Detecting LHC Neutrinos at Surface Level

TL;DR

This paper explores the feasibility of surface-level neutrino detectors at the LHC, identifying potential locations and detector types, but finds flux dilution limits their physics potential compared to closer detectors.

Contribution

It provides a topographic analysis of surface neutrino exit points at the LHC and evaluates the potential of surface detectors for neutrino and dark sector physics.

Findings

Surface neutrino exit points identified, closest being 9 km from CMS.

Flux dilution at surface level significantly reduces neutrino yield.

Surface detectors have limited physics reach compared to near-beam detectors.

Abstract

The first direct detection of neutrinos at the LHC not only marks the beginning of a novel collider neutrino program at CERN but also motivates considering additional neutrino detectors to fully exploit the associated physics potential. We investigate the feasibility and physics potential of neutrino experiments located at the surface-level. A topographic desk study was performed to identify all points at which the LHC's neutrino beams exit the earth. The closest location lies about 9 km east of the CMS interaction point, at the bottom of Lake Geneva. Several detectors to be placed at this location are considered, including a water Cherenkov detector and an emulsion detector. The detector concepts are introduced, and projections for their contribution to the LHC forward neutrino program and searches for dark sector particles are presented. However, the dilution of the neutrino flux over distance reduces the neutrino yield significantly, limiting the physics potential of surface-level detectors compared to ones closer to the interaction point, including the proposed FPF.