University of Cambridge
Proton Inelastic Cross-section Measurement on Argon with the ProtoDUNE-SP Detector and an Investigation of MicroBooNE Low Energy Excess
Abstract
dc:description.abstractNeutrinos are elementary particles in the Standard Model and studies of their characteristics as well as properties are of great importance to particle physics together with other disciplines. Precise measurements of neutrino oscillations can reveal the value of the 𝐶𝑃 violation phase in the lepton sector and might explain the matter-antimatter asymmetry of our universe. One of the experiments aimed at measuring neutrino oscillations is DUNE, which is currently under construction. This work describes the measurement of proton-argon inelastic cross section using the proton data with 3 GeV momentum taken by the ProtoDUNE-SP detector, which is a prototype of the DUNE far detector. Measurements of hadron-argon cross sections can improve our understanding of nuclear effects in neutrino interactions and reduce systematic uncertainties of the future DUNE analyses. The result lies in the proton kinetic energy range between 1.7 and 2.5 GeV and is the first measurement of proton-argon inelastic cross section at this range. The best single-value fit of the measured cross section is 561 ± 55 mb, and the single value fit of the theoretical cross section (627 mb) is about 12% higher. In addition to the measurements of elements in the PMNS matrix, the search for sterile neutrinos that are outside the scope of the three-flavour neutrino framework is another active area in neutrino physics, which could help explain neutrino mass. MicroBooNE is investigating the excess of electron neutrino candidate events at low energy observed by the MiniBooNE detector, which may suggest active-sterile neutrino oscillations. This work discusses comparisons performed between two MicroBooNE analysis approaches and forms a part of the results of the MicroBooNE flagship analysis, which is inconsistent with the interpretation that the MiniBooNE excess is caused by electron neutrinos.
Degree
thesis:*- Level dc:type.qualificationlevel
- Doctoral
- Grantor dc:publisher.institution
- University of Cambridge
- Year dc:date.issued
- 2024
Author and committee
dc:creator, dc:contributor.*- Author dc:creator
-
- Shi, Jingyuan
- Advisors dc:contributor.advisor
-
- Potter, Tina
- Uchida, Melissa
Subjects
dc:subject × 3Rights
dc:rightsIdentifiers
dc:identifier.*- DOI dc:identifier.doi
- https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.117684
- OAI identifier oai:identifier
- oai:www.repository.cam.ac.uk:1810/383162