New Physics searches in a low threshold scintillating argon bubble chamber measuring coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering in reactors

TL;DR

This paper explores the potential of a low-threshold scintillating argon bubble chamber to detect and constrain various New Physics scenarios through coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering measurements near reactors.

Contribution

It demonstrates that such a detector could surpass current experimental limits and effectively probe sterile neutrinos, unitarity violation, and non-standard interactions.

Findings

Potential to improve constraints on sterile neutrinos beyond current limits.

Ability to set more stringent bounds on unitarity violation parameters.

Capable of exploring New Physics scenarios with competitive sensitivity.

Abstract

The sensitivity to New Physics of a low threshold scintillating argon bubble chamber measuring coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering in reactors is reported. Namely, light scalar mediators, sterile neutrino oscillations, unitarity violation, and non-standard interactions are studied. The results indicate that this detector could be able to set stronger constraints than current limits set by the recent COHERENT measurements. Considering the best scenario, a 100 kg detector located 30 m from a 2000 MW$_{th}$ reactor, a sterile neutrino search would cover most of the space parameter allowed from the reactor anti-neutrino anomaly fit. Unitarity violation studies could set constraints on $\alpha_{11}$ more stringent than the current oscillation experiments fit. A low threshold argon detector with very low backgrounds has the potential to explore New Physics in different scenarios and set competitive constraints.