Search for decoherence from quantum gravity with atmospheric neutrinos
Journal article, 2024
Neutrino oscillations at the highest energies and longest baselines can be used to study the structure of spacetime and test the fundamental principles of quantum mechanics. If the metric of spacetime has a quantum mechanical description, its fluctuations at the Planck scale are expected to introduce non-unitary effects that are inconsistent with the standard unitary time evolution of quantum mechanics. Neutrinos interacting with such fluctuations would lose their quantum coherence, deviating from the expected oscillatory flavour composition at long distances and high energies. Here we use atmospheric neutrinos detected by the IceCube South Pole Neutrino Observatory in the energy range of 0.5-10.0 TeV to search for coherence loss in neutrino propagation. We find no evidence of anomalous neutrino decoherence and determine limits on neutrino-quantum gravity interactions. The constraint on the effective decoherence strength parameter within an energy-independent decoherence model improves on previous limits by a factor of 30. For decoherence effects scaling as E2, our limits are advanced by more than six orders of magnitude beyond past measurements compared with the state of the art. Interactions of atmospheric neutrinos with quantum-gravity-induced fluctuations of the metric of spacetime would lead to decoherence. The IceCube Collaboration constrains such interactions with atmospheric neutrinos.
Author
R. Abbasi
Loyola University of Chicago
M. Ackermann
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)
J. Adams
University of Canterbury
S. K. Agarwalla
University of Wisconsin Madison
Institute of Physics Bhubaneswar
University of Wisconsin
J. A. Aguilar
Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)
M. Ahlers
University of Copenhagen
J. M. Alameddine
Technische Universität Dortmund
N. M. Amin
University of Delaware
K. Andeen
Marquette University
G. Anton
University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU)
C. Arguelles
Harvard University
Y. Ashida
University of Utah
S. Athanasiadou
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)
L. Ausborm
RWTH Aachen University
S. N. Axani
University of Delaware
X. Bai
South Dakota School of Mines & Technology
A. Balagopal
University of Wisconsin Madison
University of Wisconsin
M. Baricevic
University of Wisconsin Madison
University of Wisconsin
S. W. Barwick
University of California at Irvine (UCI)
V. Basu
University of Wisconsin Madison
University of Wisconsin
R. Bay
University of California at Berkeley
J. J. Beatty
Ohio State University
J. Becker Tjus
Chalmers, Space, Earth and Environment, Astronomy and Plasmaphysics
J. Beise
Uppsala University
C. Bellenghi
Technical University of Munich
C. Benning
RWTH Aachen University
S. BenZvi
University of Rochester
D. Berley
University of Maryland
E. Bernardini
University of Padua
D. Z. Besson
University of Kansas
E. Blaufuss
University of Maryland
S. Blot
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)
F. Bontempo
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
J. Y. Book
Harvard University
C. Boscolo Meneguolo
University of Padua
S. Boser
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
O. Botner
Uppsala University
J. Bottcher
RWTH Aachen University
B. Brinson
Georgia Institute of Technology
J. Brostean-Kaiser
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)
L. Brusa
RWTH Aachen University
R. T. Burley
University of Adelaide
R. S. Busse
University of Münster
D. Butterfield
University of Wisconsin Madison
University of Wisconsin
M. A. Campana
Drexel University
K. Carloni
Harvard University
E. G. Carnie-Bronca
University of Adelaide
S. Chattopadhyay
University of Wisconsin Madison
University of Wisconsin
Institute of Physics Bhubaneswar
N. Chau
Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)
C. Chen
Georgia Institute of Technology
Z. Chen
SUNY Stony Brook
D. Chirkin
University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin Madison
S. Choi
Sungkyunkwan University
B. A. Clark
University of Maryland
A. Coleman
University of Wisconsin Madison
Uppsala University
University of Wisconsin
G. H. Collin
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
A. Connolly
Ohio State University
J. M. Conrad
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
P. Coppin
Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
P. Correa
Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
D. F. Cowen
Pennsylvania State University
P. Dave
Georgia Institute of Technology
C. De Clercq
Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
J. J. DeLaunay
University of Alabama
D. Delgado
Harvard University
S. Deng
RWTH Aachen University
K. Deoskar
Stockholm University
A. Desai
University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin Madison
P. Desiati
University of Wisconsin Madison
University of Wisconsin
K. D. de Vries
Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
G. de Wasseige
Universite catholique de Louvain
T. DeYoung
Michigan State University
A. Diaz
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
J. C. Diaz-Velez
University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin Madison
M. Dittmer
University of Münster
A. Domi
University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU)
H. Dujmovic
University of Wisconsin Madison
University of Wisconsin
M. A. DuVernois
University of Wisconsin Madison
University of Wisconsin
T. Ehrhardt
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
A. Eimer
University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU)
P. Eller
Technical University of Munich
E. Ellinger
Bergische Universität Wuppertal
S. El Mentawi
RWTH Aachen University
D. Elsasser
Technische Universität Dortmund
R. Engel
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
H. Erpenbeck
University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin Madison
J. Evans
University of Maryland
P. A. Evenson
University of Delaware
K. L. Fan
University of Maryland
K. Fang
University of Wisconsin Madison
University of Wisconsin
K. Farrag
Chiba University
A. R. Fazely
Southern University and A&M College
A. Fedynitch
Academia Sinica
N. Feigl
Humboldt University of Berlin
S. Fiedlschuster
University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU)
C. Finley
Stockholm University
L. Fischer
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)
D. Fox
Pennsylvania State University
A. Franckowiak
Ruhr-Universität Bochum
P. Furst
RWTH Aachen University
J. Gallagher
University of Wisconsin Madison
E. Ganster
RWTH Aachen University
A. Garcia
Harvard University
L. Gerhardt
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
A. Ghadimi
University of Alabama
C. Glaser
Uppsala University
T. Glusenkamp
Uppsala University
University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU)
J. G. Gonzalez
University of Delaware
D. Grant
Michigan State University
S. J. Gray
University of Maryland
O. Gries
RWTH Aachen University
S. Griffin
University of Wisconsin Madison
University of Wisconsin
S. Griswold
University of Rochester
K. M. Groth
University of Copenhagen
C. Gunther
RWTH Aachen University
P. Gutjahr
Technische Universität Dortmund
C. Ha
Chung-Ang University
C. Haack
University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU)
A. Hallgren
Uppsala University
R. Halliday
Michigan State University
L. Halve
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
F. Halzen
University of Wisconsin Madison
University of Wisconsin
H. Hamdaoui
SUNY Stony Brook
M. Ha Minh
Technical University of Munich
M. Handt
RWTH Aachen University
K. Hanson
University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin Madison
J. Hardin
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
A. A. Harnisch
Michigan State University
P. Hatch
Queen's University
A. Haungs
University of Maryland
J. Haussler
RWTH Aachen University
K. Helbing
Bergische Universität Wuppertal
J. Hellrung
Ruhr-Universität Bochum
J. Hermannsgabner
RWTH Aachen University
L. Heuermann
RWTH Aachen University
N. Heyer
Uppsala University
S. Hickford
Bergische Universität Wuppertal
A. Hidvegi
Stockholm University
C. Hill
Chiba University
G. C. Hill
University of Adelaide
K. D. Hoffman
University of Maryland
S. Hori
University of Wisconsin Madison
University of Wisconsin
K. Hoshina
University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin Madison
University of Tokyo
W. Hou
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
T. Huber
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
K. Hultqvist
Stockholm University
M. Hunnefeld
Technische Universität Dortmund
R. Hussain
University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin Madison
K. Hymon
Technische Universität Dortmund
S. In
Sungkyunkwan University
A. Ishihara
Chiba University
M. Jacquart
University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin Madison
O. Janik
RWTH Aachen University
M. Jansson
Stockholm University
G. S. Japaridze
Clark Atlanta University
M. Jeong
University of Utah
M. Jin
Harvard University
B. J. P. Jones
University of Texas at Arlington
N. Kamp
Harvard University
D. Kang
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
W. Kang
Sungkyunkwan University
X. Kang
Drexel University
A. Kappes
University of Münster
D. Kappesser
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
L. Kardum
Technische Universität Dortmund
T. Karg
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)
M. Karl
Technical University of Munich
A. Karle
University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin Madison
A. Katil
University of Alberta
U. Katz
University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU)
M. Kauer
University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin Madison
J. L. Kelley
University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin Madison
A. Khatee Zathul
University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin Madison
A. Kheirandish
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
J. Kiryluk
University of Rochester
S. R. Klein
University of California at Berkeley
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
A. Kochocki
Michigan State University
R. Koirala
University of Delaware
H. Kolanoski
Humboldt University of Berlin
T. Kontrimas
Technical University of Munich
L. Kopke
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
C. Kopper
University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU)
D. J. Koskinen
University of Copenhagen
P. Koundal
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
M. Kovacevich
Drexel University
M. Kowalski
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)
Humboldt University of Berlin
T. Kozynets
University of Copenhagen
J. Krishnamoorthi
University of Wisconsin Madison
Institute of Physics Bhubaneswar
University of Wisconsin
K. Kruiswijk
Universite catholique de Louvain
E. Krupczak
Michigan State University
A. Kumar
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)
E. Kun
Ruhr-Universität Bochum
N. Kurahashi
Drexel University
N. Lad
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)
C. Lagunas Gualda
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)
M. Lamoureux
Universite catholique de Louvain
M. J. Larson
University of Maryland
S. Latseva
RWTH Aachen University
F. Lauber
Bergische Universität Wuppertal
J. P. Lazar
University of Wisconsin
Harvard University
University of Wisconsin Madison
J. W. Lee
Sungkyunkwan University
K. Leonard DeHolton
Pennsylvania State University
A. Leszczynska
University of Delaware
M. Lincetto
Ruhr-Universität Bochum
Y. Liu
Pennsylvania State University
M. Liubarska
University of Alberta
E. Lohfink
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
C. Love
Drexel University
C. J. Lozano Mariscal
University of Münster
L. Lu
University of Wisconsin Madison
University of Wisconsin
F. Lucarelli
University of Geneva
W. Luszczak
Ohio State University
Y. Lyu
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
University of California at Berkeley
J. Madsen
University of Wisconsin Madison
University of Wisconsin
E. Magnus
Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
K. B. M. Mahn
Michigan State University
Y. Makino
University of Wisconsin Madison
University of Wisconsin
E. Manao
Technical University of Munich
S. Mancina
University of Wisconsin Madison
University of Padua
University of Wisconsin
W. Marie Sainte
University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin Madison
I. C. Maris
Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)
S. Marka
Columbia University
Z. Marka
Columbia University
M. Marsee
University of Alabama
I. Martinez-Soler
Harvard University
R. Maruyama
Yale University
F. Mayhew
Michigan State University
T. McElroy
University of Alberta
F. McNally
Mercer University
J. V. Mead
University of Copenhagen
K. Meagher
University of Wisconsin Madison
University of Wisconsin
S. Mechbal
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)
A. Medina
Ohio State University
M. Meier
Chiba University
Y. Merckx
Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
L. Merten
Ruhr-Universität Bochum
J. Micallef
Michigan State University
J. Mitchell
Southern University and A&M College
T. Montaruli
University of Geneva
R. W. Moore
University of Alberta
Y. Morii
Chiba University
R. Morse
University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin Madison
M. Moulai
University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin Madison
T. Mukherjee
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
R. Naab
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)
R. Nagai
Chiba University
M. Nakos
University of Wisconsin Madison
University of Wisconsin
U. Naumann
Bergische Universität Wuppertal
J. Necker
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)
A. Negi
University of Texas at Arlington
M. Neumann
University of Münster
H. Niederhausen
Michigan State University
M. U. Nisa
Michigan State University
A. Noell
RWTH Aachen University
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University of Delaware
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Chiba University
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University of Wisconsin Madison
University of Wisconsin
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Ghent university
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University of Maryland
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Technical University of Munich
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University of Wisconsin Madison
University of Wisconsin
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Uppsala University
H. Pandya
University of Delaware
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Queen's University
G. K. Parker
University of Texas at Arlington
E. N. Paudel
University of Delaware
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South Dakota School of Mines & Technology
C. Perez de los Heros
Uppsala University
T. Pernice
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)
J. Peterson
University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin Madison
S. Philippen
RWTH Aachen University
A. Pizzuto
University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin Madison
M. Plum
South Dakota School of Mines & Technology
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Uppsala University
Y. Popovych
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
M. Prado Rodriguez
University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin Madison
B. Pries
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University of Maryland
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Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
C. Raab
Universite catholique de Louvain
J. Rack-Helleis
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
K. Rawlins
University of Alaska Anchorage
Z. Rechav
University of Wisconsin Madison
University of Wisconsin
A. Rehman
University of Delaware
P. Reichherzer
Ruhr-Universität Bochum
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Technical University of Munich
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Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)
W. Rhode
Technische Universität Dortmund
B. Riedel
University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin Madison
A. Rifaie
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E. J. Roberts
University of Adelaide
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Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
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A. Rosted
Chiba University
C. Rott
Sungkyunkwan University
University of Utah
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Technische Universität Dortmund
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Ghent university
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Michigan State University
P. Sampathkumar
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
S. E. Sanchez Herrera
Michigan State University
A. Sandrock
Bergische Universität Wuppertal
M. Santander
University of Alabama
S. Sarkar
University of Alberta
University of Oxford
S. Sarkar
University of Oxford
University of Alberta
J. Savelberg
RWTH Aachen University
P. Savina
University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin Madison
M. Schaufel
RWTH Aachen University
H. Schieler
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
S. Schindler
University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU)
L. Schlickmann
RWTH Aachen University
B. Schluter
University of Münster
F. Schluter
Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)
N. Schmeisser
Bergische Universität Wuppertal
T. Schmidt
University of Maryland
J. Schneider
University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU)
F. G. Schroder
University of Delaware
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
L. Schumacher
University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU)
S. Sclafani
University of Maryland
D. Seckel
University of Delaware
M. Seikh
University of Kansas
S. Seunarine
University of Wisconsin
R. Shah
Drexel University
S. Shefali
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
N. Shimizu
Chiba University
M. Silva
University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin Madison
B. Skrzypek
Harvard University
B. Smithers
University of Texas at Arlington
R. Snihur
University of Wisconsin Madison
University of Wisconsin
J. Soedingrekso
Technische Universität Dortmund
A. Sogaard
University of Copenhagen
D. Soldin
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
P. Soldin
RWTH Aachen University
G. Sommani
Ruhr-Universität Bochum
C. Spannfellner
Technical University of Munich
G. M. Spiczak
University of Wisconsin
C. Spiering
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)
M. Stamatikos
Ohio State University
T. Stanev
University of Delaware
T. Stezelberger
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
T. Sturwald
Bergische Universität Wuppertal
T. Stuttard
University of Copenhagen
G. W. Sullivan
University of Maryland
I. Taboada
Georgia Institute of Technology
S. Ter-Antonyan
Southern University and A&M College
A. Terliuk
Technical University of Munich
M. Thiesmeyer
RWTH Aachen University
W. G. Thompson
Harvard University
J. Thwaites
University of Wisconsin Madison
University of Wisconsin
S. Tilav
University of Delaware
K. Tollefson
Michigan State University
C. Tonnis
Sungkyunkwan University
S. Toscano
Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)
D. Tosi
University of Wisconsin Madison
University of Wisconsin
A. Trettin
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)
C. F. Tung
Georgia Institute of Technology
R. Turcotte
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
J. P. Twagirayezu
Michigan State University
M. A. Unland Elorrieta
University of Münster
A. K. Upadhyay
Institute of Physics Bhubaneswar
University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin Madison
K. Upshaw
Southern University and A&M College
A. Vaidyanathan
Marquette University
N. Valtonen-Mattila
Uppsala University
J. Vandenbroucke
University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin Madison
N. van Eijndhoven
Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
D. Vannerom
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
J. van Santen
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)
J. Vara
University of Münster
J. Veitch-Michaelis
University of Wisconsin Madison
University of Wisconsin
M. Venugopal
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
M. Vereecken
Universite catholique de Louvain
S. Verpoest
University of Delaware
D. Veske
Columbia University
A. Vijai
University of Maryland
C. Walck
Stockholm University
Y. Wang
Pennsylvania State University
C. Weaver
Michigan State University
P. Weigel
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
A. Weindl
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
J. Weldert
Pennsylvania State University
A. Y. Wen
Harvard University
C. Wendt
University of Wisconsin Madison
University of Wisconsin
J. Werthebach
Technische Universität Dortmund
M. Weyrauch
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
N. Whitehorn
Michigan State University
C. H. Wiebusch
RWTH Aachen University
D. R. Williams
University of Alabama
L. Witthaus
Technische Universität Dortmund
A. Wolf
RWTH Aachen University
M. Wolf
Technical University of Munich
G. Wrede
University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU)
X. W. Xu
Southern University and A&M College
J. P. Yanez
University of Alberta
E. Yildizci
University of Wisconsin Madison
University of Wisconsin
S. Yoshida
Chiba University
R. Young
University of Kansas
S. Yu
Michigan State University
T. Yuan
University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin Madison
Z. Zhang
SUNY Stony Brook
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University of Wisconsin Madison
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University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin Madison
Nature Physics
1745-2473 (ISSN) 17452481 (eISSN)
Vol. 20 6 913-920Subject Categories (SSIF 2011)
Subatomic Physics
DOI
10.1038/s41567-024-02436-w