Low energy atmospheric muon neutrinos in MACRO

Abstract We present the measurement of two event samples induced by atmospheric ν μ of average energy E ν ∼4 GeV. In the first sample, a neutrino interacts inside the MACRO detector producing an upward-going muon leaving the apparatus. The ratio of the number of observed to expected events is 0.57±0.05 stat ±0.06 syst ±0.14 theor with an angular distribution similar to that expected from the Bartol atmospheric neutrino flux. The second is a mixed sample of internally produced downward-going muons and externally produced upward-going muons stopping inside the detector. These two subsamples are selected by topological criteria; the lack of timing information makes it impossible to distinguish stopping from downgoing muons. The ratio of the number of observed to expected events is 0.71±0.05 stat ±0.07 syst ±0.18 theor . The observed deficits in each subsample is in agreement with neutrino oscillations, although the significance is reduced by the large theoretical errors. However, the ratio of the two samples causes a large cancellation of theoretical and of some systematic errors. With the ratio, we rule out the no-oscillation hypothesis at 95% c.l. Furthermore, the ratio tests the pathlength dependence of possible oscillations. The data of both samples and their ratio favor maximal mixing and Δm 2 ∼10 −3 –10 −2 eV 2 . These parameters are in agreement with our results from upward throughgoing muons, induced by ν μ of much higher energies.