The NuMI Neutrino Flux Prediction at ICARUS

Abstract

DUNE is a next-generation long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment seeking to probe fundamental symmetries within the structure of the PMNS mixing matrix, and perform precision measurements its parameters including the neutrino mass ordering via the sign of $Δm^2_{31}$, and the charge-parity violating phase, $δ_{CP}$. To make these measurements with high precision, DUNE will require external $ν$-Ar scattering cross section data as a crucial input to the oscillation fit. ICARUS is a 476 t liquid argon neutrino detector located at FNAL where it is serving as the far detector for the SBN program along the BNB axis. ICARUS additionally lies 795 m downstream and 100.1 mrad off-axis of the NuMI neutrino beam. From this position, ICARUS is exposed to a large flux of NuMI (anti-)electron and (anti-)muon neutrinos, and poses a unique opportunity to provide high-statistics measurements of quasi-elastic and single pion-production cross sections for four neutrino flavors ($ν_μ$, $ν_e$, $\barν_μ$, $\barν_e$). This dissertation focused on the model of the NuMI beamline and its impact on the neutrino fluxes, but also delved into the detector response model and its impact on reconstructed observables in the detector. In particular, the NuMI flux was determined to be composed of 57% $ν_μ$, 38% $\barν_μ$, 3% $ν_e$, and 2% $\barν_e$ while the horns are operating in the positive-particle focusing configuration. The total uncertainty on the $ν_μ+ \barν_μ$ ($ν_e + \barν_e$) flux while operating in the forward horn operating mode was determined to be 10.84% (9.04%). Compared to the on-axis flux, mesons that eventually decay to neutrinos frequently reinteract within the NuMI structure, resulting in elevated uncertainty as these processes are not well-constrained by existing hadron interaction cross section measurements.