First Indication of Solar ⁸B Neutrinos via Coherent Elastic Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering with XENONnT

2024/08/06 by E. Aprile, J. Aalbers, K. Abe +199 · 2 voices · 33 citations
Medicine · Physics and Astronomy · #Algorithm #Computer science #Dark Matter and Cosmic Phenomena #Elastic scattering #Medicine #Neutrino #Neutrino Physics Research #Neutrino oscillation #Nuclear physics #Nucleus #Optics #Particle physics #Particle physics theoretical and experimental studies #Physics #Scattering #Solar neutrino

paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.133.191002

published in arXiv (Cornell University) 133(19), 191002 (Cornell University)

openalex publication_date 2024/08/06 · openalex created_date 2024/08/11 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/04

Abstract

We present the first measurement of nuclear recoils from solar ⁸B neutrinos via coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering with the XENONnT dark matter experiment. The central detector of XENONnT is a low-background, two-phase time projection chamber with a 5.9 t sensitive liquid xenon target. A blind analysis with an exposure of 3.51 t×yr resulted in 37 observed events above 0.5 keV, with (26.4^+1.4_-1.3) events expected from backgrounds. The background-only hypothesis is rejected with a statistical significance of 2.73 σ. The measured ⁸B solar neutrino flux of (4.7_-2.3^+3.6)× 10⁶ cm^-2s^-1 is consistent with results from the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory. The measured neutrino flux-weighted CEνNS cross section on Xe of (1.1^+0.8_-0.5)×10^-39 cm² is consistent with the Standard Model prediction. This is the first direct measurement of nuclear recoils from solar neutrinos with a dark matter detector.

Citations

• The Large-Sample Distribution of the Likelihood Ratio for Testing Composite Hypotheses

Cited by

• Searches for heavy neutral lepton decays at spallation neutron sources
• SNuDD: Solar Neutrinos for Direct Detection
• Searching for beyond-Standard-Model solar neutrino interactions using directional detectors
• Testing light and heavy vector mediators with solar CEνNS measurements
• Spectroscopy of VUV luminescence in dual-phase xenon detectors
• Coherent Elastic Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering at the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex
• Testing lepton non-unitarity with the next generation of (Germanium-based) CEνNS reactor experiments
• New light mediators and the neutrino fog: Implications from XENONnT nuclear recoil data
• Enhancing DUNE’s Solar Neutrino Capabilities with Neutral-Current Detection
• Development of a dual-phase xenon time projection chamber prototype for the RELICS experiment
• Development & Characterization of Electrodes for large-scale Xenon Time Projection Chambers
• GRANITE: High-Resolution Imaging and Electrical Qualification of Large-Area TPC Electrodes
• GRANITE: Mechanical Characterization and Optical Inspection of Large-Area TPC Electrodes
• Proof-of-concept of a xenon-based cryogenic heat pump demonstrator for future liquid xenon observatories
• Physics-informed continuous normalizing flows to learn the electric field within a time-projection chamber
• Design and characterization of a photosensor system for the RELICS experiment
• Solar Reflected Dark Matter under the Influence of Dark Magnetic Field
• When backgrounds become signals: neutrino interactions in xenon-based dark matter detectors
• Neutrino NSI in archaeological Pb
• Hunting the elusive X17 in CEνNS at the ESS
• Preparation and measurement of an \rm ³⁷Ar source for liquid xenon detector calibration
• Toward precision physics tests with future COHERENT detectors
• Neutrino fog in the light dark sector: the role of isospin violation
• Neutrino non-radiative decay in matter: constraints and prospects
• Extending the sensitivity of heavy sterile neutrino searches with solar neutrino experiments
• Light Dark Matter Search with 7.8 Tonne-Year of Ionization-Only Data in XENONnT
• Study of the beyond standard model interaction using Coherent Elastic Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering process
• Cosmic Ray Muon Polarization to Facilitate Atmospheric Neutrino Physics
• Quartz fluorescence backgrounds in xenon particle detectors
• Investigating sub-MeV dark matter annihilation to neutrinos using direct detection experiments
• Prospect of the NUCLEUS Experiment at Chooz for Coherent Elastic Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering and New Physics Searches
• EFT analysis of New Physics at COHERENT with Dirac neutrinos
• A ν look at the Sun: Probing the conditions of the solar core using ⁸B neutrinos

Discussions

• Three weeks ago, I noted that the XENONnT dark matter experiment has detected coherent neutrino scattering, an amazing achievement that is a testament to the sensitivity of dark matter direct detectio [bsky, 27 points, 2 comments]
• Today, XENONnT became the first dark matter search to hit the “neutrino floor,” a fundamental limit to how sensitive these experiments can get. arxiv.org/abs/2408.02877 [bsky, 16 points, 1 comments]

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