Speaker
Description
The Reactor Experiment for Neutrinos and Exotics (RENE) is a pioneering initiative aimed at investigating the existence of sterile neutrinos within the Δm²≈2 eV² parameter space, motivated by the observed Reactor Antineutrino Anomaly. The experimental setup consists of a cylindrical target volume containing 270 liters of gadolinium-loaded liquid scintillator (Gd-LS), surrounded by a substantial box-shaped gamma catcher that holds about 3,000 liters of standard liquid scintillator (LS). This configuration incorporates two 20-inch photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) to enhance detection capabilities. A critical innovation of the RENE experiment is the implementation of the gamma catcher, which significantly improves energy resolution to approximately 4% for prompt energies above 4 MeV. This enhancement is particularly important for short-baseline reactor experiments, as it increases sensitivity in the sterile neutrino parameter space compared to previous analyses. The experiment is located in the tendon gallery of the Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant in South Korea, approximately 24 meters from the reactor core. Currently, the detector is in the commissioning phase at the RENO far site, collecting data from cosmic muons and various calibration sources. The deployment of the detector into the gallery is planned to follow the completion of necessary nuclear security and fire safety assessments, pending approval from the power plant authorities. This presentation will provide an overview of the detector's design and construction, summarize recent commissioning results, and detail the current status of preparations for the upcoming underground deployment.
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