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Comprehensive effective field theory framework for coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering

Gang Li1,2,*, Chuan-Qiang Song3,4,5,†, Feng-Jie Tang1,‡, and Jiang-Hao Yu3,4,5,6,§

  • *Contact author: ligang65@mail.sysu.edu.cn
  • †Contact author: songchuanqiang21@mails.ucas.ac.cn
  • ‡Contact author: tangfj7@mail2.sysu.edu.cn
  • §Contact author: jhyu@itp.ac.cn
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Phys. Rev. D 114, 055032 – Published 18 September, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/klg7-36x7

Abstract

Coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CEνNS) stands out as a pivotal process for precision tests of the Standard Model electroweak sector, investigations of neutrino properties, and searches for new physics. Recent experimental measurements by COHERENT, CONUS+, and ton-scale xenon detectors—including PandaX-4T and XENONnT—underscore the need for a systematic theoretical framework to bridge high-energy physics scenarios with low-energy observational data. In this work, we develop a comprehensive end-to-end effective field theory (EFT) framework for CEνNS, encompassing the complete energy scale hierarchy spanning the ultraviolet regime down to the nuclear sector. We consider the low-energy EFT (LEFT) operators up to dimension 8, incorporating their QCD renormalization-group running effects, and employ the systematic spurion method to achieve matching between these operators and the chiral Lagrangian. A full power counting analysis is performed, extending to nuclear response functions, which evaluates contributions from LEFT operators up to dimension 8 while accounting for the nucleon number enhancement effect intrinsic to CEνNS. Moreover, we match the relevant LEFT operators for CEνNS onto operators up to dimension 8 within the Standard Model EFT. By also providing their complete tree-level ultraviolet completions, this procedure establishes a consistent top-down theoretical workflow. Leveraging a broad suite of CEνNS experimental data, this framework enables a combined analysis to extract constraints on the scales of EFT operators and neutrino nonstandard interaction parameters.

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Phys. Rev. D 114, 055032– Published 18 September, 2026
  • Received 9 April 2026
  • Accepted 7 August 2026
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