Search for gravitational wave coincident neutrinos in DEAP-3600

Abstract

We searched DEAP-3600 data for neutrino signals coincident with gravitational waves from compact object mergers observed by the LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA collaborations (LVK). While mergers involving neutron stars are expected to produce neutrinos, these have never been detected. The DEAP-3600 experiment is sensitive to electron neutrinos as recently observed through charged current neutrino absorption on its $^{40}$Ar target. Between 2016 and 2020, the detector recorded data during seven compact merger events involving neutron stars that were observed gravitationally by LVK. Upon examination, there is no statistically significant evidence of neutrinos from any of the mergers analyzed. Exclusion limits are set on the electron neutrino fluence, e.g. from GW170817 in the mono-energetic model at 6.8\times10^{12}~\text{cm^{-2}} (1.8\times10^{10}~\text{cm^{-2}}) for 10 MeV (100 MeV) neutrinos.