A review of the tension between the T2K and NO$\nu$A appearance data and hints to new physics

Abstract

In this article, we review the status of the tension between the long-baseline accelerator neutrino experiments T2K and NO$\nu$A. The tension arises mostly due to the mismatch in the appearance data of the two experiments. We explain how this tension arises based on $\nu_\mu \to \nu_e$ and $\bar{\nu}_\mu \to \bar{\nu}_e$ oscillation probabilities. We define the reference point of vacuum oscillation, maximal $\theta_{23}$ and $\delta_{CP}=0$ and compute the $\nu_e/\bar{\nu}_e$ appearance events for each experiment. We then study the effects of deviating the unknown parameters from the reference point and the compatibility of any given set of values of unknown parameters with the data from T2K and NO$\nu$A. T2K observes a large excess in the $\nu_e$ appearance event sample compared to the expected $\nu_e$ events at the reference point, whereas \nova observes a moderate excess. The large excess in T2K dictates that $\delta_{CP}$ be anchored at $-90^\circ$ and that $\theta_{23}>\pi/4$ with a preference for normal hierarchy. The moderate excess at NO$\nu$A leads to two degenerate solutions: A) NH, $0<\delta_{CP}<180^\circ$, and $\theta_{23}>\pi/4$; B) IH, $-180^\circ<\delta_{CP}<0$, and $\theta_{23}>\pi/4$. This is the main cause of the tension between the two experiments. We have reviewed the status of three beyond standard model (BSM) physics scenarios, (a) non-unitary mixing, (b) Lorentz invariance violation and (c) non-standard neutrino interactions, to resolve the tension.