Status of the OPERA experiment

[摘要] The OPERA neutrino detector at the Gran Sasso underground laboratory (LNGS) has been designed to perform the first detection of neutrino oscillations in direct appearance mode, through the study of the νμ → ντ channel. Tau leptons produced in the charged current interactions are identified by their decay topologies, using nuclear emulsions. After a brief description of the experimental setup, the first two tau candidates found in the runs 2008 to 2010 are reported. The OPERA experiment has measured the velocity of neutrinos sent from the CERN CNGS beam over a baseline of about 730 km. The measurement is based on data taken from 2009 to 2011. An arrival time of CNGS muon neutrinos with respect to the one computed, assuming the speed of light in vacuum, of (6.5±7.4(stat)+3.4-3.3(sys)) ns was measured.

[发布机构] INFN, University of Padova, Italy^1

[效力级别] 力学 [学科分类] 力学，机械学

[关键词] Arrival time;Charged current;Decay topology;Muon neutrino;Neutrino detectors;Neutrino oscillations;Nuclear emulsions;Underground laboratory