Precise Measurements of Oscillation Parameters and Search for a Light Sterile Neutrino at Daya Bay

ORAL

Abstract

The Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment is designed to precisely measure the neutrino oscillation parameter $\theta_{13}$, via the relative comparison of antineutrino rates and energy spectra at different baselines. The experiment's unique configuration of multiple baselines from six 2.9 GW$_{th}$ nuclear reactors serving as intense ${\bar\nu}_{e}$ sources to eight functionally identical detectors deployed in two near (effective baselines $\sim$500 m and $\sim$600 m) and one far ($\sim$1600 m) underground experimental halls also makes it possible to look for oscillations with a fourth (sterile) neutrino in the $10^{-3} eV^{2}<|\Delta m^{2}_{41}|<0.3 eV^{2}$ range. In this talk, I will present Daya Bay's latest results. A three-flavor oscillation model analysis based on 1230 days of data has yielded the most precise determination of the flavour-mixing angle $sin^{2}2\theta_{13}$ and the neutrino mass-squared difference $\Delta m^{2}_{32}$. In addition, the search for a light sterile neutrino using 621 days of data did not show a significant preference towards a four-flavor oscillation model. The resulting limits on $sin^{2}2\theta_{14}$ constitute the world's best in most of the sub-eV mass region.

Authors

  • Hin Lok Henoch Wong

    University of California, Berkeley