arXiv subjects

D. Dueñas Tonguino

Publications and source records attributed to D. Dueñas Tonguino.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

The NOvA Test Beam Experiment

NOvA is a long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment designed to study the neutrino mixing parameters, mass ordering, and CP violation in the lepton sector. A key component of the success of the experiment is a robust understanding of the systematic uncertainties associated with detector response and calibration. To address this, NOvA deployed a Test Beam experiment at the Fermilab Test Beam Facility, which collected data from April 2019 through July 2022. The NOvA Test Beam experiment used a 30-ton segmented liquid scintillator detector functionally identical to the NOvA Near and Far Detectors to analyze tagged particles produced from p-Cu collisions, with instrumentation capable of selecting and identifying electrons, muons, pions, kaons, and protons with momentum ranging from 0.4-1.5GeV/c. Analysis of the collected data provides a better understanding of the largest systematic uncertainties impacting NOvA's analyses, which include the detector response, energy calibration, and hadronic and electromagnetic energy resolutions.

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arXiv2026

Neutron detector response modeling in NOvA

Neutrons can present a significant challenge for neutrino experiments in which energy reconstruction is critical. With the ability to escape detection completely and with a weak correlation between their kinetic energy and any eventual energy deposition, it is difficult to fully account for neutrons produced in neutrino interactions. This in turn leads to significant model dependence when evaluating neutron-related systematic uncertainties. The NOvA experiment is a long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment with a high-statistics sample of antineutrino data collected by its near detector. We report an excess relative to data of simulated neutron candidates with low energy depositions when using standard Geant4 physics lists. The simulation excess is traced to an overabundance of secondary photons produced from interactions of neutrons with kinetic energy greater than \SI{20}{\mega\eV}. Improved agreement with data is obtained by applying the data-driven neutron-on-carbon \menate model for neutrons between \SI{20}{\mega\eV} and ${\sim}$\SI{100}{\mega\eV}. With \menate, the residual oversimulation is more uniform across the calorimetric neutron energy spectrum, suggesting possible overproduction of primary neutrons by the GENIE neutrino interaction generator. These results motivate the adoption of \menate-supplemented Geant4 simulation as the nominal simulation in the production of future \nova simulation.

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arXiv2025

Monte Carlo method for constructing confidence intervals with unconstrained and constrained nuisance parameters in the NOvA experiment

Measuring observables to constrain models using maximum-likelihood estimation is fundamental to many physics experiments. Wilks' theorem provides a simple way to construct confidence intervals on model parameters, but it only applies under certain conditions. These conditions, such as nested hypotheses and unbounded parameters, are often violated in neutrino oscillation measurements and other experimental scenarios. Monte Carlo methods can address these issues, albeit at increased computational cost. In the presence of nuisance parameters, however, the best way to implement a Monte Carlo method is ambiguous. This paper documents the method selected by the NOvA experiment, the profile construction. It presents the toy studies that informed the choice of method, details of its implementation, and tests performed to validate it. It also includes some practical considerations which may be of use to others choosing to use the profile construction.

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arXiv2024

Search for $CP$-Violating Neutrino Nonstandard Interactions with the NOvA Experiment

This Letter reports a search for charge-parity ($CP$) symmetry violating nonstandard interactions (NSI) of neutrinos with matter using the NOvA Experiment, and examines their effects on the determination of the standard oscillation parameters. Data from $ν_μ(\barν_μ)\rightarrowν_μ(\barν_μ)$ and $ν_μ(\barν_μ)\rightarrowν_{e}(\barν_{e})$ oscillation channels are used to measure the effect of the NSI parameters $\varepsilon_{eμ}$ and $\varepsilon_{eτ}$. With 90% CL the magnitudes of the NSI couplings are constrained to be $|\varepsilon_{eμ}| \, \lesssim 0.3$ and $|\varepsilon_{eτ}| \, \lesssim 0.4$. A degeneracy at $|\varepsilon_{eτ}| \, \approx 1.8$ is reported, and we observe that the presence of NSI limits sensitivity to the standard $CP$ phase $δ_{\tiny\text{CP}}$.

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arXiv2024

Measurement of the double-differential cross section of muon-neutrino charged-current interactions with low hadronic energy in the NOvA Near Detector

The NOvA collaboration reports cross-section measurements for $ν_μ$ charged-current interactions with low hadronic energy (maximum kinetic energy of 250 MeV for protons and 175 MeV for pions) in the NOvA Near Detector. The results are presented as a double-differential cross section as a function of the direct observables of the final-state muon kinematics. Results are also presented as a single-differential cross section as a function of the derived square of the four-momentum transfer, $Q^{2}$, and as a function of the derived neutrino energy. The data correspond to an accumulated 8.09$\times10^{20}$ protons-on-target (POT) in the neutrino mode of the NuMI beam, with a narrow band of neutrino energies peaked at 1.8 GeV. The analysis provides a sample of neutrino-nucleus interactions with an enhanced fraction of quasi-elastic and two-particle-two-hole (2p2h) interactions. This enhancement allows quantitative comparisons with various nuclear models. We find strong disagreement between data and theory-based models in various regions of the muon kinematic phase space, especially in the forward muon direction.

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arXiv2024

Expanding neutrino oscillation parameter measurements in NOvA using a Bayesian approach

NOvA is a long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment that measures oscillations in charged-current $ν_μ \rightarrow ν_μ$ (disappearance) and $ν_μ \rightarrow ν_{e}$ (appearance) channels, and their antineutrino counterparts, using neutrinos of energies around 2 GeV over a distance of 810 km. In this work we reanalyze the dataset first examined in our previous paper [Phys. Rev. D 106, 032004 (2022)] using an alternative statistical approach based on Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo. We measure oscillation parameters consistent with the previous results. We also extend our inferences to include the first NOvA measurements of the reactor mixing angle $θ_{13}$ and the Jarlskog invariant. We use these results to quantify the strength of our inferences about CP violation, as well as to examine the effects of constraints from short-baseline measurements of $θ_{13}$ using antineutrinos from nuclear reactors when making NOvA measurements of $θ_{23}$. Our long-baseline measurement of $θ_{13}$ is also shown to be consistent with the reactor measurements, supporting the general applicability and robustness of the PMNS framework for neutrino oscillations.

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arXiv2022

An Improved Measurement of Neutrino Oscillation Parameters by the NOvA Experiment

We present new $ν_μ\rightarrowν_e$, $ν_μ\rightarrowν_μ$, $\overlineν_μ\rightarrow\overlineν_e$, and $\overlineν_μ\rightarrow\overlineν_μ$ oscillation measurements by the NOvA experiment, with a 50% increase in neutrino-mode beam exposure over the previously reported results. The additional data, combined with previously published neutrino and antineutrino data, are all analyzed using improved techniques and simulations. A joint fit to the $ν_e$, $ν_μ$, $\overlineν_e$, and $\overlineν_μ$ candidate samples within the 3-flavor neutrino oscillation framework continues to yield a best-fit point in the normal mass ordering and the upper octant of the $θ_{23}$ mixing angle, with $Δm^{2}_{32} = (2.41\pm0.07)\times 10^{-3}$ eV$^2$ and $\sin^2θ_{23} = 0.57^{+0.03}_{-0.04}$. The data disfavor combinations of oscillation parameters that give rise to a large asymmetry in the rates of $ν_e$ and $\overlineν_e$ appearance. This includes values of the CP-violating phase in the vicinity of $δ_\text{CP} = π/2$ which are excluded by $>3σ$ for the inverted mass ordering, and values around $δ_\text{CP} = 3π/2$ in the normal ordering which are disfavored at 2$σ$ confidence.

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arXiv2021

Search for active-sterile antineutrino mixing using neutral-current interactions with the NOvA experiment

This Letter reports results from the first long-baseline search for sterile antineutrinos mixing in an accelerator-based antineutrino-dominated beam. The rate of neutral-current interactions in the two NOvA detectors, at distances of 1 km and 810 km from the beam source, is analyzed using an exposure of $12.51\times10^{20}$ protons-on-target from the NuMI beam at Fermilab running in antineutrino mode. A total of $121$ of neutral-current candidates are observed at the Far Detector, compared to a prediction of $122\pm11$(stat.)$\pm15$(syst.) assuming mixing between three active flavors. No evidence for $\barν_μ\rightarrow\barν_{s}$ oscillation is observed. Interpreting this result within a 3+1 model, constraints are placed on the mixing angles $θ_{24} < 25^{\circ}$ and $θ_{34} < 32^{\circ}$ at the 90% C.L. for $0.05$eV$^{2} \leq Δm^{2}_{41} \leq 0.5$eV$^{2}$, the range of mass splittings that produces no significant oscillations at the Near Detector. These are the first 3+1 confidence limits set using long-baseline accelerator antineutrinos.

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arXiv2021

Extended search for supernova-like neutrinos in NOvA coincident with LIGO/Virgo detections

A search is performed for supernova-like neutrino interactions coincident with 76 gravitational wave events detected by the LIGO/Virgo Collaboration. For 40 of these events, full readout of the time around the gravitational wave is available from the NOvA Far Detector. For these events, we set limits on the fluence of the sum of all neutrino flavors of $F < 7(4)\times 10^{10}\mathrm{cm}^{-2}$ at 90% C.L. assuming energy and time distributions corresponding to the Garching supernova models with masses 9.6(27)$\mathrm{M}_\odot$. Under the hypothesis that any given gravitational wave event was caused by a supernova, this corresponds to a distance of $r > 29(50)$kpc at 90% C.L. Weaker limits are set for other gravitational wave events with partial Far Detector data and/or Near Detector data.

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arXiv2021

Seasonal Variation of Multiple-Muon Cosmic Ray Air Showers Observed in the NOvA Detector on the Surface

We report the rate of cosmic ray air showers with multiplicities exceeding 15 muon tracks recorded in the NOvA Far Detector between May 2016 and May 2018. The detector is located on the surface under an overburden of 3.6 meters water equivalent. We observe a seasonal dependence in the rate of multiple-muon showers, which varies in magnitude with multiplicity and zenith angle. During this period, the effective atmospheric temperature and surface pressure ranged between 210 K to 230 K and 940mbar to 990mbar, respectively; the shower rates are anti-correlated with the variation in the effective temperature. The variations are about 30% larger for the highest multiplicities than the lowest multiplicities and 20% larger for showers near the horizon than vertical showers.

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arXiv2021

Search for Slow Magnetic Monopoles with the NOvA Detector on the Surface

We report a search for a magnetic monopole component of the cosmic-ray flux in a 95-day exposure of the NOvA experiment's Far Detector, a 14 kt segmented liquid scintillator detector designed primarily to observe GeV-scale electron neutrinos. No events consistent with monopoles were observed, setting an upper limit on the flux of $2\times 10^{-14} \mathrm{cm^{-2}s^{-1}sr^{-1}}$ at 90% C.L. for monopole speed $6\times 10^{-4} < β< 5\times 10^{-3}$ and mass greater than $5\times 10^{8}$ GeV. Because of NOvA's small overburden of 3 meters-water equivalent, this constraint covers a previously unexplored low-mass region.

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arXiv2020

Supernova neutrino detection in NOvA

The NOvA long-baseline neutrino experiment uses a pair of large, segmented, liquid-scintillator calorimeters to study neutrino oscillations, using GeV-scale neutrinos from the Fermilab NuMI beam. These detectors are also sensitive to the flux of neutrinos which are emitted during a core-collapse supernova through inverse beta decay interactions on carbon at energies of $\mathcal{O}(10~\text{MeV})$. This signature provides a means to study the dominant mode of energy release for a core-collapse supernova occurring in our galaxy. We describe the data-driven software trigger system developed and employed by the NOvA experiment to identify and record neutrino data from nearby galactic supernovae. This technique has been used by NOvA to self-trigger on potential core-collapse supernovae in our galaxy, with an estimated sensitivity reaching out to 10~kpc distance while achieving a detection efficiency of 23\% to 49\% for supernovae from progenitor stars with masses of 9.6M$_\odot$ to 27M$_\odot$, respectively.

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