Study of Neutrino Oscillations

该提案包括两个独立但相关的活动：继续支持主注入器中微子振荡搜索（MINOS）实验的运行和数据分析阶段，以及支持与NuMI离轴电子中微子外观（NOvA）实验启动相关的各种活动。科学目标是验证超神冈实验最初观测到的作为μ子中微子消失主要来源的振荡机制，精确测量中微子振荡参数，寻找μ子中微子到电子中微子的亚主导振荡模式。NOvA是这十年来唯一一个可能解决中微子质量层次问题的实验。该小组在明尼苏达州北部苏丹的MINOS试验场开展了广泛的外展计划，并计划将这一活动扩展到NOvA试验场。

This proposal entails two separate but related activities: continuing support for the running and data analysis phases of the Main Injector Neutrino Oscillation Search (MINOS) experiment and support for various activities connected with the initiation of the NuMI Off-axis electon Neutrino Appearance (NOvA) experiment. The scientific goals are verification of oscillation mechanism as the main source of muon neutrino disappearance observed conclusively initially in the SuperKamiokande experiment, precise measurement of neutrino oscillation parameters, and search for the muon neutrino to electron neutrino subdominant oscillation mode. NOvA is the only experiment in this decade which might be able to address the issue of the neutrino mass hierarchy. The group conducts an extensive outreach program at the experimental site for MINOS, at Soudan in northern Minnesota, and is making plans to extend this activity to the NOvA experimental site.