Speaker
Tao Zhou
(Texas A&M University)
Description
Decaying sterile neutrino can mimic $\nu_\mu \to \nu_e$ oscillation signals at neutrino experiments. We revisit this possibility as a solution to the MiniBooNE and LSND puzzles in view of new data from MicroBooNE. Using MicroBooNE's search for an excess of $\nu_e$ in the Booster beam, we derive new limits in the parameter space of models where the sterile neutrino decays via mixing or higher-dimensional operators. In order to contextualize these limits, we also provide a comprehensive fit to the MiniBooNE neutrino and antineutrino data, including appearance and disappearance channels. We find that MicroBooNE excludes a large portion of the MiniBooNE-preferred parameter space at more than 95% C.L.
