1. Cristina VOLPE BETA-BEAMS The beta-beam concept The baseline scenario The physics potential Conclusions LOW ENERGY BETA-BEAMS A N D The idea Motivation Possible sites

2. Cristina VOLPE LOW ENERGY BETA-BEAMS THE IDEA : C. Volpe, hep-ph/0303222, submitted to PRL. To exploit the beta-beam concept to produce intense and pure low energy neutrino beams. WHAT FOR ? Neutrino-nucleus interaction studies are one of the possible axis of research. C N

3. Cristina VOLPE MOTIVATION : Understanding nucleosynthesis Supernova type II explosion is one of the possible sites. 99 % of the energy is emitted as neutrinos of all flavors in a few seconds. Neutrino capture N N-1N+1 Z Z+1 THE ROLE OF NEUTRINO-NUCLEUS REACTIONS IS AT PRESENT UNDER STUDY.

4. Cristina VOLPE MOTIVATION : Neutrino experiments Nuclei are often used as neutrino detectors. C N MeV SUPERNOVAE (ex. Oxygen in SK, Lead in OMNIS) ATMOSPHERIC ACCELERATORS (ex. Carbon in LSND and KARMEN) SOLAR (ex. Deuteron in SNO) 10501001000 NEUTRINO PROBE NUCLEI OVER A LARGE ENERGY RANGE.

5. Cristina VOLPE Neutrino-nucleus reactions are necessary for the interpretation of many current experiments on neutrinos as well as to evaluate the feasibility of new projects. The interpolation between the low and the high neutrino energy is needed. Neutrino-nucleus reactions play an important role in astrophysical phenomena. For nucleosynthesis studies the extrapolation from stable to exotic nuclei is necessary. A PRECISE KNOWLEDGE OF NEUTRINO-NUCLEUS INTERACTIONS IS NEEDED.

6. Cristina VOLPE Experimental data are really very scarce. We have only one measurement in deuteron and iron, a few on carbon. One has to rely on theoretical predictions. -NUCLEUS INTERACTIONS : PRESENT STATUS Having accurate theoretical values of the neutrino-nucleus reaction cross sections is a challenging problem. Reactions of neutrino on carbon (important for the LSND experiment) have been the object of intensive studies to understand the origin of a discrepancy between experiment and theory by a factor of 2. Constraints C N B Beta decay, muon capture Challenges C N One needs very large scale calculations.

7. Cristina VOLPE OPEN QUESTIONS As the impinging neutrino energy increases, the contribution of states which are not very well known (forbidden transitions) becomes significant. 15 MeV 30 MeV 50 MeV GETTING ACCURATE PREDICTIONS IS A CHALLEGING TASK. Neutrino-Pb

8. Cristina VOLPE ORLAND : OAK RIDGE LABORATORY for NEUTRINO DETECTORS (2000) From the decay of pions and muons SCIENTIFIC OPPORTUNITIES (FROM THE ``WHITE PAPER´´) Neutrino-nucleus interaction studies (of interest for astrophysics and neutrino experiments) Neutrino-oscillation searches Neutrino-electron scattering (Weinberg angle) Non-standard components of the weak interaction

9. Cristina VOLPE CONCLUSIONS AND THE FUTURE We have proposed to use the beta-beam concept to produce intense and pure low energy neutrino beams. Neutrino-nucleus interaction studies is one of the possible axis of research for such a facility. C. Volpe, hep-ph/0303222, submitted to PRL. The Eurisol project and design study could naturally include a low-energy beta-beam facility (need of a storage ring). Such a facility would be world unique.