A generalized self-veto probability for atmospheric neutrinos

TL;DR

This paper develops an approximate model for the probability that atmospheric neutrinos are vetoed in neutrino telescopes, aiding in distinguishing extraterrestrial signals from atmospheric background.

Contribution

It introduces a generalized self-veto probability calculation for atmospheric neutrinos based on energy and zenith angle.

Findings

Veto probability depends on neutrino energy and zenith angle.

The model helps improve background rejection in neutrino detection.

Facilitates better identification of extraterrestrial neutrinos.

Abstract

Neutrino telescopes such as IceCube search for an excess of high energy neutrinos above the steeply falling atmospheric background as one approach to finding extraterrestrial neutrinos. For samples of events selected to start in the detector, the atmospheric background can be reduced to the extent that a neutrino interaction inside the fiducial volume is accompanied by a detectable muon from the same cosmic-ray cascade in which the neutrino was produced. Here we provide an approximate calculation of the veto probability as a function of neutrino energy and zenith angle.