Degeneracy resolution capabilities of NO$\nu$A and DUNE in the presence of light sterile neutrino

Abstract

We investigate the implications of a sterile neutrino on the physics potential of the proposed experiment DUNE and future runs of NO$\nu$A using latest NO$\nu$A results. Using combined analysis of the disappearance and appearance data, NO$\nu$A reported preferred solutions at normal hierarchy (NH) with two degenerate best-fit points one in the lower octant (LO) and ${\delta }_{13}$ = 1.48$\pi$ and other in higher octant (HO) and ${\delta }_{13}$ = 0.74$\pi$. Another solution of inverted hierarchy (IH) which is 0.46$\sigma$ away from best fit was also reported. We discuss chances of resolving these degeneracies in the presence of sterile neutrino.

Comments: 16 pages 5 figures,Updated for the journal