skip to main content
US FlagAn official website of the United States government
dot gov icon
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
https lock icon
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Search for: All records

Creators/Authors contains: "Fox, Kyle"

Note: When clicking on a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) number, you will be taken to an external site maintained by the publisher. Some full text articles may not yet be available without a charge during the embargo (administrative interval).
What is a DOI Number?

Some links on this page may take you to non-federal websites. Their policies may differ from this site.

  1. A search for proton decay into e + / μ + and a η meson has been performed using data from a 0.373 Mton · year exposure (6050.3 live days) of Super-Kamiokande. Compared to previous searches this work introduces an improved model of the intranuclear η interaction cross section, resulting in a factor of 2 reduction in uncertainties from this source and 10 % increase in signal efficiency. No significant data excess was found above the expected number of atmospheric neutrino background events resulting in no indication of proton decay into either mode. Lower limits on the proton partial lifetime of 1.4 × 10 34 years for p e + η and 7.3 × 10 33 years for p μ + η at the 90% CL were set. These limits are around 1.5 times longer than our previous study and are the most stringent to date. Published by the American Physical Society2024 
    more » « less
    Free, publicly-accessible full text available December 1, 2025
  2. We present the results of the charge ratio ( R ) and polarization ( P 0 μ ) measurements using decay electron events collected between September 2008 and June 2022 with the Super-Kamiokande detector. Because of its underground location and long operation, we are able to perform high-precision measurements by accumulating cosmic-ray muons. We measured the muon charge ratio to be R = 1.32 ± 0.02 ( stat + syst ) at E μ cos θ Zenith = 0.7 0.2 + 0.3 TeV , where E μ is the muon energy and θ Zenith is the zenith angle of incoming cosmic-ray muons. This result is consistent with the Honda flux model while indicating a tension with the π K model of 1.9 σ . We also measured the muon polarization at the production location to be P 0 μ = 0.52 ± 0.02 ( stat + syst ) at the muon momentum of 0.9 0.1 + 0.6 TeV / c at the surface of the mountain; this also suggests a tension with the Honda flux model of 1.5 σ . This is the most precise measurement ever to experimentally determine the cosmic-ray muon polarization near 1 TeV / c . These measurement results are useful to improve atmospheric neutrino simulations. Published by the American Physical Society2024 
    more » « less
  3. The Super-Kamiokande and T2K Collaborations present a joint measurement of neutrino oscillation parameters from their atmospheric and beam neutrino data. It uses a common interaction model for events overlapping in neutrino energy and correlated detector systematic uncertainties between the two datasets, which are found to be compatible. Using 3244.4 days of atmospheric data and a beam exposure of 19.7 ( 16.3 ) × 10 20 protons on target in (anti)neutrino mode, the analysis finds a 1.9 σ exclusion of C P conservation (defined as J C P = 0 ) and a 1.2 σ exclusion of the inverted mass ordering. Published by the American Physical Society2025 
    more » « less
    Free, publicly-accessible full text available January 1, 2026
  4. Abstract Neutrinos from very nearby supernovae, such as Betelgeuse, are expected to generate more than ten million events over 10 s in Super-Kamokande (SK). At such large event rates, the buffers of the SK analog-to-digital conversion board (QBEE) will overflow, causing random loss of data that are critical for understanding the dynamics of the supernova explosion mechanism. In order to solve this problem, two new data-acquisition (DAQ) modules were developed to aid in the observation of very nearby supernovae. The first of these, the SN module, is designed to save only the number of hit photomultiplier tubes during a supernova burst and the second, the Veto module, prescales the high-rate neutrino events to prevent the QBEE from overflowing based on information from the SN module. In the event of a very nearby supernova, these modules allow SK to reconstruct the time evolution of the neutrino event rate from beginning to end using both QBEE and SN module data. This paper presents the development and testing of these modules together with an analysis of supernova-like data generated with a flashing laser diode. We demonstrate that the Veto module successfully prevents DAQ overflows for Betelgeuse-like supernovae as well as the long-term stability of the new modules. During normal running the Veto module is found to issue DAQ vetos a few times per month resulting in a total dead-time less than 1 ms, and does not influence ordinary operations. Additionally, using simulation data we find that supernovae closer than 800 pc will trigger the Veto module, resulting in a prescaling of the observed neutrino data. 
    more » « less
  5. Abstract Preceding a core-collapse supernova (CCSN), various processes produce an increasing amount of neutrinos of all flavors characterized by mounting energies from the interior of massive stars. Among them, the electron antineutrinos are potentially detectable by terrestrial neutrino experiments such as KamLAND and Super-Kamiokande (SK) via inverse beta decay interactions. Once these pre-supernova (pre-SN) neutrinos are observed, an early warning of the upcoming CCSN can be provided. In light of this, KamLAND and SK, both located in the Kamioka mine in Japan, have been monitoring pre-SN neutrinos since 2015 and 2021, respectively. Recently, we performed a joint study between KamLAND and SK on pre-SN neutrino detection. A pre-SN alert system combining the KamLAND detector and the SK detector was developed and put into operation, which can provide a supernova alert to the astrophysics community. Fully leveraging the complementary properties of these two detectors, the combined alert is expected to resolve a pre-SN neutrino signal from a 15Mstar within 510 pc of the Earth at a significance level corresponding to a false alarm rate of no more than 1 per century. For a Betelgeuse-like model with optimistic parameters, it can provide early warnings up to 12 hr in advance. 
    more » « less
  6. Abstract A search for leptoquark pair production decaying into$$te^- \bar{t}e^+$$ t e - t ¯ e + or$$t\mu ^- \bar{t}\mu ^+$$ t μ - t ¯ μ + in final states with multiple leptons is presented. The search is based on a dataset ofppcollisions at$$\sqrt{s}=13~\text {TeV} $$ s = 13 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector during Run 2 of the Large Hadron Collider, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb$$^{-1}$$ - 1 . Four signal regions, with the requirement of at least three light leptons (electron or muon) and at least two jets out of which at least one jet is identified as coming from ab-hadron, are considered based on the number of leptons of a given flavour. The main background processes are estimated using dedicated control regions in a simultaneous fit with the signal regions to data. No excess above the Standard Model background prediction is observed and 95% confidence level limits on the production cross section times branching ratio are derived as a function of the leptoquark mass. Under the assumption of exclusive decays into$$te^{-}$$ t e - ($$t\mu ^{-}$$ t μ - ), the corresponding lower limit on the scalar mixed-generation leptoquark mass$$m_{\textrm{LQ}_{\textrm{mix}}^{\textrm{d}}}$$ m LQ mix d is at 1.58 (1.59) TeV and on the vector leptoquark mass$$m_{{\tilde{U}}_1}$$ m U ~ 1 at 1.67 (1.67) TeV in the minimal coupling scenario and at 1.95 (1.95) TeV in the Yang–Mills scenario. 
    more » « less
  7. A search for high-mass resonances decaying into a τ -lepton and a neutrino using proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of s = 13 TeV is presented. The full run 2 data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb 1 recorded by the ATLAS experiment in the years 2015–2018 is analyzed. The τ -lepton is reconstructed in its hadronic decay modes and the total transverse momentum carried out by neutrinos is inferred from the reconstructed missing transverse momentum. The search for new physics is performed on the transverse mass between the τ -lepton and the missing transverse momentum. No excess of events above the Standard Model expectation is observed and upper exclusion limits are set on the W τ ν production cross section. Heavy W vector bosons with masses up to 5.0 TeV are excluded at 95% confidence level, assuming that they have the same couplings as the Standard Model W boson. For nonuniversal couplings, W bosons are excluded for masses less than 3.5–5.0 TeV, depending on the model parameters. In addition, model-independent limits on the visible cross section times branching ratio are determined as a function of the lower threshold on the transverse mass of the τ -lepton and missing transverse momentum. © 2024 CERN, for the ATLAS Collaboration2024CERN 
    more » « less
  8. Abstract The ATLAS detector is installed in its experimental cavern at Point 1 of the CERN Large Hadron Collider. During Run 2 of the LHC, a luminosity of  ℒ = 2 × 1034cm-2s-1was routinely achieved at the start of fills, twice the design luminosity. For Run 3, accelerator improvements, notably luminosity levelling, allow sustained running at an instantaneous luminosity of  ℒ = 2 × 1034cm-2s-1, with an average of up to 60 interactions per bunch crossing. The ATLAS detector has been upgraded to recover Run 1 single-lepton trigger thresholds while operating comfortably under Run 3 sustained pileup conditions. A fourth pixel layer 3.3 cm from the beam axis was added before Run 2 to improve vertex reconstruction and b-tagging performance. New Liquid Argon Calorimeter digital trigger electronics, with corresponding upgrades to the Trigger and Data Acquisition system, take advantage of a factor of 10 finer granularity to improve triggering on electrons, photons, taus, and hadronic signatures through increased pileup rejection. The inner muon endcap wheels were replaced by New Small Wheels with Micromegas and small-strip Thin Gap Chamber detectors, providing both precision tracking and Level-1 Muon trigger functionality. Trigger coverage of the inner barrel muon layer near one endcap region was augmented with modules integrating new thin-gap resistive plate chambers and smaller-diameter drift-tube chambers. Tile Calorimeter scintillation counters were added to improve electron energy resolution and background rejection. Upgrades to Minimum Bias Trigger Scintillators and Forward Detectors improve luminosity monitoring and enable total proton-proton cross section, diffractive physics, and heavy ion measurements. These upgrades are all compatible with operation in the much harsher environment anticipated after the High-Luminosity upgrade of the LHC and are the first steps towards preparing ATLAS for the High-Luminosity upgrade of the LHC. This paper describes the Run 3 configuration of the ATLAS detector. 
    more » « less
  9. A<sc>bstract</sc> A search for supersymmetry targeting the direct production of winos and higgsinos is conducted in final states with either two leptons (eorμ) with the same electric charge, or three leptons. The analysis uses 139 fb−1ofppcollision data at$$ \sqrt{s} $$ s = 13 TeV collected with the ATLAS detector during Run 2 of the Large Hadron Collider. No significant excess over the Standard Model expectation is observed. Simplified and complete models with and withoutR-parity conservation are considered. In topologies with intermediate states including eitherWhorWZpairs, wino masses up to 525 GeV and 250 GeV are excluded, respectively, for a bino of vanishing mass. Higgsino masses smaller than 440 GeV are excluded in a naturalR-parity-violating model with bilinear terms. Upper limits on the production cross section of generic events beyond the Standard Model as low as 40 ab are obtained in signal regions optimised for these models and also for anR-parity-violating scenario with baryon-number-violating higgsino decays into top quarks and jets. The analysis significantly improves sensitivity to supersymmetric models and other processes beyond the Standard Model that may contribute to the considered final states. 
    more » « less