Search for sterile neutrinos in MINOS and MINOS+ using a two-detector fit

Abstract

A search for mixing between active neutrinos and light sterile neutrinos has been performed by looking for muon neutrino disappearance in two detectors at baselines of 1.04 and 735 km, using a combined MINOS and MINOS+ exposure of 16.36 × 1020 protons on target. A simultaneous fit to the charged current muon neutrino and neutral-current neutrino energy spectra in the two detectors yields no evidence for sterile neutrino mixing using a 3 þ 1 model. The most stringent limit to date is set on the mixing parameter sin2 θ24 for most values of the sterile neutrino mass splitting Δm2 41 > 10−4 eV2.