J. L. Thron

The Atmospheric Neutrino Flavor Ratio from a 3.9 Fiducial Kiloton-Year Exposure of Soudan 2

Abstract We report a measurement of the atmospheric neutrino flavor ratio, R, using a sample of quasi-elastic neutrino interactions occurring in an iron medium. The flavor ratio (tracks/showers) of atmospheric neutrinos in a 3.9 fiducial kiloton-year exposure of Soudan 2 is 0.64±0.11(stat.)±0.06(syst.) of that expected. Important aspects of our main analysis have been checked by carrying out two independent, alternative analyses; one is based upon automated scanning, the other uses a multivariate approach for background subtraction. Similar results are found by all three approaches.

Measurement of the atmospheric neutrino flavour composition in Soudan 2

Abstract The atmospheric neutrino flavour ratio measured using a 1.52 kton-year exposure of Soudan 2 is found to be 0.72 ± 0.19−0.07+0.05 relative to the expected value from a Monte Carlo calculation. The possible background of interactions of neutrons and photons produced in muon interactions in the rock surrounding the detector has been investigated and is shown not to produce low values of the ratio.

A measurement of σtot (γp) at √s=210 GeV

Abstract The total photoproduction cross section is determined from a measurement of electroproduction with the ZEUS detector at HERA. The Q 2 values of the virtual photons are in the range 10 −7 Q 2 −2 GeV 2 . The γp total cross section in the γp centre of mass energy range 186–233 GeV is 154 ± 16 (stat.) ± 32 (syst.) μ b.

Measurement of the L/E distributions of atmospheric neutrinos in Soudan 2 and their interpretation as neutrino oscillations

The effects of oscillations of atmospheric muon neutrinos are observed in the 5.90 fiducial kiloton-year exposure of the Soudan 2 detector. An unbinned maximum likelihood analysis of the neutrino L/E distribution has been carried out using the Feldman-Cousins prescription. The probability of the no oscillation hypothesis is 5.8x10-4. The 90% confidence allowed region in the sin**(2theta), Delta m**2 plane is presented.

Observation of atmospheric neutrino oscillations in Soudan 2.

The effects of oscillations of atmospheric �µ are observed in the 5.90 fiducial kiloton-year exposure of the Soudan 2 detector. An unbinned maximum likelihood analysis of the neutrino L/E distribution has been carried out using the Feldman-Cousins prescription. The probability of the no oscillation hypothesis is 5.8×10 4 . The 90% confidence allowed region in the sin 2 2�,�m 2 plane is presented.

Neutrino oscillation effects in Soudan-2 upward-stopping muons

Upward-going stopping muons initiated by atmospheric {nu}{sub {mu}} and {nu}{sub {mu}} interactions in the rock below the Soudan 2 detector have been isolated, together with a companion sample of neutrino-induced single muons, created within the detector, which travel downwards and exit. The downward-going sample is consistent with the atmospheric-neutrino flux prediction, but the upward-going sample exhibits a sizable depletion. Both are consistent with previously reported Soudan 2 neutrino-oscillation results. Inclusion of the two samples in an all-event likelihood analysis, using recent 3D-atmospheric-neutrino-flux calculations, reduces both the allowed oscillation parameter region and the probability of the no-oscillation hypothesis.

Search for neutron anti-neutron oscillations using multiprong events in Soudan 2

We have searched for neutron-antineutron oscillations using the 5.56 fiducial kiloton-year exposure of the Soudan 2 iron tracking calorimeter. We require candidate n-nbar occurrences to have .GE. 4 prongs (tracks and showers) and to have kinematics compatible with nbar-N annihilation within a nucleus. We observe five candidate events, with an estimated background from atmospheric neutrino and cosmic ray induced events of 4.5 \pm 1.2 events. Previous experiments with smaller exposures observed no candidates, with estimated background rates similar to this experiment. We set a lifetime lower limit for oscillation time in iron: T_A(Fe) > 7.2x10^{31} years. The corresponding lower limit for oscillation of free neutrons is \tau_{n-nbar} > 1.3x10^8 seconds.

Study of cosmic ray composition in the knee region using multiple muon events in the Soudan 2 detector

Deep underground muon events recorded by the Soudan 2 detector, located at a depth of 2100 m of water equivalent, have been used to infer the nuclear composition of cosmic rays in the ``knee`` region of the cosmic ray energy spectrum. The observed muon multiplicity distribution favors a composition model with a substantial proton content in the energy region 8{times}10{sup 5}{endash}1.3{times}10{sup 7} GeV/nucleus. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}

The SOUDAN 2 detector: The design and construction of the tracking calorimeter modules

SOUDAN 2 is a 960-ton tracking calorimeter which has been constructed to search for nucleon decay and other phenomena. The full detector consists of 224 calorimeter modules each weighing 4.3 tons. The design and construction of the modules are described. The modules consist of finely segmented iron instrumented with 1 m long drift tubes of 15 mm internal diameter. The tubes enable three spatial coordinates and dE/dx to be recorded for charged particles traversing the tubes.

The observation of underground muons from the direction of Cygnus X-3 during the January 1991 radio flare

Abstract Muons recorded in the Soudan 2 underground nucleon decay detector from January 1989 to February 1991 have been examined for any correlation with the radio flares of Cygnus X-3 observed during this period. On two nearby days during the radio flare of January 1991 a total of 32 muons within 2.0° of the Cygnus X-3 direction were observed when 11.4 were expected.