Search for a diffuse flux of high-energy $ν_μ$ with the ANTARES neutrino telescope

ANTARES Collaboration, J. A. Aguilar, I. Al Samarai, A. Albert, M. André, M. Anghinolfi, G. Anton, S. Anvar, M. Ardid, A. C. Assis Jesus, T. Astraatmadja, J-J. Aubert, R. Auer, B. Baret, S. Basa, M. Bazzotti, V. Bertin, S. Biagi, C. Bigongiari, C. Bogazzi, M. Bou-Cabo, M. C. Bouwhuis, A. M. Brown, J. Brunner, J. Busto, F. Camarena, A. Capone, C. Carloganu, G. Carminati, J. Carr, S. Cecchini, Ph. Charvis, T. Chiarusi, M. Circella, R. Coniglione, H. Costantini, N. Cottini, P. Coyle, C. Curtil, M. P. Decowski, I. Dekeyser, A. Deschamps, C. Donzaud, D. Dornic, Q. Dorosti, D. Drouhin, T. Eberl, U. Emanuele, J-P. Ernenwein, S. Escoffier, F. Fehr, V. Flaminio, F. Folger, U. Fritsch, J-L. Fuda, S. Galata, P. Gay, G. Giacomelli, J. P. Gomez-Gonzalez, K. Graf, G. Guillard, G. Halladjian, G. Hallewell, H. van Haren, A. J. Heijboer, Y. Hello, J. J. Hernandez-Rey, B. Herold, J. Hossl, C. C. Hsu, M. de Jong, M. Kadler, N. Kalantar-Nayestanaki, O. Kalekin, A. Kappes, U. Katz, P. Kooijman, C. Kopper, A. Kouchner, V. Kulikovskiy, R. Lahmann, P. Lamare, G. Larosa, D. Lefèvre, G. Lim, D. Lo Presti, H. Loehner, S. Loucatos, F. Lucarelli, S. Mangano, M. Marcelin, A. Margiotta, J. A. Martinez-Mora, A. Mazure, A. Meli, T. Montaruli, M. Morganti, L. Moscoso, H. Motz, C. Naumann, M. Neff, D. Palioselitis, G. E. Pavalas, P. Payre, J. Petrovic, P. Piattelli, N. Picot-Clemente, C. Picq, V. Popa, T. Pradier, E. Presani, C. Racca, C. Reed, G. Riccobene, C. Richardt, K. Roensch, A. Rostovtsev, M. Rujoiu, G. V. Russo, F. Salesa, P. Sapienza, F. Schock, J-P. Schuller, R. Shanidze, F. Simeone, A. Spies, M. Spurio, J. J. M. Steijger, Th. Stolarczyk, M. Taiuti, C. Tamburini, L. Tasca, S. Toscano, B. Vallage, V. Van Elewyck, G. Vannoni, M. Vecchi, P. Vernin, G. Wijnker, E. de Wolf, H. Yepes, D. Zaborov, J. D. Zornoza, J. Zuniga

Published 2010-11-16Version 1

A search for a diffuse flux of astrophysical muon neutrinos, using data collected by the ANTARES neutrino telescope is presented. A $(0.83\times 2\pi)$ sr sky was monitored for a total of 334 days of equivalent live time. The searched signal corresponds to an excess of events, produced by astrophysical sources, over the expected atmospheric neutrino background. The observed number of events is found compatible with the background expectation. Assuming an $E^{-2}$ flux spectrum, a 90% c.l. upper limit on the diffuse $\nu_\mu$ flux of $E^2\Phi_{90%} = 5.3 \times 10^{-8} \ \mathrm{GeV\ cm^{-2}\ s^{-1}\ sr^{-1}} $ in the energy range 20 TeV - 2.5 PeV is obtained. Other signal models with different energy spectra are also tested and some rejected.