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Stephan A. Meighen-Berger

Publications and source records attributed to Stephan A. Meighen-Berger.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

Astrophysical Neutrino Sources as Colliders

High-energy neutrinos arise from processes at large center-of-mass energies, offering a window to test physics at comparable scales or beyond those accessible in collider experiments on Earth. Here, we present a recipe for extracting two-sided bounds on the inelastic $pp$ and $pγ$ cross sections from neutrino point-source data, by independently constraining every astrophysical input (cosmic-ray luminosities and target densities) through electromagnetic observations or theoretical arguments. The cross section is then the only remaining free parameter. Applying this framework to the IceCube associations with TXS~0506+056, NGC~1068, and the Galactic Plane, to a stacked population of eleven X-ray bright Seyfert galaxies, to the ultra-high-energy KM3NeT event KM3-230213A, and to projected observations of ultra-high-energy neutrinos, we obtain constraints that span center-of-mass energies from $\sqrt{s}\sim 1$ GeV to $\sim 10^{5}$ GeV, some of which are well beyond the reach of the LHC and, for the $pγ$ channel, beyond HERA. Several of these bounds are more stringent than unitarity limits.

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Dark matter energy exchange in stars orbiting supermassive black holes

Stars on tight orbits around the supermassive black hole at the Galactic Center pass through regions where the dark matter~(DM) density may be strongly enhanced. We compute the orbit-averaged DM-induced energy exchange for S4714 as an example. It is a star on an exceptionally close and relativistic orbit around Sagittarius~A*. For a spiked dark matter profile, the exchange reaches the stellar luminosity at $σ_{χp} \sim 10^{-36}~\mathrm{cm}^2$ for MeV-GeV masses and $σ_{χe} \sim 5\times10^{-38}~\mathrm{cm}^2$ for sub-MeV masses, opening a new annihilation-free route toward dark-star phases. These cross sections lie within the range predicted by freeze-in scenarios and are consistent with cosmic-ray--boosted and solar-reflection dark matter constraints.

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Towards Measuring the CP-Violating Phase with Atmospheric Neutrinos

We propose a new approach to measuring the CP-violating phase in neutrino mixing using atmospheric neutrinos, differing significantly from prior work. We develop an up-down flux ratio for sub-GeV atmospheric neutrinos that incorporates realistic detection effects and reduces systematic uncertainties. For the example of Hyper-Kamiokande -- the first experiment with sufficient atmospheric-neutrino statistics in this energy range -- our approach can surpass the sensitivity of the Tokai to Hyper-Kamiokande (T2HK) long-baseline experiment near $\mathit{δ_\mathrm{CP} = 90^\circ}$ and $\mathit{270^\circ}$. Realizing this potential will require additional, but realistic, work to reduce theoretical uncertainties. Success will provide an important, complementary probe to multi-\$1B accelerator-based experiments.

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New Multi-messenger Probe of Dark Matter-Nucleon Interactions from Ultra-high Energy Cosmic Ray Acceleration

It has been suggested that the density of dark matter (DM) halo can be highly enhanced around supermassive black holes at the centers of massive galaxies. If real, these DM \emph{spikes} would offer new opportunities to probe the properties of DM. In this work, we point out that DM spikes can significantly impact the composition and survivability of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays accelerated near supermassive black holes. A large DM-nucleon cross section would fragment heavy nuclei into lighter elements and prevent them from attaining the energies observed at Earth. While the origin of cosmic rays remains a mystery, we show that if the highest-energy cosmic rays on Earth come from sources like NGC 1068, then cross sections of size $σ_{χp} \leq 10^{-33} \left( \frac{m_χ}{\mathrm{GeV}}\right)\;\mathrm{cm^{2}}$ would be excluded by cosmic ray data. These bounds can be competitive with other existing probes and rule out new parameter space in the DM mass region $m_χ\in [3\;\mathrm{MeV}, 30\;\mathrm{MeV}]$. While the uncertainties on the acceleration mechanism of cosmic rays prevent us from setting robust limits, our study highlights an important connection between DM spikes and cosmic ray physics that is complementary to existing cosmological and direct detection constraints.

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Can local White Dwarfs constrain Dark Matter interactions?

We investigate whether nearby white dwarfs (WDs) can constrain dark matter (DM) interactions with ordinary matter. As experimental sensitivity improves, driven by the Gaia mission, the sample volume of nearby WDs has been increasing over recent years. We carefully select a sample of ten cold, isolated, non-magnetic WDs within 13~pc of the Sun. We model their carbon-oxygen interior using a finite temperature relativistic equation of state and model atmospheres to infer their core temperatures. This enables us to perform a thorough estimation of the DM capture rate and evaporation mass using actual astrophysical observations. Given the low local DM density, we focus on DM that annihilates into long-lived mediators, which escape the WD and later decay into photons. While \textit{Fermi}-LAT data shows no significant gamma-ray excess, future telescopes, CTA North \& South, LHAASO, SWGO, could probe DM-nucleon cross sections down to $\sim 10^{-41}~\text{cm}^2$ for DM masses above the TeV scale. Our results are competitive with current direct detection bounds (e.g., LZ) in the multi-TeV regime. This work underscores the importance of systematic WD studies in the broader landscape of DM detection and demonstrates the synergy between astrophysical and terrestrial searches in exploring DM interactions.

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Extending the Dark Matter Reach of Water Cherenkov Detectors using Jupiter

We propose the first method for water Cherenkov detectors to constrain GeV-scale dark matter (DM) below the solar evaporation mass. While previous efforts have highlighted the Sun and Earth as DM capture targets, we demonstrate that Jupiter is a viable target. Jupiter's unique characteristics, such as its lower core temperature and significant gravitational potential, allow it to capture and retain light DM more effectively than the Sun, particularly in the mass range below 4 GeV where direct detection sensitivity diminishes. Our calculations provide the first sensitivity estimates to GeV-scale annihilating DM within Jupiter, predicting Hyper-K can reach spin dependent cross sections as low as $σ_{pχ}^{\mathrm{SD}}=2\times 10^{-35}\mathrm{cm}^2$ for DM masses below 2 GeV. This surpasses current solar limits and direct detection results. We additionally provide estimates for Super-K ORCA, and the IceCube-Upgrade, showing that these experiments could provide complimentary bounds to direct detection experiments.

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Measuring the Cosmic Ray Spectrum with Next Generation Neutrino Detectors

We investigate the capabilities of upcoming kiloton-scale neutrino detectors, such as Hyper-Kamiokande, in determining the primary cosmic ray spectrum. These detectors provide full-sky coverage and long-term monitoring, unlike traditional satellite and balloon experiments that measure cosmic ray flux at specific altitudes and locations. By analyzing the atmospheric neutrino flux generated by cosmic ray interactions, we demonstrate that future detectors can differentiate between various cosmic ray models with high statistical significance, even when accounting for uncertainties in neutrino cross sections and hadronic interactions. We introduce a technique for reconstructing the primary cosmic ray spectrum using neutrino measurements, which reduces the flux uncertainty from approximately 20\% to about 7\%. We then show that Hyper-K has the potential to increase sensitivity to neutrino oscillation parameters, such as $\sin^2θ_{23}$, by a factor of 2. Our results highlight the complementary role of neutrino detectors in cosmic ray physics and their critical importance for precision measurements in particle astrophysics.

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Enhancing DUNE's solar neutrino capabilities with neutral-current detection

We show that the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) has the potential to make a precise measurement of the total active flux of 8B solar neutrinos via neutral-current (NC) interactions with argon. This would complement proposed precise measurements of solar-neutrino fluxes in DUNE via charged-current (CC) interactions with argon and mixed CC/NC interactions with electrons. Together, these would enable DUNE to make a SNO-like comparison of rates and thus to make the most precise measurements of $\sin^2θ_{12}$ and $Δm^2_{21}$ using solar neutrinos. Realizing this potential requires dedicated but realistic efforts to improve DUNE's low-energy capabilities and separately to reduce neutrino-argon cross section uncertainties. Comparison of mixing-parameter results obtained using solar neutrinos in DUNE and reactor antineutrinos in JUNO (Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory) would allow unprecedented tests of new physics.

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New Signal of Atmospheric Tau Neutrino Appearance: Sub-GeV Neutral-Current Interactions in JUNO

We propose the first practical method to detect atmospheric tau neutrino appearance at sub-GeV energies, which would be an important test of $ν_μ\rightarrow ν_τ$ oscillations and of new-physics scenarios. In the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO; starts in 2024), active-flavor neutrinos eject neutrons from carbon via neutral-current quasielastic scattering. This produces a two-part signal: the prompt part is caused by the scattering of the neutron in the scintillator, and the delayed part by its radiative capture. Such events have been observed in KamLAND, but only in small numbers and were treated as a background. With $ν_μ\rightarrow ν_τ$ oscillations, JUNO should measure a clean sample of 55 events/yr; with simple $ν_μ$ disappearance, this would instead be 41 events/yr, where the latter is determined from Super-Kamiokande charged-current measurements at similar neutrino energies. Implementing this method will require precise laboratory measurements of neutrino-nucleus cross sections or other developments. With those, JUNO will have $5σ$ sensitivity to tau-neutrino appearance in 5 years exposure, and likely sooner.

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