Search for active-sterile antineutrino mixing using neutral-current interactions with the NOvA experiment

0548897 - FZÚ 2022 RIV US eng J - Článek v odborném periodiku
Acero, M. A. - Adamson, P. - Aliaga, L. - Filip, Peter - Hakl, František - Lokajíček, Miloš - Zálešák, Jaroslav … celkem 199 autorů
Search for active-sterile antineutrino mixing using neutral-current interactions with the NOvA experiment.
Physical Review Letters. Roč. 127, č. 20 (2021), č. článku 201801. ISSN 0031-9007. E-ISSN 1079-7114
Výzkumná infrastruktura: Fermilab-CZ II - 90113
Institucionální podpora: RVO:68378271 ; RVO:67985807
Klíčová slova: NOvA * neutrino: oscillation * accelerator * confidence limit
Obor OECD: Particles and field physics; Particles and field physics (UIVT-O)
Impakt faktor: 9.185, rok: 2021
Způsob publikování: Open access

This Letter reports results from the first long-baseline search for sterile antineutrinos mixing in an accelerator-based antineutrino-dominated beam. The rate of neutral-current interactions in the two NOvA detectors, at distances of 1 and 810 km from the beam source, is analyzed using an exposure of 12.51×1020 protons-on-target from the NuMI beam at Fermilab running in antineutrino mode. A total of 121 of neutral-current candidates are observed at the far detector, compared to a prediction of 122±11(stat.)±15(syst.) assuming mixing only between three active flavors. No evidence for ν¯μ→ν¯s oscillation is observed. Interpreting this result within a 3+1 model, constraints are placed on the mixing angles θ24<25° and θ34<32° at the 90% C.L. for 0.05  eV2≤Δm412≤0.5  eV2, the range of mass splittings that produces no significant oscillations at the near detector. These are the first 3+1 confidence limits set using long-baseline accelerator antineutrinos.

Trvalý link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0324934