Chemistry of the solar neutrino experiment

The possibility of chemical ‘trapping’ of the Ar⁺ ion in the reaction $$v{text{ }} + {text{ }}^{{text{37}}} {text{Cl}} to {text{ }}^{{text{37}}} {text{Ar}}^{text{ + }} + {text{ e}}^ - ,$$ when it takes place in tetrachloroethylene (C₂Cl₄) liquid, is examined in detail. It is concluded that if trapping does take place, the rate is much smaller than the charge neutralization rate. Therefore, this niechanism cannot explain the observed small rate of Ar production in the Brookhaven solar neutrino experiment. A detailed examination of a number of experiments which are sensitive to possible trapping lends strong support to this conclusion.