Paper detail

Salty Water Cerenkov Detectors

The addition of certain solutes to a water Cerenkov detector will introduce new charge-current channels for the detection of $ν_e$s. The experimental conditions necessary to exploit such signals - large volumes and very low backgrounds - should be reached for the first time in SuperKamiokande and SNO. I compare some of the more attractive possibilities ($^7$Li, $^{11}$B, $^{35}$Cl) in terms of counting rate, reliability of the cross section, specificity of signal, and potential for distinguishing competing solutions to the solar neutrino puzzle.