Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The weak mixing angle $$\theta _W$$ θ W is a fundamental parameter in the electroweak theory with a value running according to the energy scale, and its precision measurement in the low-energy regime is still ongoing. We propose a method to measure the low-energy $$\sin {^2\theta _W}$$ sin 2 θ W by taking advantage of Argo, a future ton-scale liquid argon dark matter detector, and the neutrino flux from a nearby core-collapse supernova (CCSN). We evaluate the expected precision of this measurement through the coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CE $$\nu $$ ν NS) channel. We show that Argo is potentially capable of achieving a few percent determination of $$\sin {^2\theta _W}$$ sin 2 θ W , at the momentum transfer of $$q \sim 20{\,\text {MeV}}$$ q ∼ 20 MeV , in the observation of a CCSN within $$\sim 3{\,\text {kpc}}$$ ∼ 3 kpc from the Earth. Such a measurement is valuable for both the precision test of the electroweak theory and searching for new physics beyond the standard model in the neutrino sector.
Source: The European Physical Journal C
Institution: Chinese University of Hong Kong
Language: English
Topic: Neutrino Physics Research
Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
Funder: National Science Foundation
OpenAlex ID: W4415419203