Exploration of mass splitting and muon/tau mixing parameters for an eV-scale sterile neutrino with IceCube
Journal article, 2024

We present the first three-parameter fit to a 3+1 sterile neutrino model using 7.634 years of data from the IceCube Neutrino Observatory on νμ+ν‾μ charged-current interactions in the energy range 500–9976 GeV. Our analysis is sensitive to the mass-squared splitting between the heaviest and lightest mass state (Δm412), the mixing matrix element connecting muon flavor to the fourth mass state (|Uμ4|2), and the element connecting tau flavor to the fourth mass state (|Uτ4|2). Predicted propagation effects in matter enhance the signature through a resonance as atmospheric neutrinos from the Northern Hemisphere traverse the Earth to the IceCube detector at the South Pole. The remaining sterile neutrino matrix elements are left fixed, with |Ue4|2=0 and δ14=0, as they have a negligible effect, and δ24=π is set to give the most conservative limits. The result is consistent with the no-sterile neutrino hypothesis with a probability of 4.3%. Profiling the likelihood of each parameter yields the 90% confidence levels: 2.4eV2<Δm412<9.6eV2, 0.0081<|Uμ4|2<0.10, and |Uτ4|2<0.035, which narrows the allowed parameter-space for |Uτ4|2. However, the primary result of this analysis is the first map of the 3+1 parameter space exploring the interdependence of Δm412, |Uμ4|2, and |Uτ4|2.

Atmospheric neutrino IceCube TeV oscillation sterile

Author

R. Abbasi

Loyola University of Chicago

M. Ackermann

Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)

J. Adams

University of Canterbury

S. K. Agarwalla

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

J.A. Aguilar

Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)

M. Ahlers

Niels Bohr Institute

J. M. Alameddine

Technische Universität Dortmund

N.M. Amin

University of Delaware

K. Andeen

Marquette University

C. Argüelles

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. V. Balagopal

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

M. Baricevic

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

S.W. Barwick

University of California at Irvine (UCI)

S. Bash

Technical University of Munich

V. Basu

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

R. Bay

University of California

J.J. Beatty

Ohio State University

Julia Tjus

Ruhr-Universität Bochum

J. Beise

Uppsala University

C. Bellenghi

Technical University of Munich

C. Benning

RWTH Aachen University

S. Benzvi

University of Rochester

D. Berley

College of Computer, Mathematical, &amp; Natural Sciences

E. Bernardini

University of Padua

D. Z. Besson

University of Kansas

E. Blaufuss

College of Computer, Mathematical, &amp; Natural Sciences

L. Bloom

University of Alabama

S. Blot

Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)

F. Bontempo

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

J.Y. Book Motzkin

Harvard University

C. Boscolo Meneguolo

University of Padua

S. Böser

Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

O. Botner

Uppsala University

J. Böttcher

RWTH Aachen University

J. Braun

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

B. Brinson

Georgia Institute of Technology

J. Brostean-Kaiser

Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)

L. Brusa

RWTH Aachen University

R. T. Burley

University of Adelaide

D. Butterfield

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

M.A. Campana

Drexel University

I. Caracas

Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

K. Carloni

Harvard University

J. Carpio

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

S. Chattopadhyay

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

N. Chau

Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)

Z. Chen

Stony Brook University

D. Chirkin

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

S. Choi

Sungkyunkwan University

B.A. Clark

College of Computer, Mathematical, &amp; Natural Sciences

A. Coleman

Uppsala University

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)

R. Corley

University of Utah

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

A. Desai

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

P. Desiati

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

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. Díaz-Vélez

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

P. Dierichs

RWTH Aachen University

M. Dittmer

University of Münster

A. Domi

University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU)

L. Draper

University of Utah

H. Dujmovic

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

K. Dutta

Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

M. A. Duvernois

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

T. Ehrhardt

Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

L. Eidenschink

Technical University of Munich

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. Elsaesser

Technische Universität Dortmund

R. Engel

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

H. Erpenbeck

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

J. Evans

College of Computer, Mathematical, &amp; Natural Sciences

P.A. Evenson

University of Delaware

K.L. Fan

College of Computer, Mathematical, &amp; Natural Sciences

K. Fang

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

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

Oskar Klein Centre

L. Fischer

Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)

D. Fox

Pennsylvania State University

A. Franckowiak

Ruhr-Universität Bochum

S. Fukami

Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)

P. Fürst

RWTH Aachen University

J. S. Gallagher III

University of Wisconsin Madison

E. Ganster

RWTH Aachen University

A. Garcia

Harvard University

M. Garcia

University of Delaware

G. Garg

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

E. Genton

Harvard University

L. Gerhardt

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

A. Ghadimi

University of Alabama

C. Girard-Carillo

Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

C. Glaser

Uppsala University

T. Glüsenkamp

University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU)

J.G. Gonzalez

University of Delaware

S. Goswami

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

A. Granados

Michigan State University

D. Grant

Michigan State University

S.J. Gray

College of Computer, Mathematical, &amp; Natural Sciences

O. Gries

RWTH Aachen University

S. Griffin

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

S. Griswold

University of Rochester

K.M. Groth

Niels Bohr Institute

C. Günther

RWTH Aachen University

P. Gutjahr

Technische Universität Dortmund

C. Ha

Chung-Ang University

C. Haack

University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU)

A. Hallgren

Uppsala University

L. Halve

RWTH Aachen University

F. Halzen

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

H. Hamdaoui

Stony Brook University

M. Ha Minh

Technical University of Munich

M. Handt

RWTH Aachen University

K. Hanson

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

J. Hardin

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

A.A. Harnisch

Michigan State University

P. Hatch

Queen's University

A. Haungs

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

J. Häußler

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

Oskar Klein Centre

C. Hill

Chiba University

G.C. Hill

University of Adelaide

K.D. Hoffman

College of Computer, Mathematical, &amp; Natural Sciences

S. Hori

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

K. Hoshina

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

M. Hostert

Harvard University

W. Hou

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

T. Huber

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

K. Hultqvist

Oskar Klein Centre

M. Hünnefeld

Technische Universität Dortmund

R. Hussain

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

K. Hymon

Technische Universität Dortmund

A. Ishihara

Chiba University

W. Iwakiri

Chiba University

M. Jacquart

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

O. Janik

University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU)

M. Jansson

Oskar Klein Centre

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

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

A. Katil

University of Alberta

U. Katz

University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU)

M. Kauer

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

J.L. Kelley

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

M. Khanal

University of Utah

A. Khatee Zathul

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

A. Kheirandish

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

J. Kiryluk

Stony Brook University

S.R. Klein

University of California

A. Kochocki

Michigan State University

R. Koirala

University of Delaware

H. Kolanoski

Humboldt University of Berlin

T. Kontrimas

Technical University of Munich

L. Köpke

Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

C. Kopper

University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU)

D.J. Koskinen

Niels Bohr Institute

P. Koundal

University of Delaware

M. Kovacevich

Drexel University

M. Kowalski

Humboldt University of Berlin

T. Kozynets

Niels Bohr Institute

J. Krishnamoorthi

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

K. Kruiswijk

Universite catholique de Louvain

E. Krupczak

Michigan State University

A. Kumar

Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)

Emma 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

College of Computer, Mathematical, &amp; Natural Sciences

S. Latseva

RWTH Aachen University

F. Lauber

Bergische Universität Wuppertal

J.P. Lazar

Universite catholique de Louvain

J.W. Lee

Sungkyunkwan University

K. Leonard Deholton

Eberly College of Science

A. Leszczyńska

University of Delaware

J. Liao

Georgia Institute of Technology

M. Lincetto

Ruhr-Universität Bochum

Y. Liu

Eberly College of Science

M. Liubarska

University of Alberta

E. Lohfink

Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

C. Love

Drexel University

C.J. Lozano Mariscal

University of Münster

L. Lu

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

F. Lucarelli

University of Geneva

W. Luszczak

Ohio State University

Y. Lyu

University of California

J. Madsen

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

E. Magnus

Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)

K.B.M. Mahn

Michigan State University

Y. Makino

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

E. Manao

Technical University of Munich

S. Mancina

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

W. Marie Sainte

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

I.C. Mariş

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

F. McNally

Mercer University

J.V. Mead

Niels Bohr Institute

K. Meagher

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

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

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

M. Moulai

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

T. Mukherjee

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

R. Naab

Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)

R. Nagai

Chiba University

M. Nakos

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

U. Naumann

Bergische Universität Wuppertal

J. Necker

Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)

A. Negi

University of Texas at Arlington

L. Neste

Oskar Klein Centre

M. Neumann

University of Münster

H. Niederhausen

Michigan State University

M.U. Nisa

Michigan State University

K. Noda

Chiba University

A. Noell

RWTH Aachen University

A. Novikov

University of Delaware

A. Obertacke Pollmann

Chiba University

V. O'Dell

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

B. Oeyen

Ghent university

A. Olivas

College of Computer, Mathematical, &amp; Natural Sciences

R. Orsoe

Technical University of Munich

J. Osborn

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

E. O'Sullivan

Uppsala University

H. Pandya

University of Delaware

N. Park

Queen's University

G.K. Parker

University of Texas at Arlington

E.N. Paudel

University of Delaware

L. Paul

South Dakota School of Mines & Technology

C. Pérez de los Heros

Uppsala University

T. Pernice

Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)

J. Peterson

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

S. Philippen

RWTH Aachen University

A. Pizzuto

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

M. Plum

South Dakota School of Mines & Technology

A. Pontén

Uppsala University

Y. Popovych

Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

M. Prado Rodriguez

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

B. Pries

Michigan State University

R. Procter-Murphy

College of Computer, Mathematical, &amp; Natural Sciences

G.T. Przybylski

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

C. Raab

Universite catholique de Louvain

J. Rack-Helleis

Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

M. Ravn

Uppsala University

K. Rawlins

University of Alaska Anchorage

Z. Rechav

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

A. Rehman

University of Delaware

P. Reichherzer

Ruhr-Universität Bochum

E. Resconi

Technical University of Munich

S. Reusch

Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)

W. Rhode

Technische Universität Dortmund

B. Riedel

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

A. Rifaie

RWTH Aachen University

E.J. Roberts

University of Adelaide

S. Robertson

University of California

S. Rodan

Sungkyunkwan University

G. Roellinghoff

Sungkyunkwan University

M. Rongen

University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU)

A. Rosted

Chiba University

C. Rott

University of Utah

T. Ruhe

Technische Universität Dortmund

L. Ruohan

Technical University of Munich

D. Ryckbosch

Ghent university

I. Safa

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

J. Saffer

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

D. Salazar-Gallegos

Michigan State University

P. Sampathkumar

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

A. Sandrock

Bergische Universität Wuppertal

M. Santander

University of Alabama

S. Sarkar

University of Alberta

J. Savelberg

RWTH Aachen University

P. Savina

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

P. Schaile

Technical University of Munich

M. Schaufel

RWTH Aachen University

H. Schieler

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

S. Schindler

University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU)

B. Schlüter

University of Münster

F. Schlüter

Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)

N. Schmeisser

Bergische Universität Wuppertal

T. Schmidt

College of Computer, Mathematical, &amp; Natural Sciences

J. Schneider

University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU)

F.G. Schröder

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

L. Schumacher

University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU)

S. Sclafani

College of Computer, Mathematical, &amp; Natural Sciences

D. Seckel

University of Delaware

M. Seikh

University of Kansas

M. Seo

Sungkyunkwan University

S. Seunarine

University of Wisconsin

P. Sevle Myhr

Universite catholique de Louvain

R. Shah

Drexel University

S. Shefali

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

N. Shimizu

Chiba University

M. Silva

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

B. Skrzypek

University of California

B. Smithers

University of Texas at Arlington

R. Snihur

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

J. Soedingrekso

Technische Universität Dortmund

A. Søgaard

Niels Bohr Institute

D. Soldin

University of Utah

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. Stürwald

Bergische Universität Wuppertal

T. Stuttard

Niels Bohr Institute

G.W. Sullivan

College of Computer, Mathematical, &amp; Natural Sciences

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

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

S. Tilav

University of Delaware

K. Tollefson

Michigan State University

C. Tönnis

Sungkyunkwan University

S. Toscano

Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)

D. Tosi

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

A. Trettin

Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)

R. Turcotte

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

J.P. Twagirayezu

Michigan State University

M.A. Unland Elorrieta

University of Münster

A.K. Upadhyay

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

K. Upshaw

Southern University and A&M College

A. Vaidyanathan

Marquette University

N. Valtonen-Mattila

Uppsala University

J. Vandenbroucke

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

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

F. Varsi

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

J. Veitch-Michaelis

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

M. Venugopal

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

M. Vereecken

Universite catholique de Louvain

S. Verpoest

University of Delaware

D. Veske

Columbia University

A. Vijai

College of Computer, Mathematical, &amp; Natural Sciences

C. Walck

Oskar Klein Centre

A. Wang

Georgia Institute of Technology

C. Weaver

Michigan State University

P. Weigel

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

A. Weindl

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

J. Weldert

Eberly College of Science

A.Y. Wen

Harvard University

C. Wendt

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

J. Werthebach

Technische Universität Dortmund

M. Weyrauch

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

Nathan 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

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

S. Yoshida

Chiba University

R. Young

University of Kansas

S. Yu

University of Utah

T. Yuan

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

Z. Zhang

Stony Brook University

P. Zhelnin

Harvard University

P. Zilberman

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

M. Zimmerman

Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center

Physics Letters, Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics

0370-2693 (ISSN)

Vol. 858 139077

Subject Categories

Subatomic Physics

DOI

10.1016/j.physletb.2024.139077

More information

Latest update

11/5/2024