Anti-Electron Neutrinos at High-Energy Neutrino Experiments: Identification Strategies and Physics Potential

TL;DR

This paper proposes a new detector setup to distinguish electron neutrinos and antineutrinos at high-energy experiments, enabling precise cross-section measurements and advancing studies of forward particle production and neutrino interactions.

Contribution

Introduction of a compact plastic target before the spectrometer to enable separation of $ u_e$ and $ar u_e$ interactions at high-energy neutrino experiments.

Findings

Potential to measure $ u_e$ and $ar u_e$ cross sections separately.

Enhanced ability to study forward particle production.

Improved constraints on non-standard neutrino interactions.

Abstract

Most existing and proposed high energy neutrino experiments have excellent muon charge identification capabilities, enabling the distinction of $\nu_\mu$ and $\bar \nu_\mu$ charged current interactions. In contrast, distinguishing electrons and positrons from $\nu_e$ and $\bar \nu_e$ interactions is typically impossible, as they quickly interact within the characteristically dense detector material and fail to reach the spectrometer. In this letter, we propose a compact and cost-effective plastic target, placed right before the spectrometer, to maximize the rate of electrons and positrons that reach the spectrometer before interacting. We demonstrate that, when installed at the FASER experiment, the Forward Physics Facility, or SHiP, this setup could enable the first separate measurement of $\nu_e$ and $\bar\nu_e$ cross sections at high energy. Additionally, this setup opens new opportunities to study forward particle production at collider neutrino experiments, such as constraining forward $\Lambda$ hyperon production, and, by reducing flux uncertainties, significantly improve limits on non-standard neutrino interactions in neutral currents.