Coherent Elastic Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering at the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex

TL;DR

This paper evaluates the potential of the J-PARC facility for conducting high-statistics Coherent Elastic Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering experiments, highlighting its suitability and expected sensitivity improvements.

Contribution

It demonstrates that J-PARC's high neutron yield enables feasible, sensitive CEνNS measurements with existing and developing detector technologies.

Findings

J-PARC can conduct high-statistics CEνNS experiments within a few years.

The facility's neutron yield is optimal for CEνNS sensitivity.

Detector technologies under development are suitable for these experiments.

Abstract

The Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC) currently delivers a 1 MW, 3 GeV proton beam to the Materials and Life Science Experimental Facility (MLF). Power is expected to increase to 1.3 MW, driven by the needs of Hyper-Kamiokande. As a result, the MLF presently provides the highest neutron yield of any spallation source, while potentially holding the best current and foreseeable conditions for Coherent Elastic Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering (CE$\nu$NS) experimentation. We explore this potential, using as examples detector technologies presently funded for construction and under development. We quantify their sensitivity to a rich variety of particle physics scenarios, finding that very-high-statistics CE$\nu$NS measurements with significant sensitivity to relevant scenarios are feasible at this facility within the next few years.