The K2K experiment observed indications of neutrino oscillation after 250 km flight of υμ. The observed number of events in the data corresponding to 4.8 x 1019 protons on target is 56, while 80.1 5.4 +6.2 is expected. Both the decrease of the events and observed spectrum shape distortion are consistent with neutrino oscillation. The probability that the observations are statistical fluctuation of non oscillation is less than 1%. The allowed region of oscillation parameters is consistent with the one obtained from the atmospheric neutrino observation. After the accident of Super-Kamiokande (SK) detector, the reconstruction of SK has finished in 2002 and the K2K experiment resumed in December 2002.

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Indications of neutrino oscillation in a 250 km long-baseline experiment.

Detection of accelerator produced neutrinos at a distance of 250-km

Neutrino oscillations physics is entering an era of high precision. In this context, accelerator-based neutrino experiments need a reduction in systematic errors to the level of a few percent. Today, one of the most important sources of systematic errors are neutrino–nucleus cross sections which, in the energy region of hundreds of MeV to a few GeV, are known to a precision not exceeding 20%. In this article we review the present experimental and theoretical knowledge of neutrino–nucleus interaction physics. After introducing neutrino-oscillation physics and accelerator-based neutrino experiments, we give an overview of general aspects of neutrino–nucleus cross sections, from both the theoretical and experimental point of view. Then, we focus on these cross sections in different reaction channels. We start with the quasi-elastic and quasi-elastic-like cross section, placing a special emphasis on the multinucleon emission channel, which has attracted a lot of attention in the last few years. We review the main aspects of the different microscopic models for this channel by discussing analogies and the differences among them. The discussion is always driven by a comparison with the experimental data. We then consider the one-pion production channel where agreement between data and theory remains highly unsatisfactory. We describe how to interpret pion data, and then analyze, in particular, the puzzle related to the difficulty of theoretical models and Monte Carlo to simultaneously describe MiniBooNE and MINERvA experimental results. Inclusive cross sections are also discussed, as well as the comparison between the and cross sections, relevant for the charge-conjugation-parity violation experiments. The impact of nuclear effects on the reconstruction of neutrino energy and on the determination of the neutrino-oscillation parameters is also reviewed. Finally, we look to the future by discussing projects and efforts in relation to future detectors, beams, and analysis.

Neutrino–nucleus cross sections for oscillation experiments

A review of accelerator long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiments is provided, including all experiments performed to date and the projected sensitivity of those currently in progress. Accelerator experiments have played a crucial role in the confirmation of the neutrino oscillation phenomenon and in precision measurements of the parameters. With a fixed baseline and detectors providing good energy resolution, precise measurements of the ratio of distance/energy () on the scale of individual events have been made and the expected oscillatory pattern resolved. Evidence for electron neutrino appearance has recently been obtained, opening a door for determining the CP violating phase as well as resolving the mass hierarchy and the octant of ; some of the last unknown parameters of the standard model extended to include neutrino mass.

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Long-Baseline Neutrino Oscillation Experiments

A review of accelerator long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiments is provided, including all experiments performed to date and the projected sensitivity of those currently in progress. Accelerator experiments have played a crucial role in the confirmation of the neutrino oscillation phenomenon and in precision measurements of the parameters. With a fixed baseline and detectors providing good energy resolution, precise measurements of the ratio of distance/energy (L/E) on the scale of individual events have been made and the expected oscillatory pattern resolved. Evidence for electron neutrino appearance has recently been obtained, opening a door for determining the CP violating phase as well as resolving the mass hierarchy and the octant of theta23: some of the last unknown parameters of the standard model extended to include neutrino mass.

/pdf/a-review-of-long-baseline-neutrino-oscillation-experiments-15baammna1.pdf

A Review of Long-baseline Neutrino Oscillation Experiments

We describe the construction and performance of a scintillating fiber detector used in the near detector for the K2K (KEK to Kamioka, KEK E362) long baseline neutrino oscillation experiment. The detector uses 3.7 m long and 0.692 mm diameter scintillating fiber coupled to image-intensifier tubes (IIT), and a CCD camera readout system. Fiber sheet production and detector construction began in 1997, and the detector was commissioned in March 1999. Results from the first K2K runs confirm good initial performance: position resolution is estimated to be about 0.8 mm, and track finding efficiency is 98±2% for long tracks (i.e., those which intersect more than 5 fiber planes). The hit efficiency was estimated to be 92±2% using cosmic-ray muons, after noise reduction at the offline stage. The possibility of using the detector for particle identification is also discussed.

H. Park

Papers

Design, construction, and operation of SciFi tracking detector for K2K experiment