Sensitivity to the Neutrino Mass Hierarchy

Abstract

In the next decade, a number of experiments will attempt to determine the neutrino mass hierarchy. Feasibility studies for such experiments generally determine the expected value of Delta chi^2. As the hierarchy is a discrete choice, Delta chi^2 does not obey a one degree of freedom chi^2 distribution and so the number of sigmas of confidence of the hierarchy determination is not the square root of the expected Delta chi^2. We present a simple formula for the sensitivity to the hierarchy that can be expected from the median experiment as a function of the expected Delta chi^2.

8 pages, 5 eps figures, v4 include both one-sided and two-sided Gaussian conversion

Cited by in corpus (28)

• Neutrino Physics with JUNO
• Letter of Intent for KM3NeT 2.0
• Global constraints on absolute neutrino masses and their ordering
• Quantifying the sensitivity of oscillation experiments to the neutrino mass ordering
• Precise measurement of $2\nu \beta \beta$ decay of ${}^{100}$Mo with the CUPID-Mo detection technology
• Determination of the neutrino mass ordering by combining PINGU and Daya Bay II
• Sensitivities and synergies of DUNE and T2HK
• On the direct detection of multi-component dark matter: sensitivity studies and parameter estimation
• Prospects for Measurement of the Neutrino Mass Hierarchy
• Signatures of a Light Sterile Neutrino in T2HK
• Development of an analysis to probe the neutrino mass ordering with atmospheric neutrinos using three years of IceCube DeepCore data
• Advantages of Multiple Detectors for the Neutrino Mass Hierarchy Determination at Reactor Experiments
• Synergies between neutrino oscillation experiments: An `adequate' configuration for LBNO
• Matter effects at the T2HK and T2HKK experiments
• Physics Reach of Atmospheric Neutrino Measurements at PINGU
• A hybrid setup for fundamental unknowns in neutrino oscillations using T2HK ($\nu$) and $\mu$-DAR ($\bar{\nu }$)
• Combined sensitivity of JUNO and KM3NeT/ORCA to the neutrino mass ordering
• A Novel Approach to Study Atmospheric Neutrino Oscillation
• Long-baseline neutrino oscillation physics potential of the DUNE experiment
• Determination of the neutrino mass hierarchy with a new statistical method
• Probing neutrino decay scenarios by using the Earth matter effects on supernova neutrinos
• Demonstrating the ability of IceCube DeepCore to probe Earth's interior with atmospheric neutrino oscillations
• Establishing Earth's Matter Effect in Atmospheric Neutrino Oscillations at IceCube DeepCore
• Extracting Mass Hierarchy Information from Simple Analysis of Neutrino Mass Splitting
• Exploring Layered Structure Inside Earth Using Atmospheric Neutrino Oscillation at IceCube DeepCore
• JUNO's prospects for determining the neutrino mass ordering
• The next challenge for neutrinos: the mass ordering
• Statistical Issues on the Neutrino Mass Hierarchy with $\Delta {\chi }^2$