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de Gouvea, A., De Romeri, V., & Ternes, C. A. (2020). Probing neutrino quantum decoherence at reactor experiments. J. High Energy Phys., 08(8), 049–17pp.
Abstract: We explore how well reactor antineutrino experiments can constrain or measure the loss of quantum coherence in neutrino oscillations. We assume that decoherence effects are encoded in the size of the neutrino wave-packet, sigma. We find that the current experiments Daya Bay and the Reactor Experiment for Neutrino Oscillation (RENO) already constrain sigma >1.0x10(-4) nm and estimate that future data from the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) would be sensitive to sigma <2.1x10(-3) nm. If the effects of loss of coherence are within the sensitivity of JUNO, we expect sigma to be measured with good precision. The discovery of nontrivial decoherence effects in JUNO would indicate that our understanding of the coherence of neutrino sources is, at least, incomplete.
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De Romeri, V., Martinez-Mirave, P., & Tortola, M. (2021). Signatures of primordial black hole dark matter at DUNE and THEIA. J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys., 10(10), 051–21pp.
Abstract: Primordial black holes (PBHs) are a potential dark matter candidate whose masses can span over many orders of magnitude. If they have masses in the 10(15)-10(17) g range, they can emit sizeable fluxes of MeV neutrinos through evaporation via Hawking radiation. We explore the possibility of detecting light (non-)rotating PBHs with future neutrino experiments. We focus on two next generation facilities: the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) and THEIA. We simulate the expected event spectra at both experiments assuming different PBH mass distributions and spins, and we extract the expected 95% C.L. sensitivities to these scenarios. Our analysis shows that future neutrino experiments like DUNE and THEIA will be able to set competitive constraints on PBH dark matter, thus providing complementary probes in a part of the PBH parameter space currently constrained mainly by photon data.
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Sierra, D. A., De Romeri, V., Flores, L. J., & Papoulias, D. K. (2022). Impact of COHERENT measurements, cross section uncertainties and new interactions on the neutrino floor. J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys., 01(1), 055–26pp.
Abstract: We reconsider the discovery limit of multi-ton direct detection dark matter experiments in the light of recent measurements of the coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering process. Assuming the cross section to be a parameter entirely determined by data, rather than using its Standard Model prediction, we use the COHERENT CsI and LAr data sets to determine WIMP discovery limits. Being based on a data-driven approach, the results are thus free from theoretical assumptions and fall within the WIMP mass regions where XENONnT and DARWIN have best expected sensitivities. We further determine the impact of subleading nuclear form factor and weak mixing angle uncertainties effects on WIMP discovery limits. We point out that these effects, albeit small, should be taken into account. Moreover, to quantify the impact of new physics effects in the neutrino background, we revisit WIMP discovery limits assuming light vector and scalar mediators as well as neutrino magnetic moments/transitions. We stress that the presence of new interactions in the neutrino sector, in general, tend to worsen the WIMP discovery limit.
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DUNE Collaboration(Abi, B. et al), Antonova, M., Barenboim, G., Cervera-Villanueva, A., De Romeri, V., Fernandez Menendez, P., et al. (2021). Searching for solar KDAR with DUNE. J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys., 10(10), 065–28pp.
Abstract: The observation of 236 MeV muon neutrinos from kaon-decay-at-rest (KDAR) originating in the core of the Sun would provide a unique signature of dark matter annihilation. Since excellent angle and energy reconstruction are necessary to detect this monoenergetic, directional neutrino flux, DUNE with its vast volume and reconstruction capabilities, is a promising candidate for a KDAR neutrino search. In this work, we evaluate the proposed KDAR neutrino search strategies by realistically modeling both neutrino-nucleus interactions and the response of DUNE. We find that, although reconstruction of the neutrino energy and direction is difficult with current techniques in the relevant energy range, the superb energy resolution, angular resolution, and particle identification offered by DUNE can still permit great signal/background discrimination. Moreover, there are non-standard scenarios in which searches at DUNE for KDAR in the Sun can probe dark matter interactions.
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Sierra, D. A., De Romeri, V., & Rojas, N. (2019). CP violating effects in coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering processes. J. High Energy Phys., 09(9), 069–22pp.
Abstract: The presence of new neutrino-quark interactions can enhance, deplete or distort the coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CEvNS) event rate. The new interactions may involve CP violating phases that can potentially affect these features. Assuming light vector mediators, we study the effects of CP violation on the CEvNS process in the COHERENT sodium-iodine, liquid argon and germanium detectors. We identify a region in parameter space for which the event rate always involves a dip and another one for which this is never the case. We show that the presence of a dip in the event rate spectrum can be used to constraint CP violating effects, in such a way that the larger the detector volume the tighter the constraints. Furthermore, it allows the reconstruction of the effective coupling responsible for the signal with an uncertainty determined by recoil energy resolution. In the region where no dip is present, we find that CP violating parameters can mimic the Standard Model CEvNS prediction or spectra induced by real parameters. We point out that the interpretation of CEvNS data in terms of a light vector mediator should take into account possible CP violating effects. Finally, we stress that our results are qualitatively applicable for CEvNS induced by solar or reactor neutrinos. Thus, the CP violating effects discussed here and their consequences should be taken into account as well in the analysis of data from multi-ton dark matter detectors or experiments such as CONUS, nu-cleus or CONNIE.
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