Search

A search for $\bar\nu_{\mu}\to \bar\nu_{e}$ oscillations has been conducted at the Los Alamos Meson Physics Facility by using $\bar\nu_\mu$ from $\mu^+$ decay at rest. The $\bar\nu_e$ are detected via the reaction $\bar\nu_e\,p \rightarrow e^{+}\,n$, correlated with a $\gamma$ from $np\rightarrow d\gamma$ ($2.2\,{\rm MeV}$). The use of tight cuts to identify $e^+$ events with correlated $\gamma$ rays yields 22 events with $e^+$ energy between 36 and $60\,{\rm MeV}$ and only $4.6 \pm 0.6$ background events. A fit to the $e^+$ events between 20 and $60\,{\rm MeV}$ yields a total excess of $51.8^{+18.7}_{-16.9} \pm 8.0$ events. If attributed to $\bar \nu_\mu \rightarrow \bar \nu_e$ oscillations, this corresponds to an oscillation probability of ($0.31^{+0.11}_{-0.10} \pm 0.05$)\%., Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, revtex, psfig. additional information available at http://nu1.lampf.lanl.gov/~lsnd/

A search for nu_bar_mu to nu_bar_e oscillations has been conducted at the Los Alamos Meson Physics Facility using nu_bar_mu from mu+ decay at rest. The nu_bar_e are detected via the reaction (nu_bar_e,p) -> (e+,n), correlated with the 2.2 MeV gamma from (n,p) -> (d,gamma). The use of tight cuts to identify e+ events with correlated gamma rays yields 22 events with e+ energy between 36 and 60 MeV and only 4.6 (+/- 0.6) background events. The probability that this excess is due entirely to a statistical fluctuation is 4.1E-08. A chi^2 fit to the entire e+ sample results in a total excess of 51.8 (+18.7) (-16.9) (+/- 8.0) events with e+ energy between 20 and 60 MeV. If attributed to nu_bar_mu -> nu_bar_e oscillations, this corresponds to an oscillation probability (averaged over the experimental energy and spatial acceptance) of 0.0031 (+0.0011) (-0.0010) (+/- 0.0005)., Comment: 57 pages, 34 figures, revtex, additional information available at http://nu1.lampf.lanl.gov/~lsnd/

A search for $\nuebar$'s in excess of the number expected from conventional sources has been made using the Liquid Scintillator Neutrino Detector, located 30 m from a proton beam dump at LAMPF. A $\nuebar$ signal was detected via the reaction $\nuebar\,p \rightarrow e^{+}\,n$ with $e^+$ energy between 36 and $60\mev$, followed by a $\gamma$ from $np\rightarrow d\gamma$ ($2.2\mev$). Using strict cuts to identify $\gamma$'s correlated with positrons results in a signal of 9 events, with an expected background of $2.1 \pm 0.3$. A likelihood fit to the entire $e^+$ sample yields a total excess of $16.4^{+9.7}_{-8.9}\pm 3.3$ events, where the second uncertainty is systematic. If this excess is attributed to neutrino oscillations of the type $\numubar\rightarrow\nuebar$, it corresponds to an oscillation probability of ($0.34^{+0.20}_{-0.18}\pm 0.07$)\%., Comment: 3 PS figures; corrected TeX file (April 21, 1995)