On the tension between the latest NO $$\nu $$ ν A and T2K data

Abstract

Abstract The latest data from the T2K and NO $$\nu $$ ν A experiments show a tension in their preferred values of the oscillation parameters. In this work, we try to identify the source of the tension between the data from these two experiments. An analysis of their data from various channels (individually, and combined) shows that the tension arises primarily from the $$\nu _e$$ ν e appearance data, and is compounded by the $$\bar{\nu }_\mu $$ ν ¯ μ disappearance data. We provide an explanation for the tension based on parameter degeneracies. Apart from the analysis with the standard matter effect, we also analyse the data with the vacuum oscillation hypothesis. We find that vacuum oscillations fit the data as well as matter effects do; and also reduce the tension between the two experiments. We have also done a study of the future run of NO $$\nu $$ ν A, T2K and DUNE in the context of establishing this tension with higher statistical significance.