Reconstructing WIMP properties with neutrino detectors

TL;DR

This paper explores how future neutrino detectors can reconstruct WIMP annihilation spectra from the Sun to better understand dark matter properties, surpassing current Cherenkov detectors in resolving key parameters.

Contribution

It demonstrates that advanced neutrino detectors with energy resolution can distinguish WIMP properties and break degeneracies in parameter estimation, improving dark matter characterization.

Findings

Future iron calorimeters can accurately reconstruct neutrino spectra.

Neutrino detectors can break degeneracies between WIMP-proton cross section and annihilation ratios.

Enhanced energy resolution improves dark matter parameter constraints.

Abstract

If the dark matter of the Universe is constituted by weakly interacting massive particles (WIMP), they would accumulate in the core of astrophysical objects as the Sun and annihilate into particles of the Standard Model. High-energy neutrinos would be produced in the annihilations, both directly and via the subsequent decay of leptons, quarks and bosons. While Cherenkov neutrino detectors/telescopes can only count the number of neutrinos above some threshold energy, we study how, by exploiting their energy resolution, large magnetized iron calorimeter and, possibly, liquid argon and totally active scintillator detectors, planned for future long baseline neutrino experiments, have the capability of reconstructing the neutrino spectrum and might provide information on the dark matter properties. In particular, for a given value of the WIMP mass, we show that a future iron calorimeter could break the degeneracy between the WIMP-proton cross section and the annihilation branching ratios, present for Cherenkov detectors, and constrain their values with good accuracy.