Observation of Coherent Elastic Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering by COHERENT

TL;DR

The COHERENT collaboration successfully observed coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CEvNS) for the first time, demonstrating a new way to study neutrino interactions using a CsI[Na] detector at Oak Ridge.

Contribution

This work reports the first experimental observation of CEvNS, confirming a key prediction of the Standard Model with a novel detector setup.

Findings

First observation of CEvNS

Validation of theoretical predictions

Potential for new neutrino physics studies

Abstract

The COHERENT collaboration measured coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CEvNS) for the first time at the Spallation Neutron Source at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, using a CsI[Na] detector. Here we discuss the nature of the CEvNS process, physics motivations, and experimental considerations for measuring CEvNS. We describe the CsI[Na] measurement, along with status and future of COHERENT.