Measurement of the neutrino mixing angle $theta_{23}$ in NOvA

This Letter reports new results on muon neutrino disappearance from NOvA, using a 14 kton detector equivalent exposure of $6.05times10^{20}$ protons-on-target from the NuMI beam at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. The measurement probes the muon-tau symmetry hypothesis that requires maximal mixing ($theta_{23} = pi/4$). Assuming the normal mass hierarchy, we find $Delta m^2 = (2.67 pm 0.11)times 10^{-3}$ eV$^2$ and $sin^2 theta_{23}$ at the two statistically degenerate values $0.404^{+0.030}_{-0.022}$ and $0.624^{+0.022}_{-0.030}$, both at the 68% confidence level. Our data disfavor the maximal mixing scenario with 2.6 $sigma$ significance.