A low energy optimization of the CERN-NGS neutrino beam for a theta_{13} driven neutrino oscillation search

Abstract

The possibility to improve the CERN to Gran Sasso neutrino beam performances for theta_{13} searches is investigated. We show that by an appropriate optimization of the target and focusing optics of the present CNGS design, we can increase the flux of low energy neutrinos by about a factor 5 compared to the current tau optimized focalisation. With the ICARUS 2.35 kton detector at LNGS and in case of negative result, this would allow to improve the limit to sin^22 theta_{13} by an order of magnitude better than the current limit of CHOOZ at Delta m^2 approximately 3 times 10^{-3} eV^2 within 5 years of nominal CNGS running. This is by far the most sensitive setup of the currently approved long-baseline experiments and is competitive with the proposed JHF superbeam.

arXiv comment19 pages, 8 figures

References in corpus (5)

• Evidence for oscillation of atmospheric neutrinos
• Limits on Neutrino Oscillations from the CHOOZ Experiment
• The JHF-Kamioka neutrino project
• The ICARUS Experiment, A Second-Generation Proton Decay Experiment and Neutrino Observatory at the Gran Sasso Laboratory
• Proton driver optimization for new generation neutrino superbeams to search for sub-leading numu->nue oscillations (${\theta }_{13}$ angle)

Cited by in corpus (9)

• Progress in the physics of massive neutrinos
• Underground Neutrino Detectors for Particle and Astroparticle Science: the Giant Liquid Argon Charge Imaging ExpeRiment (GLACIER)
• Sensitivity to theta(13) of the CERN to Gran Sasso neutrino beam
• A new, very massive modular Liquid Argon Imaging Chamber to detect low energy off-axis neutrinos from the CNGS beam. (Project MODULAr)
• A CERN-based high-intensity high-energy proton source for long baseline neutrino oscillation experiments with next-generation large underground detectors for proton decay searches and neutrino physics and astrophysics
• Neutral currents and tests of three-neutrino unitarity in long-baseline experiments
• Neutrino oscillation physics at an upgraded CNGS with large next generation liquid Argon TPC detectors
• Proton driver optimization for new generation neutrino superbeams to search for sub-leading numu->nue oscillations (${\theta }_{13}$ angle)
• Measurement of three-family neutrino mixing and search for CP violation