Probing the neutrino mass ordering with KM3NeT-ORCA: analysis and perspectives. (9th January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Capozzi, Francesco; Lisi, Eligio; Marrone, Antonio
• Is Part Of: Journal of physics. Volume 45:Number 2(2018:Feb.)
• Publication Date: 2018-01-09
• Subjects: neutrino oscillations -- atmospheric neutrinos -- neutrino masses; Nuclear physics -- Periodicals; Particles (Nuclear physics) -- Periodicals; Physique nucléaire -- Périodiques; Particules (Physique nucléaire) -- Périodiques; Kernfysica; Elementaire deeltjes; 539.7
• DOI: 10.1088/1361-6471/aa9503
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0954-3899

Abstract

Abstract: The discrimination of the two possible options for the neutrino mass ordering (normal or inverted) is a major goal for current and future neutrino oscillation experiments. Such a goal might be reached by observing high-statistics energy-angle spectra of events induced by atmospheric neutrinos and antineutrinos propagating in the Earth matter. Large volume water-Cherenkov detectors envisaged to this purpose include the so-called KM3NeT-ORCA project (in seawater) and the IceCube-PINGU project (in ice). Building upon a previous work focused on PINGU, we study in detail the effects of various systematic uncertainties on the ORCA sensitivity to the mass ordering, for the reference configuration with 9 m vertical spacing. We point out the need to control spectral shape uncertainties at the percent level, the effects of better priors on the θ 23 mixing parameter, and the benefits of an improved flavor identification in reconstructed ORCA events.