Sub-GeV Dark Matter Direct Detection with Neutrino Observatories

Abstract

We present a new technique for sub-GeV dark matter (DM) searches and a new use of neutrino observatories. DM-electron scattering in an observatory can excite or ionize target molecules, which then produce light that can be detected by the photomultiplier tubes (PMTs). While individual DM scatterings are indistinguishable, the aggregate rate from many independent scatterings can be isolated from the total PMT dark rate using the expected DM annual modulation. We showcase this technique with the example of JUNO, a 20,000-ton scintillator detector, showing that its potential sensitivity in some mass ranges exceeds other techniques and reaches key particle-theory benchmarks.