Impact of COHERENT measurements, cross section uncertaintiesand new interactions on the neutrino floor

• Published in: Journal of cosmology and astroparticle physics Vol. 2022; no. 1; p. 055
• Main Authors: D Aristizabal Sierra, De Romeri, V, Flores, L J, Papoulias, D K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol IOP Publishing 01.01.2022
• Subjects: Cross-sections; Elastic scattering; Neutrinos
• ISSN: 1475-7516; 1475-7516
• DOI: 10.1088/1475-7516/2022/01/055

We reconsider the discovery limit of multi-ton direct detection darkmatter experiments in the light of recent measurements of thecoherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scatteringprocess. Assuming the cross section to be a parameter entirelydetermined by data, rather than using its Standard Modelprediction, we use the COHERENT CsI and LAr data sets to determineWIMP discovery limits. Being based on a data-driven approach, theresults are thus free from theoretical assumptions and fall withinthe WIMP mass regions where XENONnT and DARWIN have best expectedsensitivities. We further determine the impact of subleading nuclear formfactor and weak mixing angle uncertainties effects on WIMP discoverylimits. We point out that these effects, albeit small, should betaken into account. Moreover, to quantify the impact of new physics effects inthe neutrino background, we revisit WIMP discovery limits assuminglight vector and scalar mediators as well as neutrino magneticmoments/transitions. We stress that the presence of new interactionsin the neutrino sector, in general, tend to worsen the WIMPdiscovery limit.