The Booster Neutrino Experiment (MiniBooNE) searches for ν µ → ν e oscillations using the O(1 GeV) neutrino beam produced by the Booster synchrotron at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL). The Booster delivers protons with 8 GeV kinetic energy (8.89 GeV/c momentum) to a beryllium target, producing neutrinos from the decay of secondary particles in the beam line. We describe the Monte Carlo simulation methods used to estimate the flux of neutrinos from the beamline incident on the MiniBooNE detector for both polarities of the focusing horn. The simulation uses the Geant4 framework for propagating particles, accounting for electromagnetic processes and hadronic interactions in the beamline materials, as well as the decay of particles.The absolute double differential cross sections of pion and kaon production in the simulation have been tuned to match external measurements, as have the hadronic cross sections for nucleons and pions. The statistical precision of the flux predictions is enhanced through reweighting and resampling techniques. Systematic errors in the flux estimation have been determined by varying parameters within their uncertainties, accounting for correlations where appropriate.
A high-statistics sample of charged-current muon neutrino scattering events collected with the MiniBooNE experiment is analyzed to extract the first measurement of the double differential cross section ( d 2 σ dTµd cos θµ ) for charged-current quasielastic (CCQE) scattering on carbon. This result features minimal model dependence and provides the most complete information on this process to date. With the assumption of CCQE scattering, the absolute cross section as a function of neutrino energy (σ[Eν]) and the single differential cross section ( dσ dQ 2 ) are extracted to facilitate comparison with previous measurements. These quantities may be used to characterize an effective axial-vector form factor of the nucleon and to improve the modeling of low-energy neutrino interactions on nuclear targets. The results are relevant for experiments searching for neutrino oscillations.
A measurement of electron antineutrino oscillation by the Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment is described in detail. Six 2.9-GWth nuclear power reactors of the Daya Bay and Ling Ao nuclear power facilities served as intense sources of ν e 's. Comparison of theν e rate and energy spectrum measured by antineutrino detectors far from the nuclear reactors (∼1500-1950 m) relative to detectors near the reactors (∼350-600 m) allowed a precise measurement ofν e disappearance. More than 2.5 millionν e inverse beta-decay interactions were observed, based on the combination of 217 days of operation of six antineutrino detectors (December, 2011-July, 2012) with a subsequent 1013 days using the complete configuration of eight detectors (October, 2012-July, 2015. Theν e rate observed at the far detectors relative to the near detectors showed a significant deficit, R ¼ 0.949 AE 0.002ðstatÞAE 0.002ðsystÞ. The energy dependence ofν e disappearance showed the distinct variation predicted by neutrino oscillation. Analysis using an approximation for the three-flavor oscillation probability yielded the flavor-mixing angle sin 2 2θ 13 ¼ 0.0841 AE 0.0027ðstatÞ AE 0.0019ðsystÞ and the effective neutrino mass-squared difference of jΔm 2 ee j ¼ ð2.50 AE 0.06ðstatÞ AE 0.06ðsystÞÞ × 10 −3 eV 2 . Analysis using the exact three-flavor probability found Δm
corresponding to 98% live time for collection. We set a limit on the core-collapse supernova rate out to a distance of 13.4 kpc to be less than 0.69 supernovae per year at 90% C.L.
The MiniBooNE Collaboration reports a search for nu_{micro} and nu[over]_{micro} disappearance in the Deltam;{2} region of 0.5-40 eV;{2}. These measurements are important for constraining models with extra types of neutrinos, extra dimensions, and CPT violation. Fits to the shape of the nu_{micro} and nu[over]_{micro} energy spectra reveal no evidence for disappearance at the 90% confidence level (C.L.) in either mode. The test of nu[over]_{micro} disappearance probes a region below Deltam;{2} = 40 eV;{2} never explored before.
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