Probing Long-Lived Particle Production in Muon Decays at the SNS with a Highly Capable Hydrocarbon Detector

M Andriamirado; A. B Balantekin; C. D Bass; O. Benevides Rodrigues; E. P Bernard; N. S Bowden; C. D Bryan; R Carr; T Classen; A. J Conant; N Craft; G Deichert; A Erickson; M. D Fuller; A Galindo-Uribarri; S Ghosh; S Gokhale; C Grant; S Hans; A. B Hansell; T. E Haugen; K. M Heeger; A Irani; J Koblanski; C. E Lane; B. R Littlejohn; A. Lozano Sanchez; F Machado; J Maricic; M. P Mendenhall; A. M Meyer; R Milincic; P. E Mueller; H. P Mumm; R Neilson; J R Newby; D Norcini; N Patel; C Roca; R Rosero; D Venegas-Vargas; J Wilhelmi; M Yeh; X Zhang; M Hostert; S Urrea; PROSPECT Collaboration

doi:10.48550/arxiv.2606.19299

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Probing Long-Lived Particle Production in Muon Decays at the SNS with a Highly Capable Hydrocarbon Detector

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Probing Long-Lived Particle Production in Muon Decays at the SNS with a Highly Capable Hydrocarbon Detector

M Andriamirado, A. B Balantekin, C. D Bass, O. Benevides Rodrigues, E. P Bernard, N. S Bowden, C. D Bryan, R Carr, T Classen, A. J Conant, …

ArXiv.org

Cornell University

06/17/2026

DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2606.19299

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Preprint (Author's original) This preprint has not been evaluated by subject experts through peer review. Preprints may undergo extensive changes and/or become peer-reviewed journal articles. Open Access

Abstract

The Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is a prolific muon producer, making it an ideal location for studying dark sector particles produced in muon decays at rest. In this paper, we explore sub-GeV dark particle detection possibilities in a tons-scale, highly capable hydrocarbon scintillator ( HC² ) detector at the SNS. We consider a search fore⁺e⁻final states produced by decays of long-lived,O(10-100)MeV axion-like particles and heavy neutral leptons. TheHC²technology space, exemplified by the PROSPECT and Mobile Antineutrino Demonstrator detectors, offers strong rejection capabilities for the cosmic ray backgrounds that would normally dominate this search. By benchmarking on-surface cosmic ray signatures with data from PROSPECT at ORNL, we generate robust predictions for a multi-year SNS deployment of a range ofHC²detector implementations. Results indicate the potential for order-of-magnitude improvements in sensitivity to axion-like particles and heavy neutral leptons in the 10-100 MeV mass regime compared to current global limits. We also comment on the neutrino detection possibilities of aHC²deployment at the SNS.

Physics - High Energy Physics - Experiment

Physics - High Energy Physics - Phenomenology

Details

Title: Subtitle: Probing Long-Lived Particle Production in Muon Decays at the SNS with a Highly Capable Hydrocarbon Detector
Creators: M Andriamirado
A. B Balantekin
C. D Bass
O. Benevides Rodrigues
E. P Bernard
N. S Bowden
C. D Bryan
R Carr
T Classen
A. J Conant
N Craft
G Deichert
A Erickson
M. D Fuller
A Galindo-Uribarri
S Ghosh
S Gokhale
C Grant
S Hans
A. B Hansell
T. E Haugen
K. M Heeger
A Irani
J Koblanski
C. E Lane
B. R Littlejohn
A. Lozano Sanchez
F Machado
J Maricic
M. P Mendenhall
A. M Meyer
R Milincic
P. E Mueller
H. P Mumm
R Neilson
J R Newby
D Norcini
N Patel
C Roca
R Rosero
D Venegas-Vargas
J Wilhelmi
M Yeh
X Zhang
M Hostert
S Urrea
PROSPECT Collaboration
Resource Type: Preprint
Publication Details: ArXiv.org
DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2606.19299
ISSN: 2331-8422
Publisher: Cornell University; Ithaca, New York
Language: English
Date posted: 06/17/2026
Academic Unit: Physics and Astronomy
Record Identifier: 9985176770702771

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