Search for active-sterile neutrino transitions using Pierre Auger Observatory data
We investigate the sensitivity of the Pierre Auger Observatory to physics beyond the Standard Model arising from magnetic-moment-induced transitions between active and heavy sterile neutrinos. Such dipole portal interactions can enhance neutrino-nucleon cross sections above a kinematic threshold set by the sterile neutrino mass, leading to observable modifications of neutrino detection rates at ultrahigh energies (UHE). We estimate the impact of these interactions on both down-going and Earth-skimming neutrino detection channels, the contrasting responses of which enable discrimination between an enhanced neutrino flux and a modified interaction cross section. Using the non-observation of UHE neutrino candidates, we derive neutrino-flux-dependent constraints with 90% confidence-level on the transition magnetic moment for sterile neutrino masses in the range 1 TeV-100 TeV. Under the assumed flux scenarios, the resulting flavor-independent limits extend existing bounds into previously unexplored parameter space.
Authors
- R. Caruso
- A. Ambrosone
- K. Cerny
- Francesco de Palma
- N. Denner
- T. Dominguez
- M. Cristinziani
- N. Borodai
- I. De Mitri
- C. Aramo
- P. Abreu
- J. Brack
- J. R. T. de Mello Neto
- P. G. Brichetto Orquera
- E. De Vito
- R. Caruso
- D. de Oliveira Franco
- F. Convenga
- M. Aglietta
- K. Bismark
- S. J. de Jong
- N. Denner
- T. Dominguez
- M. E. Bertaina
- P. L. Biermann
- K. Cerny
- A. Del Popolo
- V. Binet
- J. de Jesús
- A. C. Cobos Cerutti
- R. M. de Almeida
- M. Cristinziani
- A. Baluta
- B. Čermáková
- O. Deligny
- J. Biteau
- G. Avila
- F. Catalani
- B. de Errico
- S. Dasso
- T. R. Caba Pineda
- A. Bartz Mocellin
- A. Bakalova
- L. Deval
- S. Buitink
- K. Almeida Cheminant
- G. Cataldi
- R. Colalillo
- L. Andrade Dourado
- A. Cermenati
- K. S. Caballero-Mora
- G. Consolati
- A. Bwembya
- F. de Palma
- K. Daumiller
- J. Alvarez-Muñiz
- E. Avocone
- J. Blazek
- O. Batalla Cruz
- L. Caccianiga
- P. Assis
- I. Allekotte
- D. Boncioli
- L. Anchordoqui
- R. Conceição
- L. Apollonio
- M. Bianciotto
- M. Ahmed
- J. Blümer
- J. Caraça-Valente
- M. Conte
- C. Dobrigkeit
- A. di Matteo
- L. Chytka
- D. Correia dos Santos
- P. J. Costa
- J. Chudoba
- B. Andrada
- M. Cerda
- Q. Dorosti
- J. P. Behler
- A. Condorelli
- A. Ambrosone
- S. Cabana-Freire
- R. Aloisio
- R. W. Clay
- A. Abdul Halim
- B. R. Dawson
- L. Cazon
- M. Boháčová
- Y. Balibrea
- L. M. Domingues Mendes
- E.-T. de Boone
- C. E. Covault
- C. Berat
- F. Barbato
- J. C. Arteaga Velázquez
- J. C. D’Olivo
- C. Bonifazi
- T. Bister
Publication Details
- Journal
- Physical review. D/Physical review. D.
- Published
- 2026-11-04
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1103/l3r3-mqqg
- Primary Topic
- Neutrino Physics Research
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Strong
- European Commission
- Ministerstvo Školství, Mládeže a Tělovýchovy
- Grantová Agentura České Republiky
- Fonds De La Recherche Scientifique - FNRS
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
- Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek
- Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
- Vlaamse regering
- Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica
- Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules