Searching for the Dark Sector with Proton Beam Dump Experiments

Abstract: 

The search for dark matter with proton beams has been well motivated by recent theoretical work which has highlighted light sub-GeV dark matter that interacts with ordinary matter through light vector mediator particles. These scenarios constitute a cosmological and phenomenological viable possibility to account for the dark matter of the universe. Such light dark matter particles are difficult to probe using traditional methods of dark matter detection, but can be copiously produced and then detected with neutrino beam experiments such as MiniBooNE, SBN, and DUNE. This represents a new experimental approach to the search for dark matter and is highly complementary to other approaches, such as underground direct detection experiments and high energy collider experiments. Furthermore, searches for light dark matter provide an additional important physics motivation for the current and future experimental neutrino physics research program at FNAL. A new and motivating possibility that will be discussed is using the Lujan neutron source at LANSCE, coupled with a large liquid Argon detector, to search for sub-GeV dark matter and sterile neutrinos via coherent neutrino scattering.