Measurement of the multi-TeV neutrino interaction cross-section with IceCube using Earth absorption

M.G. Aartsen; K. Abraham; M. Ackermann; J. Adams; J.A. Aguilar; M. Ahrens; D. Altmann; K. Andeen; T. Anderson; I. Ansseau; G. Anton; M. Archinger; C. A. Argüelles; J. Auffenberg; S. Axani; Morten Ankersen Medici; D. Jason Koskinen; Michael James Larson; M Rameez; Subir Sarkar; E. Hansen

doi:10.1038/nature24459

Measurement of the multi-TeV neutrino interaction cross-section with IceCube using Earth absorption

M.G. Aartsen, K. Abraham, M. Ackermann, J. Adams, J.A. Aguilar, M. Ahrens, D. Altmann, K. Andeen, T. Anderson, I. Ansseau, G. Anton, M. Archinger, C. A. Argüelles, J. Auffenberg, S. Axani, Morten Ankersen Medici, D. Jason Koskinen, Michael James Larson, M Rameez, Subir SarkarE. Hansen

61 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Neutrinos interact only very weakly, so they are extremely penetrating. The theoretical neutrino-nucleon interaction cross-section, however, increases with increasing neutrino energy, and neutrinos with energies above 40 teraelectronvolts (TeV) are expected to be absorbed as they pass through the Earth. Experimentally, the cross-section has been determined only at the relatively low energies (below 0.4 TeV) that are available at neutrino beams from accelerators. Here we report a measurement of neutrino absorption by the Earth using a sample of 10,784 energetic upward-going neutrino-induced muons. The flux of high-energy neutrinos transiting long paths through the Earth is attenuated compared to a reference sample that follows shorter trajectories. Using a fit to the two-dimensional distribution of muon energy and zenith angle, we determine the neutrino-nucleon interaction cross-section for neutrino energies 6.3-980 TeV, more than an order of magnitude higher than previous measurements. The measured cross-section is about 1.3 times the prediction of the standard model, consistent with the expectations for charged- and neutral-current interactions. We do not observe a large increase in the cross-section with neutrino energy, in contrast with the predictions of some theoretical models, including those invoking more compact spatial dimensions or the production of leptoquarks. This cross-section measurement can be used to set limits on the existence of some hypothesized beyond-standard-model particles, including leptoquarks.

Original language	English
Journal	Nature
Volume	551
Issue number	7682
Pages (from-to)	596-600
ISSN	0028-0836
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/nature24459
Publication status	Published - 30 Nov 2017

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Aartsen, M. G., Abraham, K., Ackermann, M., Adams, J., Aguilar, J. A., Ahrens, M., Altmann, D., Andeen, K., Anderson, T., Ansseau, I., Anton, G., Archinger, M., Argüelles, C. A., Auffenberg, J., Axani, S., Medici, M. A., Koskinen, D. J., Larson, M. J., Rameez, M., ... Hansen, E. (2017). Measurement of the multi-TeV neutrino interaction cross-section with IceCube using Earth absorption. Nature, 551(7682), 596-600. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature24459

Aartsen, MG, Abraham, K, Ackermann, M, Adams, J, Aguilar, JA, Ahrens, M, Altmann, D, Andeen, K, Anderson, T, Ansseau, I, Anton, G, Archinger, M, Argüelles, CA, Auffenberg, J, Axani, S, Medici, MA, Koskinen, DJ, Larson, MJ, Rameez, M, Sarkar, S & Hansen, E 2017, 'Measurement of the multi-TeV neutrino interaction cross-section with IceCube using Earth absorption', Nature, vol. 551, no. 7682, pp. 596-600. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature24459

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title = "Measurement of the multi-TeV neutrino interaction cross-section with IceCube using Earth absorption",

abstract = "Neutrinos interact only very weakly, so they are extremely penetrating. The theoretical neutrino-nucleon interaction cross-section, however, increases with increasing neutrino energy, and neutrinos with energies above 40 teraelectronvolts (TeV) are expected to be absorbed as they pass through the Earth. Experimentally, the cross-section has been determined only at the relatively low energies (below 0.4 TeV) that are available at neutrino beams from accelerators. Here we report a measurement of neutrino absorption by the Earth using a sample of 10,784 energetic upward-going neutrino-induced muons. The flux of high-energy neutrinos transiting long paths through the Earth is attenuated compared to a reference sample that follows shorter trajectories. Using a fit to the two-dimensional distribution of muon energy and zenith angle, we determine the neutrino-nucleon interaction cross-section for neutrino energies 6.3-980 TeV, more than an order of magnitude higher than previous measurements. The measured cross-section is about 1.3 times the prediction of the standard model, consistent with the expectations for charged- and neutral-current interactions. We do not observe a large increase in the cross-section with neutrino energy, in contrast with the predictions of some theoretical models, including those invoking more compact spatial dimensions or the production of leptoquarks. This cross-section measurement can be used to set limits on the existence of some hypothesized beyond-standard-model particles, including leptoquarks.",

author = "M.G. Aartsen and K. Abraham and M. Ackermann and J. Adams and J.A. Aguilar and M. Ahrens and D. Altmann and K. Andeen and T. Anderson and I. Ansseau and G. Anton and M. Archinger and Arg{\"u}elles, {C. A.} and J. Auffenberg and S. Axani and Medici, {Morten Ankersen} and Koskinen, {D. Jason} and Larson, {Michael James} and M Rameez and Subir Sarkar and E. Hansen",

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AU - Ackermann, M.

AU - Adams, J.

AU - Aguilar, J.A.

AU - Ahrens, M.

AU - Altmann, D.

AU - Andeen, K.

AU - Anderson, T.

AU - Ansseau, I.

AU - Anton, G.

AU - Archinger, M.

AU - Argüelles, C. A.

AU - Auffenberg, J.

AU - Axani, S.

AU - Medici, Morten Ankersen

AU - Koskinen, D. Jason

AU - Larson, Michael James

AU - Rameez, M

AU - Sarkar, Subir

AU - Hansen, E.

PY - 2017/11/30

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N2 - Neutrinos interact only very weakly, so they are extremely penetrating. The theoretical neutrino-nucleon interaction cross-section, however, increases with increasing neutrino energy, and neutrinos with energies above 40 teraelectronvolts (TeV) are expected to be absorbed as they pass through the Earth. Experimentally, the cross-section has been determined only at the relatively low energies (below 0.4 TeV) that are available at neutrino beams from accelerators. Here we report a measurement of neutrino absorption by the Earth using a sample of 10,784 energetic upward-going neutrino-induced muons. The flux of high-energy neutrinos transiting long paths through the Earth is attenuated compared to a reference sample that follows shorter trajectories. Using a fit to the two-dimensional distribution of muon energy and zenith angle, we determine the neutrino-nucleon interaction cross-section for neutrino energies 6.3-980 TeV, more than an order of magnitude higher than previous measurements. The measured cross-section is about 1.3 times the prediction of the standard model, consistent with the expectations for charged- and neutral-current interactions. We do not observe a large increase in the cross-section with neutrino energy, in contrast with the predictions of some theoretical models, including those invoking more compact spatial dimensions or the production of leptoquarks. This cross-section measurement can be used to set limits on the existence of some hypothesized beyond-standard-model particles, including leptoquarks.

AB - Neutrinos interact only very weakly, so they are extremely penetrating. The theoretical neutrino-nucleon interaction cross-section, however, increases with increasing neutrino energy, and neutrinos with energies above 40 teraelectronvolts (TeV) are expected to be absorbed as they pass through the Earth. Experimentally, the cross-section has been determined only at the relatively low energies (below 0.4 TeV) that are available at neutrino beams from accelerators. Here we report a measurement of neutrino absorption by the Earth using a sample of 10,784 energetic upward-going neutrino-induced muons. The flux of high-energy neutrinos transiting long paths through the Earth is attenuated compared to a reference sample that follows shorter trajectories. Using a fit to the two-dimensional distribution of muon energy and zenith angle, we determine the neutrino-nucleon interaction cross-section for neutrino energies 6.3-980 TeV, more than an order of magnitude higher than previous measurements. The measured cross-section is about 1.3 times the prediction of the standard model, consistent with the expectations for charged- and neutral-current interactions. We do not observe a large increase in the cross-section with neutrino energy, in contrast with the predictions of some theoretical models, including those invoking more compact spatial dimensions or the production of leptoquarks. This cross-section measurement can be used to set limits on the existence of some hypothesized beyond-standard-model particles, including leptoquarks.

U2 - 10.1038/nature24459

DO - 10.1038/nature24459

M3 - Journal article

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SN - 0028-0836

VL - 551

SP - 596

EP - 600

JO - Nature

JF - Nature

IS - 7682

ER -

Measurement of the multi-TeV neutrino interaction cross-section with IceCube using Earth absorption

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