Dark matter, CE$\nu$NS and neutrino new physics scrutinized by a statistical method in Xenon-based experiments

Abstract

Dark matter direct detection experiments are going to touch the neutrino floor with a good chance to measure coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CE$\nu$NS) and a probe of neutrino-related new physics ($\nu$NP). In this study, we emphatically investigate the simultaneous presence of dark matter and $\nu$NP revealing a response resembling of Standard Model neutrino backgrounds in Xenon-based dark matter experiments. Demonstrated by three U(1) extension models, we figure out that dark matter signals can be distinguished from an excess or a depletion of neutrino contributions from $\nu$NP by a statistically defined distinction method in nuclear and electronic recoil spectra. We also present the influence of $\nu$NP on the exclusion limits for spin-independent dark matter-nucleon interactions. Our work might pave the way for new physics discrimination in future dark matter experiments.

Comments: 30 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in JHEP, Github repository: https://github.com/zhangblong/DistinctionLimit