Search for signatures of sterile neutrinos with Double Chooz

Abstract

Abstract We present a search for signatures of neutrino mixing of electron anti-neutrinos with additional hypothetical sterile neutrino flavors using the Double Chooz experiment. The search is based on data from 5 years of operation of Double Chooz, including 2 years in the two-detector configuration. The analysis is based on a profile likelihood, i.e. comparing the data to the model prediction of disappearance in a data-to-data comparison of the two respective detectors. The analysis is optimized for a model of three active and one sterile neutrino. It is sensitive in the typical mass range $${5 \times 10^{-3}}\,\mathrm{eV}^2 \lesssim \varDelta m^2_{41} \lesssim {3 \times 10^{-1}}\,\mathrm{eV}^2 $$ 5 × 10 - 3 eV 2 ≲ Δ m 41 2 ≲ 3 × 10 - 1 eV 2 for mixing angles down to $$\sin ^2 2\theta _{14} \gtrsim {0.02} $$ sin 2 2 θ 14 ≳ 0.02 . No significant disappearance additionally to the conventional disappearance related to $$\theta _{13} $$ θ 13 is observed and correspondingly exclusion bounds on the sterile mixing parameter $$\theta _{14} $$ θ 14 as a function of $$ \varDelta m^2_{41} $$ Δ m 41 2 are obtained.