DUNE as the Next-Generation Solar Neutrino Experiment

TL;DR

The DUNE experiment has the potential to significantly advance solar neutrino research by providing precise measurements of neutrino properties, fluxes, and potential new physics, surpassing other proposed experiments.

Contribution

This paper demonstrates that DUNE can achieve world-leading solar neutrino measurements with feasible enhancements, enabling new physics and astrophysics discoveries.

Findings

Detects over 100,000 signal events above 5 MeV in 100 kton-year exposure

Achieves >10 sigma significance in day-night effect measurement

Measures the $^8$B flux to 2.5 ext{%} precision and detects the hep flux at 11 ext{%} accuracy

Abstract

We show that the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), with significant but feasible new efforts, has the potential to deliver world-leading results in solar neutrinos. With a 100 kton-year exposure, DUNE could detect $\gtrsim 10^5$ signal events above 5 MeV electron energy. Separate precision measurements of neutrino-mixing parameters and the $^8$B flux could be made using two detection channels ($\nu_e + \, ^{40}$Ar and $\nu_{e,\mu,\tau} + e^-$) and the day-night effect ($> 10 \sigma$). New particle physics may be revealed through the comparison of solar neutrinos (with matter effects) and reactor neutrinos (without), which is discrepant by $\sim 2 \sigma$ (and could become $5.6 \sigma$). New astrophysics may be revealed through the most precise measurement of the $^8$B flux (to 2.5\%) and the first detection of the {\it hep} flux (to 11\%). {\it DUNE is required:} No other experiment, even proposed, has been shown capable of fully realizing these discovery opportunities.