We present a search for signatures of neutrino mixing of electron anti-neutrinos with additional hypothetical sterile neutrino flavors using the Double Chooz experiment. The search is based on data ...from 5 years of operation of Double Chooz, including 2 years in the two-detector configuration. The analysis is based on a profile likelihood, i.e. comparing the data to the model prediction of disappearance in a data-to-data comparison of the two respective detectors. The analysis is optimized for a model of three active and one sterile neutrino. It is sensitive in the typical mass range
5
×
10
-
3
eV
2
≲
Δ
m
41
2
≲
3
×
10
-
1
eV
2
for mixing angles down to
sin
2
2
θ
14
≳
0.02
. No significant disappearance additionally to the conventional disappearance related to
θ
13
is observed and correspondingly exclusion bounds on the sterile mixing parameter
θ
14
as a function of
Δ
m
41
2
are obtained.
A
bstract
A
θ
13
oscillation analysis based on the observed antineutrino rates at the Double Chooz far and near detectors for different reactor power conditions is presented. This approach provides a ...so far unique simultaneous determination of
θ
13
and the total background rates without relying on any assumptions on the specific background contributions. The analysis comprises 865 days of data collected in both detectors with at least one reactor in operation. The oscillation results are enhanced by the use of 24.06 days (12.74 days) of reactor-off data in the far (near) detector. The analysis considers the
ν
¯
e
interactions up to a visible energy of 8.5 MeV, using the events at higher energies to build a cosmogenic background model considering fast-neutrons interactions and
9
Li decays. The background-model-independent determination of the mixing angle yields sin
2
(2
θ
13
) = 0
.
094 ± 0
.
017, being the best-fit total background rates fully consistent with the cosmogenic background model. A second oscillation analysis is also performed constraining the total background rates to the cosmogenic background estimates. While the central value is not significantly modified due to the consistency between the reactor-off data and the background estimates, the addition of the background model reduces the uncertainty on
θ
13
to 0.015. Along with the oscillation results, the normalization of the anti-neutrino rate is measured with a precision of 0.86%, reducing the 1.43% uncertainty associated to the expectation.
A
bstract
The yields and production rates of the radioisotopes
9
Li and
8
He created by cosmic muon spallation on
12
C, have been measured by the two detectors of the Double Chooz experiment. The ...identical detectors are located at separate sites and depths, which means that they are subject to different muon spectra. The near (far) detector has an overburden of ∼120 m.w.e. (∼300 m.w.e.) corresponding to a mean muon energy of 32.1 ± 2.0 GeV (63.7 ± 5.5 GeV). Comparing the data to a detailed simulation of the
9
Li and
8
He decays, the contribution of the
8
He radioisotope at both detectors is found to be compatible with zero. The observed
9
Li yields in the near and far detectors are 5.51 ± 0.51 and 7.90 ± 0.51, respectively, in units of 10
−8
μ
−1
g
−1
cm
2
. The shallow overburdens of the near and far detectors give a unique insight when combined with measurements by KamLAND and Borexino to give the first multi-experiment, data driven relationship between the
9
Li yield and the mean muon energy according to the power law
Y
=
Y
0
E
μ
/
1
GeV
α
¯
, giving
α
¯
=
0.72
±
0.06
and
Y
0
= (0.43 ± 0.11) × 10
−8
μ
−1
g
−1
cm
2
. This relationship gives future liquid scintillator based experiments the ability to predict their cosmogenic
9
Li background rates.
A
bstract
The Double Chooz experiment measures the neutrino mixing angle
θ
13
by detecting reactor
ν
¯
e
via inverse beta decay. The positron-neutron space and time coincidence allows for a sizable ...background rejection, nonetheless liquid scintillator detectors would profit from a positron/electron discrimination, if feasible in large detector, to suppress the remaining background. Standard particle identification, based on particle dependent time profile of photon emission in liquid scintillator, can not be used given the identical mass of the two particles. However, the positron annihilation is sometimes delayed by the ortho-positronium (o-Ps) metastable state formation, which induces a pulse shape distortion that could be used for positron identification. In this paper we report on the first observation of positronium formation in a large liquid scintillator detector based on pulse shape analysis of single events. The o-Ps formation fraction and its lifetime were measured, finding the values of 44 % ±12 % (sys.) ±5 % (stat.) and 3.68 ns ±0.17 ns (sys.) ±0.15 ns (stat.) respectively, in agreement with the results obtained with a dedicated positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy setup.
We report on the first measurement of flux-integrated single differential cross sections for charged-current (CC) muon neutrino (νμ) scattering on argon with a muon and a proton in the final state, ...Ar40 (νμ,μp)X. The measurement was carried out using the Booster Neutrino Beam at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and the MicroBooNE liquid argon time projection chamber detector with an exposure of 4.59×1019 protons on target. Events are selected to enhance the contribution of CC quasielastic (CCQE) interactions. The data are reported in terms of a total cross section as well as single differential cross sections in final state muon and proton kinematics. We measure the integrated per-nucleus CCQE-like cross section (i.e., for interactions leading to a muon, one proton, and no pions above detection threshold) of (4.93±0.76stat±1.29sys)×10−38 cm2, in good agreement with theoretical calculations. The single differential cross sections are also in overall good agreement with theoretical predictions, except at very forward muon scattering angles that correspond to low-momentum-transfer events.
We report the first measurement of the double-differential and total muon neutrino charged current inclusive cross sections on argon at a mean neutrino energy of 0.8 GeV. Data were collected using ...the MicroBooNE liquid argon time projection chamber located in the Fermilab Booster neutrino beam and correspond to 1.6×1020 protons on target of exposure. The measured differential cross sections are presented as a function of muon momentum, using multiple Coulomb scattering as a momentum measurement technique, and the muon angle with respect to the beam direction. We compare the measured cross sections to multiple neutrino event generators and find better agreement with those containing more complete treatment of quasielastic scattering processes at low Q2. The total flux integrated cross section is measured to be 0.693±0.010(stat)±0.165(syst)×10−38 cm2.
We present a search for the decays of a neutral scalar boson produced by kaons decaying at rest, in the context of the Higgs portal model, using the MicroBooNE detector. We analyze data triggered in ...time with the Fermilab NuMI neutrino beam spill, with an exposure of 1020 protons on target. We look for monoenergetic scalars that come from the direction of the NuMI hadron absorber, at a distance of 100 m from the detector, and decay to electron-positron pairs. We observe one candidate event, with a standard model background prediction of 1.9±0.8. We set an upper limit on the scalar–Higgs mixing angle of θ<(3.3−4.6)×10−4 at the 95% confidence level for scalar boson masses in the range(100–200) MeV/c2. We exclude, at the 95% confidence level, the remaining model parameters required to explain the central value of a possible excess of KL0→π0νν¯ decays reported by the KOTO collaboration. We also provide a model-independent limit on a new boson X produced in K→πX decays and decaying to e+e−.
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