Detectability of galactic supernova neutrinos coherently scattered on xenon nuclei in XMASS

Abstract

The coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CEvNS) plays a crucial role at the final evolution of stars. The detection of it would be of importance in astroparticle physics. Among all available neutrino sources, galactic supernovae give the highest neutrino flux in the MeV range. Among all liquid xenon dark matter experiments, XMASS has the largest sensitive volume and light yield. The possibility to detect galactic supernova via the CEvNS-process on xenon nuclei in the current XMASS detector was investigated. The total number of events integrated in about 18 seconds after the explosion of a supernova 10 kpc away from the Earth was expected to be from 3.5 to 21.1, depending on the supernova model used to predict the neutrino flux, while the number of background events in the same time window was measured to be negligible. All lead to very high possibility to detect CEvNS experimentally for the first time utilizing the combination of galactic supernovae and the XMASS detector. In case of a supernova explosion as close as Betelgeuse, the total observable events can be more than ∼ 10 4 , making it possible to distinguish different supernova models by examining the evolution of neutrino event rate in XMASS.

Presupernova neutrinos in large dark matter direct detection experiments

“…The proton-proton cycle contributes to more than 98% of the energy flux. Initiated by the reaction p+p → 2 H+e + +ν e , this cycle gives rise to pp, hep, pep, 7 Be and 8 B neutrinos. The carbonnitrogen-oxygen (CNO) cycle accounts for the rest of the Sun's energy, giving rise to 13 N, 15 O and 17 F neutrinos.…”

“…A burst of SN-neutrinos is readily detectable with large direct detection experiments for a SN located O(10) kpc away (i.e. Milky Way distance-scales) [6][7][8][9][10]. While argon detectors have not been previously explored as tar- gets for SN neutrinos, the resulting sensitivity can be expected to be similar to xenon-based configurations.…”

“…The general picture of the outlined supernova mechanism was decisively confirmed by the observation of neutrinos from SN 1987A [2][3][4]. With the expected rate of Galactic core-collapse SNe of around few per century, anticipation and preparation for future SN observations is a principal goal of large-scale neutrino experiments [5], however large scale direct dark matter detection experiments will also be sensitive to SNe neutrinos in a highly complementary manner [6][7][8][9][10].…”

Neutrinos from Type Ia and Failed Core-Collapse Supernovae at Dark Matter Detectors

“…Neutrino experiments such as IceCube, Hyper-K, dune, juno, and halo will be prepared to detect supernova neutrinos in a range of channels [3,4], but lately it has been recognized that dark matter experiments, designed for detecting coherent elastic nuclear recoils, are an equally important player capable of uncovering complementary physics. Whilst studies have been performed on elastic nuclear recoils produced by neutrinos from successful core-collapse supernovae [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] and pre-supernova nuclear burning [14], they are lacking for neutrinos from Type Ia and failed core-collapse. The purpose of this note is to close these gaps, and to comment on this detection channel vis-à-vis those at neutrino experiments.…”

Searching for supernova neutrinos with dark matter detectors

“…This includes the dark matter detectors, searching for direct proof of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs), and also those dedicated to the detection of a signal from neutrinoless double beta decay. Some of these experiments already manifested the intention to exploit supernova neutrino events [6,7,8] by means of neutrino coherent scattering.…”