Neutrino Physics and Astrophysics with the JUNO Detector

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

I have the feeling that this letter is just a summary of some topics taken from the detailed published report of reference [2]. All the results are taken from this reference,[2], and even the Fig 4 taken from ref[7] can be found in ref. [2]. 

Apart from this, I have the following questions:

1) Since in Fig 2, the $\theta_{12}$ oscillation is singled out, then better to write before Eq. 1, that $P_{ee}= 1- P_{12}-P_{13}-P_{32}$ with the P's weights as 40:2:1, to show the dominance of the 1-2 oscillation..

2) Line 29, state explicitly the expressions of $\cos \phi$ and $\sin \pi$

3) Line 40, Figure ?? should be Figure 2. Also (red line) should be (dashed) and 

4) Line 42 (green line) should be (red line). 

5) Also, explain that the spectrum of Fig 2, is a product of the neutrino flux times the interaction cross section times the survival probability

6) Line 63, from where comes the bound 3%

7) Line 71, are the two $\ki^2_{MIN}$ tests taking the same parameters, say energy for experimental points to be fitted to predicted theoretical points,  for both (NH) and (IH)?

8) Line 85, should digress more on which parameters are relevant for astrophysics (to be consistent with the title mentioning 'astrophysics'!). 

9) Line 88, 1o should be 10. Moreover, in Fig. 3, state what is $\nu_X$?

10)  In Table 2, line 89, mention which software packages are used to get the third column?

11) Line 94, how can the radiopurity level of the LS help in the disentanglement of the signal from the background?

12) Line 99, what is Z? is it the metals mass fraction in the solar surface?

13) Line 118, write explicitly what the acronyms LMA, MSW stand for (the first time they appear). Does the LMA predict a smooth transition from low to high energy regimes? 

In summary, the paper should be revised substantially, with some new results. 

Author Response

This letter IS JUST A SUMMARY of the topic reported in reference [2]. It is not an article but a simple proceeding of a conference (ICNFP2018). Not only is not an original paper but we have (JUNO Collaboration policy) put in the presentation and proceeding only equations, tables and plot from reference number [2] that is the JUNO Yellow Book. This paper HAVE TO BE a summary of the yellow book and I am not allowed to add other informations that are not presents in the JUNO Yellow Book.

I put in the text the corrections and suggestion (in red with the other referee’s corrections) and I tried to answer and comment to the others questions that I have not put into the text.

2) Line 29, state explicitly the expressions of $\cos \phi$ and $\sin \pi$

I do not understand what do you mean by “state explicitly the expressions”. In all proceeding we report this expression as requested by the policy of the JUNO Collaboration.

6) Line 63, from where comes the bound 3%

The value of 3% is the goal and the experiment and is the resolution that we have to achieve in order to discriminate between the two hierarchies and it is possible to reach it with a 80% coverage of high efficiency PMts.

7) Line 71, are the two $\ki^2_{MIN}$ tests taking the same parameters, say energy for experimental points to be fitted to predicted theoretical points,  for both (NH) and (IH)?

Yes

10)  In Table 2, line 89, mention which software packages are used to get the third column?In order to obtain the third column different inputs have to be introduced, such as cross section for each channel…. NC CC and ES, interaction and LY of the LS and so on. To my knowledge is not obtained with software packages.

11) Line 94, how can the radiopurity level of the LS help in the disentanglement of the signal from the background?

I spend more the 10 years working in Borexino LS purification in order to reach a radiopurity level that allow us to made all the pp chain measurement. In JUNO we are working with the same plants in order to reach a signal to background ratio similar to the one obtained in Borexino. Furthermore other techniques such se PSD and Bo/Po coincidences are applied to disentangle the solar neutrino signal form BKG.

12) Line 99, what is Z? is it the metals mass fraction in the solar surface?

Yes Z is the mass fraction of element heavier than the He. In Solar standard model we refert to LOW Z or HIGH Z for low or high metalicity.

13) Line 118, write explicitly what the acronyms LMA, MSW stand for (the first time they appear). Does the LMA predict a smooth transition from low to high energy regimes?

The Small Mixing Angle is ruled out by the solar and kamland experiments. The LMA solution foresees a transition at about 2-3 MeV with an oscillation enhancement at high energy. There is still room for non standard neutrino interaction that could modify the shape of the probability

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Important corrections

L22: missing degrees symbol on value of theta_13

L40: "Figure ??" needs correcting

Table 2 and accompanying text: make it clear what timescale these events are detected over

L126: include a reference for the figure of 46 +/- 3 TW

Typographical / English corrections:

L2: Chinese

L5: parameter measurements

L15: in the quest for the nature of the neutrino

L18: in the normal hierarchy

L19: in the inverted hierarchy

Footnote 1: the case of inverted

L32: rapidly oscillating

L40: in the non-oscillating case

L41: as in the JUNO

L42: represents the NH

Footnote 2: For details of the 

L48: composed of 20

L56: paid particular attention

L58: will allow powerful

L62: spectrum, distinguish the position of variations in the flux oscillation and extract the

L70: hierarchy's bet fit

L79: rich programme

L86: emission spectra

L88: In table 2 the main ... distant SN are listed

L109: 8B neutrinos is guaranteed

L114 8B neutrino study

L123 Earth, represent a

L130: potential of the JUNO ... for geoneutrino

L134: Despite the large reactor antineutrino contribution

L135: should detect between 300 and

L140: high potential to determine

L143: astrophysics programme

Author Response

I have followed and changed all the points raised by the referee. I thank him for the improvement of the English.

For what concerns  Table 2 is adapted from table 4-1 from the JUNO Yello book (J. Phys. G 43 no.3, 030401 - 2016)
. It is presented, as usually do the JUNO Collaborators, in proceeding conferences just for the energy <14 MeV>. The number refer to all neutrinos events detected in about 10 seconds for a SN at a distance of 10 kpc ,

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

The author answered clearly to my comments, and stated explicitly in the answer that this paper is just a summary of the ref[2] meant to be presented in a conference proceeding. My previous comment number 2 asked him/her to write down a formula defining \cos\phi and \sin\phi instead of just saying "are combinations of the mass and mixing parameters in the 1-2 sector". Anyway, in a proceeding paper, what the author stated is sufficient.