Antineutrino Oscillations and a Search for Non-standard Interactions with the MINOS
- Univ. of Pittsburgh, PA (United States)
MINOS searches for neutrino oscillations using the disappearance of muon neutrinos from the NuMI beam at Fermilab between two detectors. The Near Detector, located near the source, measures the beam composition before flavor change occurs. The energy spectrum is measured again at the Far Detector after neutrinos travel a distance. The mixing angle and mass splitting between the second and third mass states are extracted from the energy dependent difference between the spectra at the two detectors. NuMI is able to produce an antineutrino-enhanced beam as well as a neutrino-enhanced beam. Collecting data in antineutrino-mode allows the direct measurement of antineutrino oscillation parameters. From the analysis of the antineutrino mode data we measure $$|\Delta\bar{m}^{2}_{\text{atm}}| = 2.62^{+0.31}_{-0.28}\times10^{-3}\text{eV}^{2}$$ and $$\sin^{2}(2\bar{\theta})_{23} = 0.95^{+0.10}_{-0.11}$$, which is the most precise measurement of antineutrino oscillation parameters to date. A difference between neutrino and antineutrino oscillation parameters may indicate new physics involving interactions that are not part of the Standard Model, called non-standard interactions, that alter the apparent disappearance probability. Collecting data in neutrino and antineutrino mode independently allows a direct search for non-standard interactions. In this dissertation non-standard interactions are constrained by a combined analysis of neutrino and antineutrino datasets and no evidence of such interactions is found.
- Research Organization:
- Fermi National Accelerator Lab. (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-07CH11359
- OSTI ID:
- 1247700
- Report Number(s):
- FERMILAB-THESIS-2012-03; 1089269
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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