Upper limit on the diffuse flux of UHE tau neutrinos from the Pierre Auger Observatory

Abstract

The surface detector array of the Pierre Auger Observatory is sensitive to Earth-skimming tau-neutrinos $ν_τ$ that interact in the Earth's crust. Tau leptons from $ν_τ$ charged-current interactions can emerge and decay in the atmosphere to produce a nearly horizontal shower with a significant electromagnetic component. The data collected between 1 January 2004 and 31 August 2007 is used to place an upper limit on the diffuse flux of $ν_τ$ at EeV energies. Assuming an $E_ν^{-2}$ differential energy spectrum the limit set at 90 % C.L. is $E_ν^{2} \mathrm{d}N_{ν_τ}/\mathrm{d}E_ν < 1.3 \times 10^{-7}$ GeV cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$ sr$^{-1}$ in the energy range $2\times10^{17} \mathrm{eV} < E_ν< 2\times10^{19}$ eV.

14 pages, 3 figures