Coherent neutrino scattering in dark matter detectors

Abstract

Coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus and weakly interacting massive particle-nucleus interaction signatures are expected to be quite similar. This paper discusses how a next-generation ton-scale dark matter detector could discover neutrino-nucleus coherent scattering, a precisely-predicted standard model process. A high-intensity pion- and muon- decay-at-rest neutrino source recently proposed for oscillation physics at underground laboratories would provide the neutrinos for these measurements. In this paper, we calculate raw rates for various target materials commonly used in dark matter detectors and show that discovery of this interaction is possible with a 2 ton·year GEODM exposure in an optimistic energy threshold and efficiency scenario. We also study the effects of the neutrino source on weakly interacting massive particle sensitivity and discuss the modulated neutrino signal as a sensitivity/consistency check between different dark matter experiments at the Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory. Furthermore, we consider the possibility of coherent neutrino physics with a GEODM module placed within tens of meters of the neutrino source.