Abstract

Boosted dark matter (BDM) is a well-motivated class of dark matter (DM) candidates in which a small component of DM is relativistic at the present time. We lay the foundation for BDM searches via hadronic interactions in large liquid-argon time-projection chambers (LArTPCs), such as DUNE. We investigate BDM-nucleus scattering in detail by developing new event generation techniques with a parameterized detector simulation. We study the discovery potential in a DUNE-like experiment using the low threshold and directionality of hadron detection in LArTPCs and compare with other experiments.

Highlights

  • Despite the overwhelming gravitational evidence for the existence of dark matter (DM), its microscopic nature remains a profound puzzle

  • We study the observed hadronic signatures of Boosted dark matter (BDM) in liquid-argon time-projection chambers (LArTPCs) detectors evaluating the nuclear effects using a novel Monte Carlo (MC)–based analysis and obtain the search sensitivity taking into consideration the atmospheric neutrino background

  • Under the assumption that the χ relic abundance is negligible and undetectable by direct detection experiments, we compare the sensitivity of this benchmark model with the current constraint at SuperKamiokande by reinterpreting their atmospheric neutrino measurement [64] and spin-dependent direct detection searches for ψ [5]

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Summary

INTRODUCTION

Despite the overwhelming gravitational evidence for the existence of dark matter (DM), its microscopic nature remains a profound puzzle. We expect the main background for BDM interactions in a detector to be from atmospheric neutrinos interacting via the neutral current, leaving activity in an energy range similar to the signal Unlike this background, all the BDM signal comes from a single source, and the signal contribution can be enhanced by selecting events aligning with the source’s location. LArTPCs have millimeter resolution, leading to a low detection threshold of hadrons and an ability to reconstruct recoil direction They are scalable and have excellent capabilities in calorimetry and thereby particle identification. We study the observed hadronic signatures of BDM in LArTPC detectors evaluating the nuclear effects using a novel Monte Carlo (MC)–based analysis and obtain the search sensitivity taking into consideration the atmospheric neutrino background

BDM MODEL
HADRONIC INTERACTIONS
ANALYSIS STRATEGY
DISCUSSION
Elastic scattering
Deep inelastic scattering
Resonant scattering
Solar magnetic activity
Extension of background estimation to higher neutrino energy
Tau neutrino background
Baseline analysis
Alternative selection oriented to moderate boost signals
Impacts from detector response and threshold
Statistical method
Findings
Super-Kamiokande data comparison
Full Text
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