Search for sterile neutrino mixing using three years of IceCube DeepCore data

TY - JOUR

T1 - Search for sterile neutrino mixing using three years of IceCube DeepCore data

AU - Aartsen, M.G.

AU - Ackermann, M.

AU - Adams, J.

AU - Aguilar, J.A.

AU - Ahrens, M.

AU - Al Samarai, I.

AU - Altmann, D.

AU - Andeen, K.

AU - Anderson, T.

AU - Ansseau, I.

AU - Anton, G.

AU - Medici, Morten Ankersen

AU - Koskinen, D. Jason

AU - Sarkar, Subir

AU - Larson, Michael James

AU - Rameez, M

AU - Ahlers, Markus Tobias

PY - 2017/6/1

Y1 - 2017/6/1

N2 - We present a search for a light sterile neutrino using three years of atmospheric neutrino data from the DeepCore detector in the energy range of approximately 10-60 GeV. DeepCore is the low-energy subarray of the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. The standard three-neutrino paradigm can be probed by adding an additional light (Δm412∼1 eV2) sterile neutrino. Sterile neutrinos do not interact through the standard weak interaction and, therefore, cannot be directly detected. However, their mixing with the three active neutrino states leaves an imprint on the standard atmospheric neutrino oscillations for energies below 100 GeV. A search for such mixing via muon neutrino disappearance is presented here. The data are found to be consistent with the standard three-neutrino hypothesis. Therefore, we derive limits on the mixing matrix elements at the level of |Uμ4|2<0.11 and |Uτ4|2<0.15 (90% C.L.) for the sterile neutrino mass splitting Δm412=1.0 eV2.

AB - We present a search for a light sterile neutrino using three years of atmospheric neutrino data from the DeepCore detector in the energy range of approximately 10-60 GeV. DeepCore is the low-energy subarray of the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. The standard three-neutrino paradigm can be probed by adding an additional light (Δm412∼1 eV2) sterile neutrino. Sterile neutrinos do not interact through the standard weak interaction and, therefore, cannot be directly detected. However, their mixing with the three active neutrino states leaves an imprint on the standard atmospheric neutrino oscillations for energies below 100 GeV. A search for such mixing via muon neutrino disappearance is presented here. The data are found to be consistent with the standard three-neutrino hypothesis. Therefore, we derive limits on the mixing matrix elements at the level of |Uμ4|2<0.11 and |Uτ4|2<0.15 (90% C.L.) for the sterile neutrino mass splitting Δm412=1.0 eV2.

U2 - 10.1103/physrevd.95.112002

DO - 10.1103/physrevd.95.112002

M3 - Journal article

SN - 2470-0010

VL - 95

JO - Physical Review D

JF - Physical Review D

IS - 11

M1 - 112002

ER -