Combining $\nu_e$ Appearance and $\nu_\mu$ Disappearance Channels in Light Sterile Neutrino Oscillation Searches at Fermilab's Short-Baseline Neutrino Facility

Abstract

Of late, a number of instances of neutrino flux anomalies observed at short-baselines have given traction to the hypothesis of adding new neutrino flavours to our Standard Model set, albeit ones not associated with a partnered lepton. Anomalies observed at LSND, MiniBooNE and at short distances from nuclear reactors have suggested the existence of sterile mass states with masses on the scale of $\sim1\text{eV}$, prompting further investigations. Subsequently, Fermilab is set to host a Short-Baseline Neutrino (SBN) oscillation program which will cross-check each of these anomalies by deploying three state-of-the-art liquid argon detectors along the Booster Neutrino Beamline. Through an event-by-event Monte Carlo simulation study, this document presents short-baseline oscillation sensitivity predictions for SBN on a purely statistical basis in the scope of a 3+1 sterile neutrino model approximated with a two flavour mixing basis. As a world's first, sensitivities in parameter space to 3+1 mixing angles $\theta_{14}$ and $\theta_{24}$ are presented, in addition to the sensitivities gained by combining $\nu_\mu$ disappearance and $\nu_e$ appearance channel data. Provided also are energy spectra and 3+1 oscillation parameter sensitivity predictions for these two individual channels. The results agreed with parameter space sensitivity predictions already conceived by Fermilab to a satisfactory degree.