Constraints on the sum of neutrino masses using cosmological data including the latest extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey DR14 quasar sample

We investigate the constraints on the sum of neutrino masses(Σm_v) using the most recent cosmological data, which combines the distance measurement from baryonic acoustic oscillation in the extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey DR14 quasar sample with the power spectra of temperature and polarization anisotropies in the cosmic microwave background from the Planck 2015 data release. We also use other low-redshift observations,including the baryonic acoustic oscillation at relatively low redshifts, Type la supernovae, and the local measurement of the Hubble constant. In the standard cosmological constant A cold dark matter plus massive neutrino model,we obtain the 95% upper limit to be Σm_v 0.129 eV for the degenerate mass hierarchy,Σm_v 0.159 eV for the normal mass hierarchy, and Σm_v 0.189 eV for the inverted mass hierarchy. Based on Bayesian evidence, we find that the degenerate hierarchy is positively supported, and the current data combination cannot distinguish between normal and inverted hierarchies. Assuming the degenerate mass hierarchy, we extend our study to non-standard cosmological models including generic dark energy, spatial curvature, and extra relativistic degrees of freedom, but find these models are not favored by the data.     

Temperature dependence of the light yield of the LAB-based and mesitylene-based liquid scintillators

We studied the temperature dependence of the light yield of linear alkyl benzene(LAB)-based and mesitylene-based liquid scintillators. The light yield increases by 23% for both liquid scintillators when the temperature is lowered from 26 to-40, correcting for the temperature response of the photomultiplier tube. The measurements help to understand the energy response of liquid scintillator detectors. Especially, the next generation reactor neutrino experiments for neutrino mass hierarchy, such as the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory(JUNO), require very high energy resolution. As no apparent degradation on the liquid scintillator transparency was observed, lowering the operation temperature of the detector to ～4 will increase the photoelectron yield of the detector by 13%, combining the light yield increase of the liquid scintillator and the quantum efficiency increase of the photomultiplier tubes.     

~(13)C(α, n)~(16)O background in a liquid scintillator based neutrino experiment

α from natural radioactivity may interact with a nucleus and emit a neutron. The reaction introduces the background to the liquid scintillator(LS) based neutrino experiments. In the LS detector, α comes from 238 U,232Th,and 210 Po decay chains. For Gadolinium-doped LS(Gd-LS) detector, α also comes from 227 Ac. The nucleus 13 C is a natural component of Carbon which is rich in the LS. The background rate and spectrum should be subtracted carefully from the neutrino candidates. This paper describes the calculation of neutron yield and spectrum with uncertainty estimated. The results are relevant for many existing neutrino experiments and future LS or Gd-LS based experiments.     

13C （α,n） 16O background in a liquid scintillator based neutrino experiment

α from natural radioactivity may interact with a nucleus and emit a neutron. The reaction introduces the background to the liquid scintillator （LS） based neutrino experiments. In the LS detector,α comes from 23Su, 232Th, and 210Po decay chains. For Gadolinium-doped LS （Gd-LS） detector, α also comes from 227Ac. The nucleus 13C is a natural component of Carbon which is rich in the LS. The background rate and spectrum should be subtracted carefully from the neutrino candidates. This paper describes the calculation of neutron yield and spectrum with uncertainty estimated. The results are relevant for many existing neutrino experiments and future LS or Gd-LS based experiments.