Detection Prospects of the Cosmic Neutrino Background

TL;DR

This paper reviews the challenges and future prospects for directly detecting the cosmic neutrino background, focusing on various proposed experimental methods and the PTOLEMY project.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of potential detection techniques for the cosmic neutrino background, highlighting recent developments and future experimental strategies.

Findings

Discusses the feasibility of capture on beta-decaying nuclei

Analyzes the potential of the PTOLEMY project for detection

Explores alternative detection methods like electron-capture and Z-resonance annihilation

Abstract

The existence of the cosmic neutrino background (CnuB) is a fundamental prediction of the standard Big Bang cosmology. Although current cosmological probes provide indirect observational evidence, the direct detection of the CnuB in a laboratory experiment is a great challenge to the present experimental techniques. We discuss the future prospects for the direct detection of the CnuB, with the emphasis on the method of captures on beta-decaying nuclei and the PTOLEMY project. Other possibilities using the electron-capture (EC) decaying nuclei, the annihilation of extremely high-energy cosmic neutrinos (EHEC\nus) at the Z-resonance, and the atomic de-excitation method are also discussed in this review.