Supernova neutrino physics with a nuclear emulsion detector

TL;DR

This paper explores the potential of a nuclear emulsion detector to observe supernova neutrinos, enabling directional detection, supernova distance estimation, and detection of specific neutrino types.

Contribution

It introduces a new nuclear emulsion detector design for supernova neutrino detection and demonstrates its capability through likelihood analysis.

Findings

Detection of supernova neutrinos is feasible within first years of operation.

The detector can estimate supernova distance using neutrino data.

It can observe specific neutrino types like $^8$B neutrinos.

Abstract

The existence of the coherent neutrino-nucleus scattering reaction requires to evaluate, for any detector devoted to WIMP searches, the irreducible background due to conventional neutrino sources and at same time, it gives a unique chance to reveal supernova neutrinos. We report here a detailed study concerning a new directional detector, based on the nuclear emulsion technology. A Likelihood Ratio test shows that, in the first years of operations and with a detector mass of several tens of tons, the observation of the supernova signal can be achieved. The determination of the distance of the supernova from the neutrinos and the observation of $^8$B neutrinos are also discussed.