P. Adamson

We report the results of a search for $\nu_{e}$ appearance in a $\nu_{\mu}$ beam in the MINOS long-baseline neutrino experiment. With an improved analysis and an increased exposure of $8.2\times10^{20}$ protons on the NuMI target at Fermilab, we find that $2\sin^2(\theta_{23})\sin^2(2\theta_{13})<0.12\ (0.20)$ at 90% confidence level for $\delta\mathord{=}0$ and the normal (inverted) neutrino mass hierarchy, with a best fit of $2\sin^2(\theta_{23})\sin^2(2\theta_{13})\,\mathord{=}\,0.041^{+0.047}_{-0.031}\ (0.079^{+0.071}_{-0.053})$. The $\theta_{13}\mathord{=}0$ hypothesis is disfavored by the MINOS data at the 89% confidence level.

This letter reports results from the MINOS experiment based on its initial exposure to neutrinos from the Fermilab NuMI beam.The rates and energy spectra of charged current νµ interactions are compared in two detectors located along the beam axis at distances of 1 km and 735 km.With 1.27 × 10 20 120 GeV protons incident on the NuMI target, 215 events with energies below 30 GeV are observed at the Far Detector, compared to an expectation of 336 ± 14.4 events.The data are consistent with νµ disappearance via oscillations with |∆m 2 32 | =2.74 +0.44 -0.26 × 10 -3 eV 2 /c 4 and sin 2 (2θ23) > 0.87 (68% C.L.).

This letter reports new results from the MINOS experiment based on a two-year exposure to muon neutrinos from the Fermilab NuMI beam. Our data are consistent with quantum mechanical oscillations of neutrino flavor with mass splitting $|\Delta m^2|=(2.43\pm 0.13)\times10^{-3}$ eV$^2$ (68% confidence level) and mixing angle $\sin^2(2\theta)>0.90$ (90% confidence level). Our data disfavor two alternative explanations for the disappearance of neutrinos in flight, namely neutrino decays into lighter particles and quantum decoherence of neutrinos, at the 3.7 and 5.7 standard deviation levels, respectively.

The Main Injector Neutrino Oscillation Search (MINOS) experiment uses an accelerator-produced neutrino beam to perform precision measurements of the neutrino oscillation parameters in the "atmospheric neutrino" sector associated with muon neutrino disappearance. This long-baseline experiment measures neutrino interactions in Fermilab's NuMI neutrino beam with a near detector at Fermilab and again 735 km downstream with a far detector in the Soudan Underground Laboratory in northern Minnesota. The two detectors are magnetized steel-scintillator tracking calorimeters. They are designed to be as similar as possible in order to ensure that differences in detector response have minimal impact on the comparisons of event rates, energy spectra and topologies that are essential to MINOS measurements of oscillation parameters. The design, construction, calibration and performance of the far and near detectors are described in this paper.

This paper describes the hardware and operations of the Neutrinos at the Main Injector (NuMI) beam at Fermilab. It elaborates on the design considerations for the beam as a whole and for individual elements. The most important design details of individual components are described. Beam monitoring systems and procedures, including the tuning and alignment of the beam and NuMI long-term performance, are also discussed.

Measurements of neutrino oscillations using the disappearance of muon neutrinos from the Fermilab NuMI neutrino beam as observed by the two MINOS detectors are reported. New analysis methods have been applied to an enlarged data sample from an exposure of $7.25 \times 10^{20}$ protons on target. A fit to neutrino oscillations yields values of $|Δm^2| = (2.32^{+0.12}_{-0.08})\times10^{-3}$\,eV$^2$ for the atmospheric mass splitting and $\rm \sin^2\!(2θ) &gt; 0.90$ (90%\,C.L.) for the mixing angle. Pure neutrino decay and quantum decoherence hypotheses are excluded at 7 and 9 standard deviations, respectively.

We report results from the first search for νμ→νe transitions by the NOvA experiment. In an exposure equivalent to 2.74×1020 protons on target in the upgraded NuMI beam at Fermilab, we observe 6 events in the Far Detector, compared to a background expectation of 0.99±0.11(syst) events based on the Near Detector measurement. A secondary analysis observes 11 events with a background of 1.07±0.14(syst). The 3.3σ excess of events observed in the primary analysis disfavors 0.1π<δCP<0.5π in the inverted mass hierarchy at the 90% C.L.Received 19 January 2016DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.151806© 2016 American Physical SocietyPhysics Subject Headings (PhySH)Research AreasNeutrino oscillationsSecondary beamsPropertiesCP symmetryTechniquesCalorimetersNeutrino detectionParticles & Fields

We report on a new analysis of neutrino oscillations in MINOS using the complete set of accelerator and atmospheric data. The analysis combines the $\nu_{\mu}$ disappearance and $\nu_{e}$ appearance data using the three-flavor formalism. We measure $|\Delta m^{2}_{32}|=[2.28-2.46]\times10^{-3}\mbox{\,eV}^{2}$ (68% C.L.) and $\sin^{2}\theta_{23}=0.35-0.65$ (90% C.L.) in the normal hierarchy, and $|\Delta m^{2}_{32}|=[2.32-2.53]\times10^{-3}\mbox{\,eV}^{2}$ (68% C.L.) and $\sin^{2}\theta_{23}=0.34-0.67$ (90% C.L.) in the inverted hierarchy. The data also constrain $\delta_{CP}$, the $\theta_{23}$ octant degeneracy and the mass hierarchy; we disfavor 36% (11%) of this three-parameter space at 68% (90%) C.L.

We present updated results from the NOvA experiment for $\nu_\mu\rightarrow\nu_\mu$ and $\nu_\mu\rightarrow\nu_e$ oscillations from an exposure of $8.85\times10^{20}$ protons on target, which represents an increase of 46% compared to our previous publication. The results utilize significant improvements in both the simulations and analysis of the data. A joint fit to the data for $\nu_\mu$ disappearance and $\nu_e$ appearance gives the best fit point as normal mass hierarchy, $\Delta m^2_{32} = 2.44\times 10^{-3}{{\rm eV}^2}/c^4$, $\sin^2\theta_{23} = 0.56$, and $\delta_{CP} = 1.21\pi$. The 68.3% confidence intervals in the normal mass hierarchy are $\Delta m^2_{32} \in [2.37,2.52]\times 10^{-3}{{\rm eV}^2}/c^4$, $\sin^2\theta_{23} \in [0.43,0.51] \cup [0.52,0.60]$, and $\delta_{CP} \in [0,0.12\pi] \cup [0.91\pi,2\pi]$. The inverted mass hierarchy is disfavored at the 95% confidence level for all choices of the other oscillation parameters.

We report on ν(e) and ν(e) appearance in ν(μ) and ν(μ) beams using the full MINOS data sample. The comparison of these ν(e) and ν(e) appearance data at a 735 km baseline with θ13 measurements by reactor experiments probes δ, the θ23 octant degeneracy, and the mass hierarchy. This analysis is the first use of this technique and includes the first accelerator long-baseline search for ν(μ) → ν(e). Our data disfavor 31% (5%) of the three-parameter space defined by δ, the octant of the θ23, and the mass hierarchy at the 68% (90%) C.L. We measure a value of 2sin(2)(2θ13)sin(2)(θ23) that is consistent with reactor experiments.

The velocity of a 3 GeV neutrino beam is measured by comparing detection times at the near and far detectors of the MINOS experiment, separated by 734 km.A total of 473 far detector neutrino events was used to measure v ÿ c=c 5:1 2:9 10 ÿ5 (at 68% C.L.).By correlating the measured energies of 258 charged-current neutrino events to their arrival times at the far detector, a limit is imposed on the neutrino mass of m < 50 MeV=c 2 (99% C.L.).

We report the results of a search for disappearance by the Main Injector Neutrino Oscillation Search [D.G. Michael et al. (MINOS), Phys.Rev. Lett.97, 191801 (2006).].The experiment uses two detectors separated by 734 km to observe a beam of neutrinos created by the Neutrinos at the Main Injector facility at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory.The data were collected in the first 282 days of beam operations and correspond to an exposure of 1:27 10 20 protons on target.Based on measurements in the Near Detector, in the absence of neutrino oscillations we expected 336 14 charged-current interactions at the Far Detector but observed 215.This deficit of events corresponds to a significance of 5.2 standard deviations.The deficit is energy dependent and is consistent with two-flavor neutrino oscillations according to jm 2 j 2:74 0:44 ÿ0:26 10 ÿ3 eV 2 =c 4 and sin 2 2 > 0:87 at 68% confidence level.

Results are reported from a search for active to sterile neutrino oscillations in the MINOS longbaseline experiment, based on the observation of neutral-current neutrino interactions, from an exposure to the NuMI neutrino beam of 7.07 × 10 20 protons on target.A total of 802 neutralcurrent event candidates is observed in the Far Detector, compared to an expected number of 754 ± 28(stat) ± 37(syst) for oscillations among three active flavors.The fraction fs of disappearing νµ that may transition to νs is found to be less than 22% at the 90% C.L.

Results are reported from an improved measurement of ν_{μ}→ν_{e} transitions by the NOvA experiment. Using an exposure equivalent to 6.05×10^{20} protons on target, 33 ν_{e} candidates are observed with a background of 8.2±0.8 (syst.). Combined with the latest NOvA ν_{μ} disappearance data and external constraints from reactor experiments on sin^{2}2θ_{13}, the hypothesis of inverted mass hierarchy with θ_{23} in the lower octant is disfavored at greater than 93% C.L. for all values of δ_{CP}.

A search for mixing between active neutrinos and light sterile neutrinos has been performed by looking for muon neutrino disappearance in two detectors at baselines of 1.04 and 735 km, using a combined MINOS and MINOS+ exposure of 16.36×10^{20} protons on target. A simultaneous fit to the charged-current muon neutrino and neutral-current neutrino energy spectra in the two detectors yields no evidence for sterile neutrino mixing using a 3+1 model. The most stringent limit to date is set on the mixing parameter sin^{2}θ_{24} for most values of the sterile neutrino mass splitting Δm_{41}^{2}>10^{-4} eV^{2}.

This paper reports the first measurement using the NOvA detectors of ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}$ disappearance in a ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}$ beam. The analysis uses a 14 kton-equivalent exposure of $2.74\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{20}$ protons-on-target from the Fermilab NuMI beam. Assuming the normal neutrino mass hierarchy, we measure $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}{m}_{32}^{2}=({2.52}_{\ensuremath{-}0.18}^{+0.20})\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}3}\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{eV}}^{2}$ and ${\mathrm{sin}}^{2}{\ensuremath{\theta}}_{23}$ in the range 0.38--0.65, both at the 68% confidence level, with two statistically degenerate best-fit points at ${\mathrm{sin}}^{2}{\ensuremath{\theta}}_{23}=0.43$ and 0.60. Results for the inverted mass hierarchy are also presented.

This Letter reports new results on muon neutrino disappearance from NOvA, using a 14 kton detector equivalent exposure of $6.05\times10^{20}$ protons-on-target from the NuMI beam at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. The measurement probes the muon-tau symmetry hypothesis that requires maximal mixing ($\theta_{23} = \pi/4$). Assuming the normal mass hierarchy, we find $\Delta m^2 = (2.67 \pm 0.11)\times 10^{-3}$ eV$^2$ and $\sin^2 \theta_{23}$ at the two statistically degenerate values $0.404^{+0.030}_{-0.022}$ and $0.624^{+0.022}_{-0.030}$, both at the 68% confidence level. Our data disfavor the maximal mixing scenario with 2.6 $\sigma$ significance.

The energy dependence of the neutrino-iron and antineutrino-iron inclusive charged-current cross sections and their ratio have been measured using a high-statistics sample with the MINOS Near Detector exposed to the NuMI beam from the Main Injector at Fermilab. Neutrino and antineutrino fluxes were determined using a low hadronic energy subsample of charged-current events. We report measurements of neutrino-Fe (antineutrinoFe) cross section in the energy range 3-50 GeV (5-50 GeV) with precision of 2-8% (3-9%) and their ratio which is measured with precision 2-8%. The data set spans the region from low energy, where accurate measurements are sparse, up to the high-energy scaling region where the cross section is well understood.

A search for a sidereal modulation in the MINOS near detector neutrino data was performed. If present, this signature could be a consequence of Lorentz and CPT violation as predicted by the effective field theory called the standard-model extension. No evidence for a sidereal signal in the data set was found, implying that there is no significant change in neutrino propagation that depends on the direction of the neutrino beam in a sun-centered inertial frame. Upper limits on the magnitudes of the Lorentz and CPT violating terms in the standard-model extension lie between 10(-4) and 10(-2) of the maximum expected, assuming a suppression of these signatures by a factor of 10(-17).

We searched for a sidereal modulation in the MINOS far detector neutrino rate. Such a signal would be a consequence of Lorentz and CPT violation as described by the standard-model extension framework. It also would be the first detection of a perturbative effect to conventional neutrino mass oscillations. We found no evidence for this sidereal signature, and the upper limits placed on the magnitudes of the Lorentz and CPT violating coefficients describing the theory are an improvement by factors of 20-510 over the current best limits found by using the MINOS near detector.

We have searched for sidereal variations in the rate of antineutrino interactions in the MINOS Near Detector.Using antineutrinos produced by the NuMI beam, we find no statistically significant sidereal modulation in the rate.When this result is placed in the context of the Standard Model Extension theory we are able to place upper limits on the coefficients defining the theory.These limits are used in combination with the results from an earlier analysis of MINOS neutrino data to further constrain the coefficients.

We report an improved measurement of ν(μ) disappearance over a distance of 735 km using the MINOS detectors and the Fermilab Main Injector neutrino beam in a ν(μ)-enhanced configuration. From a total exposure of 2.95×10(20) protons on target, of which 42% have not been previously analyzed, we make the most precise measurement of Δm2=[2.62(-0.28)(+0.31)(stat)±0.09(syst)]×10(-3) eV2 and constrain the ν(μ) mixing angle sin2(2θ)>0.75 (90% C.L.). These values are in agreement with Δm2 and sin2(2θ) measured for ν(μ), removing the tension reported in [P. Adamson et al. (MINOS), Phys. Rev. Lett. 107, 021801 (2011).].

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 LSND and MiniBooNE experiments in a minimally extended four-neutrino flavor framework. Stringent limits on $\sin^2 2\theta_{\mu e}$ are set over 6 orders of magnitude in the sterile mass-squared splitting $\Delta m^2_{41}$. The sterile-neutrino mixing phase space allowed by the LSND and MiniBooNE experiments is excluded for $\Delta m^2_{41} < 0.8$ eV$^2$ at 95% CL$_s$.

We report results of a search for oscillations involving a light sterile neutrino over distances of 1.04 and 735 km in a ν_{μ}-dominated beam with a peak energy of 3 GeV. The data, from an exposure of 10.56×10^{20} protons on target, are analyzed using a phenomenological model with one sterile neutrino. We constrain the mixing parameters θ_{24} and Δm_{41}^{2} and set limits on parameters of the four-dimensional Pontecorvo-Maki-Nakagawa-Sakata matrix, |U_{μ4}|^{2} and |U_{τ4}|^{2}, under the assumption that mixing between ν_{e} and ν_{s} is negligible (|U_{e4}|^{2}=0). No evidence for ν_{μ}→ν_{s} transitions is found and we set a world-leading limit on θ_{24} for values of Δm_{41}^{2}≲1 eV^{2}.

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 search for depletion of the combined flux of active neutrino species over a 735 km baseline is reported using neutral-current interaction data recorded by the MINOS detectors in the NuMI neutrino beam.Such a depletion is not expected according to conventional interpretations of neutrino oscillation data involving the three known neutrino flavors.A depletion would be a signature of oscillations or decay to postulated noninteracting sterile neutrinos, scenarios not ruled out by existing data.From an exposure of 3.18 × 10 20 protons on target in which neutrinos of energies between ∼500 MeV and 120 GeV are produced predominantly as νµ, the visible energy spectrum of candidate neutral-current reactions in the MINOS far-detector is reconstructed.Comparison of this spectrum to that inferred from a similarly selected near-detector sample shows that of the portion of the νµ flux observed to disappear in charged-current interaction data, the fraction that could be converting to a sterile state is less than 52% at 90% confidence level (C.L.).The hypothesis that active neutrinos mix with a single sterile neutrino via oscillations is tested by fitting the data to various models.In the particular four-neutrino models considered, the mixing angles θ24 and θ34 are constrained to be less than 11 • and 56 • at 90% C.L., respectively.The possibility that active neutrinos may decay to sterile neutrinos is also investigated.Pure neutrino decay without oscillations is ruled out at 5.4 standard deviations.For the scenario in which active neutrinos decay into sterile states concurrently with neutrino oscillations, a lower limit is established for the neutrino decay lifetime τ3/m3 > 2.1 × 10 -12 s/eV at 90% C.L.

This Letter reports the first direct observation of muon antineutrino disappearance. The MINOS experiment has taken data with an accelerator beam optimized for ν(μ) production, accumulating an exposure of 1.71 × 10²⁰ protons on target. In the Far Detector, 97 charged current ν(μ) events are observed. The no-oscillation hypothesis predicts 156 events and is excluded at 6.3σ. The best fit to oscillation yields |Δm²| = [3.36(-0.40)(+0.46)(stat) ± 0.06(syst)] × 10⁻³ eV², sin²(2θ) = 0.86(-0.12)(+0.11)(stat) ± 0.01(syst). The MINOS ν(μ) and ν(μ) measurements are consistent at the 2.0% confidence level, assuming identical underlying oscillation parameters.

The temperature of the upper atmosphere affects the height of primary cosmic ray interactions and the production of high-energy cosmic ray muons which can be detected deep underground. The MINOS far detector at Soudan MN, USA, has collected over 67 million cosmic ray induced muons. The underground muon rate measured over a period of five years exhibits a 4% peak-to-peak seasonal variation which is highly correlated with the temperature in the upper atmosphere. The coefficient, $\alpha_T$, relating changes in the muon rate to changes in atmospheric temperature was found to be: $\alpha_T = 0.874 \pm 0.009$ (stat.) $\pm 0.010$ (syst.). Pions and kaons in the primary hadronic interactions of cosmic rays in the atmosphere contribute differently to $\alpha_T$ due to the different masses and lifetimes. This allows the measured value of $\alpha_T$ to be interpreted as a measurement of the K/$\pi$ ratio for $E_{p}\gtrsim$\unit[7]{TeV} of $0.13 \pm 0.08$, consistent with the expectation from collider experiments.

We report results from the first search for sterile neutrinos mixing with active neutrinos through a reduction in the rate of neutral-current interactions over a baseline of 810\,km between the NOvA detectors. Analyzing a 14-kton detector equivalent exposure of 6.05$\times$10$^{20}$ protons-on-target in the NuMI beam at Fermilab, we observe 95 neutral-current candidates at the Far Detector compared with $83.5 \pm 9.7 \mbox{(stat.)} \pm 9.4 \mbox{(syst.)}$ events predicted assuming mixing only occurs between active neutrino species. No evidence for $\nu_{\mu} \rightarrow \nu_{s}$ transitions is found. Interpreting these results within a 3+1 model, we place constraints on the mixing angles $\theta_{24}<20.8^{\circ}$ and $\theta_{34}<31.2^{\circ}$ at the 90% C.L. for $0.05~eV^2\leq \Delta m^2_{41}\leq 0.5~eV^2$, the range of mass splittings that produce no significant oscillations over the Near Detector baseline.

The complete 5.4 kton MINOS far detector has been taking data since the beginning of August 2003 at a depth of 2070 meters water-equivalent in the Soudan mine, Minnesota. This paper presents the first MINOS observations of muon neutrino and muon anti-neutrino charged-current atmospheric neutrino interactions based on an exposure of 418 days. The ratio of upward to downward-going events in the data is compared to the Monte Carlo expectation in the absence of neutrino oscillations giving: R_data(up/down)/R_MC(up/down) = 0.62^{+0.19}_{-0.14} (stat.) +- 0.02 (sys.). An extended maximum likelihood analysis of the observed L/E distributions excludes the null hypothesis of no neutrino oscillations at the 98 % confidence level. Using the curvature of the observed muons in the 1.3 T MINOS magnetic field muon neutrino and muon anti-neutrino interactions are separated. The ratio of muon neutrino to muon anti-neutrino events in the data is compared to the Monte Carlo expectation assuming neutrinos and anti-neutrinos oscillate in same manner giving: R_data(numubar/numu)/R_MC(numubar/numu) = 0.96^{+0.38}_{-0.27} (stat.) +- 0.15 (sys.), where the errors are the statistical and systematic uncertainties. Although the statistics are limited, this is the first direct observation of atmospheric neutrino interactions separately for muon neutrinos and muon anti-neutrinos.

We report the first detailed comparisons of the rates and spectra of neutral-current neutrino interactions at two widely separated locations.A depletion in the rate at the far site would indicate mixing between νµ and a sterile particle.No anomalous depletion in the reconstructed energy spectrum is observed.Assuming oscillations occur at a single mass-squared splitting, a fit to the neutral-and charged-current energy spectra limits the fraction of νµ oscillating to a sterile neutrino to be below 0.68 at 90% confidence level.A less stringent limit due to a possible contribution to the measured neutral-current event rate at the far site from νe appearance at the current experimental limit is also presented.

This Letter reports on a search for nu(mu) --> nu(e) transitions by the MINOS experiment based on a 3.14x10(20) protons-on-target exposure in the Fermilab NuMI beam. We observe 35 events in the Far Detector with a background of 27+/-5(stat)+/-2(syst) events predicted by the measurements in the Near Detector. If interpreted in terms of nu(mu) --> nu(e) oscillations, this 1.5sigma excess of events is consistent with sin2(2theta(13)) comparable to the CHOOZ limit when |Delta m2|=2.43x10(-3) eV2 and sin2(2theta(23))=1.0 are assumed.

This paper reports results from a search for ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{e}$ transitions by the MINOS experiment based on a $7\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{20}$ protons-on-target exposure. Our observation of 54 candidate ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{e}$ events in the far detector with a background of $49.1\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}7.0(\mathrm{stat})\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}2.7(\mathrm{syst})$ events predicted by the measurements in the near detector requires $2{sin}^{2}(2{\ensuremath{\theta}}_{13}){sin}^{2}{\ensuremath{\theta}}_{23}&lt;0.12(0.20)$ at the 90% C.L. for the normal (inverted) mass hierarchy at ${\ensuremath{\delta}}_{CP}=0$. The experiment sets the tightest limits to date on the value of ${\ensuremath{\theta}}_{13}$ for nearly all values of ${\ensuremath{\delta}}_{CP}$ for the normal neutrino mass hierarchy and maximal ${sin}^{2}(2{\ensuremath{\theta}}_{23})$.

The 5.4 kton MINOS far detector has been taking charge-separated cosmic ray muon data since the beginning of August, 2003 at a depth of 2070 m.w.e. in the Soudan Underground Laboratory, Minnesota, USA. The data with both forward and reversed magnetic field running configurations were combined to minimize systematic errors in the determination of the underground muon charge ratio. When averaged, two independent analyses find the charge ratio underground to be ${N}_{{\ensuremath{\mu}}^{+}}/{N}_{{\ensuremath{\mu}}^{\ensuremath{-}}}=1.374\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.004(\mathrm{stat}{)}_{\ensuremath{-}0.010}^{+0.012}(\mathrm{sys})$. Using the map of the Soudan rock overburden, the muon momenta as measured underground were projected to the corresponding values at the surface in the energy range 1--7 TeV. Within this range of energies at the surface, the MINOS data are consistent with the charge ratio being energy independent at the 2 standard deviation level. When the MINOS results are compared with measurements at lower energies, a clear rise in the charge ratio in the energy range 0.3--1.0 TeV is apparent. A qualitative model shows that the rise is consistent with an increasing contribution of kaon decays to the muon charge ratio.

Beams of neutrinos have been proposed as a vehicle for communications under unusual circumstances, such as direct point-to-point global communication, communication with submarines, secure communications and interstellar communication. We report on the performance of a low-rate communications link established using the NuMI beam line and the MINERvA detector at Fermilab. The link achieved a decoded data rate of 0.1 bits/sec with a bit error rate of 1% over a distance of 1.035 km, including 240 m of earth.

This paper reports measurements of atmospheric neutrino and antineutrino interactions in the MINOS Far Detector, based on 2553 live-days (37.9 kton-years) of data. A total of 2072 candidate events are observed. These are separated into 905 contained-vertex muons and 466 neutrino-induced rock-muons, both produced by charged-current $\nu_{\mu}$ and $\bar{\nu}_{\mu}$ interactions, and 701 contained-vertex showers, composed mainly of charged-current $\nu_{e}$ and $\bar{\nu}_{e}$ interactions and neutral-current interactions. The curvature of muon tracks in the magnetic field of the MINOS Far Detector is used to select separate samples of $\nu_{\mu}$ and $\bar{\nu}_{\mu}$ events. The observed ratio of $\bar{\nu}_{\mu}$ to $\nu_{\mu}$ events is compared with the Monte Carlo simulation, giving a double ratio of $R^{data}_{\bar{\nu}/\nu}/R^{MC}_{\bar{\nu}/\nu} = 1.03 \pm 0.08 (stat.) \pm 0.08 (syst.)$. The $\nu_{\mu}$ and $\bar{\nu}_{\mu}$ data are separated into bins of $L/E$ resolution, based on the reconstructed energy and direction of each event, and a maximum likelihood fit to the observed $L/E$ distributions is used to determine the atmospheric neutrino oscillation parameters. This fit returns 90% confidence limits of $|\Delta m^{2}| = (1.9 \pm 0.4) \times 10^{-3} eV^{2}$ and $sin^{2} 2\theta > 0.86$. The fit is extended to incorporate separate $\nu_{\mu}$ and $\bar{\nu}_{\mu}$ oscillation parameters, returning 90% confidence limits of $|\Delta m^{2}|-|\Delta \bar{m}^{2}| = 0.6^{+2.4}_{-0.8} \times 10^{-3} eV^{2}$ on the difference between the squared-mass splittings for neutrinos and antineutrinos.

This corrects the article DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.151801.

We report new constraints on flavor-changing non-standard neutrino interactions (NSI) using data from the MINOS experiment.We analyzed a combined set of beam neutrino and antineutrino data, and found no evidence for deviations from standard neutrino mixing.The observed energy spectra constrain the NSI parameter to the range -0.20 < εµτ < 0.07 (90% C.L.).

From 2005 through 2012, the Fermilab Main Injector provided intense beams of 120 GeV protons to produce neutrino beams and antiprotons. Hardware improvements in conjunction with improved diagnostics allowed the system to reach sustained operation at 400 kW beam power. Transmission was very high except for beam lost at or near the 8 GeV injection energy where 95% beam transmission results in about 1.5 kW of beam loss. By minimizing and localizing loss, residual radiation levels fell while beam power was doubled. Lost beam was directed to either the collimation system or to the beam abort. Critical apertures were increased while improved instrumentation allowed optimal use of available apertures. We will summarize the improvements required to achieve high intensity, the impact of various loss control tools and the status and trends in residual radiation in the Main Injector.

Abstract The two-detector design of the NOvA neutrino oscillation experiment, in which two functionally identical detectors are exposed to an intense neutrino beam, aids in canceling leading order effects of cross-section uncertainties. However, limited knowledge of neutrino interaction cross sections still gives rise to some of the largest systematic uncertainties in current oscillation measurements. We show contemporary models of neutrino interactions to be discrepant with data from NOvA, consistent with discrepancies seen in other experiments. Adjustments to neutrino interaction models in GENIE are presented, creating an effective model that improves agreement with our data. We also describe systematic uncertainties on these models, including uncertainties on multi-nucleon interactions from a newly developed procedure using NOvA near detector data.

This paper describes the MINOS calibration detector (CalDet) and the procedure used to calibrate it. The CalDet, a scaled-down but functionally equivalent model of the MINOS Far and Near detectors, was exposed to test beams in the CERN PS East Area during 2001–2003 to establish the response of the MINOS calorimeters to hadrons, electrons and muons in the range 0.2–10 GeV/c. The CalDet measurements are used to fix the energy scale and constrain Monte Carlo simulations of MINOS.

The rate of high energy cosmic ray muons as measured underground is shown to be strongly correlated with upper‐air temperatures during short‐term atmospheric (10‐day) events. The effects are seen by correlating data from the MINOS underground detector and temperatures from the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts during the winter periods from 2003–2007. This effect provides an independent technique for the measurement of meteorological conditions and presents a unique opportunity to measure both short and long‐term changes in this important part of the atmosphere.

We report the first observation of off-axis neutrino interactions in the MiniBooNE detector from the NuMI beam line at Fermilab. The MiniBooNE detector is located 745 m from the NuMI production target, at 110 mrad angle (6.3°) with respect to the NuMI beam axis. Samples of charged-current quasielastic νμ and νe 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.Received 12 September 2008DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.102.211801©2009 American Physical Society

A sample of $1.53\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{9}$ cosmic-ray-induced single muon events has been recorded at 225 m water equivalent using the MINOS near detector. The underground muon rate is observed to be highly correlated with the effective atmospheric temperature. The coefficient ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{T}$, relating the change in the muon rate to the change in the vertical effective temperature, is determined to be $0.428\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.003(\text{stat}.)\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.059(\text{syst}.)$. An alternative description is provided by the weighted effective temperature, introduced to account for the differences in the temperature profile and muon flux as a function of zenith angle. Using the latter estimation of temperature, the coefficient is determined to be $0.352\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.003(\text{stat}.)\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.046(\text{syst}.)$.

We report constraints on antineutrino oscillation parameters that were obtained by using the two MINOS detectors to measure the 7% muon antineutrino component of the NuMI neutrino beam. In the Far Detector, we select 130 events in the charged-current muon antineutrino sample, compared to a prediction of 136.4 +/- 11.7(stat) ^{+10.2}_{-8.9}(syst) events under the assumption |dm2bar|=2.32x10^-3 eV^2, snthetabar=1.0. Assuming no oscillations occur at the Near Detector baseline, a fit to the two-flavor oscillation approximation constrains |dm2bar|<3.37x10^-3 eV^2 at the 90% confidence level with snthetabar=1.0.

Forward single ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}$ production by coherent neutral-current interactions, $\ensuremath{\nu}\mathcal{A}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\nu}\mathcal{A}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}$, is investigated using a $2.8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1{0}^{20}$ protons-on-target exposure of the MINOS Near Detector. For single-shower topologies, the event distribution in production angle exhibits a clear excess above the estimated background at very forward angles for visible energy in the range 1--8 GeV. Cross sections are obtained for the detector medium comprised of 80% iron and 20% carbon nuclei with $⟨\mathcal{A}⟩=48$, the highest-$⟨\mathcal{A}⟩$ target used to date in the study of this coherent reaction. The total cross section for coherent neutral-current single ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}$ production initiated by the ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}$ flux of the NuMI low-energy beam with mean (mode) ${E}_{\ensuremath{\nu}}$ of 4.9 GeV (3.0 GeV), is $77.6\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}5.0(\mathrm{stat}{)}_{\ensuremath{-}16.8}^{+15.0}(\mathrm{syst})\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}40}\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}\text{ }\mathrm{per}\mathrm{nucleus}$. The results are in good agreement with predictions of the Berger-Sehgal model.

We report new constraints on the size of large extra dimensions from data collected by the MINOS experiment between 2005 and 2012. Our analysis employs a model in which sterile neutrinos arise as Kaluza-Klein states in large extra dimensions and thus modify the neutrino oscillation probabilities due to mixing between active and sterile neutrino states. Using Fermilab's NuMI beam exposure of $10.56 \times 10^{20}$ protons-on-target, we combine muon neutrino charged current and neutral current data sets from the Near and Far Detectors and observe no evidence for deviations from standard three-flavor neutrino oscillations. The ratios of reconstructed energy spectra in the two detectors constrain the size of large extra dimensions to be smaller than $0.45\,\mu\text{m}$ at 90% C.L. in the limit of a vanishing lightest active neutrino mass. Stronger limits are obtained for non-vanishing masses.

The cross section of neutrino-induced neutral-current coherent ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}$ production on a carbon-dominated target is measured in the NOvA near detector. This measurement uses a narrow-band neutrino beam with an average neutrino energy of 2.7 GeV, which is of interest to ongoing and future long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiments. The measured, flux-averaged cross section is $\ensuremath{\sigma}=13.8\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.9(\mathrm{stat})\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}2.3(\mathrm{syst})\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}40}\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}/\text{nucleus}$, consistent with model prediction. This result is the most precise measurement of neutral-current coherent ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}$ production in the few-GeV neutrino energy region.

This Letter reports a search for charge-parity (CP) symmetry violating non-standard interactions (NSI) of neutrinos with matter using the NOvA Experiment, and examines their effects on the determination of the standard oscillation parameters. Data from $\nu_{\mu}(\bar{\nu}_{\mu})\rightarrow\nu_{\mu}(\bar{\nu}_{\mu})$ and $\nu_{\mu}(\bar{\nu}_{\mu})\rightarrow\nu_{e}(\bar{\nu}_{e})$ oscillation channels are used to measure the effect of the NSI parameters $\varepsilon_{e\mu}$ and $\varepsilon_{e\tau}$. With 90% C.L. the magnitudes of the NSI couplings are constrained to be $|\varepsilon_{e\mu}| \, \lesssim 0.3$ and $|\varepsilon_{e\tau}| \, \lesssim 0.4$. A degeneracy at $|\varepsilon_{e\tau}| \, \approx 1.8$ is reported, and we observe that the presence of NSI limits sensitivity to the standard CP phase $\delta_{\tiny\text{CP}}$.

A description is given of the light-injection calibration system that has been developed for the MINOS long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment. The system is based upon pulsed blue LEDs monitored by PIN photodiodes. It is designed to measure non-linearities in the PMT gain curves, as well as monitoring any drifts in PMT gain, at the 1% level.

We found 140 neutrino-induced muons in 854.24 live days in the MINOS far detector. We looked for evidence of neutrino disappearance in this data set by computing the ratio of the number of low momentum muons to the sum of the number of high momentum and unknown momentum muons for both data and Monte Carlo expectation in the absence of neutrino oscillations. The ratio of data and Monte Carlo ratios is consistent with an oscillation signal. A fit to the data for the oscillation parameters excludes the null oscillation hypothesis at the 94% confidence level. We separated the muons by charge sign in both the data and Monte Carlo events and found the ratio of the total number of negative to positive muons in both samples. The ratio of those ratios is a test of CPT conservation. The result is consistent with CPT conservation.

We report the first observation of seasonal modulations in the rates of cosmic ray multiple-muon events at two underground sites, the MINOS Near Detector with an overburden of 225 mwe, and the MINOS Far Detector site at 2100 mwe. At the deeper site, multiple-muon events with muons separated by more than 8 m exhibit a seasonal rate that peaks during the summer, similar to that of single-muon events. In contrast and unexpectedly, the rate of multiple-muon events with muons separated by less than 5--8 m, and the rate of multiple-muon events in the smaller, shallower Near Detector, exhibit a seasonal rate modulation that peaks in the winter.

We report a two-detector measurement of the propagation speed of neutrinos over a baseline of 734 km.The measurement was made with the NuMI beam at Fermilab between the near and far MINOS detectors.The fractional difference between the neutrino speed and the speed of light is determined to be (v/c -1) = (1.0 ± 1.1) × 10 -6 , consistent with relativistic neutrinos.

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 9.6\~M$_\odot$ to 27\~M$_\odot$, respectively.

The magnetized MINOS Near Detector, at a depth of 225 meters of water equivalent (mwe), is used to measure the atmospheric muon charge ratio. The ratio of observed positive to negative atmospheric muon rates, using 301 days of data, is measured to be 1.266+/-0.001(stat.)+0.015/-0.014(syst.). This measurement is consistent with previous results from other shallow underground detectors, and is 0.108+/-0.019(stat. + syst.) lower than the measurement at the functionally identical MINOS Far Detector at a depth of 2070 mwe. This increase in charge ratio as a function of depth is consistent with an increase in the fraction of muons arising from kaon decay for increasing muon surface energies.

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 and 810 km from the beam source, is analyzed using an exposure of 12.51×10^{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±11(stat.)±15(syst.) assuming mixing only between three active flavors. No evidence for ν[over ¯]_{μ}→ν[over ¯]_{s} oscillation is observed. Interpreting this result within a 3+1 model, constraints are placed on the mixing angles θ_{24}<25° and θ_{34}<32° at the 90% C.L. for 0.05 eV^{2}≤Δm_{41}^{2}≤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.

MINOS is a long baseline neutrino oscillation experiment that uses two detectors separated by 734 km. The readout systems used for the two detectors are different and have to be independently calibrated. To verify and make a direct comparison of the calibrated response of the two readout systems, test beam data were acquired using a smaller calibration detector. This detector was simultaneously instrumented with both readout systems and exposed to the CERN PS T7 test beam. Differences in the calibrated response of the two systems are shown to arise from differences in response non-linearity, photomultiplier crosstalk, and threshold effects at the few percent level. These differences are reproduced by the Monte Carlo (MC) simulation to better than 1% and a scheme that corrects for these differences by calibrating the MC to match the data in each detector separately is presented. The overall difference in calorimetric response between the two readout systems is shown to be consistent with zero to a precision of 1.3% in data and 0.3% in MC with no significant energy dependence.

Using two years of data from the NOvA Near Detector at Fermilab, we report a seasonal variation of cosmic ray induced multiple-muon (${\mathrm{N}}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}\ensuremath{\ge}2$) event rates which has an opposite phase to the seasonal variation in the atmospheric temperature. The strength of the seasonal multiple-muon variation is shown to increase as a function of the muon multiplicity. However, no significant dependence of the strength of the seasonal variation of the multiple-muon variation is seen as a function of the muon zenith angle, or the spatial or angular separation between the correlated muons.

Using the NOvA neutrino detectors, a broad search has been performed for any signal coincident with 28 gravitational wave events detected by the LIGO/Virgo Collaboration between September 2015 and July 2019.For all of these events, NOvA is sensitive to possible arrival of neutrinos and cosmic rays of GeV and higher energies.For five (seven) events in the NOvA Far (Near) Detector, timely public alerts from the LIGO/Virgo Collaboration allowed recording of MeV-scale events.No signal candidates were found.

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 $6\times 10^{-4} < \beta < 5\times 10^{-3}$ 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.

The MINOS detectors will use extruded plastic scintillator strips, which are readout by wavelength-shifting fibres coupled to multi-pixel photodetectors. This technique provides excellent energy and spatial resolution. The MINOS detectors are described in detail along with results from the light output tests.

The shadowing of cosmic ray primaries by the moon and sun was observed by the MINOS far detector at a depth of 2070 mwe using 83.54 million cosmic ray muons accumulated over 1857.91 live-days. The shadow of the moon was detected at the 5.6 σ level and the shadow of the sun at the 3.8 σ level using a log-likelihood search in celestial coordinates. The moon shadow was used to quantify the absolute astrophysical pointing of the detector to be 0.17 ± 0.12°. Hints of interplanetary magnetic field effects were observed in both the sun and moon shadow.

The DUNE IDR describes the proposed physics program and technical designs of the DUNE far detector modules in preparation for the full TDR to be published in 2019. It is intended as an intermediate milestone on the path to a full TDR, justifying the technical choices that flow down from the high-level physics goals through requirements at all levels of the Project. These design choices will enable the DUNE experiment to make the ground-breaking discoveries that will help to answer fundamental physics questions. Volume 3 describes the dual-phase module's subsystems, the technical coordination required for its design, construction, installation, and integration, and its organizational structure.

We report new constraints on flavor-changing nonstandard neutrino interactions from the MINOS long-baseline experiment using ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{e}$ and ${\overline{\ensuremath{\nu}}}_{e}$ appearance candidate events from predominantly ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}$ and ${\overline{\ensuremath{\nu}}}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}$ beams. We used a statistical selection algorithm to separate ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{e}$ candidates from background events, enabling an analysis of the combined MINOS neutrino and antineutrino data. We observe no deviations from standard neutrino mixing, and thus place constraints on the nonstandard interaction matter effect, $|{ϵ}_{e\ensuremath{\tau}}|$, and phase, $({\ensuremath{\delta}}_{CP}+{\ensuremath{\delta}}_{e\ensuremath{\tau}})$, using a 30-bin likelihood fit.

This is a technical scope of work (TSW) between the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) and the experimenters of the LArIAT collaboration who have committed to participate in beam tests to be carried out starting during the 2013 Fermilab Test Beam Facility program. The TSW is intended primarily for the purpose of recording expectations for budget estimates and work allocation for Fermilab, the funding agencies and the participating institutions. It reflects an arrangement that currently is satisfactory to the parties; however, it is recognized and anticipated that changing circumstances of the evolving research program will necessitate revisions. The parties agree to modify this TSW to reflect such required adjustments. Actual contractual obligations will be set forth in separate documents. This TSW fulfills Article 1 (facilities and scope of work) of the User Agreements signed (or still to be signed) by an authorized representative of each institution collaborating on this experiment. Precision neutrino physics has entered a new era both with pressing questions to be addressed at short and long baselines, and with increasing interest and development of Liquid Argon Time Projection Chambers (LArTPCs). These open volume liquid argon TPCs drift ionization electrons from passing charged particles to readout wire chamber planes at the edge of the detector. The Signals are then combined to form 2D and 3D pho-quality like millimeter scale images of the charged particles tracks and to provide calorimetric measurements of the deposited energy in the detector.

The MINOS light-injection calibration system has been fully documented in a previous article (Nucl. Instr. and Meth. A 492 (2002) 353). Upon commissioning in the MINOS detectors, the system was found to give a non-linear response to variations in the intensity of injected light. The source of this non-linearity has been traced to a small change in the spectrum of the injected light as a function of the current applied to the original blue LEDs, in combination with a rapidly varying spectral response function of the wavelength-shifting fibre used in the detector. Both aspects of the problem have been addressed successfully by use of LEDs with different spectral characteristics, and the system now has a linear response.

The CoGeNT collaboration has recently published results from a fifteen month data set which indicate an annual modulation in the event rate similar to what is expected from weakly interacting massive particle interactions. It has been suggested that the CoGeNT modulation may actually be caused by other annually modulating phenomena, specifically the flux of atmospheric muons underground or the radon level in the laboratory. We have compared the phase of the CoGeNT data modulation to that of the concurrent atmospheric muon and radon data collected by the MINOS experiment which occupies an adjacent experimental hall in the Soudan Underground Laboratory. The results presented are obtained by performing a shape-free $χ^{2}$ data-to-data comparison and from a simultaneous fit of the MINOS and CoGeNT data to phase-shifted sinusoidal functions. Both tests indicate that the phase of the CoGeNT modulation is inconsistent with the phases of the MINOS muon and radon modulations at the \unit[3.0]{$σ$} level.

We have implemented a transverse and longitudinal bunch by bunch digital damper system in the Fermilab Main Injector, using a single digital board for all 3 coordinates. The system has been commissioned over the last year, and is now operational in all MI cycles, damping beam bunched at both 53MHz and 2.5MHz. We describe the performance of this system both for collider operations and high-intensity running for the NuMI project.

This is a proposal to continue to expose the two MINOS detectors to the NuMI muon neutrino beam for three years starting in 2013. The medium energy setting of the NuMI beam projected for NO{nu}A will deliver about 18 x 10{sup 20} protons-on-target during the first three years of operation. This will allow the MINOS Far Detector to collect more than 10,000 charged current muon neutrino events in the 4-10 GeV energy range and provide a stringent test for non-standard neutrino interactions, sterile neutrinos, extra dimensions, neutrino time-of-flight, and perhaps more. In addition there will be more than 3,000 neutral current events which will be particularly useful in extending the sterile neutrino search range.

We propose to build and install at Fermilab a next generation instrument that uses light pulse atom interferometry to search for physics beyond the Standard Model. In particular, we propose to search for dark matter and new forces, and to test some aspects of quantum mechanics in a new regime. The setup will exploit the existing 100m vertical NuMI access shaft, and will be an upgrade of the existing 10m-scale experiment at Stanford. Note that for many searches, the sensitivity of the experiment is proportional to baseline. To fully exploit the opportunity, we would use the latest advances in atomic clock technologies. The experiment would also provide an R&D platform for, and a critical step towards, the next-but-one generation experiment, which might possibly be located in a shaft at SURF in South Dakota, and which would be sufficiently sensitive to detect, in an unexplored frequency range, gravitational waves from known sources.

The NOνA experiment is a neutrino oscillation experiment designed to measure parameters related to the neutrino mixing matrix, mass hierarchy and CP violation. The experiment measures neutrino and anti-neutrino interactions from the NuMI beam line at Fermilab in a Near Detector and a Far Detector located 810 kilometers away. Making these measurements requires precise synchronization of 344,064 channels in the Far Detector to an absolute wall time with a channel to channel variation of less then 10 ns. The experiment must correlate the presence of the relatively narrow neutrino beam in the detector with data readout. This paper will discuss the performance of the NOνA timing system during the first few months of operation at the Far Detector.

In the context of time-of-flight measurements, the timing at the departure and arrival locations is obviously critical to the outcome of the experiment. In the case of neutrino time-of-flight experiments, the locations are many hundreds of kilometers apart with synchronization requirements of nanoseconds for several months at a time. In addition to the already stringent set of requirements outlined above, the locations of the origin of the particle beam and the detector need to be precisely determined. NIST and USNO have provided the MINOS (Main Injector Neutrino Oscillation Search) collaboration with both hardware and expertise to synchronize the two sites of the experiment, the accelerator at Fermilab in Batavia, IL and the Soudan Mine in northern Minnesota. Two GPS receivers are installed at each location where the local clocks are commercial Cesium clocks. Two more GPS receivers are constantly traveling between locations (including NIST in Boulder, CO) to provide multiple differential calibrations of the fixed receivers. The availability of the TWTFST equipment from USNO allowed for one comparison between the GPS and TWSTFT for the link between the locations, providing an independent means of determining the accuracy of the synchronization. Several months of continuous GPS data are now available, including the two-way calibration instance and several differential GPS calibrations. The results of data processing yielded synchronization stability below one nanosecond with accuracy at the nanosecond level over several months.

In order to achieve high intensity beams for Fermilab's neutrino program, slip stacking is used in the Recycler in which bunches overlap and slip through other bunches multiple times. As the bunch intensity is increased in the future, space charge effects during the overlap periods become more detrimental. In order to investigate the size of these space charge effects, the beam simulation program Synergia has been extended to allow copropagation of bunch trains at different momenta.

One of the factors which may limit the intensity in the Fermilab Recycler is a fast transverse instability. It develops within a hundred turns and, in certain conditions, may lead to a beam loss. The high rate of the instability suggest that its cause is electron cloud. We studied the phenomena by observing the dynamics of stable and unstable beam, simulating numerically the build-up of the electron cloud, and developed an analytical model of an electron cloud driven instability with the electrons trapped in combined function di-poles. We found that beam motion can be stabilized by a clearing bunch, which confirms the electron cloud nature of the instability. The clearing suggest electron cloud trapping in Recycler combined function mag-nets. Numerical simulations show that up to 1% of the particles can be trapped by the magnetic field. Since the process of electron cloud build-up is exponential, once trapped this amount of electrons significantly increases the density of the cloud on the next revolution. In a Recycler combined function dipole this multi-turn accumulation allows the electron cloud reaching final intensities orders of magnitude greater than in a pure dipole. The estimated resulting instability growth rate of about 30 revolutions and the mode fre-quency of 0.4 MHz are consistent with experimental observations and agree with the simulation in the PEI code. The created instability model allows investigating the beam stability for the future intensity upgrades.

As part of the NOvA upgrades in 2012, the Recycler was repurposed as a proton stacker for the Main Injector with the aim to deliver 700 kW. Since January 2017, this design power has been run routinely. The steps taken to commission the Recycler and run at 700 kW operationally will be discussed. Major improvements include a new collimation system to control transverse losses and diode damper system to damp the resistive wall instability during slip-stacking. Plans for future running will also be discussed.

The flagship of Fermilab's long term research program is the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), located Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in Lead, South Dakota, which will study neutrino oscillations with a baseline of 1300 km. The neutrinos will be produced in the Long Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF), a proposed new beam line from Fermilab's Main Injector. The physics goals of the DUNE require a proton beam with a power of roughly 2.5 MW at 120 GeV, which is roughly five times the current maximum power. This poster outlines the staged plan to achieve the required power over the next 15 years.

We are reporting preliminary results of studies of R59000-00-M16 and M64 tubes, manufactured by Hamamatsu Photonics, to be employed by the MINOS neutrino experiment. Our tests focused on anode response uniformity, gain, cross-talk, and linearity for light illuminating PMTs through a 1.2 mm diameter fiber.

Abstract In response to the 2011 report of superluminal neutrinos made by the OPERA collaboration, both MINOS and T2K developed plans to upgrade their timing systems to be able to measure neutrino time-of-flight with increased accuracy. In addition, MINOS has undertaken an analysis of the data taken with their old timing system, substantially improving the accuracy of their 2007 measurement, and deriving a result fully consistent with neutrinos travelling at the speed of light.

An optimized series interconnection process can provide many benefits for the manufacture of thin-film PV including lower panel transit times, lower capital equipment costs, smaller line foot print and less panel area wasted. The One Step Interconnect (OSI) process has been previously introduced [1]. It utilizes conventional laser scribing and inkjet additive manufacture to form the series interconnect. Good electrical performance has previously been achieved on CdTe mini-modules. Here the latest developments are presented. Further mini-module electrical results are shown with Fill Factors (FFs) of, on average, 70% and up to 80%. No loss of fill factor is seen as cells are connected in series. An extensive lifetime testing program is now underway. An encapsulation process has been found and verified using the IEC 61646 standard damp heat test for packaging integrity. Over 400 hours of thermal cycling has been completed on OSI interconnected modules with no degradation in power output.

Abstract : The MINOS experiment uses a beam of predominantly muon-type neutrinos generated using protons from the Main Injector at Fermilab in Batavia, IL, and travelling 735 km through the Earth to a disused iron mine in Soudan, MN. The 10 microsecond-long beam pulse contains fine time structure which allows a precise measurement of the neutrino time of flight to be made. The time structure of the parent proton pulse is measured in the beamline after extraction from the Main Injector, and neutrino interactions are timestamped at the Fermilab site in the Near Detector (ND), and at the Soudan site in the Far Detector (FD). Small, transportable auxiliary detectors, consisting of scintillator planes and associated readout electronics, are used to measure the relative latency between the two large detectors. Time at each location is measured with respect to HP5071A Cesium clocks, and time is transferred using GPS Precise Point Positioning (PPP) solutions for the clock offset at each location. We describe the timing calibration of the detectors and derive a measurement of the neutrino velocity, based on data from March and April 2012. We discuss the prospects for further improvements that would yield a still more accurate result.

The MINOS experiment uses a beam of predominantly muon-type neutrinos generated using protons from the Main Injector at Fermilab in Batavia, IL, and travelling 735 km through the Earth to a disused iron mine in Soudan, MN. The 10μs-long beam pulse contains fine time structure which allows a precise measurement of the neutrino time of flight to be made. The time structure of the parent proton pulse is measured in the beamline after extraction from the Main Injector, and neutrino interactions are timestamped at the Fermilab site in the Near Detector (ND), and at the Soudan site in the Far Detector (FD). Small, transportable auxiliary detectors, consisting of scintillator planes and associated readout electronics, are used to measure the relative latency between the two large detectors. Time at each location is measured with respect to HP5071A Cesium clocks, and time is transferred using GPS Precise Point Positioning (PPP) solutions for the clock offset at each location. We describe the timing calibration of the detectors and derive a measurement of the neutrino velocity, based on data from March and April 2012. We discuss the prospects for further improvements that would yield a still more accurate result.

Cross sections for the interaction $\nu_\mu A\rightarrow\mu^-\pi^0 X$ with neutrino energies between 1 and 5~GeV are measured using a sample of 165k selected events collected in the NOvA experiment's Near Detector, a hydrocarbon-based detector exposed to the NuMI neutrino beam at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. Results are presented as a flux-averaged total cross section and as differential cross sections in the momenta and angles of the outgoing muon and $\pi^0$, the total four-momentum transfer, and the invariant mass of the hadronic system. Comparisons are made with predictions from a reference version of the GENIE neutrino interaction generator. The measured total cross section of ($3.57\pm0.44)\times10^{-39}\ \mathrm{cm}^2$ is $7.5\%$ higher than the GENIE prediction but is consistent within experimental errors.

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.

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.

The charge ratio, $R_\mu = N_{\mu^+}/N_{\mu^-}$, for cosmogenic multiple-muon events observed at an under- ground depth of 2070 mwe has been measured using the magnetized MINOS Far Detector. The multiple-muon events, recorded nearly continuously from August 2003 until April 2012, comprise two independent data sets imaged with opposite magnetic field polarities, the comparison of which allows the systematic uncertainties of the measurement to be minimized. The multiple-muon charge ratio is determined to be $R_\mu = 1.104 \pm 0.006 {\rm \,(stat.)} ^{+0.009}_{-0.010} {\rm \,(syst.)} $. This measurement complements previous determinations of single-muon and multiple-muon charge ratios at underground sites and serves to constrain models of cosmic ray interactions at TeV energies.

One of the factors which may limit the intensity in the Fermilab Recycler is a fast transverse instability. It develops within a hundred turns and, in certain conditions, may lead to a beam loss. Various peculiar features of the instability: its occurrence only above a certain intensity threshold, and only in horizontal plane, as well as the rate of the instability, suggest that its cause is electron cloud. We studied the phenomena by observing the dynamics of stable and unstable beam. We found that beam motion can be stabilized by a clearing bunch, which confirms the electron cloud nature of the instability. The findings suggest electron cloud trapping in Recycler combined function mag-nets. Bunch-by-bunch measurements of betatron tune show a tune shift towards the end of the bunch train and allow the estimation of the density of electron cloud and the rate of its build-up. The experimental results are in agreement with numerical simulations of electron cloud build-up and its interaction with the beam.

Tomographic reconstruction of longitudinal phase space was developed for use in particle accelerators by Hancock [1] at CERN in the 1990’s and is being implemented for operational use at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory(FNAL) for the first time. The existing resistive wall current monitors [2] in FNAL’s Main Injector and Recycler rings provide ideal input for tomographic reconstructions. The software package called Tomography And Related Diagnostics In Synchrotrons (TARDIS) aims to be an easy to use diagnostic tool for producing tomographic reconstructions and analysis of longitudinal phase space. Operational use at FNAL will include the continuous reconstruction of full Booster batches at key points during the the Main Injector and Recycler timelines with minimal user input providing near real-time updates of machine performance as well as trends over many cycles. The design and performance of this system is presented.

We report a two-detector measurement of the propagation speed of neutrinos over a baseline of 734 km. The measurement was made with the NuMI beam at Fermilab between the near and far MINOS detectors. The fractional difference between the neutrino speed and the speed of light is determined to be $(v/c-1) = (1.0 \pm 1.1) \times 10^{-6}$, consistent with relativistic neutrinos.

High intensity operation of the Fermilab Main Injector has resulted in increased activation of machine components. Efforts to permit operation at high power include creation of collimation systems to localize losses away from locations which require maintenance. As a first step, a collimation system to remove halo from the incoming beam was installed in the Spring 2006 Facility Shutdown [1]. We report on commissioning studies and operational experience including observations of Booster beam properties, effects on Main Injector loss and activation, and operational results.

at any relative deficit in neutral current events between the Far and Near Detectors. This thesis will discuss the novel analysis that enabled a search for sterile neutrinos covering five orders of magnitude in the mass splitting and setting a limit in previously unexplored regions of the parameter space $$\left\{\Delta m^{2}_{41},\sin^2\theta_{24}\right\}$$, where a 3+1-flavour phenomenological model was used to extract parameter limits. The results presented in this thesis are sensitive to the sterile neutrino parameter space suggested by the LSND and MiniBooNE experiments.

Data from the MINOS experiment has been used to search for mixing between muon neutrinos and muon antineutrinos using a time-independent Lorentz-violating formalism derived from the Standard-Model Extension (SME). MINOS is uniquely capable of searching for muon neutrino-antineutrino mixing given its long baseline and ability to distinguish between neutrinos and antineutrinos on an event-by-event basis. Neutrino and antineutrino interactions were observed in the MINOS Near and Far Detectors from an exposure of 10.56$\times10^{20}$ protons-on-target from the NuMI neutrino-optimized beam. No evidence was found for such transitions and new, highly stringent limits were placed on the SME coefficients governing them. We place the first limits on the SME parameters $(c_{L})^{TT}_{\mu\mu} $ and $(c_{L})^{TT}_{\tau\tau}$ at $-8.4\times10^{-23} < (c_{L})^{TT}_{\mu\mu} < 8.0\times10^{-23}$ and $-8.0\times10^{-23} < (c_{L})^{TT}_{\tau\tau} < 8.4\times10^{-23}$, and the world's best limits on the $\tilde{g}^{ZT}_{\mu\overline{\mu}}$ and $\tilde{g}^{ZT}_{\tau\overline{\tau}}$ parameters at $|\tilde{g}^{ZT}_{\mu\overline{\mu}}| < 3.3\times 10^{-23}$ and $|\tilde{g}^{ZT}_{\tau\overline{\tau}}| < 3.3\times 10^{-23}$, all limits quoted at $3\sigma$.

Fermilab has recently completed an upgrade to the complex with the goal of delivering 700 kW of beam power as 120 GeV protons to the NuMI target. A major part of boosting beam power is to use the Fermilab Recycler to stack protons. Simulations focusing on the betatron resonance stopbands are presented taking into account different effects such as intensity and chromaticity. Simulations are compared with measurements.

Proton Improvement Plan-II (PIP-II) is Fermilab's plan for providing powerful, high-intensity proton beams to the laboratory's experiments. Upgrades are foreseen for the recycler which will cope with bunches containing fifty percent more beam. Of particular concern is large space charge tune shifts caused by the intensity increase. Simulations performed using Synergia are detailed focusing on the space charge footprint.

Data from the MINOS experiment has been used to search for mixing between muon neutrinos and muon antineutrinos using a time-independent Lorentz-violating formalism derived from the Standard-Model Extension (SME). MINOS is uniquely capable of searching for muon neutrino-antineutrino mixing given its long baseline and ability to distinguish between neutrinos and antineutrinos on an event-by-event basis. Neutrino and antineutrino interactions were observed in the MINOS Near and Far Detectors from an exposure of 10.56$\times10^{20}$ protons-on-target from the NuMI neutrino-optimized beam. No evidence was found for such transitions and new, highly stringent limits were placed on the SME coefficients governing them. We place the first limits on the SME parameters $(c_{L})^{TT}_{μμ} $ and $(c_{L})^{TT}_{ττ}$ at $-8.4\times10^{-23} &lt; (c_{L})^{TT}_{μμ} &lt; 8.0\times10^{-23}$ and $-8.0\times10^{-23} &lt; (c_{L})^{TT}_{ττ} &lt; 8.4\times10^{-23}$, and the world's best limits on the $\tilde{g}^{ZT}_{μ\overlineμ}$ and $\tilde{g}^{ZT}_{τ\overlineτ}$ parameters at $|\tilde{g}^{ZT}_{μ\overlineμ}| &lt; 3.3\times 10^{-23}$ and $|\tilde{g}^{ZT}_{τ\overlineτ}| &lt; 3.3\times 10^{-23}$, all limits quoted at $3σ$.