Search for a diffuse astrophysical neutrino flux from the Galactic Ridge with KM3NeT/ARCA

KM3NeT/ARCA is a second-generation neutrino telescope currently under construction in the Mediterranean Sea. Its capability to collect high-quality data has been recently demonstrated by the detection of an ultra-high-energy neutrino of astrophysical origin. Located in the Northern Hemisphere and operating with a high duty cycle, the detector has an optimal view of the Galactic Center, primarily via well-reconstructed track-like events. This study analyses the KM3NeT/ARCA dataset acquired during the detector operation from September 2021 till September 2023 to search for an excess of neutrino events from the Galactic Ridge, defined by Galactic coordinates |b| < 2° and |l| < 30°. This region, previously investigated also using ANTARES data, is expected to exhibit a harder spectral index for cosmic ray emission compared to other areas of the Galactic plane.