Neutrino Data Research Articles

A global fit of non-relativistic effective dark matter operators including solar neutrinos

We perform a global fit of dark matter interactions with nucleons using a non-relativistic effective operator description, considering both direct detection and neutrino data. We examine the impact of combining the direct detection experiments CDMSlite, CRESST-II, CRESST-III, DarkSide-50, DarkSide-50-S2-Only, LUX, LZ, PandaX-II, PandaX-4T, PICO-2L, PICO-60, SIMPLE, XENON100, and XENON1T along with neutrino data from IceCube, ANTARES, DeepCore, and Super-Kamiokande. While current neutrino telescope data lead to increased sensitivity compared to underground nuclear scattering experiments for dark matter masses above 100 GeV, our future projections show that the next generation of underground experiments will significantly outpace solar searches for most dark matter-nucleon elastic scattering interactions.

Correlating 0νββ decays and flavor observables in leptoquark models

In this paper, we investigate minimal scalar leptoquark models that dynamically generate neutrino Majorana masses at the one-loop level and examine their implications for low-energy processes. We show that these models can produce viable neutrino masses, consistent with neutrino oscillation and cosmological data. By using leptoquark couplings fixed by neutrino data, we predict additional contributions to neutrinoless double-beta decays (0νββ), which are chirality enhanced and compete with the standard contributions from the Majorana masses. Our analysis demonstrates that these effects are sizable for leptoquark masses as large as O300TeV, potentially increasing or decreasing the 0νββ half-life, and creating an ambiguity between the normal and inverted mass ordering scenarios. Furthermore, we explore the correlation between 0νββ and flavor observables, such as kaon decays and μ → e conversion in nuclei, emphasizing that the latter is complementary to 0νββ decays.

High-energy Neutrino Source Cross-correlations with Nearest-neighbor Distributions

The astrophysical origins of the majority of the IceCube neutrinos remain unknown. Effectively characterizing the spatial distribution of the neutrino samples and associating the events with astrophysical source catalogs can be challenging given the large atmospheric neutrino background and underlying non-Gaussian spatial features in the neutrino and source samples. In this paper, we investigate a framework for identifying and statistically evaluating the cross-correlations between IceCube data and an astrophysical source catalog based on the k-nearest-neighbor cumulative distribution functions (kNN-CDFs). We propose a maximum likelihood estimation procedure for inferring the true proportions of astrophysical neutrinos in the point-source data. We conduct a statistical power analysis of an associated likelihood ratio test with estimations of its sensitivity and discovery potential with synthetic neutrino data samples and a WISE–2MASS galaxy sample. We apply the method to IceCube’s public ten-year point-source data and find no statistically significant evidence for spatial cross-correlations with the selected galaxy sample. We discuss possible extensions to the current method and explore the method’s potential to identify the cross-correlation signals in data sets with different sample sizes.

On small Dirac neutrino masses in string theory

We study how tiny Dirac neutrino masses consistent with experimental constraints can arise in string theory SM-like vacua. We use as a laboratory 4d N = 1 type IIA Calabi-Yau orientifold compactifications, and in particular recent results on Yukawa couplings at infinite field-space distance. In this regime we find Dirac neutrino masses of the form mν ≃ gν⟨H⟩, with gν the gauge coupling of the massive U(1) under which the right-handed neutrinos νR are charged, and which should be in the range gν ≃ 10−14 − 10−12 to reproduce neutrino data. The neutrino mass suppression occurs because the right-handed neutrino kinetic term behaves as Kνν ≃ 1/gν2. At the same time a tower of νR-like states appears with characteristic scale m0 ≃ gν2MP ≃ 0.1 − 500 eV, in agreement with Swampland expectations. Two large hidden dimensions only felt by the νR sector arise at the same scale, while the string scale is around Ms ≃ gνMP ≃ 10 − 700 TeV. Some phenomenological implications and model building challenges are described. We also describe the difficulties in obtaining appropriate tiny neutrino Yukawas in the cases of a single or more than two large dimensions. Thus the case with two large dimensions seems to be quite unique.

Probing large extra dimension at DUNE using beam tunes

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is a leading experiment in neutrino physics which is presently under construction. DUNE aims to measure the yet unknown parameters in the three flavor oscillation case which includes discovery of leptonic CP violation, determination of the neutrino mass hierarchy and measuring the octant of θ23. Additionally, the ancillary goals of DUNE include probing the subdominant effects induced by possible physics beyond the Standard Model (BSM). One such new physics scenario is the possible presence of Large Extra Dimension (LED) which can naturally give rise to tiny neutrino masses. LED impacts neutrino oscillation through two new parameters, — namely the lightest Dirac mass m0 and the radius of the extra dimension RED (< 2 μm). At the DUNE baseline of 1300 km, the probability seems to be modified more at the higher energy (≳ 4 − 5 GeV) in presence of LED. In this work, we attempt to constrain the parameter space of m0 and RED by performing a statistical analysis of neutrino data simulated at DUNE far detector (FD). We illustrate how a combination of the standard low energy (LE) neutrino beam and a medium energy (ME) neutrino beam can take advantage of the relatively large impact of LED at higher energy and improve the constraints. In the analysis we also show the role of the individual oscillation channels (νμ → νe, νμ → νμ, νμ → ντ), as well as the two neutrino mass hierarchies.

In-medium changes of nucleon cross sections tested in neutrino-induced reactions

Historically, studied in the context of heavy-ion collisions, the extent to which free nucleon-nucleon cross sections are modified in-medium remains undetermined by these data sets. Therefore, we investigate the impact of NN in-medium modifications on neutrino-nucleus cross section predictions using the GiBUU transport model. We find that including an in-medium lowering of the NN cross section and density dependence on Δ excitation improves agreement with MicroBooNE neutrino-argon scattering data. This is observed for both proton and neutral pion spectra in charged-current muon neutrino and neutral-current single pion production data sets. The impact of collision broadening of the Δ resonance is also investigated. The absence of Δ broadening is slightly favored, but the larger uncertainties on the pion production data prevent definitive conclusions. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Jovian signal at BOREXINO

The BOREXINO experiment has been collecting solar neutrino data since 2007, providing the opportunity to study the variation of the event rate over a decade. We find that at 96% C.L., the rate of low energy events shows a time modulation favoring a correlation with a flux from Jupiter. We present a new physics model, the Jovian whisper model, based on dark matter of mass ∼0.1–4 GeV captured by Jupiter that can account for such modulation. We discuss how the Jovian whisper model (JWM) can be tested. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Muon g−2 , long-range muon spin force, and neutrino oscillations

Recent studies have proposed using a geocentric muon spin force to account for the (g−2)μ anomaly, with the long-range force mediator being a light axionlike particle. The mediator exhibits a CP-violating scalar coupling to nucleons and a normal derivative coupling to muons. Due to the weak symmetry, this axion inevitably couples to neutrinos, providing potential impact on neutrino oscillations. By utilizing neutrino data from BOREXINO, IceCube DeepCore, Super-Kamiokande, and SNO, we have identified that both atmospheric and solar neutrino data can impose stringent constraints on the long-range muon spin force model and the (g−2)μ parameter space. With optimized data analysis techniques and the potential from future experiments, such as JUNO, Hyper-Kamiokande, SNO+, and IceCube PINGU, there exists a promising opportunity to achieve even greater sensitivities. Indeed, neutrino oscillations offer a robust and distinctive cross-check for the model, offering stringent constraints on the (g−2)μ parameter space. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Development of a Data Overflow Protection System for Super-Kamiokande to Maximize Data from Nearby Supernovae

Abstract Neutrinos from very nearby supernovae, such as Betelgeuse, are expected to generate more than ten million events over 10 s in Super-Kamokande (SK). At such large event rates, the buffers of the SK analog-to-digital conversion board (QBEE) will overflow, causing random loss of data that are critical for understanding the dynamics of the supernova explosion mechanism. In order to solve this problem, two new data-acquisition (DAQ) modules were developed to aid in the observation of very nearby supernovae. The first of these, the SN module, is designed to save only the number of hit photomultiplier tubes during a supernova burst and the second, the Veto module, prescales the high-rate neutrino events to prevent the QBEE from overflowing based on information from the SN module. In the event of a very nearby supernova, these modules allow SK to reconstruct the time evolution of the neutrino event rate from beginning to end using both QBEE and SN module data. This paper presents the development and testing of these modules together with an analysis of supernova-like data generated with a flashing laser diode. We demonstrate that the Veto module successfully prevents DAQ overflows for Betelgeuse-like supernovae as well as the long-term stability of the new modules. During normal running the Veto module is found to issue DAQ vetos a few times per month resulting in a total dead-time less than 1 ms, and does not influence ordinary operations. Additionally, using simulation data we find that supernovae closer than 800 pc will trigger the Veto module, resulting in a prescaling of the observed neutrino data.

Solar neutrinos and leptonic spin forces

We quantify the effects of light spin-zero particles with pseudoscalar couplings to leptons and scalar couplings to nucleons on the evolution of solar neutrinos. In this scenario the matter potential sourced by the nucleons in the Sun’s matter gives rise to spin precession of the relativistic neutrino ensemble. As such the effects in the solar observables are different if neutrinos are Dirac or Majorana particles. For Dirac neutrinos the spin-flavour precession results into left-handed neutrino to right-handed neutrino (i.e., active-sterile) oscillations, while for Majorana neutrinos it results into left-handed neutrino to right-handed antineutrino (i.e., active-active) oscillations. In both cases this leads to distortions in the solar neutrino spectrum which we use to derive constraints on the allowed values of the mediator mass and couplings via a global analysis of the solar neutrino data. In addition for Majorana neutrinos spin-flavour precession results into a potentially observable flux of solar electron antineutrinos at the Earth which we quantify and constrain with the existing bounds from Borexino and KamLAND.

Neutrino rate predictions for FASER

The Forward Search Experiment (FASER) at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) has recently directly detected the first collider neutrinos. Neutrinos play an important role in all FASER analyses, either as signal or background, and it is therefore essential to understand the neutrino event rates. In this study, we update previous simulations and present prescriptions for theoretical predictions of neutrino fluxes and cross sections, together with their associated uncertainties. With these results, we discuss the potential for possible measurements that could be carried out in the coming years with the FASER neutrino data to be collected in LHC Run 3 and Run 4. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Fast identification of transients: applying expectation maximization to neutrino data

We present a novel method for identifying transients suitable for both strong signal-dominated and background-dominated objects. By employing the unsupervised machine learning algorithm known as expectation maximization, we achieve computing time reductions of over 104 on a single CPU compared to conventional brute-force methods. Furthermore, this approach can be readily extended to analyze multiple flares. We illustrate the algorithm's application by fitting the IceCube neutrino flare of TXS 0506+056.

In-depth analysis of solar models with high-metallicity abundances and updated opacity tables

Context. As a result of the high-quality constraints available for the Sun, we are able to carry out detailed combined analyses using neutrino, spectroscopic, and helioseismic observations. These studies lay the ground for future improvements of the key physical components of solar and stellar models because ingredients such as the equation of state, the radiative opacities, or the prescriptions for macroscopic transport processes of chemicals are then used to study other stars in the Universe. Aims. We study the existing degeneracies in solar models using the recent high-metallicity spectroscopic abundances by comparing them to helioseismic and neutrino data and discuss the effect on their properties of changes in the micro and macro physical ingredients. Methods. We carried out a detailed study of solar models computed with a high-metallicity composition from the literature based on averaged 3D models that were claimed to resolve the solar modelling problem. We compared these models to helioseismic and neutrino constraints. Results. The properties of the solar models are significantly affected by the use of the recent OPLIB opacity tables and the inclusion of macroscopic transport. The properties of the standard solar models computed using the OPAL opacities are similar to those for which the OP opacities were used. We show that a modification of the temperature gradient just below the base of the convective zone is required to remove the discrepancies in solar models, particularly in the presence of macroscopic mixing. This can be simulated by a localised increase in the opacity of a few percent. Conclusions. We conclude that the existing degeneracies and issues in solar modelling are not removed by using an increase in the solar metallicity, in contradiction to what has been suggested in the recent literature. Therefore, standard solar models cannot be used as an argument for a high-metallicity composition. While further work is required to improve solar models, we note that direct helioseismic inversions indicate a low metallicity in the convective envelope, in agreement with spectroscopic analyses based on full 3D models.

Exploring solar neutrino oscillation parameters with the liquid scintillator counter at Yemilab with a comparison to JUNO

We investigate the sensitivities of the liquid scintillator counter (LSC) at Yemilab and JUNO to solar neutrino oscillation parameters, focusing on θ12 and Δm212. We compare the potential of JUNO with LSC at Yemilab utilizing both reactor and solar data in determining those parameters. We find that the solar neutrino data of LSC at Yemilab is highly sensitive to θ12 enabling its determination with a higher precision compared to reactor experiments. Our study also reveals that if Δm212 is larger, with a value close to the best-fit value of KamLAND, JUNO reactor data will have about two times better precision than the reactor LSC at Yemilab. On the other hand, if Δm212 is smaller and closer to the best-fit value of solar neutrino experiments, the precision of the reactor LSC at Yemilab will be better than JUNO. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Shedding light on the [formula omitted] tension with supernova neutrinos

One long-standing tension in the determination of neutrino parameters is the mismatched value of the solar mass square difference, Δm212, measured by different experiments: the reactor antineutrino experiment KamLAND finds a best fit larger than the one obtained with solar neutrino data. Even if the current tension is mild (∼1.5σ), it is timely to explore if independent measurements could help in either closing or reassessing this issue. In this regard, we explore how a future supernova burst in our galaxy could be used to determine Δm212 at the future Hyper-Kamiokande detector, and how this could contribute to the current situation. We study Earth matter effects for different models of supernova neutrino spectra and supernova orientations. We find that, if supernova neutrino data prefers the KamLAND best fit for Δm212, an uncertainty similar to the current KamLAND one could be achieved. On the contrary, if it prefers the solar neutrino data best fit, the current tension with KamLAND results could grow to a significance larger than 5σ. Furthermore, supernova neutrinos could significantly contribute to reducing the uncertainty on sin2⁡θ12.

Towards a systematic study of non-thermal leptogenesis from inflaton decays

This paper investigates non-thermal leptogenesis from inflaton decays in the minimal extension of the canonical type-I seesaw model, where a complex singlet scalar ϕ is introduced to generate the Majorana masses of right-handed neutrinos (RHNs) and to play the role of inflaton. First, we systematically study non-thermal leptogenesis with the least model dependence. We give a general classification of the parameter space and find four characteristic limits by carefully examining the interplay between inflaton decay into RHNs and the decay of RHNs into the standard-model particles. Three of the four limits are truly non-thermal, with a final efficiency larger than that of thermal leptogenesis. Two analytic estimates for these three limits are provided with working conditions to examine the validity. In particular, we find that the strongly non-thermal RHNs scenario occupies a large parameter space, including the oscillation-preferred K range, and works well for a relatively-low reheating temperature TRH ≥ 103 GeV, extending the lower bound on the RHN mass to 2 × 107 GeV. The lepton flavor effects are discussed. Second, we demonstrate that such a unified picture for inflation, neutrino masses, and baryon number asymmetry can be realized by either a Coleman-Weinberg potential (for the real part of ϕ) or a natural inflation potential (for the imaginary part of ϕ). The allowed parameter ranges for successful inflation and non-thermal leptogenesis are much more constrained than those without inflationary observations. We find that non-thermal leptogenesis from inflaton decay offers a testable framework for the early Universe. It can be further tested with upcoming cosmological and neutrino data. The model-independent investigation of non-thermal leptogenesis should be useful in exploring this direction.

Testing the number of neutrino species with a global fit of neutrino data

We present the first experimental constraints on models with many additional neutrino species with a similar Yukawa coupling with their right-handed partners among the additional Higgsed sectors by an analysis of current neutrino data. These types of models are motivated as a solution to the hierarchy problem by lowering the species scale of gravity to TeV. Additionally, they offer a natural mechanism to generate small neutrino masses and provide interesting dark matter candidates. This study analyzes data from DayaBay, KamLAND, MINOS, NOνA, and KATRIN. We do not find evidence for the presence of any additional neutrino species, therefore we report lower bounds on the allowed number of neutrino species realized in nature. For the normal/inverted neutrino mass ordering, we can give a lower bound on the number of neutrino species of O(30) and O(100), respectively, over a large range of the parameter space. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Global fit of electron and neutrino elastic scattering data to determine the strange quark contribution to the vector and axial form factors of the nucleon

We present a global fit of neutral-current elastic (NCE) neutrino-scattering data and parity-violating electron-scattering (PVES) data with the goal of determining the strange quark contribution to the vector and axial form factors of the proton. Previous fits of this form included data from a variety of PVES experiments (PVA4, HAPPEx, G0, SAMPLE) and the NCE neutrino and anti-neutrino data from BNL E734. These fits did not constrain the strangeness contribution to the axial form factor GAs(Q2) at low Q2 very well because there was no NCE data for Q2&lt;0.45 GeV2. Our new fit includes for the first time MiniBooNE NCE data from both neutrino and antineutrino scattering; this experiment used a hydrocarbon target and so a model of the neutrino interaction with the carbon nucleus was required. Three different nuclear models have been employed: a relativistic Fermi gas model, the superscaling approximation model, and a spectral function model. We find a tremendous improvement in the constraint of GAs(Q2) at low Q2 compared to previous work, although more data is needed from NCE measurements that focus on exclusive single-proton final states, for example from MicroBooNE. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Solar neutrino measurements using the full data period of Super-Kamiokande-IV

An analysis of solar neutrino data from the fourth phase of Super-Kamiokande (SK-IV) from October 2008 to May 2018 is performed and the results are presented. The observation time of the dataset of SK-IV corresponds to 2970 days and the total live time for all four phases is 5805 days. For more precise solar neutrino measurements, several improvements are applied in this analysis: lowering the data acquisition threshold in May 2015, further reduction of the spallation background using neutron clustering events, precise energy reconstruction considering the time variation of the PMT gain. The observed number of solar neutrino events in 3.49–19.49 MeV electron kinetic energy region during SK-IV is 65,443−388+390(stat.)±925(syst.) events. Corresponding B8 solar neutrino flux is (2.314±0.014(stat.)±0.040(syst.))×106 cm−2 s−1, assuming a pure electron-neutrino flavor component without neutrino oscillations. The flux combined with all SK phases up to SK-IV is (2.336±0.011(stat.)±0.043(syst.))×106 cm−2 s−1. Based on the neutrino oscillation analysis from all solar experiments, including the SK 5805 days dataset, the best-fit neutrino oscillation parameters are sin2θ12,solar=0.306±0.013 and Δm21,solar2=(6.10−0.81+0.95)×10−5 eV2, with a deviation of about 1.5σ from the Δm212 parameter obtained by KamLAND. The best-fit neutrino oscillation parameters obtained from all solar experiments and KamLAND are sin2θ12,global=0.307±0.012 and Δm21,global2=(7.50−0.18+0.19)×10−5 eV2. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

The Sun and core-collapse supernovae are leading probes of the neutrino lifetime

The large distances travelled by neutrinos emitted from the Sun and core-collapse supernovae together with the characteristic energy of such neutrinos provide ideal conditions to probe their lifetime, when the decay products evade detection. We investigate the prospects of probing invisible neutrino decay capitalising on the detection of solar and supernova neutrinos as well as the diffuse supernova neutrino background (DSNB) in the next-generation neutrino observatories Hyper-Kamiokande, DUNE, JUNO, DARWIN, and RES-NOVA.We find that future solar neutrino data will be sensitive to values of the lifetime-to-mass ratio τ 1/m 1 and τ 2/m 2 of 𝒪(10-1–10-2) s/eV. From a core-collapse supernova explosion at 10 kpc, lifetime-to-mass ratios of the three mass eigenstates of 𝒪(105) s/eV could be tested. After 20 years of data taking, the DSNB would extend the sensitivity reach of τ 1/m 1 to 108 s/eV. These results promise an improvement of about 6–15 orders of magnitude on the values of the decay parameters with respect to existing limits.