Constraining neutrino charges at beam experiments

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel method to constrain neutrino electric charges using beam experiments, which could reveal new physics beyond the Standard Model and clarify neutrino properties.

Contribution

The authors propose a new experimental approach utilizing magnetometers to set stringent bounds on neutrino charges, improving current constraints and exploring long-range forces.

Findings

Existing experiments could constrain neutrino charges to |q_ν| ≲ 10^{-13}

Future upgrades could significantly tighten these bounds

The method is highly sensitive to new long-range forces

Abstract

We propose a new method to constrain neutrino charges at neutrino beam experiments. Uncharged in the Standard Model, evidence for a neutrino electric charge would be a smoking gun for new physics, shedding light on the Dirac or Majorana nature of neutrinos, and giving insight into the origin of charge quantization. We find that using the most sensitive magnetometers available, existing beam experiments could constrain neutrino charges $|q_{\nu}| \lesssim 10^{-13}$, in units of the electron charge, while future upgrades could strengthen these bounds significantly. We also discuss electromagnetic dipole moments and show that our proposal is highly sensitive to new long-range forces.