Research Papers in Physics and Astronomy
Title
Upper Limit on the Diffuse Flux of Ultrahigh Energy Tau Neutrinos from the Pierre Auger Observatory
Date of this Version
May 2008
Abstract
The surface detector array of the Pierre Auger Observatory is sensitive to Earth-skimming tau neutrinos that interact in Earth’s crust. Tau leptons from ντ charged-current interactions can emerge and decay in the atmosphere to produce a nearly horizontal shower with a significant electromagnetic component. The data collected between 1 January 2004 and 31 August 2007 are used to place an upper limit on the diffuse flux of ντ at EeV energies. Assuming an Eν-2 differential energy spectrum the limit set at 90% C.L. is Eν-2dNντ/dEν<1.3 x 10-7 GeV cm-2s-1sr-1 in the energy range 2 x 1017 eV< Eν < 2 x 10M19 eV.
Comments
Published by American Physical Society. Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 211101 (2008). http://prl.aps.org. Copyright © 2008 American Physical Society. Permission to use.