Probing NSI in Atmospheric Neutrino Experiments using Oscillation Dip and Valley

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel method to detect non-standard neutrino interactions by analyzing oscillation features in atmospheric neutrino data, demonstrating potential constraints on interaction parameters with upcoming detectors.

Contribution

The study proposes using oscillation dip and valley shifts in atmospheric neutrino experiments to probe NSI parameters, incorporating realistic uncertainties and detector capabilities.

Findings

Potential to constrain |5555| to about 2% at 90% C.L.

Oscillation dip shifts indicate presence of NSI parameter 5555; valley bending enhances sensitivity.

Charge identification in ICAL improves NSI detection accuracy.

Abstract

We propose a new approach to probe neutral-current non-standard neutrino interaction parameter $\varepsilon_{\mu\tau}$ using the oscillation dip and oscillation valley. Using the simulated ratio of upward-going and downward-going reconstructed muon events at the upcoming ICAL detector, we demonstrate that the presence of non-zero $\varepsilon_{\mu\tau}$ would result in the shift in the dip location as well as the bending of the oscillation valley. Thanks to the charge identification capability of ICAL, the opposite shifts in the locations of oscillation dips as well as the contrast in the curvatures of oscillation valleys for $\mu^-$ and $\mu^+$ is used to constrain $|\varepsilon_{\mu\tau}|$ at 90% C.L. to about 2% using 500 kt$\cdot$yr exposure. Our procedure incorporates statistical fluctuations, uncertainties in oscillation parameters, and systematic errors.