arXiv subjects

The OPERA Collaboration

Publications and source records attributed to The OPERA Collaboration.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2012

Measurement of the neutrino velocity with the OPERA detector in the CNGS beam using the 2012 dedicated data

In spring 2012 CERN provided two weeks of a short bunch proton beam dedicated to the neutrino velocity measurement over a distance of 730 km. The OPERA neutrino experiment at the underground Gran Sasso Laboratory used an upgraded setup compared to the 2011 measurements, improving the measurement time accuracy. An independent timing system based on the Resistive Plate Chambers was exploited providing a time accuracy of $\sim$1 ns. Neutrino and anti-neutrino contributions were separated using the information provided by the OPERA magnetic spectrometers. The new analysis profited from the precision geodesy measurements of the neutrino baseline and of the CNGS/LNGS clock synchronization. The neutrino arrival time with respect to the one computed assuming the speed of light in vacuum is found to be $δt_ν\equiv TOF_c - TOF_ν= (0.6 \pm 0.4\ (stat.) \pm 3.0\ (syst.))$ ns and $δt_{\barν} \equiv TOF_c - TOF_{\barν} = (1.7 \pm 1.4\ (stat.) \pm 3.1\ (syst.))$ ns for $ν_μ$ and $\barν_μ$, respectively. This corresponds to a limit on the muon neutrino velocity with respect to the speed of light of $-1.8 \times 10^{-6} < (v_ν-c)/c < 2.3 \times 10^{-6}$ at 90% C.L. This new measurement confirms with higher accuracy the revised OPERA result.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2012

Measurement of the neutrino velocity with the OPERA detector in the CNGS beam

The OPERA neutrino experiment at the underground Gran Sasso Laboratory has measured the velocity of neutrinos from the CERN CNGS beam over a baseline of about 730 km. The measurement is based on data taken by OPERA in the years 2009, 2010 and 2011. Dedicated upgrades of the CNGS timing system and of the OPERA detector, as well as a high precision geodesy campaign for the measurement of the neutrino baseline, allowed reaching comparable systematic and statistical accuracies. An arrival time of CNGS muon neutrinos with respect to the one computed assuming the speed of light in vacuum of (6.5 +/- 7.4(stat.)((+8.3)(-8.0)sys.))ns was measured corresponding to a relative difference of the muon neutrino velocity with respect to the speed of light (v-c)/c =(2.7 +/-3.1(stat.)((+3.4)(-3.3)(sys.))x10^(-6). The above result, obtained by comparing the time distributions of neutrino interactions and of protons hitting the CNGS target in 10.5 microseconds long extractions, was confirmed by a test performed at the end of 2011 using a short bunch beam allowing to measure the neutrino time of flight at the single interaction level.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2011

Search for $ν_μ\rightarrowν_τ$ oscillation with the OPERA experiment in the CNGS beam

The OPERA neutrino experiment in the underground Gran Sasso Laboratory (LNGS) was designed to perform the first detection of neutrino oscillations in direct appearance mode in the $ν_μ\rightarrowν_τ$ channel, the $ν_τ$ signature being the identification of the $τ$-lepton created in its charged current interaction. The hybrid apparatus consists of a large mass emulsion film/lead target complemented by electronic detectors. It is placed in the high energy long-baseline CERN to LNGS neutrino beam (CNGS) 730 km away from the neutrino source. The observation of a first $ν_τ$ candidate event was reported in 2010. In this paper, we present the status of the experiment based on the analysis of the data taken during the first two years of operation (2008-2009). The statistical significance of the one event observed so far is then assessed.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2011

Momentum measurement by the Multiple Coulomb Scattering method in the OPERA lead emulsion target

A new method of momentum measurement of charged particles through Multiple Coulomb Scattering (MCS) in the OPERA lead emulsion target is presented. It is based on precise measurements of track angular deviations performed thanks to the very high resolution of nuclear emulsions. The algorithm has been tested with Monte Carlo (MC) pions. The results are found to describe within the expected uncertainties the data obtained from test beams. We also report a comparison of muon momenta evaluated through MCS in the OPERA lead emulsion target with those determined by the electronic detectors for neutrino charged current interaction events. The two independent measurements agree within the experimental uncertainties, and the results validate the algorithm developed for the emulsion detector of OPERA.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2006

First events from the CNGS neutrino beam detected in the OPERA experiment

The OPERA neutrino detector at the underground Gran Sasso Laboratory (LNGS) was designed to perform the first detection of neutrino oscillations in appearance mode, through the study of nu_mu to nu_tau oscillations. The apparatus consists of a lead/emulsion-film target complemented by electronic detectors. It is placed in the high-energy, long-baseline CERN to LNGS beam (CNGS) 730 km away from the neutrino source. In August 2006 a first run with CNGS neutrinos was successfully conducted. A first sample of neutrino events was collected, statistically consistent with the integrated beam intensity. After a brief description of the beam and of the various sub-detectors, we report on the achievement of this milestone, presenting the first data and some analysis results.

hep-ex↗