T. Kafka

Observation of tau neutrino interactions

Abstract The DONUT experiment has analyzed 203 neutrino interactions recorded in nuclear emulsion targets. A decay search has found evidence of four tau neutrino interactions with an estimated background of 0.34 events. This number is consistent with the Standard Model expectation.The DONUT experiment has analyzed 203 neutrino interactions recorded in nuclear emulsion targets. A decay search has found evidence of four tau neutrino interactions with an estimated background of 0.34 events. This number is consistent with the Standard Model expectation.

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 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.

Detection and analysis of tau–neutrino interactions in DONUT emulsion target

Abstract The DONUT experiment used an emulsion/counter-hybrid-detector, which succeeded in detecting tau–neutrino charged-current interactions. A new method of emulsion analysis, NETSCAN, was used to locate neutrino events and detect tau decays. It is based on a fully automated emulsion readout system (Ultra Track Selector) developed at Nagoya University. The achieved plate-to-plate alignment accuracy of ∼0.2 μm over an area of 2.6 mm ×2.6 mm permitted an efficient and systematic tau decay search using emulsion data. Moreover, this accuracy allowed measurement of particle momenta by multiple Coulomb scattering, and contributed to the efficient background rejection for the ν τ candidates. This paper describes details of our emulsion analysis methods.

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.

A new upper limit for the tau-neutrino magnetic moment

Abstract Using a neutrino beam in which a ντ component was identified for the first time, the ντ magnetic moment was measured based on a search for an anomalous increase in the number of neutrino–electron interactions. One such event was observed when 2.3 were expected from background processes, giving an upper 90% confidence limit on μντ of 3.9×10−7μB.Using a prompt neutrino beam in which a nu_tau component was identified for the first time, the nu_tau magnetic moment was measured based on a search for an anomalous increase in the number of neutrino-electron interactions. One such event was observed when 2.3 were expected from background processes, giving an upper 90% confidence limit of 3.9x10^-7 Bohr magnetons.

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.

Measurement of Ratios of νμ Charged-Current Cross Sections on C, Fe, and Pb to CH at Neutrino Energies 2–20 GeV

We present measurements of ν(μ) charged-current cross section ratios on carbon, iron, and lead relative to a scintillator (CH) using the fine-grained MINERvA detector exposed to the NuMI neutrino beam at Fermilab. The measurements utilize events of energies 2<E(ν)<20 GeV, with ⟨E(ν)⟩ = 8 GeV, which have a reconstructed μ(-) scattering angle less than 17° to extract ratios of inclusive total cross sections as a function of neutrino energy E(ν) and flux-integrated differential cross sections with respect to the Bjorken scaling variable x. These results provide the first high-statistics direct measurements of nuclear effects in neutrino scattering using different targets in the same neutrino beam. Measured cross section ratios exhibit a relative depletion at low x and enhancement at large x. Both become more pronounced as the nucleon number of the target nucleus increases. The data are not reproduced by GENIE, a conventional neutrino-nucleus scattering simulation, or by the alternative models for the nuclear dependence of inelastic scattering that are considered.

The atmospheric flux νμ/νe anomaly as manifestation of proton decay p→e+νν

Abstract In a scenario in which absolute fluxes of low energy atmospheric neutrinos are at or below expectations of published calculations, the observed small νμ/νe ratio is emenable to non-oscillation interpretation. The rate of single-ring, e-like events of 200 to 500 MeV/c in Kamiokande data would appear to be enhanced. The shower momentum spectrum of the event excess is compatible with proton decay p→e+νν with τ/B ∼ 4 × 1031 yr.

A rugged 1700 m2 proportional tube array

Abstract We have built a proportional tube array to serve as a cavern-liner active shield for the Soudan-II nucleon decay experiment. The array is constructed of eight-cell modules which interlock to form panels having no insensitive intermodular gaps. The design and manufacture of the proportional tube modules and associated electronics are described, and measurements of panel performance are presented.