Journal article
Characterization of the Three-Flavor Composition of Cosmic Neutrinos with IceCube
Physical review letters, v 137(8), 081002
18 Aug 2026
Abstract
The flavor composition of cosmic neutrinos probes both the physical properties of their sources and oscillations over energies and distances unreachable by terrestrial experiments. Using 11.4 yr of IceCube data, we analyze the flavor composition of the all-sky neutrino flux from 5 TeV-10 PeV, significantly lowering the analysis threshold from a previous minimum of 35 TeV. The best-fit flavor fractions are f(e); f(mu); f(tau) = 0.30(-0.15)(+0.20) , 0.37(-0.16)(+0.14), 0.33(-0.25)(+0.24) . For the first time, we report that neutrinos of all three flavors are present in the observed cosmic neutrino flux at > 90% confidence level. We infer the flavor composition at their sources, finding good agreement with pion decay while pure neutron decay is disfavored, with posterior probability 2.7 & times; 10(-5) (similar to 4 sigma).
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- Title
- Characterization of the Three-Flavor Composition of Cosmic Neutrinos with IceCube
- Creators
- R. Abbasi - Loyola University ChicagoM. Ackermann - Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESYJ. Adams - University of CanterburyS. K. Agarwalla - University of Wisconsin–MadisonJ. A. Aguilar - Univ Libre Bruxelles, Sci Fac, CP230, B-1050 Brussels, BelgiumM. Ahlers - University of CopenhagenJ. M. AlameddineS. Ali - University of KansasN. M. Amin - University of DelawareK. Andeen - Marquette UniversityC. Arguelles - Harvard University PressY. Ashida - University of UtahS. Athanasiadou - Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESYS. N. Axani - University of DelawareR. Babu - Michigan State UniversityX. Bai - South Dakota School of Mines and TechnologyJ. Baines-Holmes - University of Wisconsin–MadisonV. A. Balagopal - University of Wisconsin–MadisonS. W. Barwick - Univ Calif Irvine, Dept Phys & Astron, Irvine, CA 92697 USAS. Bash - Technical University of MunichV. Basu - University of UtahR. Bay - University of California SystemJ. J. Beatty - The Ohio State UniversityJ. Becker Tjus - Ruhr University BochumP. Behrens - RWTH Aachen UniversityJ. Beise - Uppsala UniversityC. Bellenghi - Technical University of MunichB. Benkel - Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESYS. BenZvi - University of RochesterD. Berley - University of Maryland, College ParkE. Bernardini - University of PaduaD. Z. Besson - University of KansasE. Blaufuss - University of Maryland, College ParkL. Bloom - University of AlabamaS. Blot - Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESYI. Bodo - University of Wisconsin–MadisonF. Bontempo - Karlsruhe Institute of TechnologyJ. Y. Book Motzkin - Harvard University PressC. Boscolo Meneguolo - University of PaduaS. Boser - Johannes Gutenberg University MainzO. Botner - Uppsala UniversityJ. Bottcher - RWTH Aachen UniversityJ. Braun - University of Wisconsin–MadisonB. Brinson - Georgia Institute of TechnologyZ. Brisson-Tsavoussis - Queen's UniversityR. T. Burley - The University of AdelaideD. Butterfield - University of Wisconsin–MadisonM. A. Campana - Drexel UniversityK. Carloni - Harvard University PressJ. Carpio - University of Nevada, RenoS. Chattopadhyay - University of Wisconsin–MadisonN. Chau - Université Libre de BruxellesZ. Chen - Stony Brook UniversityD. Chirkin - University of Wisconsin–MadisonS. Choi - University of UtahB. A. Clark - University of Maryland, College ParkA. Coleman - Uppsala UniversityP. Coleman - RWTH Aachen UniversityG. H. Collin - MIT, Dept Phys, Cambridge, MA 02139 USAD. A. Coloma Borja - Univ Padua, Dipartimento Fis & Astron Galileo Galilei, I-35122 Padua, PD, ItalyA. Connolly - The Ohio State UniversityJ. M. Conrad - MIT, Dept Phys, Cambridge, MA 02139 USAD. F. Cowen - Pennsylvania State UniversityC. De Clercq - Vrije Universiteit BrusselJ. J. DeLaunay - Pennsylvania State UniversityD. Delgado - Harvard University PressT. Delmeulle - Université Libre de BruxellesS. Deng - RWTH Aachen UniversityP. Desiati - University of Wisconsin–MadisonK. D. de Vries - Vrije Univ Brussels, Dienst ELEM, B-1050 Brussels, BelgiumG. de Wasseige - UCLouvainT. DeYoung - Michigan State UniversityJ. C. Diaz-Velez - University of Wisconsin–MadisonS. DiKerby - Michigan State UniversityT. Ding - University of Nevada, RenoM. Dittmer - University of MünsterA. Domi - Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-NürnbergL. Draper - University of UtahL. Dueser - RWTH Aachen UniversityD. Durnford - University of AlbertaK. Dutta - Johannes Gutenberg University MainzM. A. DuVernois - University of Wisconsin–MadisonT. Ehrhardt - Johannes Gutenberg University MainzL. Eidenschink - Technical University of MunichA. Eimer - Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-NürnbergP. Eller - Technical University of MunichE. Ellinger - University of WuppertalD. Elsasser - TU Dortmund UniversityR. Engel - Karlsruhe Institute of TechnologyH. Erpenbeck - University of Wisconsin–MadisonW. Esmail - University of MünsterS. Eulig - Harvard University PressJ. Evans - University of Maryland, College ParkP. A. Evenson - University of DelawareK. L. Fan - Univ Maryland, Dept Phys, College Pk, MD 20742 USAK. Fang - University of Wisconsin–MadisonK. Farrag - Chiba UniversityA. R. Fazely - Southern Univ, Dept Phys, Baton Rouge, LA 70813 USAA. Fedynitch - Acad Sinica, Inst Phys, Taipei 11529, TaiwanN. Feigl - Humboldt-Universität zu BerlinC. Finley - Stockholm UniversityL. Fischer - Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESYD. Fox - Pennsylvania State UniversityA. Franckowiak - Ruhr University BochumS. Fukami - Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESYP. Furst - RWTH Aachen UniversityJ. Gallagher - University of Wisconsin–MadisonE. Ganster - RWTH Aachen UniversityA. Garcia - Harvard University PressM. Garcia - University of DelawareG. Garg - University of Wisconsin–MadisonE. Genton - Harvard University PressL. Gerhardt - Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryA. Ghadimi - University of AlabamaT. Glusenkamp - Uppsala UniversityJ. G. Gonzalez - University of DelawareS. Goswami - University of Nevada, RenoA. Granados - Michigan State UniversityD. Grant - Simon Fraser UniversityS. J. Gray - Univ Maryland, Dept Phys, College Pk, MD 20742 USAS. Griffin - University of Wisconsin–MadisonS. Griswold - University of RochesterK. M. GrothD. Guevel - University of Wisconsin–MadisonC. Gunther - RWTH Aachen UniversityP. Gutjahr - TU Dortmund UniversityC. Ha - Chung-Ang UniversityC. Haack - Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-NürnbergA. Hallgren - Uppsala UniversityL. Halve - RWTH Aachen UniversityF. Halzen - University of Wisconsin–MadisonL. Hamacher - RWTH Aachen UniversityM. Ha Minh - Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität MünchenM. Handt - RWTH Aachen UniversityK. Hanson - University of Wisconsin–MadisonJ. Hardin - Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyA. A. HarnischP. Hatch - Queen's UniversityA. Haungs - Karlsruhe Institute of TechnologyJ. Haussler - Rhein Westfal TH Aachen, Phys Inst 3, D-52056 Aachen, GermanyK. Helbing - University of WuppertalJ. Hellrung - Ruhr University BochumB. Henke - Michigan State UniversityL. Hennig - Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-NürnbergF. Henningsen - Simon Fraser UniversityL. Heuermann - RWTH Aachen UniversityR. Hewett - University of CanterburyN. Heyer - Uppsala UniversityS. Hickford - University of WuppertalA. Hidvegi - Stockholm UniversityC. Hill - Chiba UniversityG. c. Hill - The University of AdelaideR. Hmaid - Chiba UniversityK. D. Hoffman - Univ Maryland, Dept Phys, College Pk, MD 20742 USAD. Hooper - University of Wisconsin–MadisonS. Hori - University of Wisconsin–MadisonK. Hoshina - University of Wisconsin–MadisonM. Hostert - Harvard University PressW. Hou - Karlsruhe Institute of TechnologyM. Hrywniak - Stockholm UniversityT. Huber - Karlsruhe Institute of TechnologyK. Hultqvist - Stockholm UniversityK. Hymon - TU Dortmund UniversityA. Ishihara - Chiba UniversityW. Iwakiri - Chiba UniversityM. Jacquart - University of CopenhagenS. Jain - University of Wisconsin–MadisonO. Janik - Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-NürnbergM. Jansson - UCLouvainM. Jeong - University of UtahM. Jin - Harvard University PressN. Kamp - Harvard University PressD. Kang - Karlsruhe Institute of TechnologyW. Kang - Drexel UniversityA. Kappes - University of MünsterL. Kardum - TU Dortmund UniversityT. Karg - Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESYM. Karl - Technical University of MunichA. Karle - University of Wisconsin–MadisonA. Katil - University of AlbertaM. Kauer - University of Wisconsin–MadisonJ. L. Kelley - University of Wisconsin–MadisonM. Khanal - University of UtahA. Khatee Zathul - University of Wisconsin–MadisonA. Kheirandish - University of Nevada, RenoH. Kimku - Chung-Ang UniversityJ. Kiryluk - Stony Brook UniversityC. Klein - Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-NürnbergS. R. Klein - Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryY. Kobayashi - Chiba UniversityA. Kochocki - Michigan State UniversityR. Koirala - University of DelawareH. Kolanoski - Humboldt-Universität zu BerlinT. Kontrimas - Technical University of MunichL. Kopke - Johannes Gutenberg University MainzC. Kopper - Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-NürnbergD. J. Koskinen - University of CopenhagenP. Koundal - University of DelawareM. Kowalski - Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESYT. Kozynets - University of CopenhagenA. Kravka - University of UtahN. Krieger - Ruhr University BochumJ. Krishnamoorthi - University of Wisconsin–MadisonT. Krishnan - Harvard University PressK. Kruiswijk - UCLouvainE. Krupczak - Michigan State UniversityA. Kumar - Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESYE. Kun - Ruhr University BochumN. Kurahashi - Drexel UniversityN. Lad - Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESYC. Lagunas Gualda - Technical University of MunichL. Lallement Arnaud - Université Libre de BruxellesM. Lamoureux - UCLouvainM. J. Larson - Univ Maryland, Dept Phys, College Pk, MD 20742 USAF. Lauber - University of WuppertalJ. P. Lazar - Univ Catholic Louvain, Ctr Cosmol Particle Phys & Phenomenol CP3, Louvain La Neuve, BelgiumK. Leonard DeHolton - Pennsylvania State UniversityA. Leszczynska - University of DelawareJ. Liao - Georgia Institute of TechnologyC. Lin - University of DelawareQ. R. Liu - Simon Fraser UniversityY. T. Liu - Pennsylvania State UniversityM. Liubarska - University of AlbertaC. Love - Drexel UniversityL. Lu - University of Wisconsin–MadisonF. Lucarelli - University of GenevaW. Luszczak - The Ohio State UniversityY. Lyu - Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryM. Macdonald - Harvard University PressJ. Madsen - University of Wisconsin–MadisonE. Magnus - Vrije Universiteit BrusselY. Makino - University of Wisconsin–MadisonE. Manao - Technical University of MunichS. Mancina - University of PaduaA. Mand - University of Wisconsin–MadisonI. C. Mari - Univ Libre Bruxelles, Sci Fac, CP230, B-1050 Brussels, BelgiumS. Marka - Columbia UniversityZ. Marka - Columbia UniversityL. Marten - RWTH Aachen UniversityI. Martinez-Soler - Harvard University PressR. Maruyama - Yale UniversityJ. Mauro - UCLouvainF. Mayhew - Michigan State UniversityF. McNally - Mercer University Health Sciences CenterJ. Mead - University of CopenhagenK. Meagher - University of Wisconsin–MadisonS. Mechbal - Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESYA. Medina - The Ohio State UniversityM. Meier - Chiba UniversityY. Merckx - Vrije Universiteit BrusselL. Merten - Ruhr University BochumJ. Mitchell - Southern UniversityL. Molchany - South Dakota School of Mines and TechnologyS. Mondal - University of UtahT. Montaruli - University of GenevaR. W. Moore - University of AlbertaY. Morii - Chiba UniversityA. Mosbrugger - Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-NürnbergM. Moulai - University of Wisconsin–MadisonD. Mousadi - Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESYE. Moyaux - UCLouvainT. Mukherjee - Karlsruhe Institute of TechnologyR. Naab - Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESYM. Nakos - University of Wisconsin–MadisonU. Naumann - University of WuppertalJ. Necker - Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESYL. Neste - Stockholm UniversityM. Neumann - University of MünsterH. Niederhausen - Michigan State UniversityM. U. NisaK. Noda - Chiba UniversityA. Noell - RWTH Aachen UniversityA. Novikov - University of DelawareA. Obertacke - Stockholm UniversityV. O'Dell - University of Wisconsin–MadisonA. Olivas - University of Maryland, College ParkR. Orsoe - Technical University of MunichJ. Osborn - University of Wisconsin–MadisonE. O'Sullivan - Uppsala UniversityV. Palusova - Johannes Gutenberg University MainzH. Pandya - University of DelawareA. Parenti - Université Libre de BruxellesN. Park - Queen's UniversityV. Parrish - Michigan State UniversityE. N. Paudel - University of AlabamaL. Paul - South Dakota School of Mines and TechnologyC. Perez Dde los HerosT. Pernice - Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESYT. C. PetersenJ. Peterson - University of Wisconsin–MadisonM. Plum - South Dakota School of Mines and TechnologyA. Ponten - Uppsala UniversityV. Poojyam - University of AlabamaY. Popovych - Johannes Gutenberg University MainzM. Prado Rodriguez - University of Wisconsin–MadisonB. Pries - Michigan State UniversityR. Procter-Murphy - University of Maryland, College ParkG. T. Przybylski - Lawrence Berkeley Natl Lab, Berkeley, CA 94720 USAL. Pyras - University of UtahC. Raab - UCLouvainJ. Rack-Helleis - Johannes Gutenberg University MainzN. Rad - Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESYM. Ravn - Uppsala UniversityK. Rawlins - University of Alaska AnchorageZ. Rechav - University of Wisconsin–MadisonA. Rehman - University of DelawareI. Reistroffer - South Dakota School of Mines and TechnologyE. Resconi - Technical University of MunichS. Reusch - Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESYC. D. Rho - Sungkyunkwan UniversityW. Rhode - TU Dortmund UniversityL. Ricca - UCLouvainB. Riedel - University of Wisconsin–MadisonA. Rifaie - University of WuppertalE. J. Roberts - The University of AdelaideM. Rongen - Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-NürnbergA. Rosted - Chiba UniversityC. Rott - University of UtahT. Ruhe - TU Dortmund UniversityL. Ruohan - Technical University of MunichD. Ryckbosch - Univ Ghent, Dept Phys & Astron, B-9000 Ghent, BelgiumJ. Saffer - Karlsruhe Institute of TechnologyD. Salazar-Gallegos - Michigan State UniversityP. Sampathkumar - Karlsruhe Institute of TechnologyA. Sandrock - University of WuppertalG. Sanger-Johnson - Michigan State UniversityM. Santander - University of AlabamaS. Sarkar - University of OxfordM. Scarnera - UCLouvainP. Schaile - Technical University of MunichM. Schaufel - RWTH Aachen UniversityH. Schieler - Karlsruhe Institute of TechnologyS. Schindler - Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-NürnbergL. Schlickmann - Johannes Gutenberg University MainzB. Schluter - University of MünsterF. Schluter - Université Libre de BruxellesN. Schmeisser - University of WuppertalT. Schmidt - University of Maryland, College ParkF. G. Schroder - Karlsruhe Institute of TechnologyL. Schumacher - Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-NürnbergS. Schwirn - RWTH Aachen UniversityS. Sclafani - University of Maryland, College ParkD. Seckel - University of DelawareL. Seen - University of Wisconsin–MadisonM. Seikh - University of KansasS. Seunarine - University of Wisconsin–River FallsP. A. Sevle Myhr - Univ Catholic Louvain, Ctr Cosmol Particle Phys & Phenomenol CP3, Louvain La Neuve, BelgiumR. Shah - Drexel UniversityS. Shah - University of RochesterS. Shefali - Karlsruhe Institute of TechnologyN. Shimizu - Chiba UniversityB. Skrzypek - University of California SystemR. Snihur - University of Wisconsin–MadisonJ. Soedingrekso - TU Dortmund UniversityA. Sogaard - The Ohio State UniversityD. Soldin - University of UtahP. Soldin - RWTH Aachen UniversityG. Sommani - Ruhr University BochumC. Spannfellner - Technical University of MunichG. M. Spiczak - Univ Maryland, Dept Phys, College Pk, MD 20742 USAC. Spiering - Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESYJ. Stachurska - Univ Ghent, Dept Phys & Astron, B-9000 Ghent, BelgiumM. Stamatikos - The Ohio State UniversityT. Stanev - University of DelawareT. Stezelberger - Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryT. Sturwald - University of WuppertalT. Stuttard - University of CopenhagenG. W. Sullivan - Univ Maryland, Dept Phys, College Pk, MD 20742 USAI. Taboada - Georgia Institute of TechnologyS. Ter-Antonyan - Southern UniversityA. Terliuk - Technical University of MunichA. Thakuri - South Dakota School of Mines and TechnologyM. Thiesmeyer - University of Wisconsin–MadisonW. G. Thompson - Harvard University PressJ. Thwaites - University of Wisconsin–MadisonS. Tilav - University of DelawareK. Tollefson - Michigan State UniversityS. Toscano - Université Libre de BruxellesD. Tosi - University of Wisconsin–MadisonA. Trettin - Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESYA. K. Upadhyay - University of Wisconsin–MadisonK. Upshaw - Southern UniversityA. Vaidyanathan - Marquette UniversityN. Valtonen-Mattila - Uppsala UniversityJ. Valverde - Marquette UniversityJ. Vandenbroucke - University of Wisconsin–MadisonT. Van Eeden - Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESYN. van Eijndhoven - Vrije Universiteit BrusselL. Van Rootselaar - TU Dortmund UniversityJ. van Santen - Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESYJ. Vara - University of MünsterF. Varsi - Karlsruhe Institute of TechnologyM. Venugopal - Karlsruhe Institute of TechnologyM. Vereecken - UCLouvainS. Vergara Carrasco - University of CanterburyS. Verpoest - University of DelawareD. Veske - Columbia UniversityA. Vijai - University of Maryland, College ParkJ. Villarreal - Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyC. Walck - Stockholm UniversityA. Wang - Georgia Institute of TechnologyE. H. S. Warrick - University of AlabamaC. Weaver - Michigan State UniversityP. Weigel - Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyA. Weindl - Karlsruhe Institute of TechnologyJ. Weldert - Johannes Gutenberg University MainzA. Y. Wen - Harvard UniversityC. Wendt - University of Wisconsin–MadisonJ. Werthebach - TU Dortmund UniversityM. Weyrauch - Karlsruhe Institute of TechnologyN. Whitehorn - Michigan State UniversityC. H. Wiebusch - RWTH Aachen UniversityD. R. Williams - University of AlabamaL. Witthaus - TU Dortmund UniversityM. Wolf - Technical University of MunichG. Wrede - Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-NürnbergX. W. Xu - Southern Univ, Dept Phys, Baton Rouge, LA 70813 USAJ. P. Yanez - University of AlbertaY. Yao - University of Wisconsin–MadisonE. Yildizci - University of Wisconsin–MadisonS. Yoshida - Chiba UniversityR. Young - University of KansasF. Yu - Harvard University PressS. Yu - University of UtahT. Yuan - University of Wisconsin–MadisonS. Yun-Carcamo - Drexel UniversityA. Zander Jurowitzki - Technical University of MunichA. Zegarelli - Ruhr University BochumS. Zhang - Michigan State UniversityZ. Zhang - Stony Brook UniversityP. Zhelnin - Harvard University PressP. Zilberman - University of Wisconsin–MadisonIceCube Collaboration
- Publication Details
- Physical review letters, v 137(8), 081002
- Publisher
- American Physical Society
- Number of pages
- 9
- Grant note
- Frontera and Ranch Computing Project at the Texas Advanced Computing Center Funds for Scientific Research (FRS-FNRS) U.S. National Science Foundation-Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure Center for High Throughput Computing (CHTC) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Japan Society for Promotion of Science (JSPS); Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan (MEXT); Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation Compute Ontario U.S. National Science Foundation-Office of Polar Programs; National Science Foundation (NSF) European Commission (Denmark) Astroparticle Physics Computational Facility at Marquette University
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Physics
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001854481700006
- Other Identifier
- 991022204134704721