Movable detector to search for neutrino oscillations in the BNL neutrino beam

A simple, straightforward, and economic experiment utilizing a set of water Cherenkov counters is proposed to search for neutrino oscillations in the AGS neutrino beam. The detector will be movable and will be able to provide reasonable counting rates up to 2 km downstream of the pion decay tunnel. Whereas previous accelerator experiments have sought to increase the ratio l/p (with l the neutrino path length and p its momentum) by decreasing p, increasing l is suggested instead. Further, by making measurements at several different values of l with the same apparatus, many sources of systematic error are eliminated. The experiment will measure beam-associated muon- and electron-type events at each position. A change in the ratio of muon- to electron-type events as a function of position would be evidence for ν/sub μ/ + ν/sub e/ oscillations. Sensitivity in terms of (Δm)2 (the square of the mass difference in the mass eigenstates) can be as low as 0.1 eV2, for full mixing, which is below the most probable value found by Reines et al for Δm2 in their electron neutrino reactor experiment. This experiment would be parasitic, running behind the usual neutrino beam experiments, assuming the nominal beam energy (peaked at 1 GeV), and would thus make a minimal demand on AGS support. It is suggested that the first two measurements be made inside the Isabelle tunnel at the points of intersection with the AGS neutrino beam. No further excavations would be required, and the data could be taken before ISA equipment is installed