Principles and applications of a neutral-current detector for neutrino physics and astronomy

We study detection of MeV-range neutrinos through elastic scattering on nuclei and identification of the recoil energy. The very large value of the neutral-current cross section due to coherence indicates a detector would be relatively light and suggests the possibility of a true "neutrino observatory. " The recoil energy which must be detected is very small (10-10^3 eV), however. We examine a realization in terms of the superconducting-grain idea, which appears, in principle, to be feasible through extension and extrapolation of currently known techniques. Such a detector could permit determination of the neutrino energy spectrum and should be insensitive to neutrino oscillations since it detects all neutrino types. Various applications and tests are discussed, including spallation sources, reactors, supernovas, and solar and terrestrial neutrinos. A preliminary estimate of the most difficult backgrounds is attempted.