Probing Light Sterile Neutrino at ICAL-INO over a wide $\Delta m^2_{41}$ range

Not scheduled
15m
Kongresshaus Stadthalle Heidelberg (Heidelberg)

Kongresshaus Stadthalle Heidelberg

Heidelberg

Neckarstaden 24 69117 Heidelberg Germany
Poster sterile Poster (participating in poster prize competition)

Speaker

Prof. Amol Dighe (Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR))

Description

The Iron CALorimeter (ICAL) detector at the India-based Neutrino Observatory(INO) is an upcoming atmospheric neutrino oscillation experiment. The ICAL is designed to measure muon energy and direction with fine resolutions and high detection efficiency. The detector will have a fiducial mass of 50 kt and be magnetized to distinguish between $\nu_\mu$ and $\overline{\nu}_\mu$. In this poster, we show the limits that the ICAL can put on the sterile neutrino mixing element $|U_{\mu4}|^2$ over a broad range of $\Delta m^2_{41} \sim (10^{-5} - 10)$ eV$^2$. We also quantify the importance of the spectral information and hadron energy calibration. The ICAL sensitivity is the largest in the range $\Delta m^2_{41} \sim (0.5 - 5) \times 10^{-3}$ eV$^2$, where matter effects in the Earth play an important role. If sterile neutrinos exist, ICAL would be able to determine the sign of $\Delta m^2_{41}$ with a high significance ($> 3\sigma$ with an exposure of 500 kt-yr) in the same range.
Authorship annotation for the INO Collaboration
Session and Location Monday Session, Poster Wall #134 (Hölderlin-Room)
Poster included in proceedings: yes

Primary author

Dr Tarak Thakore (Instituto de Fisica Corpuscular)

Co-authors

Prof. Amol Dighe (Tata Institute of Fundamental Research) Dr Moon Moon Devi (Tezpur University) Prof. Sanjib Kumar Agarwalla (Institute of Physics)

Presentation materials