Supernova neutrino detection in Borexino

We calculated the expected neutrino signal in Borexino from a typical Type II supernova at a distance of 10 kpc. A burst of around 110 events would appear in Borexino within a time interval of about 10 s. Most of these events would come from the reaction channel, (v) over bar (e) + p --> e(+) n, while about 30 events would be induced by the interaction of the supernova neutrino flux on C-12 in the liquid scintillator. Borexino can clearly, distinguish between, the neutral.-current excitations C-12(v,v')C-12* (15.11 MeV) and the charged-current reactions C-12(v(e),e(-))N-12 and C-12( (v) over bar (e), e+)B-12, via their distinctive event signatures. The ratio of the charged.-current to neutral-current neutrino event rates and their time profiles with respect to each other can provide a handle on supernova and non-standard neutrino physics (mass and flavor oscillations). (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.