We present the first three-parameter fit to a 3+1 sterile neutrino model using 7.634 years of data from the IceCube Neutrino Observatory on νμ+ν‾μ charged-current interactions in the energy range 500–9976 GeV. Our analysis is sensitive to the mass-squared splitting between the heaviest and lightest mass state (Δm412), the mixing matrix element connecting muon flavor to the fourth mass state (|Uμ4|2), and the element connecting tau flavor to the fourth mass state (|Uτ4|2). Predicted propagation effects in matter enhance the signature through a resonance as atmospheric neutrinos from the Northern Hemisphere traverse the Earth to the IceCube detector at the South Pole. The remaining sterile neutrino matrix elements are left fixed, with |Ue4|2=0 and δ14=0, as they have a negligible effect, and δ24=π is set to give the most conservative limits. The result is consistent with the no-sterile neutrino hypothesis with a probability of 4.3%. Profiling the likelihood of each parameter yields the 90% confidence levels: 2.4eV2<Δm412<9.6eV2, 0.0081<|Uμ4|2<0.10, and |Uτ4|2<0.035, which narrows the allowed parameter-space for |Uτ4|2. However, the primary result of this analysis is the first map of the 3+1 parameter space exploring the interdependence of Δm412, |Uμ4|2, and |Uτ4|2.

中文翻译：

---

使用 IceCube 探索 eV 级无菌中微子的质量分裂和 μ 子/tau 混合参数


我们使用 IceCube 中微子天文台 7.634 年关于 500–9976 GeV 能量范围内 νμ+ν ̅ μ 带电相互作用的数据，提出了对 3+1 无菌中微子模型的第一个三参数拟合。我们的分析对最重和最轻质量态 （Δm412） 之间的质量平方分裂很敏感，混合基质元素将 μ 子风味与第四质量态 （|Uμ4|2） 和将 tau 风味与第四质量态联系起来的元素 （|Uτ4|2）。当来自北半球的大气中微子穿过地球到达南极的 IceCube 探测器时，预测的物质传播效应通过共振增强特征。剩余的无菌中微子基质元件保持固定，使用 |Ue4|2=0 和 δ14=0，因为它们的影响可以忽略不计，而 δ24=π 设置为给出最保守的限制。结果与非无菌中微子假说一致，概率为 4.3%。分析每个参数的可能性得到 90% 的置信水平：2.4eV2<Δm412<9.6eV2， 0.0081<|Uμ4|2<0.10 和 |Uτ4|2<0.035，这缩小了 |Uτ4|2.然而，该分析的主要结果是 3+1 参数空间的第一张映射，探索了 Δm412 的相互依赖性，|Uμ4|2 和 |Uτ4|2.