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NuPhys2026: Prospects in Neutrino Physics
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King's College London
King's College London
King's College London, Strand, London, WC2R 2LS
Description
NuPhys 2026: Prospects in Neutrino Physics is an international conference that is unique in addressing the synergy between current and future experiments, their results, and their phenomenological aspects. It is also very timely, as the design of these experiments is currently ongoing. The latest results will be presented from both theoretical and experimental perspectives. This conference will allow for an exchange of ideas and discuss the latest developments in these areas.
The programme has been expanded to incorporate the crucial Dark Sector searches and new detector technologies.
This conference will be unique in its focus on the synergy between experimental and phenomenological aspects, and it is particularly timely, as new experiments are becoming operational. The latest results will be presented from both theoretical and experimental studies.
We have also included parallel sessions for the first time to address the different topics in more detail.
To encourage and facilitate the participation of early-career researchers and PhD students, a poster session will be a key activity of the meeting, with posters displayed throughout the conference. Prizes will be awarded to the top two experimental and top two theoretical posters, as determined by the participants' votes.
Topics:
- Neutrino oscillations
- Neutrino Interactions (section measurements, models, generators,..)
- Dark sectors (colliders, fixed target, models, neutrino BSM, etc.)
- Astrophysical and cosmological neutrinos
- New detector technologies
Confirmed invited speakers: Mayly Sanchez, Peter Denton, Jacobo Lopez-Pavon, Mark Ross-Lonergan, Joanna Sobczyk, Artur Ankowski, Jure Zupan, Kim Palladino, Filippo Sala, Kathrin Valerius, Avelino Vicente, Claudia Nones, Julia Tjus, Carlos Anguelles Delgrado, Viviam Poulin, Diana Navas, Chiara Capelli, Saul Alonso Monsalve, Davide Basilico.
Warning: Attendees of the NuPhys2026 Conference, we have received reports of a phishing attempt targeting our conference participants. The phishing email appears to come from a credible source, but it offers a hotel booking form that requests credit card details. If you received emails offering accommodation during the conference, please disregard them and do not reply or click on any links provided. The organising committee has no affiliation with any organisation offering accommodation.
Registration
Registration form for NuPhys2026
Participants
106
View full list
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Registration (and coffee) Entrance to the Strand Building
Entrance to the Strand Building
King's College London
Registration is in the Strand Building Entrance. The coffee is in the Great Hall.
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Plenary Session Safra Lecture Theatre
Safra Lecture Theatre
King's College London
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2
Oscillation parameters status and prospects
Neutrino oscillation measurements are entering a precision era. Rapid progress across the experimental landscape has brought the three-flavor picture into remarkably sharp focus. Yet some of the most compelling pieces of the puzzle are still missing: the neutrino mass ordering, the size of leptonic CP violation, and whether the large mixing angle lies above or below maximal mixing. This talk will survey that landscape, highlighting milestone results from long-baseline accelerator experiments and complementary constraints from reactor, atmospheric, and solar neutrinos. These channels interlock to pin down mixing, mass splittings, and matter effects, and their consistency tests have the potential to push the framework to its limits. Finally, we will look ahead to upcoming facilities and analysis advances that can turn today’s hints into definitive discoveries.
Speaker: Mayly Sanchez (Florida State University) -
3
Modern Neutrino Oscillation Theory
In particle physics there exist two regions: the Standard Model which is fairly complete and the new physics sector which is completely unknown. In between and overlapping with both of these is neutrino physics. Neutrinos exist within the Standard Model but are not explained by it due to the discovery of neutrino oscillations. In this talk I will discuss where we stand with neutrino oscillations, where we might go with them, and how we might learn about the nature of neutrinos.
Speaker: Dr Peter Denton (Brookhaven National Laboratory)
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10:40
Break Great Hall
Great Hall
King's College London
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Plenary Session Safra Lecture Theatre
Safra Lecture Theatre
King's College London
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4
Neutrinos as a Window into New Physics?
Deviations from the unitarity of the CKM matrix in the quark sector provide powerful probes of physics Beyond the Standard Model. In the leptonic sector, analogous tests of the PMNS matrix are particularly well motivated, as the new physics required to generate neutrino masses can often induce non-unitary mixing among the active neutrinos. In this talk, we will discuss how neutrino oscillations are modified in such scenarios, describing the most promising effects in order to test unitarity and paying particular attention to the dependence on the underlying new physics scale. We will present updated bounds on unitarity violation and explore the interplay between constraints derived from neutrino oscillation experiments and those coming from electroweak precision data. We will also analyze the connection between the commonly used NSI framework and the SMEFT description, which provides the consistent EFT low energy treatment of heavy new physics sectors. We will show that neutrino oscillation and coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering data can significantly impact the global SMEFT fit.
Speaker: Jacobo Lopez Pavon (IFIC, CSIC-Universitat de València (Spain)) -
5
Short Baseline Neutrino Anomalies: Evolving Perspectives on an Enduring Puzzle
Short-baseline neutrino anomalies have captivated the community for over two decades, with the persistent 4.8σ MiniBooNE excess, amongst others, serving as a tantalizing hint of physics beyond the Standard Model. Recent experimental results have dramatically reshaped this landscape: while comprehensive searches strongly disfavor the traditional light sterile neutrino explanation, the anomalies themselves remain unexplained. This tension has sparked an exciting paradigm shift toward richer theoretical frameworks. Dark-sector models featuring new mediators, enhanced couplings, and novel production mechanisms can offer compelling alternatives that address both the anomalies and broader fundamental questions about neutrino mass generation and dark matter. I will review the current experimental status and evolving theoretical landscape, and preview how the current generation of short-baseline experiments are poised to either discover or definitively exclude these new physics scenarios. The light sterile neutrino may be dead, but the hunt for new physics at short baselines has never been more alive.
Speaker: Mark Ross-Lonergan (Columbia University) -
6
Neutrino-nucleus interactions: from models to event generators
Future long-baseline oscillation experiments will extract neutrino oscillation parameters from measurements of the oscillated neutrino flux. The accuracy of these measurements critically depends on our understanding of neutrino–nucleus interactions. In this talk, I will review state-of-the-art theoretical approaches in nuclear and hadron physics used to describe neutrino–nucleus scattering, as well as recent advances in Monte Carlo event generators that implement these models for experimental analyses.
Speaker: Joanna Sobczyk -
7
Neutrino cross sectionsSpeaker: Dr Artur Ankowski (University of Wroclaw)
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4
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Group Photo
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13:10
Lunch Bush House Kitchen, -1 floor
Bush House Kitchen, -1 floor
King's College London
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Dark Sectors Anatomy Lecture Theatre
Anatomy Lecture Theatre
King's College London
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8
Latest results from XENONnT and prospects for the future
This talk presents some recent results from the XENONnT experiment, based at LNGS, Italy. I will highlight the physics searches that are possible with this detector and present results from a search for WIMP-like events as well as a study of neutrino interactions. These findings demonstrate the exciting potential and versatility of the XENONnT detector in exploring rare physics processes. I will conclude by discussing prospects for future measurements.
Speaker: Andrew Stevens (University of Freiburg) -
9
Recent results from the LUX-ZEPLIN experiment
Two-phase liquid xenon (LXe) time-projection chambers, such as the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment, have proved to be excellent detectors for observing rare low-energy interactions. Such detectors, primarily designed to detect O(keV) interactions expected from dark matter scattering, provide an exciting avenue for understanding low-energy neutrino interactions. In this talk, I shall outline the LZ detector, present the latest results which demonstrates the most sensitive WIMP sensitivity to date for a wide range of WIMP masses, and discuss LZ's potential to observe solar neutrinos as a background to such searches.
Speaker: Albert Baker (King's College London) -
10
Impact of Reactor Anti-Neutrinos on the Neutrino Floor for Low-Mass Dark Matter Searches
The search for dark matter is rapidly approaching a fundamental sensitivity limit set by coherent elastic neutrino--nucleus scattering (CE$\nu$NS), where neutrino-induced nuclear recoils become indistinguishable from those expected from Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs). This limit, known as the neutrino floor, defines the ultimate reach of direct dark matter detection experiments. While solar neutrinos, geoneutrinos, diffuse supernova neutrinos, and atmospheric neutrinos are well-known contributors to this background, the role of reactor electron antineutrinos has often been underestimated. For detectors operating near nuclear facilities, their contribution can be significant, potentially limiting sensitivity to low-mass WIMPs in the sub-GeV/$c^2$ to few-GeV/$c^2$ range.
In this presentation, we report the first systematic study quantifying the impact of reactor antineutrino fluxes on the neutrino floor using SuperCDMS-like ultra-low-threshold germanium detectors. Using realistic CE$\nu$NS event rate calculations for gigawatt-scale reactor spectra, we evaluate how the discovery reach evolves with reactor-detector distance. Our results show that detectors located within $\sim$10 km of a reactor may experience up to a two-order-of-magnitude reduction in sensitivity for WIMPs around 2.5~GeV/$c^2$, where the reactor-induced CE$\nu$NS spectrum closely mimics the WIMP signal. Beyond $\sim$100 km, this effect becomes negligible. These findings establish reactor antineutrinos as an important consideration in the site selection and design of future low-mass dark matter searches.
This presentation will be based on our recent work: https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.09217, arXiv:2511.09217.
Speaker: Mr Sudipta Das (National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), an OCC of Homi Bhabha National Institute, Jatni, India) -
11
Reactor neutrino coherent scattering with a liquid xenon time projection chamber
The neutrino-nucleus coherent scattering (CEvNS) has the largest cross-section among all interaction channels for MeV neutrinos, making it a promising method for remotely monitoring nuclear reactors. Liquid xenon time projection chamber (LXeTPC) is a promising technology for CEvNS search, thanks to its low background and low energy threshold. The RELICS (REactor neutrino LIquid xenon Coherent Scattering, RELICS) experiment aims at reactor CEvNS detection using an LXeTPC. At a baseline of 25 meters, RELICS will precisely measure the CEvNS cross-section to understand fundamental properties of neutrinos and search for new physics beyond the Standard Model, such as axions. In this talk, I will introduce the status of the RELICS experiment and discuss its physics potential.
Speaker: Prof. Fei Gao (Tsinghua University)
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8
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Neutrino Mass Nash Lecture Theatre
Nash Lecture Theatre
King's College London
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12
Models and phenomenology of neutrino polarizability
In this talk I will investigate the electromagnetic polarizability of neutrinos, that is their interaction term with two photons. Although such operator appears at higher order in an effective field theory expansion, it is the leading term in models of scalars and pseudoscalars that can interact with neutrinos. I will show that the expected suppression from small neutrino masses can be compensated by the light mediator mass, generating dimension 7 Rayleigh operators at low scales. I will show an explicit models that lead to an enhanced neutrino polarizability by modifying the inverse see-saw majoron, and study the rich phenomenology that follows.
Speaker: Michele Tammaro -
13
Current Status and Future Prospects of the SNO+ Experiment
The SNO+ experiment is a large multi-purpose neutrino detector, based 2km underground in Sudbury, Canada. A phased approach to its target deployment has allowed for a variety of neutrino physics to be explored, including reactor, geo-, solar, and supernova neutrinos. It also allows for effective background and detector characterisation in preparation for the loading of tellurium into the liquid scintillator target, enabling a search for neutrinoless double beta decay. This talk will give an overview of the detector, major results that have been recently published, and the status of the neutrinoless double beta decay project.
Speaker: Daniel Cookman (King's College London) -
14
Decoupling Neutrino Magnetic Moment from Mass with SU(2)L Invariance
Standard Model extensions that yield observable neutrino magnetic moments typically also induce large neutrino masses, incompatible with experimental limits. This tension motivates the search for mechanisms that naturally decouple magnetic moments from mass generation without requiring fine-tuning. In this talk, I propose a novel mechanism for generating Dirac and Majorana neutrino magnetic moment, in which the associated mass contribution is forbidden by $SU(2)_L$ invariance. By carefully selecting the $SU(2)_L$ representations connecting the neutrino to the loop diagram, we ensure that only the effective dipole operator involving the non-Abelian part of the photon --- the neutral $SU(2)_L$ gauge boson --- is generated. Crucially, the corresponding mass diagram, obtained by removing the external gauge boson leg, vanishes. I will provide explicit UV completions that implement this mechanism and yield neutrino magnetic moments within the sensitivity of current and future experiments.
Speaker: Anil Thapa (Colorado State University) -
15
Recent Results from the NEXT-100 Experiment
Neutrinoless double beta decay $(0\nu\beta\beta)$ experiments offer the potential to probe new physics, such as the nature of the neutrino and lepton number violation, that would have significant implications in the field of particle physics. The NEXT experiment aims to detect the aforementioned process via the decay of $^{136}Xe$, using a High Pressure Gaseous Xenon Time Projection Chamber. NEXT-100 is the latest detector, built to demonstrate scalability of this established gas technology. It started operating in 2024 with a commissioning run, followed by a calibration campaign, and a first background measurement at 4 bar. The detector is now being prepared for high pressure ($\approx 10$ bar) operation. The initial period of data taking proved the stability of the apparatus, and showed a performance well within the expectations required for the fulfilment of the programme. After three years of data taking, the detector is expected to reach a sensitivity of $10^{25}$ yrs, at $90\%$ C.L. with a background rate of around 1 count per year within the region of interest. The success of NEXT-100 will be instrumental in demonstrating the scalability of the relevant technologies to the tonne scale. This talk will outline the status of the detector, present the first key results obtained, as well as discussing possible upgrades.
Speaker: Joshua Grocott (University of Manchester)
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12
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New Detector Technologies Safra Lecture Theatre
Safra Lecture Theatre
King's College London
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16
Latest performance results of the High-Angle TPC in the upgraded T2K off-axis near detector
The T2K experiment has recently completed the upgrade of its off-axis near detector ND280. Two new gaseous High-Angle Time Projection Chambers (HA-TPCs) have been installed above and below the highly segmented scintillator active target SuperFGD to precisely track particles emitted at large angles with respect to the beam direction. The upgraded setup also includes six new time-of-flight scintillator panels for accurate timing information. Each HA-TPC incorporates an innovative lightweight field cage, made of low-density, low-Z materials, with a total wall thickness of less than 4% of radiation length. The two chambers are read out by a total of 32 ERAM detectors, a novel type of resistive Micromegas, extensively characterized prior to integration. This contribution will present the latest performance results of the HA-TPCs and discuss ongoing developments. To provide deeper insight into electric field non-uniformities and further enhance our understanding of ERAM detector performance, a 266 nm laser system for a half-volume TPC is currently under commissioning at CERN, and a test beam campaign at the CERN PS beam line is planned before the upcoming long shutdown.
Speaker: Camilla Forza (Universita e INFN, Padova (IT)) -
17
An innovative lens-based imaging detector for GRAIN in SAND at the DUNE Near Detector Complex: track and vertex reconstruction performance
The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) aims to resolve fundamental open questions in neutrino physics, including the neutrino mass ordering and the possible violation of CP symmetry in the lepton sector. Within the DUNE Near Detector complex, the System for on-Axis Neutrino Detection (SAND) will provide continuous on-axis monitoring of the neutrino beam, enabling precise flux determination, control of systematic uncertainties for oscillation analyses, and a broad program of neutrino interaction measurements.
SAND integrates a 0.6 T superconducting solenoid and an electromagnetic calorimeter, both refurbished from the KLOE experiment, together with a tracking system currently under development. Upstream of the tracker, a 1-ton liquid argon active target, GRAIN (GRanular Argon for Interaction of Neutrinos), will allow detailed reconstruction of ν-Ar interactions. GRAIN will be instrumented with an optical readout system that allows particle reconstruction using scintillation light, derived from either a lens-based optical detector or from a coded-mask optical detector.
In this contribution, the current design and status of SAND and GRAIN will be presented, followed by preliminary simulation results of track and vertex reconstruction in GRAIN using the lens configuration.
Speaker: Silvia Repetto (University of Genova and INFN Genova) -
18
ND280++, the multi-ton upgrade of the magnetised near detector for the Hyper-Kamiokande high-statistics phase
Hyper-Kamiokande will start collecting accelerator neutrino data in 2028 to measure the leptonic CP violating phase, $\delta_{CP}$. The largest systematic uncertainty is knowledge of the ratio between the electron neutrino and antineutrino cross sections, $\Delta (\sigma_{{\nu}_e}/\sigma_{\bar{\nu}_e})$. Improper modeling could generate an ambiguous asymmetry in any measured difference between the ratios of $\nu_{\mu} \to \nu_e$ and $\bar{\nu}_{\mu} \to \bar{\nu}_e$ oscillation probabilities, thus leading to a bias in the measurement of the CP violating phase ($\delta_{CP}$). Sensitivity studies show that the magnetised near detector (ND280) currently operating at the T2K experiment, and the intermediate water-Cherenkov detector (IWCD) may constrain $\Delta (\sigma_{{\nu}_e}/\sigma_{\bar{\nu}_e})$ to about 4\%. Reducing this further would lead to an improvement in the sensitivity to $\delta_{CP}$. Hyper-Kamiokande is developing the conceptual design of a second upgrade of ND280, called ND280++, envisaged for the, post 2030, high-statistics running phase. The current ND280 subdetectors would be replaced with up to 10 tons of water and/or organic scintillator detectors and time projection chambers, increasing the neutrino target mass by a factor of three, and include a larger water content. ND280++ will permit the collection of a high-statistics sample of $\nu_e$ and $\bar{\nu}_{e}$ interactions, the precision measurement of the neutrino cross section in water, and the high-resolution reconstruction of the hadronic final state, sensitive to proton momenta below 200 MeV/c. The ND280++ reference design will be presented and the status of the ongoing R&D, ranging from scintillating fibers, 3D segmented water-based liquid scintillator to highly segmented organic scintillator, will be reported. Finally, the results of the ongoing simulation studies of the ND280++ physics potential will be discussed.
Speaker: Dr Daniel Ferlewicz (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)) -
19
A Magnetised High-Pressure Gaseous Argon TPC for the DUNE Near Detector
The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is a next-generation neutrino experiment that will consist of a near detector (ND) complex placed at Fermilab, within a kilometre of the neutrino production point, and a larger far detector (FD) to be built in the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF), approximately 1300 km away. DUNE will record neutrino interactions from an accelerator-produced beam (the LBNF multi-megawatt wide-band neutrino beam planned for Fermilab) arriving at predictable times, but will also aim to detect rare events such as supernova neutrinos, potential nucleon decays and other beyond the Standard Model phenomena. The main role of the DUNE ND is constraining the systematic uncertainties in the neutrino oscillation measurements by characterising the energy spectrum and composition of the neutrino beam, as well as performing precision measurements of neutrino cross sections. The plan for DUNE is to be built using a staged approach with two main phases. While the Phase I programme is sufficient for early physics goals, Phase II upgrades in ND, FD, and beam are essential to reach the designed sensitivity for the neutrino oscillation analyses. In particular, the Phase II ND upgrade to a magnetised high-pressure gaseous argon (GAr) TPC surrounded by an electromagnetic calorimeter (ECal) and a muon tagger is essential for controlling systematic uncertainties. The gaseous argon provides low detection thresholds, which would allow detailed measurements of nuclear effects at the interaction vertex using the same material as the FD. Additionally, the magnetic field and the ECal would enable efficient particle identification and momentum and charge reconstruction. This talk presents an overview of the capabilities of ND-GAr and its related ongoing R&D efforts.
Speaker: Francisco Martínez López
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16
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16:00
Coffee Great Hall
Great Hall
King's College London
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Dark Sectors Anatomy Lecture Theatre
Anatomy Lecture Theatre
King's College London
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20
Probing Solar Neutrino Properties with the LUX-ZEPLIN Experiment
LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ), located at the Sanford Underground Research Facility, is a world-leading direct-detection dark matter experiment. At its core is a dual-phase xenon time-projection chamber containing 7 tonnes of active liquid xenon, surrounded by two active veto systems. Having recently reported the most stringent experimental constraints on WIMP dark matter, LZ's exceptional sensitivity also enables the exploration of a broad range of other rare processes, including neutrino interactions with electrons. In this talk, I will present LZ's recent results on the search for the magnetic moment and millicharge of solar neutrinos based on an exposure of 4.2 tonne years, and provide an outlook towards a measurement of solar pp neutrino flux.
Speaker: Yongheng Xu (Universitetet i Oslo/UCLA) -
21
Type-I-Seesaw Extensions with Superheavy Dark Matter: Constraints from the Pierre Auger Observatory
Superheavy dark matter remains a viable possibility provided its lifetime exceeds significantly the age of the Universe. We use the sensitivity of the Pierre Auger Observatory to ultra-high-energy neutrinos and photons to constrain type-I-seesaw extensions of the Standard Model that embed a long-lived candidate. Our analysis shows that a scalar dark-matter particle coupled to an ultra-light sterile-neutrino sector is consistent with Auger limits on photon- and neutrino-fluxes for a representative dark coupling of 0.1, provided the active–sterile mixing angle obeys approximately $\theta_m \lesssim 1.5\times 10^{-6}(M_X/10^9~\mathrm{GeV})^{-2}$ for a mass $M_X$ of the dark-matter particle between $10^8$ and $10^{11}~$GeV. A fermionic candidate—a sterile neutrino itself—can also satisfy these constraints if its mass-mixing parameter satisfies $\delta M\lesssim 2\times 10^{-17}/[M_X/(10^9~\mathrm{GeV})]^{0.5}$~GeV for $M_X\gtrsim 10^9$~GeV. Such small values for $\theta_m$ and $\delta M$ can be justified in high-scale theories. We also discuss implications for inflationary cosmologies that motivate the production of superheavy dark-matter relics.
Speaker: Olivier DELIGNY -
22
Did IceCube discover Dark Matter around Blazars?
Blazars are a subclass of active galactic nuclei (AGN), the brightest continuously emitting sources in the Universe, powered by accreting supermassive black holes (SMBH). Their defining characteristic is the presence of powerful, back-to-back relativistic jets of protons and electrons, with one jet closely aligned in the direction of Earth. This offers a unique opportunity to probe physics Beyond the Standard Model. The jet can in fact interact with the surrounding Dark Matter in the host galaxy’s halo, where the presence of the SMBH induces a spike in density, offering compelling direct and indirect detection prospects. A key signature of this interaction is the production of high-energy neutrinos, as secondary products of the proton disintegrating in the collision. The resulting outgoing neutrino flux is qualitatively and quantitatively different from the one expected via Standard Model processes alone and, notably, provides a better fit to observations for a large region of unexplored light Dark Matter parameter space. This raises the intriguing question of whether astrophysical high-energy neutrinos, both from individual sources and the diffuse component, could represent the first indirect detection of Dark Matter.
Speaker: Andrea Giovanni De Marchi -
23
Listening for ultra-heavy dark matter with underwater acoustic detectors
Ultra-heavy dark matter candidates evade traditional direct detection experiments due to their low particle flux. We explore the potential of large underwater acoustic arrays, originally developed for ultra-high energy neutrino detection, to detect ultra-heavy dark matter interactions. These particles deposit energy via nuclear scattering while traversing seawater, generating thermo-acoustic waves detectable by hydrophones. We present the first robust first-principles calculation of dark matter-induced acoustic waves, establishing a theoretical framework for signal modelling and sensitivity estimates. Our framework incorporates frequency-dependent attenuation effects, including viscous and chemical relaxation, not considered in previous calculations. A sensitivity analysis for a hypothetical 100 cubic kilometre hydrophone array in the Mediterranean Sea demonstrates that such an array could extend sensitivity to the previously unexplored mass range of 0.1-10 μg (∼$10^{20}$-$10^{23}$GeV), with sensitivity to both spin-independent and spin-dependent interactions. Our results establish acoustic detection as a complementary dark matter search method, enabling searches in existing hydrophone data and informing future detector designs.
Speaker: Damon Cleaver (King's College London) -
24
Radiopurity and Cleanliness Challenges for the XLZD Experiment
The XLZD collaboration is developing a next-generation rare-event observatory to search for WIMP dark matter down to the neutrino fog and to perform searches for neutrinoless double-beta decay of Xe-136. The technology builds on the successes of the currently operational XENONnT and LZ experiments, as well as R&D being performed by the DARWIN collaboration. It will feature a 60 to 80 tonne dual-phase xenon time projection chamber surrounded by a layered active veto system. In this talk, I will review the physics potential of XLZD, with a focus on the radiopurity and cleanliness challenges that must be addressed to enable WIMP exploration down to the neutrino fog and competitive neutrinoless double beta decay and other rare-event searches.
Speaker: Dr Jim Dobson (King's College London)
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20
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Neutrino Mass Nash Lecture Theatre
Nash Lecture Theatre
King's College London
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25
Latest results from the LEGEND experiment on the search for neutrinoless double beta decay
The LEGEND project is a multi-phase experimental program designed to search for neutrinoless double beta (0νββ) decay in Ge-76 with the ultimate goal of probing beyond the inverted ordering of neutrino masses. This process, if observed, would create matter without antimatter, violating lepton number conservation and demonstrating that neutrinos are Majorana particles. LEGEND-200 is the first phase of this effort, operating at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory. It employs high-purity germanium detectors immersed in an ultra-low background liquid argon environment, which is instrumented with optical sensors to detect its scintillation light. This setup acts as both a passive and active veto against residual backgrounds, significantly enhancing the experiment’s sensitivity. In this contribution, I will present the latest results from LEGEND-200, including detector performance, background suppression strategies, and the current limit on the half-life of 0νββ decay in Ge-76. I will also summarize the status of the planning for LEGEND-1000, the final phase of the experiment, which is designed for an unambiguous discovery of 0νββ decay beyond the inverted ordering by operating 1 ton of germanium detectors.
Speaker: Dr Luigi Pertoldi (TU München (Germany)) -
26
From CUORE to a next generation neutrinoless double beta decay search in CUPID
The search for neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ) is fundamental for investigating lepton-number violation, probing new physics beyond the Standard Model, and determining whether neutrinos are Majorana particles. CUORE, a cryogenic calorimetric experiment at LNGS, studies 0νββ in $^{130}$Te using 988 TeO₂ crystals, reaching a tonne-scale mass and operating below 15 mK. Since 2017, CUORE has accumulated close to 3.0 tonne-years of exposure, constraining 0νββ in $^{130}$Te and achieving one of the most precise two-neutrino double beta decay (2νββ) half-life measurements and a detailed background reconstruction across a broad energy range. The next generation of experiments aims to probe half-lives greater than $10^{27}$ years, reaching the sensitivity required to explore the Inverted-Ordering region of the neutrino mass spectrum. CUPID (CUORE Upgrade with Particle IDentification) will search for the 0νββ decay of $^{100}$Mo, leveraging the existing cryogenic infrastructure and expertise gained from CUORE. CUPID will utilize scintillating Li₂MoO₄ crystals enriched in $^{100}$Mo, coupled with light detectors featuring Neganov-Trofimov-Luke amplification. With a total isotope mass of 240 kg, CUPID is designed to achieve a background index of 10⁻⁴ counts/keV/kg/year and a FWHM energy resolution of 5 keV. This performance will allow for a 3σ discovery sensitivity of 1.0 × 10$^{27}$ years after 10 years of life-time, corresponding to an effective Majorana neutrino mass sensitivity in the range of 12–21 meV. In this talk, we will present recent results of CUORE that inform the design of the CUPID experiment as well as current CUPID pre-construction results and outline the upcoming steps toward its construction.
Speaker: Roberto SERINO (IJCLab - University Paris-Saclay) -
27
Lepton flavour theories in the era of neutrino precision measurements
JUNO has officially taken data and been making precision measurements of some fundamental parameters at the sub-percent level. A precision era of neutrino physics has come. The upcoming new data will definitely influence studies of neutrino theories and lepton flavour symmetries. In this talk, I will discuss its impact on flavour models. In particular, I will show modular flavour models and GUT models which might be compatible with the coming data.
Speaker: Ye-Ling Zhou (Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences) -
28
Neutrino Physics with XLZD
XLZD is a next-generation liquid xenon observatory for dark matter and neutrinos. Building upon the expertise of the XENON, LZ, and DARWIN collaborations, the experiment will probe WIMP dark matter interactions down to the neutrino fog with an active target between 60 and 80 t.
In parallel, XLZD will pursue a broad neutrino physics programme, spanning neutrinoless double beta decay and astrophysical neutrino measurements. The detector is projected to reach a 3σ sensitivity to neutrinoless double beta decay of $^{136}\mathrm{Xe}$ for half-lives up to $5.7\times10^{27}$ years. It will also enable high-statistics measurements of solar $^{8}\mathrm{B}$ and pp neutrino fluxes, providing a direct probe of the electron-neutrino survival probability and an independent measurement of the weak mixing angle. Furthermore, XLZD will be sensitive to neutrinos from galactic supernovae through coherent elastic neutrino–nucleus scattering — a flavour-independent channel that allows reconstruction of the total neutrino flux.
This talk will present the baseline detector scenarios and highlight the rich neutrino physics potential of XLZD.Speaker: Dr Jim Dobson (King's College London) -
29
The Ptolemy project
Taking a snapshot of the first second of the Universe, when the Cosmic Neutrino Background (CNB) decoupled, has been for a long time a dream in the field of Cosmology. This is the ultimate goal of the Ptolemy collaboration that has been developing for a few years a platform to study innovative devices aimed at the detection of the CNB capture on targets of beta-unstable elements.
Currently the Ptolemy collaboration is focusing on the demonstration of the technique based on an innovative compact dynamical electromagnetic filter. This is meant to be able to finely adjust an electric field in presence of a static non-uniform magnetic field to only select the endpoint of the beta-electron spectrum from tritium nuclei.
In doing this Ptolemy is now proposing to measure the absolute neutrino mass from a fit to the tritium endpoint spectrum with a 150 meV sensitivity with a tritium mass up to 10 μg.
To this specific scope Ptolemy proposes to integrate three systems in a vacuum chamber hosted in a dipolar magnet with a properly shaped fringe-field: a source of atomic tritium adsorbed on nanostructured substrates, an electron cyclotron radiation antenna and an electron detector with ~50 meV energy resolution in the range of a few tens of eV.
Leveraging the custom magnet already designed and being fabricated and on the basis of the R&D developed in the last years, the Ptolemy collaboration proposes an experiment devoted to the neutrino mass measurement to be assembled and operated at the INFN LNGS premises.
Speaker: Gianluca Cavoto (Sapienza Universita e INFN, Roma I (IT)) -
30
Exploring Neutrino Compositeness: Emerging and Invisible Jets at Neutrino and Charged Lepton Beams
The origin of neutrino masses suggests the existence of a sterile neutrino sector, which may be either too heavy or too weakly coupled to the Standard Model (SM) to be detected in the near future. The inverse seesaw mechanism provides a testable framework where the coupling between the sterile sector and the SM is large enough to allow direct experimental probes. In this context, it is crucial to explore whether the sterile sector is a weakly or strongly coupled theory and to identify methods to distinguish between these possibilities.
We propose a novel experimental probe for neutrino coupling with a strongly coupled sterile sector, based on the distinctive signature of neutrino disintegration into ``dark jets'' in high-energy neutrino scattering with electrons and nucleons. If the confinement scale of the sterile sector is below the center of mass energy of the collisions the neutrinos disintegrate into dark-sector jets. As the dark shower evolves, dark bound states form and eventually decay into Standard Model particles with finite lifetimes. If these decays occur outside the detector, the resulting invisible jet manifests as missing energy. Alternatively, if decays happen at macroscopic distances from the interaction point, they generate a distinctive signature known as an emerging jet. These jets are semi-visible, containing missing energy from Standard Model neutrinos, and their detailed structure is determined by the nature of the portal connecting the visible and dark sectors. We compute the expected signal rates for such events at various upcoming neutrino beamline experiments, as well as at charged lepton beams highlighting their sensitivity to the compositeness of the neutrino sector.
The unique signals discussed here offer a new experimental signature for future neutrino experiments, presenting both challenges in optimizing signal-to-background discrimination and a promising avenue for identifying composite neutrino interactions.Speaker: Matteo Borrello (University of Florence, INFN of Florence)
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25
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Neutrino Oscillations Safra Lecture Theatre
Safra Lecture Theatre
King's College London
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31
Quantum Estimation Theory for Neutrino Physics
The precise measurement of the leptonic CP-violating phase $\delta_{CP}$ remains one of the major open challenges in neutrino physics, as current experiments achieve only very limited accuracy. We use Quantum Estimation Theory (QET) to investigate whether this large uncertainty stems from intrinsic reasons, either of the neutrino quantum state or of flavour measurements, or if it instead stems from experimental limitations. By computing both the Quantum Fisher Information (QFI) and the classical Fisher Information (FI) for the parameters of the PMNS matrix, and applying the corresponding Cramér–Rao bounds, we quantify the information content available in the quantum state and in ideal flavour measurements. We find that the limited sensitivity to $\delta_{CP}$ originates primarily from the information content of flavour measurements. Crucially, we also show that targeting the second oscillation maximum, as in the ESS$\nu$SB proposal, substantially enhances $\delta_{CP}$ information compared to experiments centred on the first maximum.
Speaker: Michela Ignoti -
32
Decaying Neutrino States in Beam and Atmospheric Experiments
The phenomenon of neutrino oscillation shows there are at least two massive neutrino states. The massive neutrinos were proposed to decay, first, as a solution to the solar neutrino problem. In our work, we explore the effect of decay of a neutrino state invisibly in the determination of neutrino mixing parameters $\theta_{23}$, mass hierarchy, and $\delta_{CP}$. We use beam and atmospheric neutrinos for our analysis.
Speaker: Mr Supriya Pan -
33
Status and plans for T2K neutrino oscillation analyses
T2K is a long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment, measuring the oscillation of neutrinos and antineutrinos produced at J-PARC facility which then travel 295 km across Japan to its far detector, Super Kamiokande. T2K has been taking data since 2009 and sets world-leading constraints on many neutrino oscillation parameters within the standard PMNS three-flavour mixing paradigm, including offering hints that the CP-violating phase favours non CP-conserving values. In this talk, T2K’s latest analysis of neutrino oscillations will be presented. This analysis includes the presence of new and improved event samples at the near and far detectors as well as a significant update to the treatment of systematic uncertainties on neutrino interactions as well as the near detector and far detector responses. Additional electron-neutrino appearance candidates have also been added into the analysis. The latest oscillation parameter constraints will be presented as well as the near future plans of the experiment including the upgraded near detector and the increased current in the focusing horns for the neutrino beam.
Speaker: Dr Nicholas Latham (University of London (GB)) -
34
Latest NOvA Oscillation Results from 10 Years of Data
NOvA is a long baseline experiment comprising two functionally identical, finely granulated liquid tracking calorimeters which operate as Near and Far detectors. Separated by 810km, these detectors are both situated 14.6 mrad off-axis to the direction of the Megawatt-capable NuMI beam from Fermilab. NOvA is designed to measure muon neutrino disappearance and electron neutrino appearance at the Far Detector. Through neutrino oscillations measurements NOvA can resolve the neutrino mass hierarchy problem, constrain the CP-violating phase, and determine the octant of theta23. This talk will present muon (anti-)neutrino disappearance and electron (anti-)neutrino appearance results from 10 years of NOvA data (2014 -2024), which show a preference for Normal Mass Ordering at 87% confidence level.
Speaker: Flavia Cicala -
35
Recent Advancements in Machine Learning Techniques Utilised by NOvA
NOvA is a long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment with an extensive physics program, most notably delivering world-leading measurements of neutrino cross-sections, PMNS parameters and neutrino mass splittings. NOvA was the first experiment in High Energy Physics to apply convolutional neural networks as a tool for classifying neutrino interaction types and continues to employ machine learning extensively in its physics analyses today. This talk will cover recent advancements in the areas of primary neutrino vertex position finding and energy reconstruction along with ongoing efforts to enhance the interpretability, robustness, and performance of NOvA's classifiers.
Speaker: Alexander Craig Booth (Imperial College London (GB)) -
36
NOvA's Current and Future Sterile Neutrino Searches
The NOvA experiment’s most recent search for eV-scale sterile neutrinos under a 3+1 model simultaneously analyses muon neutrino and neutral current datasets from the NuMI beam at it's Near (~1km baseline) and Far (810 km baseline) detectors to look for oscillations consistent with a sterile neutrino. The analysis is systematically limited in the region of parameter space where $\Delta m^2_{41} \gtrsim 1~\mathrm{eV}^2$. This region of parameter space is preferred by sterile neutrino interpretations of current experimental anomalies and so improving sensitivity here is high-priority. This talk will present our current search strategy, as well as future plans for improvements to improve our sensitivity in this systematics-dominated region.
Speaker: Dr Adam Lister -
37
The NOvA Test Beam Program
The NOvA (NuMI Off-Axis electron neutrino Appearance) Experiment is a long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment composed of two functionally identical detectors, a 300 ton Near Detector, and a 14 kton Far Detector separated by 809 km and placed 14 mrad off the axis of the NuMI neutrino beam created at Fermilab. This configuration enables NOvA’s rich neutrino physics program, which includes measuring neutrino mixing parameters, determining the neutrino mass hierarchy, and probing CP violation in the leptonic sector. The NOvA Test Beam experiment deployed at Fermilab between 2018 and 2022 used a scaled-down 30 ton detector to analyse tagged beamline particles. The beamline selected and identified electrons, muons, pions, kaons, and protons with momenta ranging from 0.4 to 1.8 GeV/c, as understanding how the detector responds to these particles found in the final state of neutrino interactions is crucial. In this talk, we will describe the highlights and challenges of the NOvA Test Beam program, and present preliminary results from studies of particle response in the NOvA Test Beam detector.
Speaker: Emerson Bannister
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31
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18:30
Reception Bush House - 8th floor
Bush House - 8th floor
King's College London
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08:30
Coffee Great Hall
Great Hall
King's College London
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Astrophysical and cosmological neutrinos Anatomy Lecture Theatre
Anatomy Lecture Theatre
King's College London
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38
Searching for Ultra-High-Energy Tau neutrinos with the Trinity telescope.
Earth-skimming neutrinos are those which travel through the Earth’s crust at a shallow angle. For Ultra-High-Energy (E$_\nu$> 1 PeV; UHE) earth-skimming tau neutrinos, there is a high-probability that the tau lepton created by a neutrino-Earth interaction will emerge from the ground before it decays. When this happens, the decaying tau particle initiates an air shower of relativistic sub-atomic particles which emit Cherenkov radiation. To observe this Cherenkov radiation, we propose the Trinity Observatory. Using a novel optical structure design, pointing at the horizon, Trinity will observe the Cherenkov radiation from upward-going neutrino-induced air showers. The Trinity Neutrino Observatory is optimised to detect tau neutrinos in the energy range of 1 PeV to 10 EeV.
We are developing the Trinity observatory in three stages. The first stage, known as the Trinity Demonstrator, was deployed in Utah in the Autumn of 2023. The Demonstrator serves as a pathfinder for the full Trinity observatory and will inform the design of the first Trinity Telescope. In this presentation, I will present the status and initial results of the Trinity Demonstrator, as well as provide an update on the development of the second stage, Trinity-One, which will be a leading and unique instrument for observing UHE neutrino point sources.
Speaker: Anthony Brown -
39
The Radio Neutrino Observatory Greenland (RNO-G): Status and outlook
The Radio Neutrino Observatory Greenland (RNO-G) is an in-ice radio detector currently under construction at Summit Station, Greenland. It aims to detect ultra-high energy (UHE) neutrinos through Askaryan emission from particle cascades in the bulk of the Greenlandic glacier. RNO-G will complement existing optical neutrino telescopes by extending the sensitivity to astrophysical and cosmogenic neutrinos to energies above 100 PeV. As of 2025, 8 out of a planned 35 independent detector stations are already taking data, with the remaining stations expected to be deployed in the next few years.
This contribution will cover the detection principle, science goals and current status of RNO-G, and give a brief outlook of future developments.
Speaker: Sjoerd Bouma (ECAP, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg) -
40
The Giant Radio Array for Neutrino Detection (GRAND): status and prospects
The Giant Radio Array for Neutrino Detection (GRAND) is a proposed next-generation observatory designed to detect ultra-high-energy (UHE) particles with energies above 100 PeV. GRAND aims to explore the UHE universe through a multi-messenger approach, using the coherent radio emission produced by extensive air showers initiated when UHE particles interact in the atmosphere or the Earth. The observatory is envisioned as a network of 200,000 self-triggered radio antennas distributed across roughly 20 sites worldwide, each comprising 10,000 units operating in the 50–200 MHz range. In its current prototype phase, three pathfinder arrays are operational: GRAND@Nançay in France, GRAND@Auger in Argentina, and GRANDProto300 in China. The latter hosts 65 operational units since late 2024. These prototypes validate the detection principle and technology, demonstrating the feasibility of efficient autonomous detection of air showers. GRANDProto300 will probe the transition between Galactic and extragalactic cosmic-ray sources, providing valuable insight into the origin of these energetic particles. The next stage, GRAND10k, will consist of two 10,000-antenna arrays to be deployed from 2030 onward.
In this contribution, I present the underlying concept of GRAND, its scientific goals, and the first results from the operating prototypes. These early achievements confirm the robustness of GRAND’s detection strategy and inform the design of the next stages of construction. Ultimately, GRAND will bridge the gap between current experiments and the next generation of observatories, inaugurating a new era in ultra-high-energy particle astrophysics.
Speaker: Rafael Alves Batista (Sorbonne Université) -
41
Probing the Extreme Universe: Searches for neutrinos and BSM signatures with the Pierre Auger Observatory
The Pierre Auger Observatory, located in Argentina, is the world’s largest cosmic-ray detector. It is designed to study the highest-energy particles in the universe and has a remarkable capability to detect ultra-high-energy (UHE) neutrinos. Its hybrid detection system—comprising a 3,000 km² array of water-Cherenkov surface detectors and fluorescence telescopes—allows using the surface array for the search of neutrino-induced air showers which can be separated from those due to cosmic rays, while the fluorescence detector allows the search for upward-going showers.
In this contribution, we will present the methods developed by the Pierre Auger Collaboration to search for neutrinos and deeply penetrating particles, summarize the latest results and upper limits to the diffuse flux of UHE neutrinos, and discuss how the Observatory contributes to multi-messenger studies by probing the most extreme astrophysical accelerators and testing models of cosmic-ray origin and propagation.Speaker: Srijan Sehgal
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38
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Neutrino Interactions Nash Lecture Theatre
Nash Lecture Theatre
King's College London
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42
Neutrino Interaction Measurements with the SBND Experiment
The Short-Baseline Near Detector (SBND) is a 112-ton scale Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LArTPC) neutrino detector positioned in the Booster Neutrino Beam at Fermilab, as part of the Short-Baseline Neutrino (SBN) program. The detector is currently collecting neutrino beam data. Located only 110 m from the neutrino production target, SBND is exposed to a very high flux of neutrinos and will collect millions of neutrino interactions each year. This huge number of neutrino interactions, with the precise tracking and calorimetric capabilities of LArTPCs, enables a wealth of cross section measurements to be made with unprecedented precision. In addition, SBND has the unique characteristic of being remarkably close to the neutrino source and not perfectly aligned with the neutrino beamline, in such a way that allows sampling of multiple neutrino fluxes using the same detector, a feature known as SBND-PRISM. SBND-PRISM can be utilized to study distinctive neutrino-nucleus interactions channels. This talk will motivate the SBND cross-section physics program, present ongoing measurement efforts, and discuss prospects for the rich program ahead.
Speaker: Rachel Coackley -
43
Recent Results from the SND@LHC Experiment
The SND@LHC experiment is designed to perform the first measurements of neutrinos produced at the LHC in the previously unexplored pseudorapidity range of 7.2<η<8.6. Located 480 m downstream of IP1 in the unused TI18 tunnel, this compact and stand-alone detector employs a hybrid system consisting of 800 kg of tungsten plates interleaved with nuclear emulsion films and electronic trackers, complemented by a calorimeter and a muon detection system. This configuration enables efficient identification of all three neutrino flavors, providing a unique opportunity to investigate heavy-flavor production at the LHC in a kinematic region inaccessible to ATLAS, CMS, and LHCb. Results from this forward region are essential for constraining models relevant to future circular colliders and for improving predictions of very high-energy atmospheric neutrinos. In addition, the detector’s design is well-suited for searches for Feebly Interacting Particles through distinctive scattering signatures. Since its commissioning in 2022, SND@LHC has successfully operated throughout LHC Run 3, accumulating 290 fb−1 of integrated luminosity. This presentation will summarize the results obtained to date, the analysis strategies employed, and the broader implications for advancing neutrino physics and forward-physics research.
Speaker: Luciano Arellano (University Federico II and INFN, Naples (IT)) -
44
Latest cross-section measurements from T2K with the ND280 detector
The T2K experiment’s primary off-axis near detector, ND280, has the essential role of constraining the main systematic uncertainties that affect neutrino oscillation measurements. Among the leading sources of these uncertainties are neutrino-nucleon interaction cross sections, which must be more precisely understood to fully exploit the potential of current and future long-baseline neutrino experiments. ND280 is a multi-layered magnetised tracking detector with a variety of different target nuclei; it is capable of making precise measurements of cross-section topologies which form the main signal and background channels in T2K’s oscillation analysis and is particularly well suited for studying rare interaction channels relevant to the $\nu_\mu \rightarrow \nu_e$ appearance signal. The cross-section measurements obtained at ND280 directly inform the theoretical models of neutrino interactions, helping to refine our understanding of this field and enabling more accurate determinations of oscillation parameters. This talk will present several novel cross-section results from T2K, including new measurements in muon neutrino charged current interactions with and without pions and world-first measurements of neutral-current single pion production and electron neutrino charged-current pion production on carbon. Prospects for new measurements using T2K’s recently upgraded near detector will be discussed.
Speaker: Dr Nicholas Latham (University of London (GB)) -
45
Recent Cross Section Measurements in MicroBooNE
Measuring neutrino oscillation parameters with high precision requires an unprecedented understanding of neutrino-nucleus scattering. In this presentation, I will give an overview of the recent cross section results of neutrino interactions on argon using MicroBooNE, an 85 tonne active mass liquid argon detector located at Fermilab. I will cover pionless measurements as well as the first charged pion production measurements, along with rare decay process measurements. Our results allow us to constrain systematic uncertainties associated with neutrino oscillation results performed by near-future experiments of the Short Baseline Neutrino (SBN) program, as well as by future large-scale experiments like DUNE.
Speaker: Maitreyee Moudgalya
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42
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New Detector Technologies Safra Lecture Theatre
Safra Lecture Theatre
King's College London
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46
Status of the Hyper-Kamiokande experiment
Hyper-Kamiokande is a next-generation large-scale water Cherenkov detector under construction in Japan. The far detector will provide nearly an order of magnitude more fiducial mass than Super-Kamiokande and will be equipped with high-efficiency photodetectors and upgraded calibration systems. With cavern excavation completed in summer 2025, the project is progressing towards tank construction in 2026, PMT installation in 2027, and commissioning ahead of first data in 2028. Hyper-Kamiokande will deliver precise oscillation measurements, including sensitivity to CP violation, and enhanced searches for proton decay and supernova neutrinos. This talk will present the status of the far detector and the main sensitivities across the Hyper-K physics programme.
Speaker: Robert Kralik (King's College London) -
47
Prospects for an Upgraded Near Detector for Hyper Kamiokande - ND280++
The Hyper Kamiokande (HyperK) experiment is a next generation neutrino oscillation experiment which aims to difinitively answer the question of whether neutrino oscillations violate CP symmetry, among other open questions in neutrino physics. In order to achieve its physics goals, HyperK will require exceptional constraints on uncertainties relating to the modeling of neutrino interactions, which will be provided by the near detector - ND280.
In particular, it will require high statistics samples of neutrino interactions on water, and to provide extremely high resolution measurements of the final state particles from those interactions. Work is ongoing to investigate the feasibility of a future upgrade to ND280, known as ND280++, with a number of new sub-detectors under consideration - which would aim to improve the capabilities of ND280 to rise to these challenges.
One possible sub-detector is based on the LiquidO detector technology, which uses an opaque scintillator in order to stochastically confine light close to it's point of production so that it can be read out via optical fibers. Such a detector could offer extremely fine position resolution while offering reduced construction challenges due to its homogeneous design. Furthermore, it offers the possibility of using water based scintillators which make it extremely appealing for use in HyperK due to the need to measure neutrino interactions on a water target.
Another possibility is to use scintillating fibers - thin fibers made of plastic scintillator - to achieve extremely fine positional resolution. Layers of these fibers can be interleaved with modules containing water to serve as the neutrino interaction target so that neutrino-water cross sections can be extracted.
Also under consideration is a so called "Hyper Fine Grained Detector" (HyperFGD). This design builds upon the previous success of the Super Fine Grained Detector (SuperFGD) which has already been constructed as part of the previous ND280 upgrade and began taking data in 2024. This design is based on 1cm cubes of scintillator read out by optical fibers and provides a high granularity 3D image of neutrino interactions. Several variants of this design are being considered, including the use of water based scintillator contained inside a 3D grid structure.
Here, we present simulation studies of these sub-detectors and discuss the challenges that arise therein.
Speaker: Ewan Miller -
48
Theia: next-generation neutrino detection
Theia is a proposed large-scale neutrino detector with a novel liquid scintillator target and fast, spectrally-sensitive photon detectors, leveraging both the direction resolution of the Cherenkov signal and the remarkable energy resolution and low detection threshold of a scintillator detector. The Theia physics program spans low-energy neutrino physics, such as solar, geo, supernova burst, diffuse supernova, and a high-sensitivity search for neutrinoless double-beta decay that could reach into the normal hierarchy. Theia has recently received Gateway-0 approval at SNOLAB. Measurements of 𝛿CP and the neutrino mass hierarchy using high-energy neutrinos from the LBNF neutrino beam are also possible if located at SURF. Several technology demonstrators are evaluating the performance of relevant state-of-the-art technologies. This talk will describe the status and plans for Theia.
Speaker: Prof. Gabriel Orebi Gann (University of California, Berkeley / Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) -
49
The DUNE Photon Detection System
The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), currently under construction in the US, has a broad physics program that covers topics including oscillation physics at the GeV scale, the search for the proton decay, and the observation of supernova and solar neutrinos. The DUNE far detector is based on the technology of the Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LArTPC), that allows for a 3D real-time position reconstruction of the events and their energy. This is possible thanks to the collection of both electrons and scintillation photons produced after an interaction. The light signal in particular is key to provide the timing of the interactions. To fully exploit the light signal, DUNE will be equipped with a Photon Detection System (PDS). The main element of the PDS is a novel device called the X-Arapuca, a light trap that detects scintillation photons with SiPMs. The X-Arapuca will enhance significantly the potential of DUNE at the lowest energies by improving the overall energy resolution. Thanks to an intense R&D campaign conducted in several labs and at the two ProtoDUNEs at CERN, the PDS system has been optimised and validated. We describe here the DUNE PDS, the latest results from test facilities, the plans for the future installation in DUNE, and its role in the physics goals of DUNE.
Speaker: Dr Patricia Sanchez-Lucas (University of Granada) -
50
Data-Driven PMT Calibration of Large Liquid Detectors with Unsupervised Learning
Event reconstruction in large liquid scintillator neutrino detectors, such as SNO+, rely on hit times from large numbers of photomultiplier tubes (PMTs). We demonstrate a novel method to extract PMT calibration timing constants from physics data using the machinery of unsupervised deep learning. The approach uses a simplified physical model of optical photon transport in the loss function with PMT calibration constants treated as free parameters and the simple assumption that individual events represent point-like emission. The problem is effectively reduced to that of regression on a very large scale made tractable by deep learning architectures and automatic differentiation frameworks. Using data from the SNO+ detector, the method has been shown to reliably extract 4 calibration constants for each PMT using radioactive background events. We believe that this basic approach can be straightforwardly generalised for a wide range of applications.
Speaker: Scott DeGraw (University of Oxford)
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46
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10:45
Coffee Great Hall
Great Hall
King's College London
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Astrophysical and cosmological neutrinos Anatomy Lecture Theatre
Anatomy Lecture Theatre
King's College London
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51
Exploring ultra-high energy neutrino experiments through the lens of the transport equation
We develop a first-principles formalism, based on the transport equation in the line-of-sight approximation, to link the expected number of muons at neutrino telescopes to the flux of neutrinos at the Earth's surface. We compute the distribution of muons inside Earth, arising from the up-scattering of neutrinos close to the detector, as well as from the decay of taus produced farther away. This framework allows one to account for systematic uncertainties, as well as to clarify the assumptions behind definitions commonly used in the literature, such as the effective area. We apply this formalism to analyze the high-energy muon event recorded by KM3NeT, with a reconstructed energy of $ 120^{+110}_{-60} \, \mathrm{PeV}$ and an elevation angle of $\left(0.54± 2.4\right)$ degree, in comparison with the non-observation of similar events by IceCube. We find a $3.1\,\sigma$ tension between the two experiments, assuming a diffuse neutrino source with a power-law energy dependence. Combining both datasets leads to a preference for a very low number of expected events at KM3NeT, in stark contrast to the observed data. The tension increases both in the case of a diffuse source peaking at the KM3NeT energy and of a steady point source, whereas a transient source may reduce the tension down to $1.6\,\sigma$. The formalism allows one to treat potential beyond-the-Standard-Model sources of muons, and we speculate on this possibility to explain the tension.
Speaker: Michele Tammaro -
52
The flavor composition of UHE cosmic neutrinos: from IceCube to an astrophysical source
Within the standard three-flavor scheme of neutrino oscillations, we derive a novel formula to infer the flavor composition of ultrahigh-energy (UHE) cosmic neutrinos at an astrophysical source with the help of the recent IceCube data. An underlying mu-tau reflection symmetry of lepton flavor mixing and its slight breaking effects on the UHE cosmic neutrino flavor distribution are also discussed.
Speaker: Zhi-zhong Xing -
53
Using VLBI observations for modeling emission properties of neutrino candidate blazars
There have been recent population studies supporting the idea that radio-loud blazars can be the potential source of high-energy astrophysical neutrinos being observed by IceCube. The understanding of neutrino production from these sources is intimately connected to explaining their multi-wavelength spectra as well. In this talk, ongoing work will be presented in modelling the lepto-hadronic spectral energy distribution (SED) for the neutrino-candidate blazars in which both, the bulk properties and the particle distribution in the emission region, are anchored directly using parsec-scale VLBI observations of the jet and the corresponding spectral index map. When combined with physically motivated assumptions about jet processes, this approach allows modeling the SED from radio to gamma-rays without using numerical fitting to archival data. Thus, the talk attempts to motivate using radio observations as an anchor for improving our understanding of multi-messenger emission from neutrino-candiate blazars.
Speaker: Aditya Tamar -
54
Multi-Sensor Optical-Modules for IceCube-Gen2
IceCube-Gen2 will be one of the largest in-ice Cherenkov neutrino observatory on Earth, instrumenting 8 cubic kilometres at the South Pole with 120 strings and 9,600 improved optical modules. The sparser geometry demands significantly enhanced photon detection efficiency, with Gen2 requiring a fourfold optical-performance increase within a 12.5-inch module diameter to minimise drilling costs.
We present two optical-module designs that meet these requirements, outlining their construction, integration, performance tests, and current development status. Ten prototypes of each type were built using a new gel-pad assembly method to mount 4-inch photomultiplier tubes inside our elongated pressure vessels. Six of each prototype design have been shipped to the South Pole for deployment in the ongoing IceCube Upgrade, enabling in-ice validation ahead of Gen2.
Laboratory testing confirmed mechanical and optical performance from +20 °C to -40 °C and at pressures above 70 MPa. All functionalities required for in-ice operation were verified and are summarised in this talk.
Speaker: Kareem Farrag (Chiba University)
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51
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Neutrino Interactions Nash LEcture Theatre
Nash LEcture Theatre
King's College London
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55
First Evidence of Solar Neutrino Interactions on 13C
The SNO+ Collaboration presents the first evidence for $^{8}$B solar neutrinos interacting with $^{13}$C nuclei via the charged-current process $^{13}$C$(\nu_e, e^-)^{13}$N, followed by the delayed $\beta^+$ decay of $^{13}$N. Using delayed electron–positron coincidence tagging, a 4.2σ signal was observed over 231 live days, corresponding to 5.7 tonnes of $^{13}$C. The 5.6$^{+3.0}_{-2.3}$ detected events are consistent with the predicted 4.7$^{+0.6}_{-1.3}$ rate. This result is the second real-time measurement of CC interactions of $^{8}\text{B}$ neutrinos with nuclei and constitutes the lowest energy observation of neutrino interactions on $^{13}\text{C}$ generally. This enables the first direct measurement of the CC $\nu_e$ reaction to the ground state of ${}^{13}\text{N}$, yielding an average cross section of $(16.1 ^{+8.5}_{-6.7} (\text{stat.}) ^{+1.6}_{-2.7} (\text{syst.}) )\times 10^{-43}$ cm$^{2}$ over the relevant $^{8}\text{B}$ solar neutrino energies.
Speaker: Mr Gulliver Milton (University Of Oxford) -
56
First observation of reactor antineutrinos by coherent scattering with CONUS+
The CONUS+ experiment measures coherent elastic neutrino nucleus scattering (CEvNS) on germanium nuclei at nuclear reactors. It is located at the KKL nuclear power plant in Leibstadt, Switzerland at a distance of 20.7 m from the reactor core and uses four High Purity Germanium detectors with energy thresholds of ~ 160 eV. In Run 1 of the experiment, which lasted from November 2023 to August 2024, the first observation of a CEvNS signal from a nuclear reactor was achieved. In 119 days of reactor operation, (395±106) antineutrinos were measured, compared to a predicted number of (347±59) events. For improved sensitivity, the experiment is currently taking data in Run 2 using three new 2.4 kg germanium detectors.
Speaker: Nicola Ackermann -
57
NuWro 25.11
Reliable theoretical modeling of neutrino–nucleus interactions is a critical requirement for current and next-generation neutrino-oscillation experiments, including MicroBooNE and DUNE, which employ argon as the target material. In this talk, I will present recent advancements in the treatment of the quasi-elastic (QE) channel in the NuWro Monte Carlo event generator. We implement the state-of-the-art argon spectral functions extracted from Jefferson Lab (JLab) experiment E12-14-012, separating its mean-field and correlated components. In addition to low energy corrections, such as nuclear recoil and Coulomb distortions, we implement a consistent treatment of final state interactions and short-range NN correlations, which may lead to multi-nucleon final sates. The impact of these critical improvements is tested against electron scattering data and MicroBooNE exclusive cross sections. We recently released all these developments publicly as part of the latest NuWro version, tagged NuWro 25.11.
Speaker: Rwik Dharmapal Banerjee -
58
Status of the Short-Baseline Near Detector at Fermilab
The Short-Baseline Near Detector (SBND) is one of three liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) neutrino detectors positioned along the axis of the Booster Neutrino Beam (BNB) at Fermilab, and serves as the near detector in the Short-Baseline Neutrino (SBN) Program. The SBND detector completed commissioning and began taking neutrino data in the summer of 2024, and is expected to record about 2 million neutrino interactions per year. Using its superb tracking and calorimetric capabilities, and powerful light collection system, SBND will soon carry out a rich program of neutrino interaction measurements and novel searches for physics beyond the Standard Model (BSM). As the near detector, it will enable the full potential of the SBN sterile neutrino program by precisely characterizing the unoscillated neutrino beam, constraining BNB flux and neutrino-argon cross-section systematic uncertainties. In this talk, the current status and future prospects of SBND are discussed.
Speaker: Bethany McCusker (Lancaster University)
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55
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Neutrino Oscillations Safra Lecture Theatre
Safra Lecture Theatre
King's College London
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59
Do neutrinos dream in 5D?
Neutrino oscillations can be explained by extending the Standard Model with right-handed neutrinos, singlets under the gauge group. If Nature includes dark extra dimensions with the Standard Model localised on a brane, these right-handed states might propagate into the bulk, leaving measurable imprints on neutrino physics. In this talk, we present a systematic exploration of the scenarios that allow such bulk propagation. We illustrate the properties of the spectrum and derive the constraints imposed by current oscillation data. We show how the results can be used for a wider range of observables and experiments, providing new avenues to corner extra dimensions.
Speaker: ARTURO DE GIORGI -
60
Probing Dark Sector Particles Coupling to Neutrinos with Double Beta Decay
Motivated by the observation of non-zero neutrino masses and the potential for discovering physics beyond the Standard Model, numerous experiments are actively searching for neutrinoless double beta ($0\nu\beta\beta$) decay. In all of these searches, a substantial amount of data on two-neutrino double beta ($2\nu\beta\beta$) decay has been collected. In this work, we explore the sensitivity of current and future double beta decay experiments to a massive Majoron-like scalar particle coupled to neutrinos and potentially dark sector fermions, and compare their reach to the relevant cosmological constraints.
On- and off-shell production of such scalar particles leads to characteristic distortions in the double beta decay electron spectrum. We investigate how these distortions would manifest in current and future double beta decay experiments, deriving the sensitivity to such scenarios. We project the reach of future experiments which can probe scalar--neutrino couplings of $|a_\nu| \approx 2 \times 10^{-6}$ for sub-MeV scalar particles and remain sensitive to off-shell production above the $Q$-value of double beta decay isotopes.Speaker: Noor-Ines Boudjema -
61
Off-axis spanning detector for the Hyper-Kamiokande long-baseline oscillation program
The Hyper-Kamiokande experiment will perform a long-baseline neutrino oscillation program with an unprecedented precesion, providing potential for discovery of leptonic CP violations. Thanks to a 1.3MW beam produced at J-PARC and a 184 kilotonne fiducial mass of the far detector, the event rates will be 20 times higher than those of the T2K experiment, limiting oscillation measurements systematically mainly due to uncertainties on interaction cross sections on water targets. To take full advantage of the high data statistics, an intermediate water Cherenkov detector (IWCD) will be built around 1km away from the neutrino source. The moving capability of the detector can span off-axis angles, allowing measurements of energy dependences on the interaction cross-sections. A combination of the off-axis spanning and a 63 tonne fiducial mass will enables the cross-sections to be measuremed with the required precision. This talk will present the IWCD project and the current status.
Speaker: Ryosuke Akutsu (IPNS, KEK) -
62
Atmospheric neutrinos in DUNE
The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is a pioneering long baseline neutrino experiment situated in the US that will feature multi-kiloton scale Liquid Argon Time Projection Chambers (LArTPCs). Beyond its primary beam neutrino objectives, DUNE's cutting-edge technology offers a unique opportunity to investigate atmospheric neutrinos with millimeter-scale spatial resolution. Atmospheric neutrinos, with their wide-ranging energy spectrum and extensive path lengths, provide a rich dataset for probing various distance-to-energy (L/E) values and therefore can provide invaluable insights into the different parameters of the PMNS matrix. Moreover, the results obtained with this source of neutrinos will be totally complementary to the beam neutrino program of DUNE and will allow DUNE to break degeneracies and have a more complete view of neutrino oscillations.
This talk will present the status of the Atmospheric Neutrino Oscillation Analysis (ANOA) within DUNE, including first results obtained with the full DUNE simulation and reconstruction chain for atmospheric neutrinos. We aim to demonstrate the potential of DUNE's LArTPC technology in achieving high-precision measurements--foundational work setting the stage for future sensitivity studies of neutrino oscillations, and new physics, using atmospheric neutrinos.
Speaker: Dr Daniel Barrow (University of Oxford (GB))
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59
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12:30
Lunch Bush House Kitchen, -1 floor
Bush House Kitchen, -1 floor
King's College London
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Poster session Great Hall
Great Hall
King's College London
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63
A High-Pressure Gas TPC Prototype with Hybrid Charge/Optical Readout
Measurements of neutrino oscillation parameters are hampered by the presence of nuclear medium effects in neutrino-nucleus scattering events. Neutrino-hydrogen interactions are highly desirable due to the absence of such effects, but require ingenious detector design to realise due to performance and safety issues. Gas-phase time projection chambers are eminently suitable for such studies due to their highly granular track resolution and low energy thresholds. With the further requirement of radiopurity, such detectors have also been used in searches for dark matter as well as neutrinoless double-beta decay. One particularly cost-effective way of extracting track information is via optical readout with cameras, which read out every pixel as one channel, obviating the need for dedicated readout electronics for every channel. The Warwick Time Projection Chamber (WarTPC) is a 200-liter 10-bar gaseous argon platform facilitating R&D for the UK neutrino community. WarTPC uses a hybrid charge/optical readout based on the state-of-the-art TimePix3 CMOS sensor, allowing unprecedented granularity in 3D track reconstruction. Among its objectives are to benchmark TPC performance in different gas mixtures, the development of a high-resolution hybrid charge/readout system, and a laser-based calibration strategy. This poster details the commissioning phase of the WarTPC programme, as well as the medium- and long-term road ahead.
Speaker: Hong-Kai Tan -
64
Extracting Echoes in the IceCube Upgrade
The IceCube Upgrade is currently being deployed at the South Pole with nearly 700 new multi-sensor optical modules, and will surpass the current DeepCore sensitivity by enabling the detection of O(GeV) neutrinos. IceCube reconstructs track and cascade-like photon morphologies, with identification of neutrino flavour, as well as interaction type.
Notably, CC interactions produce outgoing leptons that provide both leptonic and hadronic contributions to the outgoing photon emission during an event. Attaining as much information about hit information as possible is therefore crucial to perform an interaction classification, and indeed, reduce uncertainties on the fraction of NC event that can affect multiple low energy analyses.
We investigate "neutrino echoes" - optical photon signals that occur from micro- to milli- second time scales, as a tool to enhance neutrino interaction identification in the Upgrade. Thanks to updated data acquisition in the Upgrade, capturing such late time hit information could be a promising way to distinguish CC and NC events and reduce associated systematics once the detector is online. We perform Monte Carlo simulation to estimate expected echo event rates, and using BDTs investigate each event type’s distinguishability at GeV scale in the Upgrade.
Speaker: Kareem Farrag (Chiba University) -
65
Investigating Neutrino-Nucleus Interactions: Inclusive Cross-Sections Across Various Materials at MINERvA
Poster:
MINERvA is a high-statistics, scintillator-based neutrino-scattering experiment located in the intense NuMI beamline at Fermilab. The experiment's design incorporates a range of multiple nuclear targets: iron, lead, water, graphite, plastic scintillator, and helium, enabling direct comparisons of neutrino interactions across different nuclear environments in the same neutrino beam.
MINERvA has produced and continues to produce a wealth of results that are beneficial to the wider neutrino physics community, helping refine neutrino interaction models and reducing uncertainties to the levels required for the success of next-generation neutrino experiments, such as DUNE and Hyper-Kamiokande.
This talk covers an ongoing study of inclusive neutrino-nucleus interactions across all nuclear targets, excluding helium, with a broad energy NuMI neutrino beam that peaks at Eν ≈ 6 GeV. This study aims to provide new insights into neutrino interactions in a relatively unexplored energy regime and contribute to ongoing efforts to improve understanding of neutrino-nucleus scattering. This study aims to provide the first inclusive muon neutrino cross-section results from MINERvA incorporating the water target, which is of particular importance to existing and future water Cherenkov based experimental programs.
Speaker: Akeem Hart (Queen Mary University of London) -
66
Signal analysis from Multi-Photomultiplier detectors in WCTE
The Water Cherenkov Test Experiment (WCTE) at CERN was a 30-ton (m³) water tank serving as a prototype for technologies to be employed in the Hyper-Kamiokande detector and in the Intermediate Water Cherenkov Detector (IWCD), as well as a testbed for developing advanced analysis methods for future neutrino experiments. WCTE implemented Multi-Photomultiplier (mPMT) modules with integrated front-end electronics, timing/trigger systems, and DAQ, together with a mounted LED calibration system designed to equalize channel responses across modules.
The detector operated in CERN’s East Area T9 beamline, exposed to $\pi^\pm$, $\mu^\pm$, $e^\pm$ and protons with momenta between 100 and 1200 MeV. Additionally, WCTE observed secondary neutrons captured on Gadolinium and tagged photons, and made use of complementary beamline detectors. Analysis of mPMT signals enables detailed studies of particles typically produced in neutrino interactions. WCTE plays a key role in refining both detector technologies and analysis frameworks, preparing the foundation for precise neutrino measurements with systematic uncertainties approaching the 1% level in the GeV energy range.
We present a dedicated analysis of the detector response to muons with similar momenta, focusing on the characterization of their Cherenkov rings. We compare ring profiles and analyse charge distributions across predefined detector sectors. These observables are used to probe both the physics response and the detector’s non-uniformities. To address these effects, we developed a tailored set of tools and variables optimized for efficient mPMT signal study. We also present results from ongoing work aimed at mitigating detector inhomogeneities and improving the stability and uniformity of the WCTE response.Speaker: Monika Anna Marek (Warsaw University of Technology (PL)) -
67
NuRadio: Simulation and analysis software for radio detection of ultra-high-energy particle cascades
NuRadio is an open-source, Python-based framework for the simulation, processing and reconstruction of radio detectors of ultra-high-energy (UHE, >10^16) particle cascades.
Although originally conceived especially for in-ice radio detectors, its modular structure, extensive documentation and (interactive) examples make NuRadio suitable for a wide range of use cases. This is evidenced, for example, by its recent adoption for land-based detectors of extensive air showers such as LOFAR and SKA-Low. Continued accuracy of simulation and reconstruction algorithms is ensured by a combination of automatic tests and manual code review on each addition to NuRadio.This contribution will give a brief introduction to NuRadio, highlighting in particular its features for simulating and reconstructing the radio emission (neutrino-induced or otherwise) ultra-high-energy particle cascades in ice.
Speaker: Sjoerd Bouma (ECAP, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg) -
68
NuDoubt++: A Hybrid Opaque Scintillation Detector for Double Beta Plus Decay Searches
Double beta plus decay modes are extremely rare processes simultaneously converting two protons into two neutrons. Their study provides insights into nuclear structures and a hypothetical neutrinoless mode would offer a probe of the potential Majorana nature of neutrinos. Measuring these decays is challenging due to low decay probabilities, complex signatures, and the low natural abundances of suitable isotopes. NuDoubt$^{++}$ is a new detector concept designed to overcome these limitations through the combination of hybrid and opaque scintillation technologies with advanced light-capture technology. This approach enables efficient positron identification and strong background suppression by exploiting both event topology and the separation of Cherenkov and scintillation light. NuDoubt$^{++}$ is expected to observe two-neutrino double beta plus decay in $^{78}$Kr within a 1-tonne-week exposure and significantly extend current limits on the neutrinoless double beta plus decay mode.
Speaker: Ms Kyra Mossel (JGU Mainz) -
69
Rapid 210Pb assay for monitoring the purification of archaeological lead for the RES-NOVA experiment
The RES-NOVA project aims to detect astrophysical neutrinos through coherent elastic neutrino–nucleus scattering (CEνNS) using cryogenic detectors based on archaeological lead PbWO$_4$ crystals. The exceptionally high CEνNS cross-section on Pb, combined with the ultra-low radioactivity of ancient lead, enables the realization of a compact, flavor-blind neutrino observatory sensitive to supernova (SN) neutrinos.
A key requirement for RES-NOVA is the use of extremely radiopure Pb to minimize the intrinsic background dominated by the $^{210}$Pb decay chain. In this poster, we present a fast and highly sensitive method to quantify $^{210}$Pb activity in archaeological Pb, based on liquid scintillation counting with the Wallac Quantulus 1220 detector. This technique allows the measurement of $^{210}$Pb, $^{210}$Bi, and $^{210}$Po activities with sub-Bq/kg sensitivity and minimal sample mass, providing an efficient tool for rapid radiopurity screening. The method will be implemented as part of the Pb purification and quality-control process for the RES-NOVA detector material, enabling real-time monitoring of the chemical purification steps required for the growth of ultra-low-background PbWO$_4$ crystals.Speaker: Marco Consonni (Università di Milano Bicocca, INFN - Sezione di Milano Bicocca) -
70
Developing Pre-Supernova Neutrino Model Support for sntools
sntools [1] is a neutrino event generator for supernova burst neutrinos, originally developed to study supernova model discrimination with Hyper-Kamiokande [2].
It currently supports a range of detector geometries and detection materials and is used by several neutrino experiments. sntools also supports several different input formats for neutrino fluxes generated from computer simulations and is able to use core collapse supernova models already implemented within the Python package SNEWPY [3]. The output file produced can be directly fed into detector simulation software to simulate the detector response to these interactions, enabling more in-depth and advanced studies than what is currently available from other related open source software packages.
This poster will present work to add support for pre-supernova event generation to sntools. Initially, we support four families of pre-supernova models, re-using their existing and well-tested implementations within SNEWPY. The poster will detail the changes and additions to the code, with emphasis on the time bin size optimization study and validation process. The current status and capabilities of the package will be explained alongside plans for any further work and the intended use for the new functionality within the Hyper-Kamiokande Collaboration.
[1] Migenda et al., (2021). sntools: An event generator for supernova burst neutrinos. Journal of Open Source Software, 6(60), 2877. https: //doi.org/10.21105/joss.02877
[2] Migenda, J. (2019). Supernova Model Discrimination with Hyper-Kamiokande [PhD thesis, University of Sheffield]. http://arxiv.org/abs/2002.01649
[3] Baxter et al., (2021). SNEWPY: A Data Pipeline from Supernova Simulations to Neutrino Signals. Journal of Open Source Software, 6(67), 3772. https://doi.org/10.21105/joss.03772Speaker: Mx Ellie O'Brien (University of Sheffield) -
71
3-inch PMTs for the Hyper-K outer detector
Hyper-Kamiokande will deploy about 3,600 3-inch PMTs in its outer detector to veto cosmic-ray backgrounds and improve event classification. Each PMT will be paired with a wavelength-shifting plate to increase the active photon-collection area. Two candidate designs, both with waterproof casings, are currently being evaluated through coordinated measurements across several laboratories. This talk will present the status of these studies, the selection process, and the quality control and deployment plans for the outer detector PMTs.
Speaker: Robert Kralik (King's College London)
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63
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Plenary Session Safra Lecture Theatre
Safra Lecture Theatre
King's College London
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72
First results from the JUNO experimentSpeaker: Dr Davide Basilico (University of Milan / INFN Milano)
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72
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Plenary Session Safra Lecture Theatre
Safra Lecture Theatre
King's College London
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73
Dark Matter theory overview
After briefly reviewing the overwhelming observational evidence for the existence of dark matter I will cover how neutrino physics and dark matter physics could overlap.
Speaker: Jure Zupan (University of Cincinnati) -
74
A New Year’s Perspective on the Global Hunt for Particle Dark Matter
Direct dark matter searches for heavy particle dark matter have continued to improve global upper limits on the cross-section for WIMP-nucleon scattering. We’ll discuss updates from the liquid xenon and sodium iodine experiments and anticipate new experiments coming online in the next few years using broader targets and technologies. As the dark matter experiments become larger and more sensitive, they have also seen nuclear recoils due to neutrino interactions, and prospects for more neutrino physics in these detectors including neutrinoless double-beta decay and supernovae neutrinos will also be discussed.
Speaker: Prof. Kimberly Palladino (University of Oxford) -
75
Neutrino detectors can discover light dark matter
Dark sectors below a GeV motivate several new experimental searches that have the potential to answer some of the open questions of fundamental physics. Within this context, I will focus on low- and high-energy signals of sub-GeV dark matter at large neutrino detectors (like Super-K, Hyper-K, JUNO, DUNE, KM3NeT and IceCube) and on their lessons for the nature of dark matter.
Speaker: Filippo Sala
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73
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16:40
Coffee Great Hall
Great Hall
King's College London
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Plenary Session Safra Lecture Theatre
Safra Lecture Theatre
King's College London
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76
Direct neutrino-mass measurement – status and prospects
The determination of the absolute neutrino mass scale remains a key quest in particle physics and cosmology. Kinematic approaches provide a direct, model-independent probe by studying the imprint of a finite neutrino mass on the endpoint region of weak decays. This talk reviews the current status of direct neutrino-mass experiments, with emphasis on tritium β-decay measurements and on complementary approaches based on electron capture in 163Ho. The underlying detection principles – ranging from high-resolution electrostatic spectrometry to calorimetric techniques using cryogenic detectors, as well as novel concepts such as cyclotron radiation emission spectroscopy – are outlined. Finally, prospects for next-generation experiments and technological advances are discussed.
Speaker: Kathrin Valerius -
77
Neutrino mass models
Neutrino masses provide one of the clearest indications of physics beyond the Standard Model. In this talk, I will review the main theoretical frameworks developed to account for them, with particular emphasis on scenarios in which neutrinos are Majorana particles. After a brief overview of the current landscape of neutrino mass models, I will focus on constructions featuring spontaneous lepton number violation and discuss their phenomenological implications.
Speaker: Avelino Vicente (IFIC, CSIC-UV) -
78
Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay: Experimental Status and the Path Forward
Neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ) is an extremely rare nuclear transition that has not yet been observed. It constitutes a powerful probe of the fundamental nature of neutrinos and their role in the evolution of the Universe. The discovery of neutrino flavor oscillations, which established that neutrinos have non-zero mass, has elevated the search for 0νββ to one of the central challenges in modern particle physics. This talk will begin by outlining the close connection between neutrino properties and the mechanism of neutrinoless double beta decay, highlighting its implications for lepton number violation and the possible Majorana nature of neutrinos.
The presentation will then review the most sensitive experimental approaches developed to search for this exceedingly rare process, with an emphasis on the diverse detector technologies currently in operation. A comparative overview of ongoing experiments will be presented, focusing on detector concepts, background suppression strategies, and scalability toward next-generation facilities. The latest experimental constraints on the effective Majorana neutrino mass will be discussed, together with the prospects for forthcoming experiments to fully probe the inverted mass hierarchy and a significant fraction of the normal hierarchy. The talk will conclude with an outlook on future developments and the roadmap toward a potential discovery.
Speaker: Claudia Nones (IRFU/DPhP)
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76
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19:00
Dinner De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms
De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms
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08:30
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08:30
Coffee Great Hall
Great Hall
King's College London
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Astrophysical and cosmological neutrinos Nash LEcture Theatre
Nash LEcture Theatre
King's College London
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79
TAMBO: A Deep-Valley Neutrino Observatory
Although the field of neutrino astronomy has blossomed in the last decade, physicists have struggled to fully map the high-energy neutrino sky. TAMBO, a mountain-based neutrino observatory, aims to solve that issue—and find clues of new physics along the way.
Speaker: Prof. Carlos Arguelles Delgado (Harvard University) -
80
Primordial high energy neutrinos
Among the few ways that allow or could allow us to probe the early Universe from
the observation of a flux of primordial particles, there is one possibility which has been little
studied: the observation today of high energy neutrinos which could have been emitted shortly
after the Big Bang, from the decay or annihilation of early universe relics. We perform a general
study of such a possibility. To this end, we first emphasise that these neutrinos could display
various kinds of sharp spectral features, resulting from the primary energy spectrum at emission,
and from how this spectrum is smoothed by redshift and radiative correction effects. Next, we
determine the ranges of mass (from a fraction of eV all the way to the Planck scale) and lifetime
of the source particles along which we do not/we do expect that the sharp spectral feature
will be altered by interactions of the neutrinos on their way to the detector, mainly with the
cosmic neutrino background or between themselves. We also study the theoretical (i.e. mainly
BBN and CMB) and observational constraints which hold on such a possibility. This allows
us to delineate the regions of parameter space (mass, lifetime and abundance) that are already
excluded, hopeless for future observation or, instead, which could lead to the observation of such
neutrinos in the near future.Speaker: Nicolas Grimbaum Yamamoto (Université Libre de Bruxelles) -
81
Astro-neutrino detection at PandaX-4T
We present new results from the PandaX-4T experiment on the detection of solar and supernova neutrinos. Our efforts include measuring solar pp neutrinos with the world's lowest energy threshold and the first direct detection of solar B-8 neutrinos through coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering. Furthermore, we will discuss the implementation and status of our online supernova neutrino early warning system.
Speaker: Yang Zhang (Shandong University)
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79
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Neutrino Oscillations Safra Lecture Theatre
Safra Lecture Theatre
King's College London
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82
nuSCOPE: a monitored and tagged neutrino beam for high-precision neutrino interaction measurements
The poor knowledge of neutrino cross sections at the GeV scale is projected to be responsible for some of the leading sources of uncertainty in next-generation oscillation experiments. Building on the ideas and R&D from ENUBET and NuTAG, we present a proposal for the nuSCOPE experiment (see arXiv:2503.21589). nuSCOPE is a high-precision, short-baseline neutrino experiment at CERN that employs neutrino monitoring and tagging. This allows for an exceptionally well controlled muon and electron neutrino flux, with the extraordinary capacity to reconstruct neutrino energy on an event-by-event basis. This opens up the possibility for a wealth of cross-section measurements usually reserved only for electron-scattering experiments. In this talk we show highlights of projected measurements, demonstrating the experiment's unique ability to directly measure aspects of neutrino interaction physics responsible for dominant sources of systematic uncertainty for the upcoming DUNE and Hyper-K experiments, including neutrino energy response functions and muon/electron neutrino cross-section ratios.
Speaker: Anna Scanu (Universita & INFN, Milano-Bicocca (IT)) -
83
Reactor Antineutrino Oscillations and Geoneutrinos in SNO+
SNO+ is a multipurpose liquid-scintillator neutrino detector located 2 km underground at SNOLAB, Canada. Three large nuclear reactors at baselines of 240 - 350 km allow a precise measurement of the neutrino oscillation parameter $\Delta m^2_{21}$, and to a lesser extent, $\theta_{12}$. A spectral analysis is performed, simultaneously fitting $\Delta m^2_{21}$, $\theta_{12}$, the reactor antineutrino flux, background rates, and systematics. Using data collected between May 2022 and July 2025, corresponding to a livetime of 685 days, a value of $\Delta m^2_{21}=(7.93^{+0.21}_{-0.24})\times 10^{-5}$ eV$^2$ is obtained. This result is compatible with other long-baseline reactor antineutrino measurements by KamLAND and JUNO. SNO+ has also made the first measurement of the geoneutrino flux in the Western Hemisphere, measuring 49$^{+13}_{-12}$ TNU, in agreement with predictions from local geological models.
Speaker: William Parker -
84
New physics searches at the NA62 experiment at CERN
The NA62 experiment at CERN has collected a large sample of $K^+$ and $\pi^+$ decays in flight during Run 1 in 2016--2018 and the ongoing Run 2 which started in 2021. Searches for the decays $K^{+}\rightarrow\pi^{+}X$ and $\pi^{+}\rightarrow e^{+}N$ are presented using NA62 data collected in 2016--2022 and 2017--2024, respectively. Results are interpreted to constrain a range of new physics scenarios covering all four portal model scenarios. Upper limits on the $K^{+}\rightarrow\pi^{+}X$ branching ratio are established at the $10^{-11}$ level, providing constraints on dark photon, scalar and ALP couplings. From the search for heavy neutral lepton production in $\pi^{+}\to e^+N$ decays of beam pions, upper limits of the extended neutrino mixing matrix element $|U_{e4}|^2$ are established at the $10^{-8}$ level over the heavy neutral lepton mass range 95--126~MeV/$c^2$.
Speaker: Elizabeth Long (Charles University (CZ))
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82
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New Detector Technologies Anatomy Lecture Theatre
Anatomy Lecture Theatre
King's College London
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85
BUTTON - A Technology Testbed for Neutrino Detection at Boulby Underground Laboratory
BUTTON is a testbed to investigate potential technologies for hybrid neutrino detection utilising both scintillation and Cherenkov light. It will be used to explore the capabilities of different fill media including Gd-doped water, Water Based Liquid Scintillator (WbLS) and Gd-WbLS. It has also been designed with the flexibility to allow for future testing of advanced photosensors, such as Large Area Picosecond Photodetectors (LAPPDs), and calibration devices. The experiment is housed in the Boulby Underground Lab, situated 1km underground, which provides a low background environment. The results of this experiment will inform future water Cherenkov and hybrid neutrino detectors for (astro)particle and nonproliferation applications.
Speaker: Daniel Swinnock (University of Warwick) -
86
Eos: a demonstrator for next-generation neutrino detection
There is a long history of discoveries and measurements in neutrino physics made by Cherenkov and scintillation-based neutrino detectors. A hybrid detector capable of utilizing both the prompt directional Cherenkov light and the low-threshold scintillation light would greatly improve background rejection and provide world-leading sensitivity to a broad range of neutrino physics topics. Eos is a 20-ton detector with an approximately 4-ton fiducial volume target now running at UC Berkeley. The detector utilizes fast photomultiplier tubes, a novel liquid scintillator targets, and spectral sorting to study Cherenkov/scintillation separation and low-energy direction reconstruction. This talk will overview the experiment and show results from both water and water-based scintillator data.
Speaker: Prof. Gabriel Orebi Gann (University of California, Berkeley / Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) -
87
The SoLAr project: A dual-readout pixelated anode for multipurpose LArTPCs
Liquid Argon Time Projection Chambers are among the leading detector technologies for neutrino physics, covering a wide energy range from the MeV to the GeV scale.
The SoLAr collaboration is developing a pixelated, dual-readout anode combining charge collection pads and photodetectors sensitive to LAr scintillation light.
This presentation describes the design, construction and operation of the SoLAr V2 TPC, a 30×30×30 cm³ LArTPC with a pixelated anode mounting 64 VUV-sensitive SiPMs. We present measurements of cosmic-ray muons using tracking and calorimetry measurements from both light and charge sensors, highlighting the improvement achievable with combined charge and light reconstruction. These results encourages further prototyping efforts towards kiloton-scale facilities.Speaker: Dr Daniele Guffanti (University & INFN Milano-Bicocca)
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85
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10:30
Coffee Great Hall
Great Hall
King's College London
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Plenary Session Safra Lecture Theatre
Safra Lecture Theatre
King's College London
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88
Astrophysics neutrinos - experimentalSpeaker: Anthony Brown
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89
Searching for New Physics in the Neutrino Sky
Neutrino astronomy has taken major strides over the past decade, progressing from the discovery of a diffuse astrophysical neutrino flux to high-significance source association. As this field has matured, it has also opened a new arena for probing physics beyond the Standard Model with particles that traverse extreme environments and cosmological baselines. In this talk, I will highlight several new-physics scenarios that can be tested with astrophysical neutrinos and discuss the prospects for next-generation neutrino-telescope observations.
Speaker: Prof. Carlos Arguelles Delgado (Harvard University) -
90
Nu's from cosmology
Neutrinos account for nearly 40% of the radiation density of the Universe at early time, and represent a small fraction of the matter density at late-times, making cosmology a powerful laboratory to probe their fundamental properties, including the absolute neutrino mass scale. In particular, cosmological observations have placed increasingly stringent upper bounds on the sum of neutrino masses, which now appear to be in mild tension with inferences from neutrino oscillation experiments. I will review the current status of cosmological constraints on neutrino properties and how to reconcile cosmological and laboratory measurements.
Speaker: Dr Vivian Poulin (LUPM, CNRS & U. de Montpellier, France)
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88
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12:30
Lunch Bush House Kitchen, -1 Floor
Bush House Kitchen, -1 Floor
King's College London
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Plenary Session Safra Lecture Theatre
Safra Lecture Theatre
King's College London
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91
Liquid Detector Technologies For Neutrino Physics
Liquid-based detector technologies play a central role in advancing neutrino physics, providing complementary detection concepts across a broad energy range. Current and next-generation neutrino experiments employ Liquid Argon Time Projection Chambers, as in DUNE, large transparent Liquid Scintillator detectors, such as JUNO, or Water Cherenkov detectors, exemplified by Hyper-Kamiokande.
These detector technologies are characterised by different balances between spatial resolution, calorimetric performance, light collection and timing performance, and achievable detector scale which in turn define their experimental capabilities and limitations. These large-scale detector implementations provide the target masses and low-background conditions required for precision measurements of neutrino oscillation parameters, determination of the neutrino mass ordering, searches for leptonic CP violation, and observations of neutrinos from astrophysical sources. In addition, emerging concepts such as LiquidO, based on opaque liquid scintillators, aim to extend this landscape by introducing alternative optical regimes and readout strategies, with the potential to enhance event imaging and background rejection.
This talk will review the detection principles and current status of liquid-based neutrino detector technologies and outline how their respective design choices impact the physics reach of next-generation experiments.
Speaker: Diana Navas -
92
From Dark Matter to Neutrinos: The Reach of Dual-Phase Xenon TPCs
Dual-phase xenon TPCs have been at the forefront of direct dark matter detection for the last two decades. Originally designed to search for weakly interacting massive particles scattering off xenon nuclei, continued developments to reduce radioactive backgrounds, increase active mass, and improve signal reconstruction have made these detectors suitable to search for several other rare-event physics channels. Searches for solar-neutrino interactions are of particular interest, including the recent measurement of coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering from B8, and pp solar neutrinos. Thanks to the extended dynamic range, other neutrino nuclear processes can also be investigated, such as double electron capture, double beta decay, and other second-order weak decays of xenon isotopes. In this talk, I will provide an overview of the developments that have made dual-phase xenon TPCs an ideal detector to probe both dark matter and neutrino physics, and I will discuss the prospects for next-generation detectors.
Speaker: Chiara Capelli -
93
Deep learning for neutrino physics
Deep learning is becoming an increasingly important part of particle physics, providing powerful ways to meet the growing demands of modern data analysis. This talk highlights a selection of advanced deep-learning approaches developed for neutrino physics. I will discuss recent progress using models such as transformers, along with domain-adaptation techniques including contrastive learning, and approaches to anomaly detection. Together, these methods help address persistent challenges in tasks such as event reconstruction, improving both accuracy and robustness. By integrating them into the analysis chain, we can enhance overall pipeline performance and, ultimately, extract richer scientific insight from the data.
Speaker: Dr Saul Alonso Monsalve (ETH Zurich)
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91
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Poster Awards and Closing Remarks Safra Lecture Theatre
Safra Lecture Theatre
King's College London
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94
Poster Awards
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95
Closing Remarks
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94
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08:30