Dark Matter Raining on DUNE and Other Large Volume Detectors

TL;DR

This paper explores a scenario where all dark matter is boosted by long-range forces, enhancing detection prospects at large-volume neutrino detectors like DUNE and JUNO, and predicts distinctive anisotropic signals.

Contribution

It introduces a model where 100% of dark matter is boosted, leading to improved detection signatures and anisotropic signals at large-volume detectors, supported by detailed simulations.

Findings

Boosted dark matter enhances detection sensitivity below 1 GeV.

Focusing effect increases flux at Earth's surface, improving detection prospects.

Signal anisotropy with vertical flow distinguishes this scenario from standard models.

Abstract

Direct detection is a powerful means of searching for particle physics evidence of dark matter (DM) heavier than about a GeV with $\mathcal O(kiloton)$ volume, low-threshold detectors. In many scenarios, some fraction of the DM may be boosted to large velocities enhancing and generally modifying possible detection signatures. We investigate the scenario where 100% of the DM is boosted at the Earth due to new attractive long-range forces. This leads to two main improvements in detection capabilities: 1) the large boost allows for detectable signatures of DM well below a GeV at large-volume neutrino detectors, such as DUNE, Super-K, Hyper-K, and JUNO, as possible DM detectors, and 2) the flux at the Earth's surface is enhanced by a focusing effect. In addition, the model leads to a significant anisotropy in the signal with the DM flowing dominantly vertically at the Earth's surface instead of the typical approximately isotropic DM signal. We develop the theory behind this model and also calculate realistic constraints using a detailed GENIE simulation of the signal inside detectors.