arXiv subjects

M. Tzanov

Publications and source records attributed to M. Tzanov.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2013

A new investigation of electron neutrino appearance oscillations with improved sensitivity in the MiniBooNE+ experiment

We propose the addition of scintillator to the existing MiniBooNE detector to allow a test of the neutral-current/charged-current (NC/CC) nature of the MiniBooNE low-energy excess. Scintillator will enable the reconstruction of 2.2 MeV $γ$s from neutron-capture on protons following neutrino interactions. Low-energy CC interactions where the oscillation excess is observed should have associated neutrons with less than a 10% probability. This is in contrast to the NC backgrounds that should have associated neutrons in approximately 50% of events. We will measure these neutron fractions with $ν_μ$ CC and NC events to eliminate that systematic uncertainty. This neutron-fraction measurement requires $6.5\times10^{20}$ protons on target delivered to MiniBooNE with scintillator added in order to increase the significance of an oscillation excess to over $5σ$. This new phase of MiniBooNE will also enable additional important studies such as the spin structure of nucleon ($Δs$) via NC elastic scattering, a low-energy measurement of the neutrino flux via $\numu ^{12}C \rightarrow μ^{-} ^{12}N_\textrm{g.s.}$ scattering, and a test of the quasielastic assumption in neutrino energy reconstruction. These topics will yield important, highly-cited results over the next 5 years for a modest cost, and will help to train Ph.D. students and postdocs. This enterprise offers complementary information to that from the upcoming liquid Argon based MicroBooNE experiment. In addition, MicroBooNE is scheduled to receive neutrinos in early 2014, and there is minimal additional cost to also deliver beam to MiniBooNE.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2013

The CAPTAIN Detector and Physics Program

The Cryogenic Apparatus for Precision Tests of Argon Interactions with Neutrino (CAP- TAIN) program is designed to make measurements of scientific importance to long-baseline neutrino physics and physics topics that will be explored by large underground detectors. The CAPTAIN detector is a liquid argon TPC deployed in a portable and evacuable cryostat. Five tons of liquid argon are instrumented with a 2,000 channel liquid argon TPC and a photon detection system. Subsequent to the commissioning phase, the detector will collect data in a high-energy neutron beamline that is part of the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center to measure cross-sections of spallation products that are backgrounds to measurements of neutrinos from a supernova burst, cross-sections of events that mimic the electron neutrino appearance signal in long-baseline neutrino physics and neutron signatures to constrain neutrino energy reconstruction in LBNE's long-baseline program. Subsequent to the neutron running, the CAPTAIN detector will be moved to a neutrino source. Two possibilities are an on-axis run in the NuMI beamline at FNAL and a run in the neutrino source produced by the SNS. An on-axis run at NuMI produces more than one million events of interest in a two or three year run at neutrino energies between 1 and 10 GeV - complementary to the MicroBooNE experiment, which will measure similar interactions at a lower energy range - 0.5 to 2 GeV. At the SNS the neutrinos result from the decays stopped positively charged pions and muons yielding a broad spectrum up to 50 MeV. If located close to the spallation target, CAPTAIN can detect several thousand events per year in the same neutrino energy regime where neutrinos from a supernova burst are. Measurements at the SNS yield a first measurement of the cross- section of neutrinos on argon in this important energy regime.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2013

Measurement of the neutrino component of an anti-neutrino beam observed by a non-magnetized detector

Two independent methods are employed to measure the neutrino flux of the anti-neutrino-mode beam observed by the MiniBooNE detector. The first method compares data to simulated event rates in a high purity $\numu$ induced charged-current single $\pip$ (CC1$\pip$) sample while the second exploits the difference between the angular distributions of muons created in $\numu$ and $\numub$ charged-current quasi-elastic (CCQE) interactions. The results from both analyses indicate the prediction of the neutrino flux component of the pre-dominately anti-neutrino beam is over-estimated - the CC1$\pip$ analysis indicates the predicted $\numu$ flux should be scaled by $0.76 \pm 0.11$, while the CCQE angular fit yields $0.65 \pm 0.23$. The energy spectrum of the flux prediction is checked by repeating the analyses in bins of reconstructed neutrino energy, and the results show that the spectral shape is well modeled. These analyses are a demonstration of techniques for measuring the neutrino contamination of anti-neutrino beams observed by future non-magnetized detectors.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2012

Letter of Intent: A new investigation of numu to nue oscillations with improved sensitivity in an enhanced MiniBooNE experiment

We propose adding 300 mg/l PPO to the existing MiniBooNE detector mineral oil to increase the scintillation response. This will allow the detection of associated neutrons and increase sensitivity to final-state nucleons in neutrino interactions. This increased capability will enable an independent test of whether the current excess seen in the MiniBooNE oscillation search is signal or background. In addition it will enable other neutrino interaction measurements to be made including a search for the strange-quark contribution to the nucleon spin Delta s and a low-energy measurement of charged-current quasielastic scattering.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2012

Test of Lorentz and CPT violation with Short Baseline Neutrino Oscillation Excesses

The sidereal time dependence of MiniBooNE electron neutrino and anti-electron neutrino appearance data are analyzed to search for evidence of Lorentz and CPT violation. An unbinned Kolmogorov-Smirnov test shows both the electron neutrino and anti-electron neutrino appearance data are compatible with the null sidereal variation hypothesis to more than 5%. Using an unbinned likelihood fit with a Lorentz-violating oscillation model derived from the Standard Model Extension (SME) to describe any excess events over background, we find that the electron neutrino appearance data prefer a sidereal time-independent solution, and the anti-electron neutrino appearance data slightly prefer a sidereal time-dependent solution. Limits of order 10E-20 GeV are placed on combinations of SME coefficients. These limits give the best limits on certain SME coefficients for muon neutrino to electron neutrino and anti-muon neutrino to anti-electron neutrino oscillations. The fit values and limits of combinations of SME coefficients are provided.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2011

Measurement of Neutrino-Induced Charged-Current Charged Pion Production Cross Sections on Mineral Oil at E$_ν\sim 1~\textrm{GeV}$

Using a high-statistics, high-purity sample of $ν_μ$-induced charged current, charged pion events in mineral oil (CH$_2$), MiniBooNE reports a collection of interaction cross sections for this process. This includes measurements of the CC$π^+$ cross section as a function of neutrino energy, as well as flux-averaged single- and double-differential cross sections of the energy and direction of both the final-state muon and pion. In addition, each of the single-differential cross sections are extracted as a function of neutrino energy to decouple the shape of the MiniBooNE energy spectrum from the results. In many cases, these cross sections are the first time such quantities have been measured on a nuclear target and in the 1 GeV energy range.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2011

Measurement of $ν_μ$-induced charged-current neutral pion production cross sections on mineral oil at $E_ν\in0.5-2.0$ GeV

Using a custom 3 Čerenkov-ring fitter, we report cross sections for $ν_μ$-induced charged-current single $π^0$ production on mineral oil (\chtwo) from a sample of 5810 candidate events with 57% signal purity over an energy range of $0.5-2.0$GeV. This includes measurements of the absolute total cross section as a function of neutrino energy, and flux-averaged differential cross sections measured in terms of $Q^2$, $μ^-$ kinematics, and $π^0$ kinematics. The sample yields a flux-averaged total cross section of $(9.2\pm0.3_{stat.}\pm1.5_{syst.})\times10^{-39}$cm$^2$/CH$_2$ at mean neutrino energy of 0.965GeV.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2010

First Measurement of the Muon Neutrino Charged Current Quasielastic Double Differential Cross Section

A high-statistics sample of charged-current muon neutrino scattering events collected with the MiniBooNE experiment is analyzed to extract the first measurement of the double differential cross section ($\frac{d^2σ}{dT_μd\cosθ_μ}$) for charged-current quasielastic (CCQE) scattering on carbon. This result features minimal model dependence and provides the most complete information on this process to date. With the assumption of CCQE scattering, the absolute cross section as a function of neutrino energy ($σ[E_ν]$) and the single differential cross section ($\frac{dσ}{dQ^2}$) are extracted to facilitate comparison with previous measurements. These quantities may be used to characterize an effective axial-vector form factor of the nucleon and to improve the modeling of low-energy neutrino interactions on nuclear targets. The results are relevant for experiments searching for neutrino oscillations.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2010

Measurement of ν_μand \barν_μinduced neutral current single $π^0$ production cross sections on mineral oil at E_νO(1 GeV)

MiniBooNE reports the first absolute cross sections for neutral current single π^0 production on CH_2 induced by neutrino and antineutrino interactions measured from the largest sets of NC π^0 events collected to date. The principal result consists of differential cross sections measured as functions of π^0 momentum and π^0 angle averaged over the neutrino flux at MiniBooNE. We find total cross sections of (4.76+/-0.05_{stat}+/-0.76_{sys})*10^{-40} cm^2/nucleon at a mean energy of =808 MeV and (1.48+/-0.05_{stat}+/-0.23_{sys})*10^{-40} cm^2/nucleon at a mean energy of =664 MeV for ν_μand \barν_μinduced production, respectively. In addition, we have included measurements of the neutrino and antineutrino total cross sections for incoherent exclusive NC 1π^0 production corrected for the effects of final state interactions to compare to prior results.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2009

First Measurement of $ν_μ$ and $ν_e$ Events in an Off-Axis Horn-Focused Neutrino Beam

We report the first observation of off-axis neutrino interactions in the MiniBooNE detector from the NuMI beamline at Fermilab. The MiniBooNE detector is located 745 m from the NuMI production target, at 110 mrad angle ($6.3^{\circ}$) with respect to the NuMI beam axis. Samples of charged current quasi-elastic $ν_μ$ and $ν_e$ interactions are analyzed and found to be in agreement with expectation. This provides a direct verification of the expected pion and kaon contributions to the neutrino flux and validates the modeling of the NuMI off-axis beam.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2009

Measurement of the ν_μcharged current π^+ to quasi-elastic cross section ratio on mineral oil in a 0.8 GeV neutrino beam

Using high statistics samples of charged current $ν_μ$ interactions, MiniBooNE reports a measurement of the single charged pion production to quasi-elastic cross section ratio on mineral oil (CH$_2$), both with and without corrections for hadron re-interactions in the target nucleus. The result is provided as a function of neutrino energy in the range 0.4 GeV $< E_ν<$ 2.4 GeV with 11% precision in the region of highest statistics. The results are consistent with previous measurements and the prediction from historical neutrino calculations.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2008

First Observation of Coherent $π^0$ Production in Neutrino Nucleus Interactions with $E_ν<$ 2 GeV

The MiniBooNE experiment at Fermilab has amassed the largest sample to date of $π^0$s produced in neutral current (NC) neutrino-nucleus interactions at low energy. This paper reports a measurement of the momentum distribution of $π^0$s produced in mineral oil (CH$_2$) and the first observation of coherent $π^0$ production below 2 GeV. In the forward direction, the yield of events observed above the expectation for resonant production is attributed primarily to coherent production off carbon, but may also include a small contribution from diffractive production on hydrogen. Integrated over the MiniBooNE neutrino flux, the sum of the NC coherent and diffractive modes is found to be (19.5 $\pm$1.1 (stat) $\pm$2.5 (sys))% of all exclusive NC $π^0$ production at MiniBooNE. These measurements are of immediate utility because they quantify an important background to MiniBooNE's search for $ν_μ \to ν_e$ oscillations.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2005

Precise Measurement of Neutrino and Anti-neutrino Differential Cross Sections

The NuTeV experiment at Fermilab has obtained a unique high statistics sample of neutrino and anti-neutrino interactions using its high-energy sign-selected beam. We present a measurement of the differential cross section for charged-current neutrino and anti-neutrino scattering from iron. Structure functions, F_2(x,Q^2) and xF_3(x,Q^2), are determined by fitting the inelasticity, y, dependence of the cross sections. This measurement has significantly improved systematic precision as a consequence of more precise understanding of hadron and muon energy scales.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2005

NuTeV Structure Function Measurement

The NuTeV experiment obtained high statistics samples of neutrino and anti-neutrino charged current events during the 1996-1997 Fermilab fixed target run. The experiment combines sign-selected neutrino and anti-neutrino beams and the upgraded CCFR iron-scintillator neutrino detector. A precision continuous calibration beam was used to determine the muon and hadron energy scales to a precision of 0.7% and 0.43% respectively. The structure functions F_2(x,Q^2) and xF_3(x,Q^2) obtained by fitting the y-dependence of the sum and the difference of the neutrino and anti-neutrino differential cross sections are presented.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2003

New QCD Results from NuTeV

Preliminary results from next-to-leading order strange sea fits to the NuTeV's deep inelastic scattering charged-current dimuon cross section data are presented. Preliminary neutrino and antineutrino inclusive charged-current differential cross sections and preliminary structure function $F_2(x,Q^2)$ are presented.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2003

A Departure from Prediction: Electroweak Physics at Nutev

The NuTeV experiment has performed precision measurements of the ratio of neutral-current to charged-current cross-sections in high rate, high energy neutrino and anti-neutrino beams on a dense, primarily steel, target. The separate neutrino and anti-neutrino beams, high statistics, and improved control of other experimental systematics, allow the determination of electroweak parameters with significantly greater precision than past neutrino-nucleon scattering experiments. Our null hypothesis test of the standard model prediction measures sin2thetaW=0.2277+/-0.0013(stat)+/-0.0009(syst), a value which is 3.0 standard deviations above the prediction. We discuss possible explanations for and implications of this discrepancy.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2003

A Precise Determination of Electroweak Parameters in Neutrino-Nucleon Scattering

The NuTeV collaboration has extracted sin^2theta_W from the ratios of neutral current to charged current neutrino and anti-neutrino cross-sections. Our value, sin^2theta_W(on-shell)=0.2277+/-0.0013(stat)+/-0.0009(syst), is three standard deviations above the standard model prediction. We also present a model independent analysis of the same data.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2002

Off the Mass Shell: Electroweak Physics at NuTeV

The NuTeV collaboration has performed precision measurements of the ratio of neutral current to charged current cross-sections in high rate, high energy neutrino and anti-neutrino beams on a dense, primarily steel, target. The separate neutrino and anti-neutrino beams, high statistics, and improved control of other experimental systematics, allow the determination of electroweak parameters with significantly greater precision than past neutrino-nucleon scattering experiments. Our null hypothesis test of the standard model prediction measures sin2thetaW=0.2277+/-0.0013(stat)+/-0.0009(syst), a value which is 3 sigma above the prediction. We discuss possible explanations for and implications of this discrepancy.

hep-ex↗