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At least 343 records · Page 19
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Decaying sterile neutrinos at short baselines

Long-standing anomalous experimental results from short-baseline neutrino experiments have persisted for decades. These results, when interpreted with one or more light sterile neutrinos, are inconsistent with numerous null results experimentally. However, if the sterile neutrino decays en route to the detector, this can mimic ν μ → ν e oscillation signals while avoiding many of these external constraints. We revisit this solution to the MiniBooNE and LSND puzzles in view of new data from the MicroBooNE experiment at Fermilab. Using MicroBooNE’s liquid-argon time-projection chamber search for an excess of ν e in the Booster beam, we derive new limits in two models’ parameter spaces of interest; where the sterile neutrino decays (I) via mixing with the active neutrinos, or (II) via higher-dimensional operators. We also provide an updated, comprehensive fit to the MiniBooNE neutrino- and antineutrino-beam data, including appearance ( ν e ) and disappearance ( ν μ ) channels. Despite alleviating the tension with muon neutrino disappearance experiments, we find that the latest MicroBooNE analysis rules out the decaying sterile neutrino solution in a large portion of the parameter space at more than 99% CL. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Hostert, Matheus (ORCID:0000000295848877)↗
DOE OSTI2025

Neutrino electromagnetic properties and the weak mixing angle at the LHC Forward Physics Facility

The LHC produces an intense beam of highly energetic neutrinos of all three flavors in the forward direction, and the Forward Physics Facility (FPF) has been proposed to house a suite of experiments taking advantage of this opportunity. In this study, we investigate the FPF’s potential to probe the neutrino electromagnetic properties, including neutrino millicharge, magnetic moment, and charge radius. We find that, due to the large flux of tau neutrinos at the LHC, the FPF detectors will be able to provide more sensitive constraints on the tau neutrino magnetic moment and millicharge than previous measurements at DONUT, by searching for excess in low recoil energy electron scattering events. We also find that, by precisely measuring the rate of neutral current deep inelastic scattering events, the FPF detectors have the potential to obtain the strongest experimental bounds on the neutrino charge radius for the electron neutrino, and one of the leading bounds for the muon neutrino flavor. The same signature could also be used to measure the weak mixing angle, and we estimate that sin 2 θ W could be measured to about 3% precision at a scale Q ∼ 10 GeV , shedding new light on the longstanding NuTeV anomaly. Published by the American Physical Society 2025

Abraham, Roshan Mammen (ORCID:0000000346783808)↗
DOE OSTI2025

Final state radiation from high and ultrahigh energy neutrino interactions

Charged leptons produced by high-energy and ultrahigh-energy neutrinos have a substantial probability of emitting prompt internal bremsstrahlung ν ℓ + N → ℓ + X + γ . This can have important consequences for neutrino detection. We discuss observable consequences at high- and ultrahigh-energy neutrino telescopes and the Large Hadron Collider’s (LHC’s) Forward Physics Facility. Logarithmic enhancements can be substantial (e.g., ∼ 20 % ) when either the charged lepton’s energy or the rest of the cascade is measured. We comment on final state radiation’s impacts on measuring the inelasticity distribution, ν / ν ¯ flux ratio, throughgoing muons, and double-bang signatures for high-energy neutrino observation. Furthermore, for ultrahigh-energy neutrino observation, we find that final state radiation increases the overall detectable energy by as much as 20%, affects flavor measurements, and decreases the energy of both Earth-emergent tau leptons and regenerated tau neutrinos. Many of these have significant impacts on measuring neutrino fluxes and spectra. Finally, for the LHC’s Forward Physics Facility, we find that final state radiation will impact future extractions of strange quark parton distribution functions. Final state radiation should be included in future analyses at neutrino telescopes and the Forward Physics Facility. Published by the American Physical Society 2025

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Measurement of Atmospheric Neutrino Oscillation Parameters Using Convolutional Neural Networks with 9.3 Years of Data in IceCube DeepCore

The DeepCore subdetector of the IceCube Neutrino Observatory provides access to neutrinos with energies above approximately 5 GeV. Data taken between 2012 and 2021 (3387 days) are utilized for an atmospheric ν μ disappearance analysis that studied 150 257 neutrino-candidate events with reconstructed energies between 5 and 100 GeV. An advanced reconstruction based on a convolutional neural network is applied, providing increased signal efficiency and background suppression, resulting in a measurement with both significantly increased statistics compared to previous DeepCore oscillation results and high neutrino purity. For the normal neutrino mass ordering, the atmospheric neutrino oscillation parameters and their 1 σ errors are measured to be Δ m 32 2 = 2.40 − 0.04 + 0.05 × 10 − 3 eV 2 and sin 2 θ 23 = 0.54 − 0.03 + 0.04 . The results are the most precise to date using atmospheric neutrinos, and are compatible with measurements from other neutrino detectors including long-baseline accelerator experiments. Published by the American Physical Society 2025

Abbasi, R.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Exploring neutrino–nucleus interactions in the GeV regime using MINERvA

With the advance of particle accelerator and detector technologies, the neutrino physics landscape is rapidly expanding. As neutrino oscillation experiments enter the intensity and precision frontiers, neutrino–nucleus interaction measurements are providing crucial input. MINERvA is an experiment at Fermilab dedicated to the study of neutrino–nucleus interactions in the regime of incident neutrino energies from one to few GeV. The experiment recorded neutrino and antineutrino scattering data with the NuMI beamline from 2009 to 2019 using the Low-Energy and Medium-Energy beams that peak at 3GeV and 6GeV, respectively. This article reviews the broad spectrum of interesting nuclear and particle physics that MINERvA investigations have illuminated. The newfound, detailed knowledge of neutrino interactions with nuclear targets thereby obtained is proving essential to continued progress in the neutrino physics sector.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Data-Driven Validation of NOvA's Convolutional Neural Network for Electron (Anti)Neutrino Selection

NOvA is a long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment, designed to make measurements of several oscillation parameters using muon neutrino disappearance and electron neutrino appearance. It consists of two functionally equivalent detectors and utilizes the Fermilab NuMI neutrino beam. NOvA uses a convolutional neural network for particle identification of electron neutrino events with a validation process that includes several data-driven techniques. These Muon Removed studies ensure that our classifier performs the same on data as it does on simulation. In particular, Muon Removed Electron-Added studies involve selecting muon neutrino charged current events from both data and simulation and replacing the muon with a simulated electron of similar energy. For Muon Removed Bremsstrahlung and Muon Removed Decay-in-Flight studies, we remove muonic hits from cosmic muons that have either experienced Bremsstrahlung radiation or decayed in flight, producing samples of pure electromagnetic showers. Each of these electron neutrino-like samples are then evaluated by our classifier to obtain selection efficiencies. Our most recent analysis showed good agreement in the electron selection efficiency between data and simulation using these techniques. Furthermore, these cross-checks can be extended to corrections to our predicted electron neutrino signal. The impact of one such set of corrections on the overall analysis results were also evaluated in thesis.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2020

The Next Breakthroughs in Neutrino Physics (LDRD Final Report)

The neutrino is an important fundamental particle, one of the building blocks of the universe. Abetter understanding of the neutrino will answer questions regarding the origin of mass, the matter and anti-matter asymmetry of the universe, and the nature of dark matter. The nation's research community has recognized that the answers to these and other questions are within reach and has assigned neutrino experiments the highest priority for both nuclear and particle physics programs. We are investigating three aspects of neutrino experimentation: detection techniques, target materials, and data analysis. Our efforts targeted multiple applications including experiments to measure neutrinoless double-beta-decay, neutrino-oscillation and neutrino mass. Our research objectives include (1) developing approaches that make detectors scalable to larger sizes and insensitive to background signals; (2) increasing the signal strength and reducing noise from targets; and (3) efficiently distinguishing background noise from signals during analysis. In this LDRD we have advanced all of these areas. We have demonstrated the scale up of a metal organic framework that can adsorb xenon directly from the air that will allow for large neutrino detectors made from xenon. We have studied the use of Cherenkov radiation to reduce the signal backgrounds. We demonstrated the cracking of hydrogen to make atomic tritium for neutrino mass measurements, and lastly we demonstrated the benefits of machine learning techniques to improve signal to noise during analysis

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Contributions to the BeEST sterile neutrino search

Sterile neutrinos are hypothetical right-handed leptons that have been postulated as extensions to the Standard Model to help explain the origin of neutrino masses and the matter-antimatter asymmetry in the Universe. Sterile neutrinos with keV-scale masses are also a promising candidate for dark matter. LLNL and the Colorado School of Mines are developing an experiment to search for sterile neutrinos by measuring the \Beryllium-7 Electron capture in Superconducting Tunnel junctions (STJs)" (the \BeEST" Experiment). When 7 Be implanted into STJ radiation detectors decays by electron capture, the neutrino escapes and the energy of the recoiling 7 Li nucleus can be measured with high accuracy. Using conservation of energy and momentum, the mass of the emitted neutrino can then be found. Sterile keV neutrinos would generate additional peaks in the spectrum, and the experiment uses high-resolution STJs to observe such a potential signal. During my internship, I contributed to different aspects of the BeEST experiment. I designed a UHV setup for X-ray spectroscopy analysis with STJs. It will allow high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy of different materials to examine the broadening in the BeEST spectra, the origins of which are unknown but may be related to material effects inside the STJ detectors. The design accounts for the specific demands of the BeEST project, but provides a degree of flexibility that makes it useful for other potential STJ projects. Additionally, to test the accuracy of the electronics and data analysis routine, an arbitrary waveform generator (AWG) will be used to generate simulated spectra that contain sterile neutrino signals of a specified mass and admixture. For this I programmed an AWG to output random STJ signals whose amplitudes follow the appropriate user-de ned probability distribution. The AWG signals can be input into the 32-channel preamplifier to simulate any spectrum of interest and test the uniformity of the amplifier chain, as well as the sensitivity of the data analysis.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2023

Final Report on the Phase II Physics Proposal for T-1063: The Accelerator Neutrino Neutron Interaction Experiment (ANNIE)

The goal of ANNIE is to make the first detailed measurement of the number of neutrons produced by neutrinos interacting with nuclei. This measurement is important for understanding the results of previous and planned neutrino experiments, as neutrons carry away energy from the neutrino interactions that must be accounted for in determining the energy and neutrino type. This effort is also focused on using a new photodetector technology and key target material enhancements to enable advanced water-based neutrino detectors. The ANNIE detector has been installed in the Booster Neutrino Beam at Fermilab, which provides a pulsed source of neutrinos in the energy range of 300-1200 MeV, which is relevant for the next generation of neutrino experiments. In 2017-2018 measurements of the neutron background in this beam were made with a partially-instrumented ANNIE detector. These measurements guided our design of the upgraded detector now built. The upgrade has been realized by adding Large Area Picosecond Photodetectors (LAPPDs) for the first time, more conventional photomultiplier tubes (PMTs), as well as adding electronics channels to the existing data acquisition system.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2023

Neutrino Scattering in the NOvA Near Detector

aNOvA is a long-baseline accelerator-based neutrino experiment based in the USA. NOvA uses an intense neutrino beam produced at Fermilab’s accelerator complex to make physics measurements of neutrino oscillations, neutrino cross sections, and much more. For its physics goals, NOvA uses two functionally-identical detectors. The Near Detector (ND) is situated at Fermilab, 1 km from the neutrino target and the Far Detector (FD) is located at Ash River, MN, a distance of 810 km from the neutrino source. The ND receives a high statistics neutrino flux which gives a unique opportunity for high-precision neutrino cross-section measurements and is used as a control for the oscillation analyses. In this talk/poster, I will give an overview of the NOvA experiment. I will also talk about the current and future status of the NOvA’s cross-section physics program.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Constraining Cross Section and Beam Systematics for Future NOvA Sterile Neutrino Search

he NOvA (NuMI Off-axis $\nu_e$ Appearance) experiment measures neutrino oscillations in a nearly pure muon (anti)neutrino beam over a 810 km baseline. We search for sterile neutrino driven oscillations in both neutral current (NC) and charged current (CC) muon neutrino samples. A deficit of NC interactions at the Far Detector could occur since sterile neutrinos do not couple to the Z boson. A modulation of the muon neutrino disappearance probability is possible due to a new mass splitting. The NuMI beam line is capable of running in forward or reverse horn current modes, which creates a neutrino or antineutrino beam, respectively. Samples collected in forward horn current (FHC) or reverse horn current (RHC) modes are subject to beam optics uncertainties, in addition to cross section and hadron production uncertainties. We explore the ategories. To tackle reduction of cross section uncertainties, we study how splitting the neutral current (NC) samples can impact the systematic reduction and its implications on oscillation parameters, leveraging results from Monte Carlo simulations. Additionally, we look at the possibility of using a $\nu$-on-e scattering sample. The $\nu$-on-e scattering process has minimal cross section uncertainties compared to that of neutrino-nucleus interactions, which can help constrain the overall flux normalizations. Using both the ZHC sample, NC split sample, and $\nu$-on-e scattering sample jointly with FHC samples would reduce the focusing uncertainties and the hadron production uncertainties in the future sterile analysis.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Search for a 3+1 Sterile Neutrino with the MicroBooNE Experiment using Deep-Learning-Based Reconstruction

In this note we present the methods and sensitivity for a search for sterile neutrinos based on the 3+1 model in the MicroBooNE experiment. The recently released results by MicroBooNE show no sign of the MiniBooNE/LSND low-energy-excess anomaly. The 3+1 model examined here expands on the standard model of neutrinos by adding a fourth neutrino flavor and is not necessarily ruled out by the lack of a low energy excess. The search presented relies on Deep-Learning-based reconstruction tools and looks for charged current quasi-elastic-like (CCQE-like) events kinematically consistent with a 2-body interaction. Using two orthogonal samples of CCQE electron neutrino events and CCQE muon neutrino events, we test this model allowing for electron neutrino appearance, electron neutrino disappearance, and muon neutrino disappearance. We present the sensitivity to the oscillation parameters using the Wilks’ theorem exclusion confidence levels. We demonstrate the use of a minimizer to find the best fit and discuss the effect of using a Feldman-Cousins’ procedure instead of Wilks’ theorem to determine sensitivity.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Double-differential Measurements of Mesonless Charged-current Muon Neutrino Interactions on Argon with Final-State Protons using the MicroBooNE Detector

This note reports the first double-differential measurements of charged-current $ν_µ$ scattering on argon leading to final states containing zero mesons and one or more protons. This event topology (hereafter abbreviated as CC0$πNp$) is the most common at the neutrino energies typically produced by the Fermilab Booster Neutrino Beam. A detailed understanding of neutrino-argon scattering in the CC0$πNp$ channel is therefore crucial for the success of the precision neutrino oscillation analyses planned for the Short-Baseline Neutrino (SBN) program. This remains true for the upcoming Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), but the higher mean neutrino energy used there will ensure that more inelastic reaction modes, such as single pion production, will also play a major role. The analysis described in this note builds on a previous MicroBooNE study of the CC0$πNp$ channel which obtained the first single-differential cross-section measurements on an argon target. Since that foundational work, significant improvements have been made to MicroBooNE’s simulation software, event reconstruction algorithms, and procedure for calculating systematic uncertainties. When combined with a larger dataset (corresponding to a beam exposure of 6.79 × 10 20 protons-on-target versus 1.60 × 10 20 in Ref. [3]), these enhancements allow the important CC0$πNp$ channel to be studied in more detail. This note begins with a description of the data and simulation samples used as input to the analysis. Section 3 then defines the CC0$πNp$ signal event topology, and Section 4 describes a set of selection criteria designed to identify these events in MicroBooNE data. Binning schemes are then defined in Section 5 for two double-differential measurements of event rates. The first of these considers the momentum and scattering cosine of the outgoing muon, while the second reports the same observables for the leading proton, i.e., the final-state proton with the largest momentum. After a discussion of systematic uncertainties in Section 6, the note concludes by comparing the predictions of MicroBooNE Monte Carlo (MC) simulations to the measured double-differential distributions. These results will form the basis for a future extraction of flux-averaged double-differential CC0$πNp$ cross sections that will be immediately comparable to the theoretical predictions of multiple neutrino event generators. The selection described herein may also be used to study various other observables in CC0$πNp$ events, including those which are sensitive to correlations between leptonic and hadronic kinematics in the final state.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Latest Three Flavor Neutrino Oscillation Results from the NOvA Experiment.

NOvA, is a two-detector, long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment located at Fermilab, Batavia, IL, USA. It is designed primarily to constrain neutrino oscillation parameters such as the atmospheric mass squared splitting, $\Delta m^2_{32}$, the mixing angle, $\theta_{23}$, neutrino mass hierachy, and the CP-violating phase, $\delta_{CP}$, using $\nu_\mu \ (\bar{\nu}_\mu)$ disappearance and $\nu_e \ (\bar{\nu}_e)$ appearance data. NOvA receives a high purity instense beam of neutrinos and anti-neutrinos from Fermilab's Neutrinos at Main Injector (NuMI) beamline. The NOvA near detector (ND) observes un-oscillated $\nu_\mu \ (\bar{\nu}_\mu)$ and beam $\nu_e \ (\bar{\nu}_e)$ events, while the far detector (FD), which is situated 810 km away from the near detector, records un-oscillated $\nu_\mu \ (\bar{\nu}_\mu)$ and oscillated $\nu_e \ (\bar{\nu}_e)$ events. The best fit values of the oscillation parameters are extracted by performing a joint fit of the far detector predicted events to data from $\nu_\mu \to \nu_\mu$, $\bar{\nu}_\mu \to \bar{\nu}_\mu$, $\nu_\mu \to \nu_e$, and $\bar{\nu}_\mu \to \bar{\nu}_e$ oscillation channels. We present latest joint fit results from NOvA based on a neutrino-beam exposure of $27.24 \times 10^{20}$ POT and an anti-neutrino beam exposure of $12.55\times 10^{20}$ POT and improved simulations.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Constructing Data-Driven Predictions at the Far Detector for NOvA's Neutrino Oscillation Analysis.

NOvA, is a two-detector, long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment located at Fermilab, Batavia, IL, USA. It is designed primarily to constrain neutrino oscillation parameters using $\nu_\mu \ (\bar{\nu}_\mu)$ disappearance and $\nu_e \ (\bar{\nu}_e)$ appearance data. The Neutrinos at Main Injector (NuMI) beamline at Fermilab provides a high purity 900 KW intense beam of neutrinos and anti-neutrinos to NOvA. The NOvA Near Detector, located 100m underground and 1km away from the beam source, observes the un-oscillated $\nu_\mu \ (\bar{\nu}_\mu)$ and beam $\nu_e \ (\bar{\nu}_e)$ event spectrum. The Far Detector, located in Ash River, MN, USA, is 809 km from the ND and records the oscillated $\nu_e \ (\bar{\nu}_e)$ and the un-oscillated $\nu_\mu \ (\bar{\nu}_\mu)$ event spectrum. NOvA uses a data-driven technique called extrapolation to predict the expected number of $\nu_\mu \ (\bar{\nu}_\mu)$ and $\nu_e \ (\bar{\nu}_e)$ events at the Far Detector using the Near Detector data. The use of data from a functionally equivalent Near Detector provides a powerful constraint on the systematic uncertainties in NOvA neutrino oscillation analyses. As NOvA continues to add data statistics, a robust constraint on systematics becomes more crucial for neutrino oscillation analysis. The details of the NOvA neutrino oscillation analysis framework and how it constrains dominant systematic uncertainties using the Near Detector data will be discussed in this poster.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Latest Constraints on Three-Flavor Neutrino Oscillation Parameters from the NOvA Experiment.

NOvA, is a two-detector, long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment located at Fermilab, Batavia, IL, USA. The NOvA experiment was designed primarily to constrain neutrino oscillation parameters by analyzing $\nu_\mu (\bar{\nu}_\mu)$ disappearance and $\nu_e (\bar{\nu}_e)$ appearance data observed at the far detector. The Neutrinos at Main Injector (NuMI) beamline at Fermilab provides a high purity beam of neutrinos and anti-neutrinos to the experiment. The NOvA experiment consists of two functionally identical, finely granulated liquid tracking calorimeters, both situated 14.6 mrad off-axis to the beam direction. The NOvA near detector, situated 100 meters underground and 1 kilometer from the beam source, detects the non-oscillated $\nu_\mu (\bar{\nu}_\mu)$ and beam $\nu_e (\bar{\nu}_e)$ events. The far detector, located in Ash River, MN, USA, 810 kilometers from the beam source, records the non-oscillated $\nu_\mu (\bar{\nu}_\mu)$ and the oscillated $\nu_\mu (\bar{\nu}_\mu) \to \nu_e (\bar{\nu}_e)$ events. The most recent measurements of three flavor neutrino oscillation parameters based on an analysis of the data collected from neutrino-beam exposure of $26.60 \times 10^{20}$ POT and anti-neutrino beam exposure of $12.50\times 10^{20}$ POT including an additional low energy $\nu_e$ sample, will be presented in this talk.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Neutrino Oscillations at the NOvA Experiment

The NOvA experiment is a long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiments based at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in IL, USA. The experiment was designed to observe muon neutrino (muon anti-neutrino) disappearance and electron neutrino (electron anti-neutrino) appearance oscillations using a set of technological identical liquid scintillation detectors. The detectors are situated 14.6 milli-radians off-axis to the Fermilab's NuMI beam line that provides a beam of neutrinos (anti-neutrinos) to the experiment. The latest results from 3-flavor neutrino oscillation analysis from 10 years of NOvA data will be discussed in the talk.

Choudhary, Brajesh [Delhi U.]↗
DOE OSTI2025

Performance of Muon Neutrino Reconstruction at ICARUS using SPINE Machine Learning.

ICARUS is a liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) neutrino experiment at Fermilab. Located ~600 m from the Booster Neutrino Beam (BNB) target, it serves as the far detector in the Short-Baseline Neutrino (SBN) Program. The primary objective of the SBN Program is to probe neutrino oscillation physics at short baselines using multiple detectors, including measurements of both muon neutrino disappearance and electron neutrino appearance. A key requirement for the neutrino oscillation measurements is robust event reconstruction, including accurate and precise particle identification (PID) and kinematic reconstruction across a wide range of topologies. To achieve the required performance, we employ the SPINE (“Scalable Particle Imaging with Neural Embeddings”) package, a state-of-the-art machine learning reconstruction framework. This talk presents the status of muon neutrino reconstruction using SPINE at ICARUS, including the evaluation of reconstruction performance that will enable the full physics program at ICARUS and at the SBN Program.

Totani, Dante [Colorado State U.] (ORCID:000000019↗