Proposed experiments to detect keV range sterile neutrinos using energy-momentum reconstruction of beta decay or K-capture events

Understand

Sterile neutrinos in the keV mass range may constitute the galactic dark matter.

• Various proposed direct detection and laboratory searches are reviewed.
• The most promising method in the near future is complete energy-momentum reconstruction of individual beta-decay or K-capture events, using atoms suspended in a magneto-optical trap.
• A survey of suitable isotopes is presented, together with the measurement precision required in a typical experimental configuration.