Simulation of a RICH detector for τ neutrino appearance

A data analysis procedure is proposed for a τ neutrino appearance experiment in which the Cherenkov light from τ leptons created in neutrino-nucleon interactions is imaged using an HPD-based RICH counter. In particular, the problem of eliminating the two orders of magnitude more abundant Cherekov light from the long-lived charged particles, that originate from the τ decay and from the neutrino interaction vertex, is treated. It is tentatively concluded that it would be feasible to reach a τ signal detection efficiency of the order of 5–10%.