New physics searches in a low threshold scintillating argon bubble chamber measuring coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering in reactors
E. Alfonso-Pita (Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, A.P. 20-364, Ciudad de México 01000, México); L. J. Flores (Tecnológico Nacional de México/ITS de Jerez, C.P. 99863, Zacatecas, México); Eduardo Peinado (Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, A.P. 20-364, Ciudad de México 01000, México); E. Vázquez-Jáuregui (Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, A.P. 20-364, Ciudad de México 01000, México)
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 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 , 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.