Probing scalar dark matter oscillations with neutrino oscillations

TL;DR

This paper explores how ultra-light dark matter could cause detectable time variations in neutrino oscillation parameters, especially CP violation, and assesses current and future experimental sensitivities.

Contribution

It introduces a novel analysis of ULDM-induced neutrino oscillation modulations, emphasizing CP violation effects and their unique experimental signatures.

Findings

Current bounds on ULDM-neutrino coupling established

Future experiments can detect time-resolved modulations

CP violating effects can be uniquely identified in neutrino data

Abstract

If ultra-light dark matter (ULDM) exists and couples to neutrinos, it can be discovered via time-periodic variations in the neutrino mass and mixing parameters. We analyze the current bounds on such a scenario and establish the sensitivity expected for both time-averaged and time-resolved modulations in future neutrino oscillation experiments. We place a special emphasis in our analysis on time modulations of the CP violating mixing phase. We illustrate with a toy model the case where the leading modulation effect can be CP violating while the effect on CP conserving parameters is suppressed. We show a unique imprint that a time averaged CP violating modulation of ULDM can leave in neutrino oscillations, while direct CP asymmetries vanish.