Browsing by Subject "MINOS"

Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
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    A search for Large Extra Dimensions with MINOS and MINOS+
    (2018-06-14) De Rijck, Simon; Lang, Karol, 1955-; Ritchie, Jack; Onyisi, Peter; Andeen, Tim; Gebhardt, Karl
    This dissertation presents the search for large extra dimensions using the rich and unique accelerator beam neutrino data collected by the MINOS and MINOS+ experiments from 2005 to 2012 and 2013 to 2016, respectively. Most data from neutrino oscillation experiments are consistent with the standard three-flavor paradigm. With increasing experimental precision, potential effects from physics beyond the Standard Model that could modify neutrino oscillations in subtle ways can be explored. One such scenario involves additional spatial dimensions. Following the Large Extra Dimensions (LED) model, sterile neutrinos arising as Kaluza-Klein states in an extra dimension with size R can mix with the three active neutrinos in 3+1 spacetime, thereby altering the neutrino oscillation probabilities. In addition, this model provides a natural explanation for small Dirac neutrino masses through mass suppression by the volume of the large extra dimensions. In this work, two analysis strategies are employed to search for large extra dimensions: the Far-over-Near analysis and the two-detector analysis. In the former, the ratio of the neutrino energy spectra measured in the MINOS Far and Near Detectors is used to constrain the LED model parameters, while in the latter the measured spectra are used simultaneously. MINOS reported the strongest constraint on R from a neutrino oscillation experiment, constraining R to be smaller than 0.45 µm at 90% C.L. in the limit of a vanishing lightest neutrino mass, using the Far-over-Near approach. Including MINOS+ data, which significantly increases the number of events at higher neutrino energies away from the three-flavor minimum where the model effects are larger, and using the two-detector technique, the size of extra dimensions is further constrained to be smaller than 0.30 µm at 90% C.L. Stronger limits are obtained for non-vanishing lightest neutrino masses.
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    Measurement of the muon neutrino inclusive charged current cross section on iron using the MINOS detector
    (2010-05) Loiacono, Laura Jean; Kopp, Sacha; Lang, Karol; Markert, Christina; Ritchie, Jack; Sneden, Christopher
    The Neutrinos at the Main Injector (NuMI) facility at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL) produces an intense muon neutrino beam used by the Main Injector Neutrino Oscillation Search (MINOS), a neutrino oscillation experiment, and the Main INjector ExpeRiment [nu]-A, (MINER[nu]A), a neutrino interaction experiment. Absolute neutrino cross sections are determined via [mathematical equation], where the numerator is the measured number of neutrino interactions in the MINOS Detector and the denominator is the flux of incident neutrinos. Many past neutrino experiments have measured relative cross sections due to a lack of precise measurements of the incident neutrino flux, normalizing to better established reaction processes, such as quasielastic neutrino-nucleon scattering. But recent measurements of neutrino interactions on nuclear targets have brought to light questions about our understanding of nuclear effects in neutrino interactions. In this thesis the [nu subscript mu] inclusive charged current cross section on iron is measured using the MINOS Detector. The MINOS detector consists of alternating planes of steel and scintillator. The MINOS detector is optimized to measure muons produced in charged current [nu subscript mu] interactions. Along with muons, these interactions produce hadronic showers. The neutrino energy is measured from the total energy the particles deposit in the detector. The incident neutrino flux is measured using the muons produced alongside the neutrinos in meson decay. Three ionization chamber monitors located in the downstream portion of the NuMI beamline are used to measure the muon flux and thereby infer the neutrino flux by relation to the underlying pion and kaon meson flux. This thesis describes the muon flux instrumentation in the NuMI beam, its operation over the two year duration of this measurement, and the techniques used to derive the neutrino flux.
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    Sterile neutrino searches in MINOS and MINOS+ experiments
    (2015-05) Huang, Junting, 1984-; Lang, Karol, 1955-; Ritchie, Jack; Schwitters, Roy; Dicus, Duane; Gebhardt, Karl
    This dissertation presents the searches on sterile neutrinos using the data collected in MINOS+ Experiment from September 2013 to September 2014, and the full data set of MINOS Experiment collected from 2005 to 2012. Anomalies in short baseline experiments, such as LSND and MiniBooNE, showed hints of sterile neutrinos, a type of neutrino that does not interact with the Standard Model particles. In this work, two models are considered: 3+1 and large extra dimension (LED). In the 3+1 model, one sterile neutrino state is added into the standard oscillation scheme consisting of three known active neutrino states ν[subscript e], ν[subscript µ] and ν[subscript τ]. In the LED model, sterile neutrinos arise as Kaluza-Klein (KK) states due to assumed large extra dimensions. Mixing between sterile and active neutrino states may modify the oscillation patterns observed in the MINOS detectors. Both searches yield null results. For 3+1, a combined fit of MINOS and MINOS+ data gives a stronger limit on θ₂₄ in the range of 10⁻² eV² < ∆m²₄₃ < 1 eV² than previous experiments. For LED, with the complete MINOS data set, the size of extra dimensions is constrained to be smaller than ∼ 0.35 µm at 90% C.L. in the limit of a vanishing lightest neutrino mass.
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    Study of antineutrino oscillations using accelerator and atmospheric data in MINOS
    (2014-05) Cao, Son Van; Lang, Karol, 1955-
    The Main Injector Neutrino Oscillation Search (MINOS) is a long baseline experiment that was built for studying the neutrino oscillation phenomena. The MINOS experiment uses high intensity muon neutrino and antineutrino beams created by Neutrinos at the Main Injector facility (NuMI) at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab). Neutrino interactions are recorded by two sampling steel-scintillator tracking calorimeters: 0.98 kton Near Detector at Fermilab, IL and 5.4 kton Far Detector at the Soudan Underground Laboratory, MN. These two detectors are functionally identical, which helps to reduce the systematic uncertainties in the muon neutrino and antineutrino disappearance measurements. The Near Detector, located 1.04 km from the neutrino production target, is used to measure the initial beam composition and neutrino energy proximal to the neutrino source. The collected data at the Near Detector is then used to predict energy spectrum in the Far Detector. By comparing this prediction to collected data at the Far Detector, which is 735 km away from the target, it enables a measurement of a set of parameters that govern the neutrino oscillation phenomenon. The flexibility of the NuMI beam configuration and the magnetization of the MINOS detectors facilitate the identification of v[subscript mu] and v̄[subscript mu] charged-current interactions on an event-by-event basis. This enables one to measure neutrino and antineutrino oscillation parameters independently and therefore allows us to test the CPT symmetry in the lepton sector. To enhance the sensitivity of the oscillation parameters measurement, a number of techniques have been implemented. Event classification, shower energy estimation and energy resolution bin fitting, which are described in this dissertation, are three of these techniques. Moreover, the most stringent constraints on oscillation parameters can be achieved by combining multiple data sets. This dissertation reports the measurement of antineutrino oscillation parameters using the complete MINOS accelerator and atmospheric data set of charged-current v̄[subscript mu] events.
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    Three-flavor neutrino oscillations with MINOS+
    (2019-08-14) Carroll, Thomas Joseph, III; Lang, Karol, 1955-; Andeen, Timothy; Gebhardt, Karl; Onyisi, Peter; Ritchie, Jack
    This dissertation presents the analysis of the last two years of data from the MINOS+ long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment. The analysis explores the data above the first oscillation maximum for neutrinos in the standard three-flavor neutrino oscillation model, adding significantly more neutrino events and constraining the model with increased precision. The analysis of the high-energy region of the MINOS+ data set, where previously there has been limited study, can help constrain alternative models or possibly show evidence of new phenomena. The predecessor to MINOS+, the MINOS experiment, measured [muon neutrino] disappearance and [electron neutrino] appearance using Fermilab's NuMI [muon neutrino] beam from 2005 to 2012. During this period the neutrino beam's energy spectrum was focused to peak near the first oscillation maximum. In addition to measuring accelerator beam neutrinos, the MINOS Far Detector collected a sample of atmospheric neutrinos from 2003 to 2011. With these two samples, MINOS measured the atmospheric mass splitting, Δm²₃₂, at the 5% level and the value of sin²θ₂₃ at the 15% level. The data also constrained the CP violating parameter δ [subscript CP]. The MINOS+ experiment exposed the MINOS detectors to a neutrino beam peaked at energies above the oscillation maximum from 2013 to 2016. With this higher energy neutrino beam, MINOS+ measures the shape of the [muon neutrino] survival probability away from the oscillation maximum with unprecedented precision. Measuring the shape of the oscillation probability as a function of neutrino energy is an essential test of the three-flavor oscillation model. At these higher energies where the standard oscillation probability decreases, the neutrino energy spectrum is sensitive to potential perturbations from mixing with additional sterile neutrinos or non-standard neutrino interactions. This analysis of the complete data set from MINOS+ finds no significant deviations from the three-flavor oscillation probability in the energy region of 4 to 10 GeV covered by the neutrino beam. This provides increased confidence in the three-flavor model in this region and provides new constraints of the atmospheric oscillation parameters, Δm²₃₂ and sin²θ₂₃, by combining the MINOS and MINOS+ data sets. [...] In addition to the analysis and measurement of the atmospheric oscillation parameters using MINOS+, this work updates the constraint on δ [subscript CP] from MINOS and performs an exploratory combination using [muon neutrino] disappearance data from the NOvA experiment. The NOvA experiment uses the NuMI beam in an off-axis strategy that results in a narrow flux of muon neutrinos at the first oscillation maximum and allows precision measurements of the three-flavor parameters. Since NOvA and MINOS+ shared the same neutrino beam, their data can be combined taking advantage of common beam related uncertainties. Combined, the data from the MINOS, MINOS+, and NOvA experiments precisely map [muon neutrino] oscillation probabilities using the same neutrino beam in a way that could not be attempted before.