CEνNS in Natural Zinc Superconductors and its Applications for Nuclear Non-Proliferation

Abstract

The potential of neutrinos for nuclear non-proliferation has been heavily debated due to their abundance and low interaction rates. A newly discovered neutrino detection technique, referred to as Coherent Elastic Neutrino Nucleus Scattering (CEνNS), has the potential to settle this debate due to its abnormally high cross-section. This thesis presents a feasibility study for the use of CEνNS detection using zinc superconductors for nuclear non-proliferation. To address this question, this thesis is broken down into two case studies: identifying the trafficking of Cs-137 and safeguarding nuclear reactors. For each of these case studies, the antineutrino spectrum, CEνNS cross-section, and reaction rates were calculated. Using these resources, multiple statistical analyses were performed assuming a theoretically low recoil threshold, no background noise, and optimal detection parameters. Based on these analyses, I conclude that CEνNS is feasible both for discovering trafficked nuclear materials and for safeguarding nuclear reactors, under ideal detection conditions. This study should help open the door to future, more in-depth studies in less ideal, more realistic detection conditions.