Dark Sector Studies with Neutrino Beams

TL;DR

Neutrino beam experiments offer a promising platform to explore dark sector particles, complementing their primary neutrino research with potential discoveries of new light, weakly-coupled particles, despite some challenges.

Contribution

This paper reviews the theoretical motivations for dark sectors and assesses how neutrino experiments can effectively search for related new particles and signatures.

Findings

Neutrino experiments can probe a wide range of dark sector models.

Potential obstacles include experimental limitations and background noise.

Concrete steps are proposed to enhance dark sector search capabilities.

Abstract

An array of powerful neutrino-beam experiments will study the fundamental properties of neutrinos with unprecedented precision in the coming years. Along with their primary neutrino-physics motivations, there has been growing recognition that these experiments can carry out a rich program of searches for new, light, weakly-coupled particles that are part of a dark sector. In this white paper, we review the diverse theoretical motivations for dark sectors and the capabilities of neutrino beam experiments to probe a wide range of models and signatures. We also examine the potential obstacles that could limit these prospects and identify concrete steps needed to realize an impactful dark sector search program in this and coming decades.