Spectral Measurement of the Electron Antineutrino Oscillation Amplitude and Frequency using 500 Live Days of RENO Data

Abstract

The Reactor Experiment for Neutrino Oscillation (RENO) has been taking electron antineutrino ($\overlineν_{e}$) data from the reactors in Yonggwang, Korea, using two identical detectors since August 2011. Using roughly 500 live days of data through January 2013 we observe 290,775 (31,514) reactor $\overlineν_{e}$ candidate events with 2.8 (4.9)% background in the near (far) detector. The observed visible positron spectra from the reactor $\overlineν_{e}$ events in both detectors show discrepancy around 5 MeV with regard to the prediction from the current reactor $\overlineν_{e}$ model. Based on a far-to-near ratio measurement using the spectral and rate information we have obtained $\sin^2 2 θ_{13} = 0.082 \pm 0.009({\rm stat.}) \pm 0.006({\rm syst.})$ and $|Δm_{ee}^2| =[2.62_{-0.23}^{+0.21}({\rm stat.})_{-0.13}^{+0.12}({\rm syst.})]\times 10^{-3}$eV$^2$.

24 pages, 30 figures. Submitted to PRD. Total detection efficiency change from 76.44% to 76.47%. Some modifications of text to improve readability and clarification of the paper