The Nu Odyssey 2002

Alan W. P. Poon, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

For over three decades, the observed solar neutrino flux has been significantly lower than what is predicted by detailed model calculations. This so-called Solar Neutrino Problem was finally resolved in 2002. In April 2002, results from the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) showed that about two-thirds of the electron-type neutrinos produced in the solar core has transformed into another active flavor while in transit to the earth. Early in 2002, the Kamioka Liquid Scintillator Anti-Neutrino Detector (KamLAND) began its search for the disappearance of electron anti-neutrinos produced from power reactors in Japan. By the end of the year, first results from KamLAND showed a significant deficit in the observed reactor neutrino flux, and provided strong evidence that neutrino oscillation is the underlying mechanism for the flavor transformation observed in solar neutrinos. In this talk, results from these two experiments will be presented. If time permits, the future in solar neutrino and reactor neutrino physics will also be reviewed.

The P/T Colloquium is
typically held each
Thursday, 3:45–5:00 PM.
Refreshments are served
at 3:15 PM.