Narrow Results

Various types of nuclear reactor related information, including relative power level and fuel evolution parameters, can be inferred remotely using antineutrino detectors. We show that it is possible to verify assembly-level burnup using information derived from an antineutrino detector if the nominal reactor fuel loading is known. Alternatively, if the core power is measured using an independent method, for example, a thermal hydraulic element, and the nominal core behavior is known, the antineutrino detector has a capability to determine previously unknown MOX loading in the core.

The largest amount of antineutrinos detected about the Earth is emitted by the natural radioactive decays of ²³²Th and ²³⁸U chains isotopes and of ⁴⁰K. Other flux components are yielded by cosmic rays interactions in the atmosphere or by possible extra-terrestrial sources such as supernovae explosions, gamma ray bursts, GW events and solar flares. This contribution is aimed to summarise the results obtained by the Borexino experiment about antineutrinos from the Earth and from extraterrestrial sources.