Dark matter detection with electron neutrinos in liquid scintillation detectors

Abstract

We consider the prospects for liquid scintillation experiments (with a focus on Kamioka Liquid Scintillator Antineutrino Detector [KamLAND]) to detect the flux of electron neutrinos arising from dark matter annihilation in the core of the Sun. We show that, with data already taken, KamLAND can provide the greatest sensitivity to the dark-matter--proton spin-dependent scattering cross section for dark matter lighter than 20 GeV. It is also possible to probe the dark-matter--nucleon spin-independent scattering cross section for isospin-violating dark matter lighter than 10 GeV. KamLAND can thus potentially confirm the dark matter interpretation of the DAMA (DArk MAtter) and CoGeNT signals, utilizing data already taken.