Atmospheric neutrinos in next-generation xenon and argon dark matter experiments

Newstead, Jayden L.; Lang, R. F.; Strigari, Louis E.

doi:10.1103/physrevd.104.115022

Cited by 22 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…As such dark matter detectors grow in size and sensitivity, neutrinos from the sun [40,41], cosmic rays in the atmosphere [42,43,44], and diffuse supernovae [45,46,47] will become significant backgrounds to dark matter searches [48,49,50,51,52,53,54,55]. These neutrinos can scatter coherently with the target nucleus as a whole [56], as recently measured for the first time (for reactor neutrinos) in CsI(Na) [57] and argon [58].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neutrino Backgrounds in Future Liquid Noble Element Dark Matter Direct Detection Experiments

Gaspert,

Giampa,

Morrissey

2021

Preprint

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Experiments that use liquid noble gasses as target materials, such as argon and xenon, play a significant role in direct detection searches for WIMP(-like) dark matter. As these experiments grow in size, they will soon encounter a new background to their dark matter discovery potential from neutrino scattering off nuclei and electrons in their targets. Therefore, a better understanding of this new source of background is crucial for future large-scale experiments such as ARGO and DARWIN. In this work, we study the impact of atmospheric neutrino flux uncertainties, electron recoil rejection efficiency, recoil energy sensitivity, and other related factors on the dark matter discovery reach. We also show that a significant improvement in sensitivity can potentially be obtained, at large exposures, by combining data from independent argon and xenon experiments.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neutrino Backgrounds in Future Liquid Noble Element Dark Matter Direct Detection Experiments

Gaspert,

Giampa,

Morrissey

2021

Preprint

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“…The neutrino recoil spectra, as well as flux uncertainties on the different components, are taken to be the same as in [84], with spectra from Ref. [147][148][149][150]. WIMP recoil spectra are computed using the wimprates package [151], with spin-independent computations from Ref.…”

Section: B Wimp Sensitivity Projections: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The 8 B flux is measured at the 2% level from Solar neutrino data [444]. The atmospheric flux on the other hand, is difficult to measure and to theoretically predict at the relevant sub-100 MeV energies, so it still has a ∼20% uncertainty (section V C and [150]). Any reduction in these uncertainties will, in effect, "lower" the neutrino fog.…”

Section: Q Confronting the Neutrino Fogmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Next-Generation Liquid Xenon Observatory for Dark Matter and Neutrino Physics

Aalbers,

Abe,

Aerne

et al. 2022

Preprint

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The nature of dark matter and properties of neutrinos are among the most pressing issues in contemporary particle physics. The dual-phase xenon time-projection chamber is the leading technology to cover the available parameter space for Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs), while featuring extensive sensitivity to many alternative dark matter candidates. These detectors can also study neutrinos through neutrinoless double-beta decay and through a variety of astrophysical

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“…State-of-the-art experiments aiming for the direct detection of WIMP dark matter (DM), like XENONnT [1] and LZ [2], deploy a liquid xenon target inside a TPC instrumented with photosensors to detect light signals. Future DM-search experiments, like the DARWIN observatory [3], expand their science reach to nuclear physics, like the hypothetically neutrinoless second-order weak decays of 136 Xe [4] and 124 Xe [5], and the physics of solar and atmospheric neutrinos [6,7]. Any particle interacting with the liquid xenon target deposits energy in the form of scintillation, ionisation and heat.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prospects of charge signal analyses in liquid xenon TPCs with proportional scintillation in the liquid phase

Kuger,

Dierle,

Fischer

et al. 2021

Preprint

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As liquid xenon TPCs increase in target mass while pursuing the direct detection of WIMP dark matter, the technical challenges arising due to their size call for new solutions and open the discussion on alternative detector concepts. Proportional scintillation in liquid xenon allows for a single-phase design evading all problems related to the liquid-gas interface and the precise gas gap required in a dual-phase TPC. Aside from a different scintillation mechanism, the successful detection-and analysis scheme of state-of-the-art experiments is maintained in this approach. We study the impact on charge signal analysis in a single-phase detector of DARWIN dimensions, where the fast timing of the proportional scintillation signal allows for the precise identification of the single electrons in the ionisation signal. Such a discrete electron-counting approach leads to a better signal resolution for low energies when compared to the classical dual-phase continuous method. The absence of the liquid-gas interface further benefits the S2-only energy resolution significantly. This reduces the uncertainties from the scintillation and signal-detection process to a level significantly below the irreducible fluctuation in the primary ionisation. Exploiting the precise electron time information further allows for a powerful single vs. multiple site interaction discrimination with 93% rejection efficiency and 98% signal acceptance. This outperforms the design goal of the DARWIN observatory by a reduction factor of 4.2 in non-rejected multiple site neutron events. K: Noble liquid detectors; Time projection chambers (TPC); Dark Matter detectors; Charge transport, multiplication and electroluminescence in rare gases and liquids

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Atmospheric neutrinos in next-generation xenon and argon dark matter experiments

Cited by 22 publications

References 39 publications

Neutrino Backgrounds in Future Liquid Noble Element Dark Matter Direct Detection Experiments

Neutrino Backgrounds in Future Liquid Noble Element Dark Matter Direct Detection Experiments

A Next-Generation Liquid Xenon Observatory for Dark Matter and Neutrino Physics

Prospects of charge signal analyses in liquid xenon TPCs with proportional scintillation in the liquid phase

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