New physics searches in a low threshold scintillating argon bubble chamber measuring coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering in reactors

The sensitivity to new physics of a low threshold scintillating argon bubble chamber measuring coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering in reactors is reported. Namely, light scalar mediators, sterile neutrino oscillations, unitarity violation, and nonstandard interactions are studied. The results indicate that this detector could be able to set stronger constraints than current limits set by the recent COHERENT measurements. Considering the best scenario, a 100 kg detector located 30 m from a 2000 MWth reactor, a sterile neutrino search would cover most of the space parameter allowed from the reactor antineutrino anomaly fit. Unitarity violation studies could set constraints on alpha(11), more stringent than the current oscillation experiments fit. A low threshold argon detector with very low backgrounds has the potential to explore new physics in different scenarios and set competitive constraints.

Automated summary

This article reports the sensitivity to new physics of a low threshold scintillating argon bubble chamber. Light scalar mediators, sterile neutrino oscillations, unitarity violation, and nonstandard interactions are studied. The results indicate that this detector could set stronger constraints than current COHERENT measurements.