Search for Sterile Neutrinos in MINOS and MINOS+ Using a Two-Detector Fit

Abstract

A search for mixing between active neutrinos and light sterile neutrinos has been performed by looking for muon neutrino disappearance in two detectors at baselines of 1.04 and 735 km, using a combined MINOS and MINOS+ exposure of 16.36 x 10$^{20}$ protons on target. A simultaneous fit to the charged-current muon neutrino and neutral-current neutrino energy spectra in the two detectors yields no evidence for sterile neutrino mixing using a 3 + 1model. The most stringent limit to date is set on the mixing parameter sin$^2$$\theta$$_{24}$ for most values of the sterile neutrino mass splitting $\Delta$ $m^2_{41}$ > 10$^{-4}$eV$^2$.