http://arxiv.org/abs/2205.14123
The Hyper-Kamiokande (HyperK) experiment is expected to measure precisely the Diffuse Supernova Neutrino Background (DSNB). This requires that the backgrounds in the relevant energy range are well understood. One possible background that has not been considered thus far is the annihilation of low-mass dark matter (DM) to neutrinos. We conduct simulations of the DSNB signal and backgrounds in HyperK, and quantify the extent to which DM annihilation products can pollute the DSNB signal. We find that the presence of DM could affect the determination of the correct values of parameters of interest for DSNB physics, such as effective neutrino temperatures and star formation rates. Since the DSNB is isotropic, and the DM annihilation flux would originate predominantly from the Galactic centre, we show how this effect can be mitigated with the use of angular information. This opens up the possibility of simultaneously characterising the DNSB and discovering dark matter via indirect detection.
N. Bell, M. Dolan and S. Robles
Mon, 30 May 22
31/47
Comments: 19 pages, 6 figures, 2 tables