Publications [#327012] of Kate Scholberg

Papers Published
  1. Abe, K; others, , Search for proton decay via $p \to e^+π^0$ and $p \to μ^+π^0$ in 0.31 megaton·years exposure of the Super-Kamiokande water Cherenkov detector, Phys. Rev., vol. D95 no. 1 (2017), pp. 012004-012004, American Physical Society (APS) [doi] .

    Abstract:
    We have searched for proton decay via p→e+π0 and p→μ+π0 using Super-Kamiokande data from April 1996 to March 2015, 0.306 megaton·years exposure in total. The atmospheric neutrino background rate in Super-Kamiokande IV is reduced to almost half that of phase I-III by tagging neutrons associated with neutrino interactions. The reach of the proton lifetime is further enhanced by introducing new signal criteria that select the decay of a proton in a hydrogen atom. No candidates were seen in the p→e+π0 search. Two candidates that passed all of the selection criteria for p→μ+π0 have been observed, but these are consistent with the expected number of background events of 0.87. Lower limits on the proton lifetime are set at τ/B(p→e+π0)>1.6×1034 years and τ/B(p→μ+π0)>7.7×1033 years at 90% confidence level.

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