Measurement of single π0 production by coherent neutral-current ν Fe interactions in the MINOS Near Detector

Forward single π0 production by coherent neutral-current interactions, νA→νAπ0, is investigated using a 2.8×1020 protons-on-target exposure of the MINOS Near Detector. For single-shower topologies, the event distribution in production angle exhibits a clear excess above the estimated background at very forward angles for visible energy in the range 1-8 GeV. Cross sections are obtained for the detector medium comprised of 80% iron and 20% carbon nuclei with =48, the highest- target used to date in the study of this coherent reaction. The total cross section for coherent neutral-current single π0 production initiated by the νμ flux of the NuMI low-energy beam with mean (mode) Eν of 4.9 GeV (3.0 GeV), is 77.6±5.0(stat)-16.8+15.0(syst)×10-40 cm2 pernucleus. The results are in good agreement with predictions of the Berger-Sehgal model

Search for Sterile Neutrinos Mixing with Muon Neutrinos in MINOS

We report results of a search for oscillations involving a light sterile neutrino over distances of 1.04 and 735 km in a νμ-dominated beam with a peak energy of 3 GeV. The data, from an exposure of 10.56 × 10^20 protons on target, are analyzed using a phenomenological model with one sterile neutrino. We constrain the mixing parameters θ24 and Δm41^2 and set limits on parameters of the four-dimensional Pontecorvo-Maki- Nakagawa-Sakata matrix, |Uμ4|2 and |Uτ4|2, under the assumption that mixing between νe and νs is negligible (|Ue4|^2 = 0). No evidence for νμ → νs transitions is found and we set a world-leading limit on θ24 for values of Δm41^2 ≲ 1 eV^2

Measurement of the multiple-muon charge ratio in the MINOS Far Detector

The charge ratio, Rμ=Nμ+/Nμ−, for cosmogenic multiple-muon events observed at an underground depth of 2070 mwe has been measured using the magnetized MINOS Far Detector. The multiple-muon events, recorded nearly continuously from August 2003 until April 2012, comprise two independent data sets imaged with opposite magnetic field polarities, the comparison of which allows the systematic uncertainties of the measurement to be minimized. The multiple-muon charge ratio is determined to be Rμ=1.104±0.006(stat)+0.009−0.010(syst). This measurement complements previous determinations of single-muon and multiple-muon charge ratios at underground sites and serves to constrain models of cosmic-ray interactions at TeV energies

Search for flavor-changing nonstandard neutrino interactions using nu(e) appearance in MINOS

We report new constraints on flavor-changing nonstandard neutrino interactions from the MINOS long-baseline experiment using νe and ¯νe appearance candidate events from predominantly νμ and ¯νμ beams. We used a statistical selection algorithm to separate νe candidates from background events, enabling an analysis of the combined MINOS neutrino and antineutrino data. We observe no deviations from standard neutrino mixing, and thus place constraints on the nonstandard interaction matter effect, |ϵeτ|, and phase, (δCP+δeτ), using a 30-bin likelihood fit

Measurement of Neutrino and Antineutrino Oscillations Using Beam and Atmospheric Data in MINOS

We report measurements of oscillation parameters from νμ and ν̅ μ disappearance using beam and atmospheric data from MINOS. The data comprise exposures of 10.71×1020 protons on target in the νμ-dominated beam, 3.36×1020 protons on target in the ν̅ μ-enhanced beam, and 37.88 kton yr of atmospheric neutrinos. Assuming identical ν and ν̅ oscillation parameters, we measure |Δm2|=(2.41-0.10+0.09)×10-3  eV2 and sin⁡2(2θ)=0.950-0.036+0.035. Allowing independent ν and ν̅ oscillations, we measure antineutrino parameters of |Δm̅ 2|=(2.50-0.25+0.23)×10-3  eV2 and sin⁡2(2θ̅ )=0.97-0.08+0.03, with minimal change to the neutrino parameters

Precision measurement of the speed of propagation of neutrinos using the MINOS detectors

We report a two-detector measurement of the propagation speed of neutrinos over a baseline of 734 km. The measurement was made with the NuMI beam at Fermilab between the near and far MINOS detectors. The fractional difference between the neutrino speed and the speed of light is determined to be (v/c−1)=(1.0±1.1)×10−6, consistent with relativistic neutrinos

Limits on active to sterile neutrino oscillations from disappearance searches in the MINOS, Daya Bay, and bugey-3 experiments

Searches for a light sterile neutrino have been performed independently by the MINOS and the Daya Bay experiments using the muon (anti)neutrino and electron antineutrino disappearance channels, respectively. In this Letter, results from both experiments are combined with those from the Bugey-3 reactor neutrino experiment to constrain oscillations into light sterile neutrinos. The three experiments are sensitive to complementary regions of parameter space, enabling the combined analysis to probe regions allowed by the Liquid Scintillator Neutrino Detector (LSND) and MiniBooNE experiments in a minimally extended four-neutrino flavor framework. Stringent limits on sin^2 2θμe are set over 6 orders of magnitude in the sterile mass-squared splitting Δm^2 41. The sterile-neutrino mixing phase space allowed by the LSND and MiniBooNE experiments is excluded for Δm^2 41 < 0.8 eV^2 at 95% CLs

Scintillation light detection in the 6-m drift-length ProtoDUNE Dual Phase liquid argon TPC

DUNE is a dual-site experiment for long-baseline neutrino oscillation studies, neutrino astrophysics and nucleon decay searches. ProtoDUNE Dual Phase (DP) is a 6  ×  6  ×  6 m 3 liquid argon time-projection-chamber (LArTPC) that recorded cosmic-muon data at the CERN Neutrino Platform in 2019-2020 as a prototype of the DUNE Far Detector. Charged particles propagating through the LArTPC produce ionization and scintillation light. The scintillation light signal in these detectors can provide the trigger for non-beam events. In addition, it adds precise timing capabilities and improves the calorimetry measurements. In ProtoDUNE-DP, scintillation and electroluminescence light produced by cosmic muons in the LArTPC is collected by photomultiplier tubes placed up to 7 m away from the ionizing track. In this paper, the ProtoDUNE-DP photon detection system performance is evaluated with a particular focus on the different wavelength shifters, such as PEN and TPB, and the use of Xe-doped LAr, considering its future use in giant LArTPCs. The scintillation light production and propagation processes are analyzed and a comparison of simulation to data is performed, improving understanding of the liquid argon properties

Supernova neutrino burst detection with the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), a 40-kton underground liquid argon time projection chamber experiment, will be sensitive to the electron-neutrino flavor component of the burst of neutrinos expected from the next Galactic core-collapse supernova. Such an observation will bring unique insight into the astrophysics of core collapse as well as into the properties of neutrinos. The general capabilities of DUNE for neutrino detection in the relevant few- to few-tens-of-MeV neutrino energy range will be described. As an example, DUNE's ability to constrain the νe spectral parameters of the neutrino burst will be considered