Discriminating between nu_mu <-> nu_tau and nu_mu <-> nu_sterile in atmospheric nu_mu oscillations with the Super-Kamiokande detector

A. Habig, for the Super-Kamiokande Collaboration

Published 2001-06-05Version 1

A strong body of evidence now exists for atmospheric nu_mu disappearance oscillations. Such disappearance could be explained by oscillations to either nu_tau or a ``sterile'' neutrino (nu_s). Super-Kamiokande uses three different methods to distinguish between these two scenarios. First, matter effects would suppress the nu_mu <-> nu_s oscillation amplitude at high energy. Second, oscillation to nu_s would reduce the overall neutral-current neutrino interaction rate. Third, the smoking gun of nu_mu <-> nu_tau oscillations would be the observation of tau appearance resulting from charged-current nu_tau interactions. The results of these three techniques are presented, which strongly favor nu_mu <-> nu_tau oscillations over nu_mu <-> nu_s.