Searching for pseudo-dirac neutrinos from astrophysical sources in IceCube data

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Abstract

We analyze IceCube public data from its IC86 configuration, namely PSTracks event selection, to search for pseudo-Dirac signatures in high-energy neutrinos from astrophysical sources. Neutrino flux from astrophysical sources is reduced in the pseudo-Dirac scenario due to the conversion of active-to-sterile neutrinos as compared to the neutrino oscillation scenario of only three active neutrinos over astrophysical distances. We fit IceCube data using astrophysical flux models for four point-like sources in both scenarios and constrain the active-sterile mass-square-difference in the absence of any evidence for the pseudo-Dirac scenario. We present the exclusion regions for the common mass-squared difference δm2, inducing active-sterile oscillations, for all three neutrino flavors. This includes results from individual sources as well as from a stacking analysis that combines data from the four sources. Our findings indicate that the exclusion region is δm2∈[2.1×10-21-2.0×10-16] eV2 with ≥90% confidence level (CL) significance for neutrino energies ranging from 0.5 TeV to 1 PeV. When we extend the energy range down to 0.1 TeV, the exclusion region broadens to δm2∈[1.1×10-21-3.0×10-16] eV2 at ≥90% CL.

Original languageEnglish
Article number1481
JournalEuropean Physical Journal C
Volume85
Issue number12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2025

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Engineering (miscellaneous)
  • Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous)

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