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Dual baseline search for muon antineutrino disappearance at 0.1 eV^2 < Δm^2 < 100 eV^2

MiniBooNE Collaboration, SciBooNE Collaboration, G. Cheng, W. Huelsnitz, A. A. Aguilar-Arevalo, J. L. Alcaraz-Aunion, S. J. Brice, B. C. Brown, L. Bugel, J. Catala-Perez, E. D. Church, J. M. Conrad, R. Dharmapalan, Z. Djurcic, U. Dore, D. A. Finley, R. Ford, A. J. Franke, F. G. Garcia, G. T. Garvey, C. Giganti, J. J. Gomez-Cadenas, J. Grange, P. Guzowski, A. Hanson, Y. Hayato, K. Hiraide, C. Ignarra, R. Imlay, R. A. Johnson, B. J. P. Jones, G. Jover-Manas, G. Karagiorgi, T. Katori, Y. K. Kobayashi, T. Kobilarcik, H. Kubo, Y. Kurimoto, W. C. Louis, P. F. Loverre, L. Ludovici, K. B. M. Mahn, C. Mariani, W. Marsh, S. Masuike, K. Matsuoka, V. T. McGary, W. Metcalf, G. B. Mills, J. Mirabal, G. Mitsuka, Y. Miyachi, S. Mizugashira, C. D. Moore, J. Mousseau, Y. Nakajima, T. Nakaya, R. Napora, P. Nienaber, D. Orme, B. Osmanov, M. Otani, Z. Pavlovic, D. Perevalov, C. C. Polly, H. Ray, B. P. Roe, A. D. Russell, F. Sanchez, M. H. Shaevitz, T. -A. Shibata, M. Sorel, J. Spitz, I. Stancu, R. J. Stefanski, H. Takei, H. -K. Tanaka, M. Tanaka, R. Tayloe, I. J. Taylor, R. J. Tesarek, Y. Uchida, R. G. Van de Water, J. J. Walding, M. O. Wascko, D. H. White, H. B. White, D. A. Wickremasinghe, M. Yokoyama, G. P. Zeller, E. D. Zimmerman

TL;DR

This work presents a joint search for short-baseline $\bar{ν}_{μ}$ disappearance using the MiniBooNE and SciBooNE detectors in Fermilab's Booster Neutrino Beamline. By updating flux and cross-section models and employing a full covariance-based analysis across two detectors, the study achieves a 90% C.L. upper limit on disappearance that surpasses prior bounds in $\Delta m^2$ from $0.1$ to $100$ eV$^2$, with a best-fit point at $\Delta m^2 = 5.9$ eV$^2$ and $\sin^2 2θ = 0.086$. The results show no evidence for short-baseline oscillations, substantially constraining sterile neutrino interpretations and tightening the parameter space available for new physics in the eV-scale regime. The methodological framework—combining multisim beam/cross-section uncertainties, a detailed detector error matrix, and Feldman–Cousins limit setting—provides a robust template for precision two-detector oscillation searches.

Abstract

The MiniBooNE and SciBooNE collaborations report the results of a joint search for short baseline disappearance of \bar{ν_μ} at Fermilab's Booster Neutrino Beamline. The MiniBooNE Cherenkov detector and the SciBooNE tracking detector observe antineutrinos from the same beam, therefore the combined analysis of their datasets serves to partially constrain some of the flux and cross section uncertainties. Uncertainties in the ν_μ background were constrained by neutrino flux and cross section measurements performed in both detectors. A likelihood ratio method was used to set a 90% confidence level upper limit on \bar{ν_μ} disappearance that dramatically improves upon prior limits in the Δm^2=0.1-100 eV^2 region.

Dual baseline search for muon antineutrino disappearance at 0.1 eV^2 < Δm^2 < 100 eV^2

TL;DR

This work presents a joint search for short-baseline disappearance using the MiniBooNE and SciBooNE detectors in Fermilab's Booster Neutrino Beamline. By updating flux and cross-section models and employing a full covariance-based analysis across two detectors, the study achieves a 90% C.L. upper limit on disappearance that surpasses prior bounds in from to eV, with a best-fit point at eV and . The results show no evidence for short-baseline oscillations, substantially constraining sterile neutrino interpretations and tightening the parameter space available for new physics in the eV-scale regime. The methodological framework—combining multisim beam/cross-section uncertainties, a detailed detector error matrix, and Feldman–Cousins limit setting—provides a robust template for precision two-detector oscillation searches.

Abstract

The MiniBooNE and SciBooNE collaborations report the results of a joint search for short baseline disappearance of \bar{ν_μ} at Fermilab's Booster Neutrino Beamline. The MiniBooNE Cherenkov detector and the SciBooNE tracking detector observe antineutrinos from the same beam, therefore the combined analysis of their datasets serves to partially constrain some of the flux and cross section uncertainties. Uncertainties in the ν_μ background were constrained by neutrino flux and cross section measurements performed in both detectors. A likelihood ratio method was used to set a 90% confidence level upper limit on \bar{ν_μ} disappearance that dramatically improves upon prior limits in the Δm^2=0.1-100 eV^2 region.

Paper Structure

This paper contains 12 sections, 11 equations, 17 figures, 3 tables.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Beamline and Experimental Apparatus
  3. Monte Carlo Simulation
  4. Event Selection and Reconstruction
  5. Systematic Uncertainties
  6. Beam Uncertainties
  7. Cross Section Uncertainties
  8. Detector Uncertainties
  9. Error Matrix
  10. Analysis Methodology
  11. Results
  12. Conclusions

Figures (17)

  • Figure 1: Schematic view of the BNB from the beryllium target and magnetic horn to the SciBooNE and MiniBooNE detectors.
  • Figure 2: The neutrino and antineutrino flux prediction as a function of true neutrino(antineutrino) energy, in antineutrino mode at the MiniBooNE and SciBooNE detectors. The $\bar{\nu}_{\mu}$ flux is represented by the solid line, the $\nu_{\mu}$ flux is represented by the dashed line, the $\bar{\nu}_{e}$ flux is represented by the dot-dashed line, and the $\nu_{e}$ flux is represented by the dotted line.
  • Figure 3: Schematic view of the MiniBooNE detector.
  • Figure 4: Schematic view of the SciBooNE detector.
  • Figure 5: Reconstructed antineutrino and neutrino energy ($E_{\nu}^{QE}$) distributions for selected RS and WS MiniBooNE events on different target types (hydrogen or carbon) from MiniBooNE MC. Total events are represented by the solid line, events with interaction on carbon are represented by the dashed line, and events with interaction on hydrogen are represented by the dot-dashed line.
  • ...and 12 more figures