Proposal For An Electron Antineutrino Disappearance Search Using High-Rate Li-8 Production And Decay

This paper introduces an experimental probe of the sterile neutrino with a novel, high-intensity source of electron antineutrinos from the production and subsequent decay of Li-8. When paired with an existing similar to 1 kton scintillator-based detector, this < E-nu > = 6.4 MeV source opens a wide range of possible searches for beyond standard model physics via studies of the inverse beta decay interaction (nu) over bar (e) + p -> e(+) + n. In particular, the experimental design described here has unprecedented sensitivity to (nu) over bar (e) disappearance at Delta m(2) similar to 1 eV(2) and features the ability to distinguish between the existence of zero, one, and two sterile neutrinos.