The Results of MINOS and the Future with MINOS+

The MINOS experiment took data from 2005 up until 2012. This was superseded by MINOS+, the continuation of the two-detector, on-axis, long-baseline experiment based at Fermilab, and at the Soudan Underground Laboratory in northern Minnesota. By searching for the deficit of muon neutrinos at the Far Detector, MINOS/MINOS+ is sensitive to the atmospheric neutrino oscillation parameters $\Delta m^{2}_{32}$ and $\theta_{23}$. By using the full MINOS data set looking at both \numu disappearance and \nue appearance in both neutrino and anti-neutrino configurations at the NuMI beam along with atmospheric neutrino data recorded at the FD, MINOS has made the most precise measurement of $\Delta m^{2}_{32}$. Using a full three-flavour framework and searching for \nue appearance MINOS/MINOS+ gains sensitivity to $\theta_{13}$, the mass hierarchy and the octant of $\theta_{23}$. Exotic phenomenon is also explored with the MINOS detectors looking for non-standard interactions and sterile neutrinos. The current MINOS+ era goals are to build on the previous MINOS results improving the precision on the three-flavour oscillation parameter measurements and strengthening the constraints placed on the sterile neutrino parameter space.Comment: Review for Advances in High Energy Physics. The special issue for which the paper is being processed is "Neutrino Masses and Oscillations 2015

The MINOS experiment: results and prospects

The MINOS experiment has used the world's most powerful neutrino beam to make precision neutrino oscillation measurements. By observing the disappearance of muon neutrinos, MINOS has made the world's most precise measurement of the larger neutrino mass splitting, and has measured the neutrino mixing angle $\theta_{23}$. Using a dedicated antineutrino beam, MINOS has made the first direct precision measurements of the corresponding antineutrino parameters. A search for \nue and \nuebar appearance has enabled a measurement of the mixing angle $\theta_{13}$. A measurement of the neutral-current interaction rate has confirmed oscillation between three active neutrino flavours. MINOS will continue as MINOS+ in an upgraded beam with higher energy and intensity, allowing precision tests of the three-flavour neutrino oscillation picture, in particular a very sensitive search for the existence of sterile neutrinos.Comment: Contribution to a special issue on Neutrino Masses and Oscillations in Advances in High Energy Physics (Hindawi Publications

Constraints on neutrino decay lifetime using long-baseline charged and neutral current data

We investigate the status of a scenario involving oscillations and decay for charged and neutral current data from the MINOS and T2K experiments. We first present an analysis of charged current neutrino and anti-neutrino data from MINOS in the framework of oscillation with decay and obtain a best fit for non-zero decay parameter $\alpha_3$. The MINOS charged and neutral current data analysis results in the best fit for $|\Delta m_{32}^2| = 2.34\times 10^{-3}$~eV$^2$, $\sin^2 \theta_{23} = 0.60$ and zero decay parameter, which corresponds to the limit for standard oscillations. Our combined MINOS and T2K analysis reports a constraint at the 90\% confidence level for the neutrino decay lifetime $\tau_3/m_3 > 2.8 \times 10^{-12}$~s/eV. This is the best limit based only on accelerator produced neutrinos

Neutrino Oscillations with MINOS and MINOS+

The MINOS experiment ran from 2003 until 2012 and collected a data sample including 10.71x10^20 protons-on-target (POT) of beam neutrinos, 3.36x10^20 POT of beam antineutrinos and an atmospheric neutrino exposure of 37.88 kt-yrs. The final measurement of the atmospheric neutrino oscillation parameters, dm^2_32 and theta_23, came from a full three flavour oscillation analysis of the combined CC nu_mu and CC anti-nu_mu beam and atmospheric samples and the CC nu_e and CC anti-nu_e appearance samples. This analysis yielded the most precise measurement of the atmospheric mass splitting dm^2_32 performed to date. The results are |dm^2_32|=[2.28 - 2.46]x10^-3 eV^2 (68\%) and sin^{2}theta_23=0.35-0.65$ (90\%) in the normal hierarchy, and |dm^2_32|=[2.32 - 2.53]x10^-3 eV^2 (68\%) and sin^{2}theta_23=0.34-0.67 (90\%) in the inverted hierarchy. The successor to MINOS in the NOvA era at FNAL, MINOS+, is now collecting data mostly in the 3-10 GeV region, and an analysis of nu_mu disappearance using the first 2.99x10^20 POT of data produced results very consistent with those from MINOS. Future data will further test the standard neutrino oscillation paradigm and allow for improved searches for exotic phenomena including sterile neutrinos, large extra dimensions and non-standard interactions.Comment: 18 pages, 12 figures. Accepted to Nucl. Phys.