Using L/E Oscillation Probability Distributions

TL;DR

This paper discusses how $L/E$ oscillation probability distributions can be used to compare experimental neutrino data with oscillation models, providing qualitative insights and methodological guidance, including corrections to previous analyses.

Contribution

It introduces a method for using $L/E$ distributions for model comparison and clarifies the calculation and interpretation of these distributions, including corrections to prior work.

Findings

Provides $L/E$ data points for MiniBooNE

Shows $L/E$ distributions offer qualitative model agreement insights

Corrects previous analysis by ICARUS

Abstract

This paper explores the use of $L/E$ oscillation probability distributions to compare experimental measurements and to evaluate oscillation models. In this case, $L$ is the distance of neutrino travel and $E$ is a measure of the interacting neutrino's energy. While comparisons using allowed and excluded regions for oscillation model parameters are likely the only rigorous method for these comparisons, the $L/E$ distributions are shown to give qualitative information on the agreement of an experiment's data with a simple two-neutrino oscillation model. In more detail, this paper also outlines how the $L/E$ distributions can be best calculated and used for model comparisons. Specifically, the paper presents the $L/E$ data points for the final MiniBooNE data samples and, in the Appendix, explains and corrects the mistaken analysis published by the ICARUS collaboration.