First Constraints on Long-Range Neutrino Interactions using IceCube DeepCore

TL;DR

This paper reports the first search for flavor-dependent long-range neutrino interactions using 8 years of IceCube DeepCore data, setting new constraints on ultra-light gauge boson couplings that could affect neutrino oscillations.

Contribution

It provides the first experimental constraints on long-range neutrino interactions mediated by ultra-light gauge bosons using atmospheric neutrino data.

Findings

Placed world-leading constraints on coupling strength of long-range neutrino interactions.

Demonstrated that such interactions could modify neutrino oscillation probabilities.

Used 8 years of IceCube DeepCore atmospheric neutrino data for analysis.

Abstract

We present the first search for new flavor-dependent long-range interactions (LRI) of neutrinos using publicly available 8 years of high-purity $\nu_\mu$ CC data from IceCube DeepCore. These interactions are mediated by ultra-light gauge bosons with masses below $10^{-10}$ eV, which can arise due to a new lepton-number gauge symmetry, such as $L_e - L_\mu$ or $L_e - L_\tau$. These long-range interactions induce matter potential between neutrinos and abundant electrons present in distant astrophysical sources. These LRI potentials could modify neutrino oscillation probabilities. By probing the effects of LRI on atmospheric neutrino oscillations at IceCube DeepCore, we place world-leading constraints on the coupling strength of these interactions.