Measurements of the charge ratio and polarization of cosmic-ray muons with the Super-Kamiokande detector
We present the results of the charge ratio (π ) and polarization (π$^{π}_{0}$) measurements using decay electron events collected between September 2008 and June 2022 with the Super-Kamiokande detector. Because of its underground location and long operation, we are able to perform high-precision measurements by accumulating cosmic-ray muons. We measured the muon charge ratio to be π = 1.32 Β± 0.02β’(stat +syst) at πΈ π β’cosβ‘π Zenith = 0.7$^{+0.3}_{β0.2}$ TeV, where πΈ π is the muon energy and π Zenith is the zenith angle of incoming cosmic-ray muons. This result is consistent with the Honda flux model while indicating a tension with the πβ’πΎ model of 1.9β’π. We also measured the muon polarization at the production location to be π$^{π}_{0}$ = 0.52 Β± 0.02 (stat+syst) at the muon momentum of 0.9$^{+0.6}_{β0.1}$ TeV/π at the surface of the mountain; this also suggests a tension with the Honda flux model of 1.5β’π. This is the most precise measurement ever to experimentally determine the cosmic-ray muon polarization near 1 TeV/π. These measurement results are useful to improve atmospheric neutrino simulations.