Online triggers for supernova and pre-supernova neutrino detection with cryogenic detectors

TL;DR

This paper explores the potential of cryogenic detectors, specifically the RES-NOVA experiment, to detect supernova and pre-supernova neutrinos promptly using advanced statistical methods, enhancing early multi-messenger astronomy.

Contribution

It introduces the application of cryogenic detectors and novel statistical tests, like RPS, for early detection of supernova neutrinos, improving sensitivity and robustness over traditional methods.

Findings

RES-NOVA can detect SN neutrinos at 15 kpc with 95% success

Pre-SN neutrinos detectable up to 480 pc with 10 s warning

RPS test offers robust, prior-independent neutrino signal detection

Abstract

Supernovae (SNe) are among the most energetic events in the universe still far from being fully understood. An early and prompt detection of neutrinos is a one-time opportunity for the realization of the first multi-messenger observation of these events. In this work, we present the prospects of detecting neutrinos produced before (pre-SN) and during a SN while running an advanced cryogenic detector. The recent advancements of the cryogenic detector technique and the discovery of coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering offer a wealth of opportunities in neutrino detection. The combination of the excellent energy resolution of this experimental technique, with the high cross section of this detection channel and its equal sensitivity to all neutrino flavors enables the realization of highly sensitive cm-scale neutrino telescopes, as the newly proposed RES-NOVA experiment. We present a detailed study on the detection promptness of pre-SN and SN neutrino signals, with direct comparisons among different classes of test statistics. While the well-established Poisson test offers in general best performance under optimal conditions, the non-parametric Recursive Product of Spacing statistical test (RPS) is more robust and ideal for triggering astrophysical neutrino signals with no specific prior knowledge. Based on our statistical tests the RES-NOVA experiment is able to identify SN neutrino signals at a 15 kpc distance with 95% of success rate, and pre-SN signal as far as 480 pc with a pre-warn time of the order of 10 s. These results demonstrate the potential of RPS for the identification of neutrino signals and the physics reach of the RES-NOVA experiment.