Improved search for muon-neutrino to electron-neutrino oscillations in MINOS

Abstract

We report the results of a search for $\nu_{e}$ appearance in a $\nu_{\mu}$ beam in the MINOS long-baseline neutrino experiment. With an improved analysis and an increased exposure of $8.2\times10^{20}$ protons on the NuMI target at Fermilab, we find that $2\sin^2(\theta_{23})\sin^2(2\theta_{13})<0.12\ (0.20)$ at 90% confidence level for $\delta\mathord{=}0$ and the normal (inverted) neutrino mass hierarchy, with a best fit of $2\sin^2(\theta_{23})\sin^2(2\theta_{13})\,\mathord{=}\,0.041^{+0.047}_{-0.031}\ (0.079^{+0.071}_{-0.053})$. The $\theta_{13}\mathord{=}0$ hypothesis is disfavored by the MINOS data at the 89% confidence level.