Electron Antineutrino Disappearance Research Articles

Future searches for light sterile neutrinos at nuclear reactors

We study the optimization of a green-field, two-baseline reactor experiment with respect to the sensitivity for electron antineutrino disappearance in search of a light sterile neutrino. We consider both commercial and research reactors and identify as key factors the distance of closest approach and detector energy resolution. We find that a total of 5 tons of detectors deployed at a commercial reactor with a closest approach of 25 m can probe the mixing angle $\sin^22\theta$ down to $\sim5\times10^{-3}$ around $\Delta m^2\sim 1$ eV$^2$. The same detector mass deployed at a research reactor can be sensitive up to $\Delta m^2\sim20-30$ eV$^2$ assuming a closest approach of 3 m and excellent energy resolution, such as that projected for the Taishan Antineutrino Observatory. We also find that lithium doping of the reactor could be effective in increasing the sensitivity for higher $\Delta m^2$ values.

Search for Sub-eV Sterile Neutrinos at RENO.

We report a search result for a light sterile neutrino oscillation with roughly 2200 live days of data in the RENO experiment. The search is performed by electron antineutrino (ν[over ¯]_{e}) disappearance taking place between six 2.8 GW_{th} reactors and two identical detectors located at 294m (near) and 1383m (far) from the center of the reactor array. A spectral comparison between near and far detectors can explore reactor ν[over ¯]_{e} oscillations to a light sterile neutrino. An observed spectral difference is found to be consistent with that of the three-flavor oscillation model. This yields limits on sin^{2}2θ_{14} in the 10^{-4}≲|Δm_{41}^{2}|≲0.5 eV^{2} region, free from reactor ν[over ¯]_{e} flux and spectrum uncertainties. The RENO result provides the most stringent limits on sterile neutrino mixing at |Δm_{41}^{2}|≲0.002 eV^{2} using the ν[over ¯]_{e} disappearance channel.

Improved Constraints on Sterile Neutrino Mixing from Disappearance Searches in the MINOS, MINOS+, Daya Bay, and Bugey-3 Experiments.

Searches for electron antineutrino, muon neutrino, and muon antineutrino disappearance driven by sterile neutrino mixing have been carried out by the Daya Bay and MINOS+ collaborations. This Letter presents the combined results of these searches, along with exclusion results from the Bugey-3 reactor experiment, framed in a minimally extended four-neutrino scenario. Significantly improved constraints on the θ_{μe} mixing angle are derived that constitute the most constraining limits to date over five orders of magnitude in the mass-squared splitting Δm_{41}^{2}, excluding the 90%C.L. sterile-neutrino parameter space allowed by the LSND and MiniBooNE observations at 90%CL_{s} for Δm_{41}^{2}<13 eV^{2}. Furthermore, the LSND and MiniBooNE 99%C.L. allowed regions are excluded at 99% CL_{s} for Δm_{41}^{2}<1.6 eV^{2}.

A sterile neutrino search at compact materials irradiation facility

The compact material irradiation facility (CMIF) is a current project in China that will provide a compact deuteron-beryllium neutron source. The target of this facility will be an intense and compact Isotope Decay-At-Rest (IsoDAR) neutrino source. In this paper, we propose to test the sterile neutrino hypothesis using CMIF as the neutrino source. At CMIF platform, the electron antineutrino production rate can be up to 2.0times 10^{19} per day. When paired with an 80 t liquid scintillator detector to study short baseline electron antineutrino disappearance, the inverse beta decay (IBD) event rate is large enough to investigate the parameter ranges of interest for neutrino anomalies. Our sensitivity analysis shows that a short baseline experiment at this platform will provide a very competitive sterile neutrino search, especially in the high-Delta m^2 region (Delta m^2 >10,text {eV}^2).

Latest Results from Neutrino Oscillation Experiment Daya Bay

The Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment was designed to measure Θ13, the smallest mixing angle in the three-neutrino mixing framework, with unprecedented precision. The experiment consists of eight identically designed detectors placed underground at different baselines from three pairs of nuclear reactors in South China. Since Dec. 2011, the experiment has been running stably for more than 7 years, and has collected the largest reactor antineutrino sample to date. Daya Bay greatly improved the precision on Θ13 and made an independent measurement of the effective mass splitting in the electron antineutrino disappearance channel. Daya Bay also performed a number of other precise measurements such as a high-statistics determination of the absolute reactor antineutrino flux and the spectrum evolution, as well as a search for the sterile neutrino mixing, among others. The most recent results from Daya Bay are discussed in this paper, as well as the current status and future prospects of the experiment.

Spectral shape analysis for electron antineutrino oscillation study by using 8Li generator with 252Cf source

Existence of hypothetical fourth neutrino, so-called sterile neutrino, is one of open issues in the particle and neutrino physics. This fourth neutrino is a candidate for explaining some anomalies reported in LSND, MiniBoone, reactor experiments, and gallium experiments. To search for the existence of the sterile neutrino, we report detailed analysis of a feasible experiment for short baseline electron antineutrino (ν̄e) disappearance study, in which a ν̄e source from 8Li generator is considered under non-accelerator system. For 8Li production, we suggest to use 252Cf source as an intense neutron emitter, by which one can produce 8Li isotope through 7Li(n,γ)8Li reaction, effectively. Using the 8Li generator, one does not need any accelerator or reactor facilities because the generator can be placed on any present and/or planned neutrino detectors as closely as possible. For the effect of the possible sterile neutrinos, we estimate expected neutrino flux and event rates from the neutrino source scheme, and show neutrino disappearance features and possible reaction rate changes by the sterile neutrino using the spectral shape analysis.

Status of neutrino oscillations 2018: 3σ hint for normal mass ordering and improved CP sensitivity

We present a new global fit of neutrino oscillation parameters within the simplest three-neutrino picture, including new data which appeared since our previous analysis [1]. In this update we include new long-baseline neutrino data involving the antineutrino channel in T2K, as well as new data in the neutrino channel, data from NOνA, as well as new reactor data, such as the Daya Bay 1230 days electron antineutrino disappearance spectrum data and the 1500 live days prompt spectrum from RENO, as well as new Double Chooz data. We also include atmospheric neutrino data from the IceCube DeepCore and ANTARES neutrino telescopes and from Super-Kamiokande. Finally, we also update our solar oscillation analysis by including the 2055-day day/night spectrum from the fourth phase of the Super-Kamiokande experiment. With the new data we find a preference for the atmospheric angle in the upper octant for both neutrino mass orderings, with maximal mixing allowed at Δχ2=1.6(3.2) for normal (inverted) ordering. We also obtain a strong preference for values of the CP phase δ in the range [π,2π], excluding values close to π/2 at more than 4σ. More remarkably, our global analysis shows a hint in favor of the normal mass ordering over the inverted one at more than 3σ. We discuss in detail the status of the mass ordering, CP violation and octant sensitivities, analyzing the interplay among the different neutrino data samples.

Search for a Light Sterile Neutrino at Daya Bay

The Daya Bay reactor neutrino experiment’s unique configuration of multiple baselines from six 2.9 GWth nuclear reactors to eight antineutrino detectors deployed in two near (effective baselines ∼500 m and ∼600 m) and one far (effective baseline ∼1600 m) underground experimental halls makes it possible to look for oscillations with a fourth (sterile) neutrino in the range. The relative spectral distortion due to the disappearance of electron antineutrinos was found to be consistent with that of the three-flavor oscillation model. The resulting limits on sin22θ14 constitute the world’s best for the region.

Calibration and Reconstruction of the Daya Bay Antineutrino Detector

The Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment has produced the most precise measurements to date of the mixing angle θ13 and the mass-squared difference in the electron antineutrino disappearance channel. In addition, the experiment has published a precision measurement of the reactor antineutrino flux and spectrum. Energy calibration and reconstruction are crucial to all of these measurements. Various approaches are used to understand the detector non-linearity, non-uniformity, energy scale and the related systematic uncertainties. The uncertainty of the detector-uncorrelated energy scale and the absolute energy response are less than 0.2% and 1%, respectively. Nevertheless, these uncertainties are among the leading contributors to the overall systematic uncertainties leading contributors of the systematic uncertainties and will continue to be studied.

A new scheme for short baseline electron antineutrino disappearance study

A new scheme for the short baseline electron antineutrino () disappearance study is investigated. We propose to use an intense neutron emitter, 252Cf, which produces a 8Li isotope through the 7Li(n,γ)8Li reaction; 8Li is a emitter via decay. Because this source needs neither accelerator nor reactor facilities, the can be placed on any neutrino detector as closely as possible. This short baseline circumstance with a suitable detector enables us to study the existence of possible sterile neutrinos, in particular, on 1 eV mass scale. Also, complementary comparison studies among different neutrino detectors can become feasible by using from the 8Li source. As an example, applications to hemisphere and cylinder shape scintillator detectors are performed in detail with the expectation signal modification by the sterile neutrino. Sensitivities to mass and mixing angles of sterile neutrinos are also presented for comparison with those of other neutrino experiments.

Latest results from Daya Bay

The Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment was designed to measure θ13, the smallest mixing angle in the three-neutrino mixing framework, with unprecedented precision. The experiment consists of eight functionally identical detectors placed underground at different baselines from three pairs of nuclear reactors in South China. Since Dec. 2011, the experiment has been running stably for more than 4 years, and has collected the largest reactor anti-neutrino sample to date. Daya Bay is able to greatly improve the precision on θ13 and to make an independent measurement of the effective mass splitting in the electron antineutrino disappearance channel. Daya Bay can also perform a number of other precise measurements, such as a high-statistics determination of the absolute reactor antineutrino flux and spectrum, as well as a search for sterile neutrino mixing, among others. The most recent results from Daya Bay are discussed in this paper, as well as the current status and future prospects of the experiment.

Short-baseline electron antineutrino disappearance study by using neutrino sources from 13C + 9Be reaction

To investigate the existence of sterile neutrino, we propose a new neutrino production method using 13C beams and a 9Be target for short-baseline electron antineutrino (ν̄e) disappearance study. The production of secondary unstable isotopes which can emit neutrinos from the 13C + 9Be reaction is calculated with three different nucleus-nucleus (AA) reaction models. Different isotope yields are obtained using these models, but the results of the neutrino flux are found to have unanimous similarities. This feature gives an opportunity to study neutrino oscillation through shape analysis. In this work, expected neutrino flux and event rates are discussed in detail through intensive simulation of the light ion collision reaction and the neutrino flux from the beta decay of unstable isotopes followed by this collision. Together with the reactor and accelerator anomalies, the present proposed ν̄e source is shown to be a practically alternative test of the existence of the Δ m2 ∼ 1 eV2 scale sterile neutrino.

Recent results of Daya Bay reactor neutrino experiment

The Daya Bay reactor neutrino experiment has been designed to precisely measure the least known neutrino mixing angle θ13. In March 2012, Daya Bay collaboration announced [Daya Bay Collaboration (F. P. An et al.), Observation of electron-antineutrino disappearance at Daya Bay, Phys. Rev. Lett. 108 (2012) 171803] the observation of non-zero value of sin2⁡2θ13. Because of large statistics of detected antineutrinos and excellent performance of the experiment, Daya Bay continuously improves the precision of world best measurement of sin2⁡2θ13. In addition it provides results on neutrino mass splitting Δmee2 competitive with measurements of other experiments, results on precise measurement of reactor fluxes and on limits of the existence of hypothetical fourth neutrino. In this paper, we report the results available by the time of the 6th Capri workshop: the measurement of oscillation parameters sin2⁡(2θ13)=0.084±0.005 and |Δmee2|=(2.42±0.11)×10−3eV2 [Daya Bay Collaboration (F. P. An et al.), New Measurement of Antineutrino Oscillation with the Full Detector Configuration at Daya Bay, Phys. Rev. Lett. 115 (2015) no. 11, 111802], searches for sterile neutrinos [Daya Bay Collaboration (F. P. An et al.) Search for a Light Sterile Neutrino at Daya Bay, Phys. Rev. Lett. 113 (2014) 141802] and precise measurement of reactor neutrino flux [Daya Bay Collaboration (F. P. An et al.), Measurement of the Reactor Anti-neutrino Flux and Spectrum at Daya Bay, Phys. Rev. Lett. 116 (2016) no. 6, 061801]. These are based on 621 days of measurement, most of the data has been taken in full detector configuration. More precise results [Daya Bay Collaboration (F. P. An et al.), Measurement of electron antineutrino oscillation based on 1230 days of operation of the Daya Bay experiment, arXiv:1610.04802] with 1230 days of operation have been presented few weeks later at the Neutrino 2016 conference.

Limits on Active to Sterile Neutrino Oscillations from Disappearance Searches in the MINOS, Daya Bay, and Bugey-3 Experiments.

Searches for a light sterile neutrino have been performed independently by the MINOS and the Daya Bay experiments using the muon (anti)neutrino and electron antineutrino disappearance channels, respectively. In this Letter, results from both experiments are combined with those from the Bugey-3 reactor neutrino experiment to constrain oscillations into light sterile neutrinos. The three experiments are sensitive to complementary regions of parameter space, enabling the combined analysis to probe regions allowed by the Liquid Scintillator Neutrino Detector (LSND) and MiniBooNE experiments in a minimally extended four-neutrino flavor framework. Stringent limits on sin^{2}2θ_{μe} are set over 6 orders of magnitude in the sterile mass-squared splitting Δm_{41}^{2}. The sterile-neutrino mixing phase space allowed by the LSND and MiniBooNE experiments is excluded for Δm_{41}^{2}<0.8 eV^{2} at 95% CL_{s}.

Improved Search for a Light Sterile Neutrino with the Full Configuration of the Daya Bay Experiment.

This Letter reports an improved search for light sterile neutrino mixing in the electron antineutrino disappearance channel with the full configuration of the Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment. With an additional 404days of data collected in eight antineutrino detectors, this search benefits from 3.6 times the statistics available to the previous publication, as well as from improvements in energy calibration and background reduction. A relative comparison of the rate and energy spectrum of reactor antineutrinos in the three experimental halls yields no evidence of sterile neutrino mixing in the 2×10^{-4}≲|Δm_{41}^{2}|≲0.3 eV^{2} mass range. The resulting limits on sin^{2}2θ_{14} are improved by approx imately a factor of 2 over previous results and constitute the most stringent constraints to date in the |Δm_{41}^{2}|≲0.2 eV^{2} region.

Latest Double Chooz results

I report the latest results from the Double Chooz experiment on the θ13 neutrino mixing angle. Two detectors are located at distances of 400 m and 1050 m from the reactor cores of the Chooz nuclear power station (France) to measure the disappearance of electron antineutrinos. The far detector has been taking data since 2011, accumulating a live time of 467.90 days (66.5 GW-ton-year). In this article we focus on the latest measurement using neutrino-induced neutron capture on hydrogen. A new analysis improved the signal efficiency and reduced the backgrounds and systematic uncertainties, leading to sin2 2θ13 = 0.095+0.039 -0.038. When combined with the Gadolinium-based analysis this leads to sin2 2θ13 = 0.088+0.33 -0.033. The distortion from the prediction above a visible energy of 4 MeV is confirmed. The near detector started data taking in 2014 and first results shall be reported in 2016.

What isΔmee2?

The current short baseline reactor experiments, Daya Bay and RENO (Double Chooz) have measured (or are capable of measuring) an effective $\Delta m^2$ associated with the atmospheric oscillation scale of 0.5 km/MeV in electron anti-neutrino disappearance. In this paper, I compare and contrast the different definitions of such an effective $\Delta m^2$ and argue that the simple, L/E independent, definition given by $\Delta m^2_{ee} \equiv \cos^2 \theta_{12} \Delta m^2_{31}+ \sin^2 \theta_{12} \Delta m^2_{32}$, i.e. "the $\nu_e$ weighted average of $\Delta m^2_{31}$ and $\Delta m^2_{32}$," is superior to all other definitions and is useful for both short baseline experiments mentioned above and for the future medium baseline experiments JUNO and RENO 50.

Measurement of neutrino mixing angle θ13 and mass difference [formula omitted] from reactor antineutrino disappearance in the RENO experiment

RENO (Reactor Experiment for Neutrino Oscillation) made a definitive measurement of the smallest neutrino mixing angle θ13 in 2012, based on the disappearance of reactor electron antineutrinos. The experiment has obtained a more precise value of the mixing angle and the first result on neutrino mass difference Δmee2 from an energy and baseline dependent reactor neutrino disappearance using ∼500 days of data. Based on the ratio of inverse-beta-decay (IBD) prompt spectra measured in two identical far and near detectors, we obtain sin2⁡(2θ13)=0.082±0.009(stat.)±0.006(syst.) and |Δmee2|=[2.62−0.23+0.21(stat.)−0.13+0.12(syst.)]×10−3 eV2. An excess of reactor antineutrinos near 5 MeV is observed in the measured prompt spectrum with respect to the most commonly used models. The excess is found to be consistent with coming from reactors. A successful measurement of θ13 is also made in an IBD event sample with a delayed signal of neutron capture on hydrogen. A precise value of θ13 would provide important information on determination of the leptonic CP phase if combined with a result of an accelerator neutrino beam experiment.

Measurement of θ13

In the paradigm of three generations, neutrino mixing is described by three angles and a CP-violating phase. With the recent observation of electron antineutrino disappearance at baselines of 1 to 2 km from groups of reactors, the smallest neutrino mixing angle, θ13, has been unambiguously determined. The rather large value of θ13 enables the pursuit of CP violation and mass hierarchy in the neutrino sector. This review summarizes the progress of measurements of θ13 and highlights future prospects.

New measurement of antineutrino oscillation with the full detector configuration at Daya Bay.

We report a new measurement of electron antineutrino disappearance using the fully constructed Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment. The final two of eight antineutrino detectors were installed in the summer of 2012. Including the 404days of data collected from October 2012 to November 2013 resulted in a total exposure of 6.9×10^{5} GW_{th} ton days, a 3.6 times increase over our previous results. Improvements in energy calibration limited variations between detectors to 0.2%. Removal of six ^{241}Am-^{13}C radioactive calibration sources reduced the background by a factor of 2 for the detectors in the experimental hall furthest from the reactors. Direct prediction of the antineutrino signal in the far detectors based on the measurements in the near detectors explicitly minimized the dependence of the measurement on models of reactor antineutrino emission. The uncertainties in our estimates of sin^{2}2θ_{13} and |Δm_{ee}^{2}| were halved as a result of these improvements. An analysis of the relative antineutrino rates and energy spectra between detectors gave sin^{2}2θ_{13}=0.084±0.005 and |Δm_{ee}^{2}|=(2.42±0.11)×10^{-3} eV^{2} in the three-neutrino framework.