Sterile Neutrino Mixing Parameters from Solar-Neutrino Coherent Scattering

Abstract

Recently, dark matter direct-detection experiments have begun their exploration of the ``neutrino fog,'' providing the first hints of detection of solar neutrinos scattering elastically with the nuclei in the detector. In this work, we investigate how such observations can be used to uniquely explore sterile-neutrino parameter space, specifically through mixing with $ν_μ$ and $ν_τ$. While it is challenging to constrain these parameters with current observations -- PandaX, XENONnT, and LZ -- we demonstrate how future measurements (with modest improvements to exposure and systematic uncertainties) can provide useful, complementary information in the search for sterile neutrinos. With an ideal, next-generation direct-detection facility (${\sim}3000$ ton-yr), we can probe parameter space previously unexplored by other methods, including long-baseline and atmospheric searches for this class of new physics.