2018/08/31 by Gandrajula, Reddy Pratap, Groh, Micah
#FOS: Physical sciences #High Energy Physics - Experiment (hep-ex) #Instrumentation and Detectors (physics.ins-det)
paper · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1808.10760
The physics goals of NOvA are the constraints of neutrino oscillation parameters such as the octant of θ23, δ_\rmCP, and the neutrino mass hierarchy via a joint fit to νμ and νe oscillation spectrum. We do this by propagating νμ from the world's most intense neutrino beam at Fermilab, over a baseline of 810 km to northern Minnesota, USA, and measure the νμ to νe oscillation probability. NOvA announced its latest oscillation results, based on 8.85×1020 (6.9×1020) protons on target neutrino (antineutrino) data. Preliminary results for the allowed values of oscillation parameters are: Δm232=2.51+0.12-0.08× 10-3 eV2, sin2θ23 = 0.58 ± 0.03 (upper octant), and δ_\rmCP=0.17π with preference to the normal hierarchy. Reliable constraints on these oscillation parameters require a rigorous treatment of systematic uncertainties and thorough cross-checks. In this paper, we present an overview of the treatment of systematic uncertainties as well as cross-checks using muon removed simulations and cosmic muon bremsstrahlung showers.