Solar neutrino experiments

Abstract

New results are presented for absorption cross sections of nine possible detectors of solar neutrinos ($^{7}\mathrm{Li}$, $^{37}\mathrm{Cl}$, $^{51}\mathrm{V}$, $^{55}\mathrm{Mn}$, $^{71}\mathrm{Ga}$, $^{81}\mathrm{Br}$, $^{87}\mathrm{Rb}$, $^{115}\mathrm{In}$, and $^{205}\mathrm{Tl}$). Special attention is given to nuclear physics uncertainties. The calculated cross sections are used (with the aid of illustrative solar models and ad hoc assumptions about neutrino propagation) to discuss what can be learned about the sun or weak interactions from each of the nine suggested solar neutrino experiments. An experimental program for neutrino spectroscopy of the solar interior is outlined. It is shown in addition that stellar collapses can be detected to typical distances of several kpc (kiloparsecs) by the proposed $^{7}\mathrm{Li}$, $^{37}\mathrm{Cl}$, and $^{115}\mathrm{In}$ solar neutrino detectors (provided that electron neutrinos do not decay or oscillate).