Precision Constraints for Three-Flavor Neutrino Oscillations from the Full MINOS+ and MINOS Dataset

Area of Science:

• Particle Physics
• Neutrino Physics
• Oscillation Phenomena

Background:

• Neutrino oscillations are a quantum mechanical phenomenon where neutrinos change between different flavors.
• Precise measurement of neutrino oscillation parameters is crucial for understanding neutrino mass ordering and the Standard Model of particle physics.
• The MINOS and MINOS+ experiments were designed to study muon neutrino oscillations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report the final measurement of neutrino oscillation parameters Δm_{32}^{2} and sin^{2}θ_{23}.
• To utilize the complete dataset from the MINOS and MINOS+ experiments, including both accelerator and atmospheric neutrino data.
• To determine these parameters for both normal and inverted neutrino mass hierarchies.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of muon neutrino (ν_{μ}) and muon antineutrino (ν[over ¯]_{μ}) disappearance and electron neutrino (ν_{e}) appearance events.
• Data collected from a total exposure of 23.76×10^{20} protons on target for accelerator neutrinos.
• Combined analysis with 60.75 kt·yr exposure to atmospheric neutrinos, comparing events between Near and Far detectors.

Main Results:

• Measured |Δm_{32}^{2}|=2.40_{-0.09}^{+0.08}×10^{-3} eV² for normal hierarchy and |Δm_{32}^{2}|=2.45_{-0.08}^{+0.07}×10^{-3} eV² for inverted hierarchy at 68% C.L.
• Measured sin^{2}θ_{23}=0.43_{-0.04}^{+0.20} for normal hierarchy and sin^{2}θ_{23}=0.42_{-0.03}^{+0.07} for inverted hierarchy at 68% C.L.
• These results represent the final measurements from the combined MINOS and MINOS+ datasets.

Conclusions:

• The MINOS and MINOS+ experiments provide precise final measurements of key neutrino oscillation parameters.
• The results contribute to a refined understanding of neutrino properties and their implications for fundamental physics.
• The data allows for discrimination between different neutrino mass ordering scenarios.