offers the best potential to extract mantle information. Geophysics would benefit from directional detection and the detectability of electron antineutrinos from potassium decay.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/235686
spellingShingle Ondřej Šrámek
William F. McDonough
John G. Learned
Geoneutrinos
Advances in High Energy Physics
title Geoneutrinos
title_full Geoneutrinos
title_fullStr Geoneutrinos
title_full_unstemmed Geoneutrinos
title_short Geoneutrinos
title_sort geoneutrinos
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/235686
work_keys_str_mv AT ondrejsramek geoneutrinos
AT williamfmcdonough geoneutrinos
AT johnglearned geoneutrinos