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

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$\hat{I}½$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$\hat{I}½$NS measurements with significant sensitivity to relevant scenarios are feasible at this facility within the next few years.

19 pages, 13 figures. Ge background updated, conclusions unchanged. Matches version accepted by JHEP