Neutrino oscillations, global analysis and theta(13)
G. L. Fogli, E. Lisi, A. Marrone, A. Palazzo, A. M. Rotunno
备注：
9 pages, including 4 figures. Talk presented by G.L. Fogli at NEUTEL 2009, XIII International Workshop on "Neutrino Telescopes" (Venice, Italy, March 10-13, 2009). Note: Title and abstract modified in the current arXiv version
At the previous Venice meeting NO-VE 2008, we discussed possible hints in favor of a nonzero value for the unknown neutrino mixing angle theta(13), emerging from the combination of solar and long-baseline reactor data, as well as from the combination of atmospheric, CHOOZ and long-baseline accelerator nu_mu->nu_mu data. Recent MINOS 2009 results in the nu_mu->nu_e appearance channel also seem to support such hints. A combination of all current oscillation data provides, as preferred range, sin^2 theta(13) = 0.02 +- 0.01 (1σ). We review several issues raised by such hints in the last year, and comment on their possible near-future improvements and tests.
An alternative supersymmetric SO(10) grand unification model with lopsided fermion mass matrices is introduced. It generates a large solar-neutrino-mixing angle through the neutrinos' Dirac mass matrix constrained by the SO(10) group structure, avoiding the fine-tuning required in the Majorana mass matrix of right-handed neutrinos. The model fits well the known data on masses and mixings of quarks and leptons, and predicts a sizable lepton mixing $\sin^22θ_{13}\simeq 0.074$, which is significantly larger than that of the original lopsided model.
The neutrino mixing angle theta(13) is at the focus of current neutrino research. From a global analysis of the available oscillation data in a 3-neutrino framework, we previously reported [Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 141801 (2008)] hints in favor of theta(13)>0 at the 90 % C.L. Such hints are consistent with the recent indications of nu(mu)-->nu(e) appearance in the T2K and MINOS long-baseline accelerator experiments. Our global analysis of all the available data currently provides >3 sigma evidence for nonzero theta(13), with 1-sigma ranges sin^2 theta(13) = 0.021+-0.007 or 0.025+-0.007, depending…
We analyze the impact of a measurement, or of an improved bound, on theta_{13} for the determination of the effective neutrino mass in neutrino-less double beta decay and cosmology. In particular, we discuss how an improved limit on (or a specific value of) theta_{13} can influence the determination of the neutrino mass spectrum via neutrino-less double beta decay. We also discuss the interplay with improved cosmological neutrino mass searches.
Nailing down the unknown neutrino mixing angle theta_13 is one of the most important goals in current lepton physics. In this context, we perform a global analysis of neutrino oscillation data, focusing on theta_13, and including recent results [Neutrino 2008, Proceedings of the XXIII International Conference on Neutrino Physics and Astrophysics, Christchurch, New Zealand, 2008 (unpublished)]. We discuss two converging hints of theta_13>0, each at the level of ~1sigma: an older one coming from atmospheric neutrino data, and a newer one coming from the combination of solar and long-baseline rea…
We present the results of a Bayesian analysis of solar and KamLAND neutrino data in the framework of three-neutrino mixing. We adopt two approaches for the prior probability distribution of the oscillation parameters Delta m^2_{21}, sin^2 theta_{12}, sin^2 theta_{13}: 1) a traditional flat uninformative prior; 2) an informative prior which describes the limits on sin^2 theta_{13} obtained in atmospheric and long-baseline accelerator and reactor neutrino experiments. In both approaches, we present the allowed regions in the sin^2 theta_{13} - Delta m^2_{21} and sin^2 theta_{12} - sin^2 theta_{1…
We perform a global analysis of neutrino oscillation data, including high-precision measurements of the neutrino mixing angle theta_13 at reactor experiments, which have confirmed previous indications in favor of theta_13>0. Recent data presented at the Neutrino 2012 Conference are also included. We focus on the correlations between theta_13 and the mixing angle theta_23, as well as between theta_13 and the neutrino CP-violation phase delta. We find interesting indications for theta_23< pi/4 and possible hints for delta ~ pi, with no significant difference between normal and inverted mass hier…
We discuss the neutrino oscillations, using texture zero mass matrices for the leptons, including radiative correction. The neutrino mixing angle theta_13 is calculated and agrees with the result of the new Daya Bay experiment.
Recent neutrino oscillation data hint that the smallest neutrino mixing angle theta_{13} is possible to lie in the range 5^\circ \lesssim θ_{13} \lesssim 12^\circ. We show that reasonable perturbations to the democratic mixing pattern, which is geometrically related to the tri-bimaximal mixing pattern through an equal shift θ_* \simeq 9.7^\circ of two large mixing angles, can naturally produce a nearly tri-bimaximal neutrino mixing matrix V with sufficiently large theta_{13}. Two especially simple but viable scenarios of V are proposed and their phenomenological consequences are discussed.
We examine the prospects of probing nonstandard interactions (NSI) of neutrinos in the e-tau sector with upcoming long-baseline nu_mu -> nu_e oscillation experiments. First conjectured decades ago, neutrino NSI remain of great interest, especially in light of the recent 8B solar neutrino measurements by SNO, Super-Kamiokande, and Borexino. We observe that the recent discovery of large theta_13 implies that long-baseline experiments have considerable NSI sensitivity, thanks to the interference of the standard and new physics conversion amplitudes. In particular, in some parts of NSI parameter s…
A new generation of oscillation experiments optimized to measure theta(13) is ready to start. Performances, complementarity and competition of these accelerator and reactor experiments will be shortly illustrated. The capability of measuring theta(13) with other neutrino sources, like solar, atmospheric, supernovae neutrinos or neutrinos from a tritium source will be discussed too.
Among all neutrino mixing parameters, the atmospheric neutrino mixing angle theta_{23} introduces the strongest variation on the flux ratios of ultra high energy neutrinos. We investigate the potential of these flux ratio measurements at neutrino telescopes to constrain theta_{23}. We consider astrophysical neutrinos originating from pion, muon-damped and neutron sources and make a comparative study of their sensitivity reach to theta_{23}. It is found that neutron sources are most favorable for testing deviations from maximal theta_{23}. Using a chi^2 analysis, we show in particular the power…
One of the unknown parameters in neutrino oscillations is the octant of the mixing angle theta_{23}. In this paper, we discuss the possibility of determining the octant of theta_{23} in the long baseline experiments T2K and NOvA in conjunction with future atmospheric neutrino detectors, in light of non-zero value of theta_{13} measured by reactor experiments. We consider two detector technologies for atmospheric neutrinos - magnetized iron calorimeter and non-magnetized Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber. We present the octant sensitivity for T2K/NOvA and atmospheric neutrino experiments sep…
We propose octahedral group O_h as the family symmetry of neutrino-lepton sector. We find that O_h contains subgroups Z_2(mu-tau) x Z_2(solar) and Z_4^l for realizing the bimaximal (BM) mixings, theta_{23} = theta_{12} = 45^o and theta_{13}=0^o, where Z_2(mu-tau) x Z_2(solar) and Z_4^l serve as the residual symmetries of neutrinos and charged leptons, respectively. We present geometric interpretations of BM mixing in the octahedron, and construct natural geometrical breaking of Z_4^l, leading to nontrivial deviations from the BM mixings. Our theory makes truly simple predictions of a relativel…
Ruling out the inverted neutrino hierarchy with neutrinoless double beta decay experiments is possible if a limit on the effective mass below the minimal theoretically possible value is reached. We stress that this lower limit depends strongly on the value of the solar neutrino mixing angle: it introduces an uncertainty of a factor of 2 within its current 3 sigma range. If an experiment is not background-free, a factor of two in effective mass corresponds to a combined factor of 16 improvement for the experimental parameters running time, detector mass, background level and energy resolution. …
In the Higgs Triplet Model and the neutrinophilic Two-Higgs-Doublet Model the observed neutrinos obtain mass from a vacuum expectation value which is much smaller than the vacuum expectation value of the Higgs boson in the Standard Model. Both models contain a singly charged Higgs boson (H^-) whose Yukawa coupling is directly related to the neutrino mass (i.e. a "neutrinophilic charged Higgs"). The partial decay widths of H^- into a charged lepton and a neutrino (H^- to l^- nu) depend identically on the neutrino masses and mixings in the two models. We quantify the impact of the recent measure…
We derive predictions for the Nadir angle (theta(n)) dependence of the ratio N(mu)/N(e) of the rates of the mu-like and e-like multi-GeV events measured in water-Cerenkov detectors in the case of 3-neutrino oscillations of the atmospheric nu(e) (antinu(e)) and nu(mu) (antinu(mu)), driven by one neutrino mass squared difference, |Delta m2(31)| ~ (2.5 - 3.0) x 10^(-3) eV^2 >> Delta m2(21). This ratio is particularly sensitive to the Earth matter effects in the atmospheric neutrino oscillations, and thus to the values of sin^2(theta(13)) and sin^2(theta(23)), theta(13) and theta(23) being the neu…
We discuss how and to what extent the degeneracy associated with theta(23), if it's not maximal, can be resolved by future oscillation experiments which utilize conventional neutrino beam from accelerator and/or reactor neutrinos.
In the original 2004 paper which first derived tribimaximal mixing in the context of A(4), i.e. the non-Abelian finite symmetry group of the tetrahedron (Plato's fire), as its simplest application, it was also pointed out how theta(13) nonzero may be accommodated. On the strength of the new T2K result that 0.03 (0.04) < sin^2 2 theta(13) < 0.28 (0.34) for delta(CP)=0 and normal (inverted) neutrino mass hierarchy, we perform a more detailed analysis of how this original idea may be realized in the context of A(4).
To realize the condition of sin^2(2theta_{12})>>sin^2(theta_{13}), we find constraints on flavor neutrino masses M_{ij} (ij=e,μ,τ): C1) c_{23}^2 M_{μμ} + s_{23}^2 M_{ττ} \approx 2 s_{23} c_{23}M_{μτ} + M_{ee} and/or C2) |c_{23}M_{eμ} -s_{23}M_{eτ}|>> |s_{23}M_{eμ} +c_{23}M_{eτ}|, where c_{23}=cos(theta_{23}) (s_{23}=sin(theta_{23})) and theta_{12}, theta_{13} and theta_{23} are the mixing angles for three flavor neutrinos. The applicability of C1) and C2) is examined in models with one massless neutrino and two massive neutrinos suggested by \det(M)=0, where M is a mass matrix constructed from…
We analyze the atmospheric neutrino experiments of Super-Kamiokande (830-920 live days) using the three-flavor neutrino framework with the mass hierarchy m_1 nearly equal m_2 << m_3. We study the sub-GeV, multi- GeV neutrinos and upward through-going and stopping muons zenith angle distributions taking account of the Earth matter effects thoroughly. We obtain the allowed regions of mass and mixing parameters Delm^2_{23}, theta_{13} and theta_{23}. Delm^2_{23} is restricted to 0.002-0.01eV^2 and theta_{13}<13degrees, 35degrees<theta_{23}<55degrees in 90% C.L. For theta_{12}, there is no differe…
We derive predictions for the Nadir angle (theta_n) dependence of the ratio Nmu-/Nmu+ of the rates of the mu- and mu+ multi-GeV events, and for the mu- - mu+ event rate asymmetry, A_{mu-mu+}=[Nmu- - Nmu+]/[Nmu- + Nmu+], in iron-magnetized calorimeter detectors (MINOS, INO) in the case of 3-neutrino oscillations of the atmospheric nu_mu and antinu_mu, driven by one neutrino mass squared difference, |Delta m^2_{31}| >> Delta m^2_{21}. The asymmetry A_{mu- mu+} (the ratio Nmu-/Nmu+) is shown to be particularly sensitive to the Earth matter effects in the atmospheric neutrino oscillations, and thu…
Solar and KamLAND data are in slight tension when interpreted in the standard two-flavor oscillations framework and this may be alleviated allowing for a non-zero value of the mixing angle theta_13. Here we show that, likewise, non-standard flavor-changing interactions (FCI), possibly intervening in the propagation of solar neutrinos, are equally able to alleviate this tension and therefore constitute a potential source of confusion in the determination of theta_13. By performing a full three-flavor analysis of solar and KamLAND data in presence of FCI we provide a quantitative description of …
Inspired by the recent T2K indication of a relatively large theta_{13}, we provide a systematic study of some general modifications to three mostly discussed neutrino mixing patterns, i.e., tri-bimaximal, bimaximal and democratic mixing matrices. The correlation between theta_{13} and two large mixing angles are provided according to each modifications. The phenomenological predictions of theta_{12} and theta_{23} are also discussed. After the exclusion of several minimal modifications, we still have reasonable predictions of three mixing angles in 3 Sigma level for other scenarios.
We discuss the minimum requirements for a neutrino beta beam if theta_13 is discovered by an upcoming reactor experiment, such as Double Chooz or Daya Bay. We require that both neutrino mass hierarchy and leptonic CP violation can be measured to competitive precisions with a single-baseline experiment in the entire remaining theta_13 range. We find that for very high isotope production rates, such as they might be possible using a production ring, a (B,Li) beta beam with a gamma as low as 60 could already be sufficient to perform all of these measurements. If only the often used nominal source…
A simple three-flavor neutrino-oscillation model is discussed which has both nonzero mass differences and timelike Fermi-point splittings, together with a combined bi-maximal and trimaximal mixing pattern. One possible consequence would be new effects in ν_μ \to ν_{e} oscillations, characterized by an energy-dependent effective mixing angle Θ_{13}. Future experiments such as T2K and NOvA, and perhaps even the current MINOS experiment, could look for these effects.
Detection of 5 events by the Liquid Scintillation Detector (LSD) on February, 23, 1987 was recently interpreted as a detection of the electron neutrino flux from the first stage of the two-stage Supernova collapse. We show that, if neutrino mass hierarchy is normal, such interpretation excludes values of neutrino mixing angle θ_{13} larger than 3\cdot 10^{-2}, independently of the particular Supernova collapse model. Also constraints on the original fluxes of neutrinos and antineutrinos of different flavours are obtained.
We give predictions for the up-down asymmetry in the Nadir angle dependence of the ratio Nmu/Ne of the rates of the mu-like and e-like multi-GeV events measured in water-Cerenkov detectors (Super-Kamiokande, etc.) in the case of 3-neutrino oscillations of the atmospheric nu_e (antinu_e) and nu_mu (antinu_mu), driven by one neutrino mass squared difference, |Delta m^2_{atm}| = |Delta m^2_{31}| ~ (2.0 - 3.0) 10^{-3} eV^2 >> Delta m^2_{21} = Delta m^2_{sol}. This ratio is particularly sensitive to the Earth matter effects in the atmospheric neutrino oscillations, and thus to the values of sin^2(t…
A charged lepton contribution to the solar neutrino mixing induces a contribution to theta_13, barring cancellations/correlations, which is independent of the model building options in the neutrino sector. We illustrate two robust arguments for that contribution to be within the expected sensitivity of high intensity neutrino beam experiments. We find that the case in which the neutrino sector gives rise to a maximal solar angle (the natural situation if the hierarchy is inverse) leads to a theta_13 close to or exceeding the experimental bound depending on the precise values of theta_12, theta…
The residual Z^s_2(k) and bar Z^s_2(k) symmetries induce a direct and unique phenomenological relation with theta_x (= theta_13) expressed in terms of the other two mixing angles, theta_s (= theta_12) and theta_a (= theta_23), and the Dirac CP phase delta_D. Z^s_2(k) predicts a theta_x probability distribution centered around 3^o ~ 6^o with an uncertainty of 2^o to 4^o while those from bar Z^s_2(k) are approximately a factor of two larger. Either result fits the T2K, MINOS and Double CHOOZ measurements. Alternately a prediction for the Dirac CP phase delta_D results in a peak at +-74^o (+-106^…
The T2K Collaboration has recently reported a remarkable indication of the ν_μ-> ν_e oscillation which is consistent with a relatively large value of θ_{13} in the three-flavor neutrino mixing scheme. We show that it is possible to account for such a result of θ_{13} by introducing a natural perturbation to the democratic neutrino mixing pattern, without or with CP violation. A testable correlation between θ_{13} and θ_{23} is predicted in this ansatz. We also discuss the Wolfenstein-like parametrization of neutrino mixing, and comment on other possibilities of generating sufficiently large θ_…
An extension of the neutrino sector with two right handed singlet neutrinos responsible for Dirac neutrino masses is discussed. We show that this setup with flavor symmetry can give large solar and atmospheric neutrino mixings and suppressed Theta_13. The flavor symmetry U(1) x S_4 is shown to lead to Theta_23 = π/4 and a new predictive formula for the Theta_13(\simeq 0.015).
It is proposed that light neutrinos form a triplet in a global SU(3) flavor symmetry. Within this framework, a symmetry principle predicts sin^2 theta_{23}=0.5 and gives the so called inverted neutrino mass hierarchy, theta _{13}=0 and a small deviation from pi/4 for theta_{12}.
Vacuum neutrino-oscillation probabilities from a simple three-flavor model with both mass-square differences and timelike Fermi-point splittings have been presented in a previous article [hep-ph/0504274]. Here, further results are given: first, for specific parameters relevant to MINOS in the low-energy mode and, then, for arbitrary parameters. A generalized model with equidistant Fermi-point splittings and an additional complex phase is also discussed. If relevant, this generalized model might have interesting effects at future long-baseline oscillation experiments.
We argue that there exists simple relation between the quark and lepton mixings which supports the idea of grand unification and probes the underlying robust bi-maximal fermion mixing structure of still unknown flavor physics. In this framework the quark mixing matrix is a parameter matrix describing the deviation of neutrino mixing from exactly bi-maximal, predicting theta_{sol}+theta_C=pi/4, where theta_C is the Cabibbo angle, theta_{atm}+theta_{23}^{CKM}=pi/4 and theta_{13}^{MNS} ~ theta_{13}^{CKM} ~ O(lambda^3), in a perfect agreement with experimental data. Both non-Abelian and Abelian fl…
We point out that for solar neutrino oscillations with the mass-squared difference of Delta m^2 ~ 10^-10 - 10^-9 eV^2, traditionally known as ``vacuum oscillation'' range, the solar matter effects are non-negligible, particularly for the low energy pp neutrinos. One consequence of this is that the values of the mixing angle theta and pi/2-theta are not equivalent, leading to the need to consider the entire physical range of the mixing angle 0<=theta<=pi/2 when determining the allowed values of the neutrino oscillation parameters.
If the solution to the solar neutrino puzzle falls in the LMA region, KamLAND should be able to measure with good precision the corresponding oscillation parameters after a few years of data taking. Assuming a positive signal, we study their expected sensitivity to the solar parameters (theta_{12},Delta m^2_{21}) when considered in the framework of three-neutrino mixing after taking into account our ignorance on the mixing angle theta_{13}. We find a simple ``scaling'' dependence of the reconstructed theta_{12} range with the value of theta_{13} while the Delta m^2_{12} range is practically un…
Flavour symmetries of Froggatt-Nielsen type can naturally reconcile the large quark and charged lepton mass hierarchies and the small quark mixing angles with the observed small neutrino mass hierarchies and their large mixing angles. We point out that such a flavour structure, together with the measured neutrino mass squared differences and mixing angles, strongly constrains yet undetermined parameters of the neutrino sector. Treating unknown O(1) parameters as random variables, we obtain surprisingly accurate predictions for the smallest mixing angle, sin^2(2 theta_13) = 0.07 (+0.11)(-0.05),…
If the lepton mixing angle theta_{23} is not maximal, there arises a problem of ambiguity in determining theta_{23} due to the existence of two degenerate solutions, one in the first and the other in the second octant. We discuss an experimental strategy for resolving the theta_{23} octant degeneracy by combining reactor measurement of theta_{13} with accelerator nu_{mu} disappearance and nu_{e} appearance experiments. The robustness of the theta_{23} degeneracy and the difficulty in lifting it only by accelerator experiments with conventional nu_{mu} (and nu_{mu}-bar) beam are demonstrated by…
The possibility to improve the CERN to Gran Sasso neutrino beam performances for theta_{13} searches is investigated. We show that by an appropriate optimization of the target and focusing optics of the present CNGS design, we can increase the flux of low energy neutrinos by about a factor 5 compared to the current tau optimized focalisation. With the ICARUS 2.35 kton detector at LNGS and in case of negative result, this would allow to improve the limit to sin^22 theta_{13} by an order of magnitude better than the current limit of CHOOZ at Delta m^2 approximately 3 times 10^{-3} eV^2 within 5 …
Measuring flux ratios of ultra-high energy neutrinos is an alternative method to determine the neutrino mixing angles and the CP phase delta. We conduct a systematic analysis of the neutrino mixing probabilities and of various flux ratios measurable at neutrino telescopes. The considered cases are neutrinos from pion, neutron and muon-damped sources. Explicit formulae in case of mu-tau symmetry and its special case tri-bimaximal mixing are obtained, and the leading corrections due to non-zero theta_{13} and non-maximal theta_{23} are given. The first order correction is universal as it appears…
Collective neutrino flavor transformations deep inside a supernova are sensitive to the neutrino mass hierarchy even at extremely small values of theta(13). Exploiting this effect, we show that comparison of the antineutrino signals from a galactic supernova in two megaton class water Cherenkov detectors, one of which is shadowed by the Earth, will enable us to distinguish between the hierarchies if sin^2 theta(13) < 10^{-5}. On the other hand, the observation of Earth effects in the inverted hierarchy for sin^2 theta(13) > 10^{-3} will provide a robust observable signature of collective oscil…
We suggest predictive scenarios for neutrino masses which provide a common origin for CP violation in early universe cosmology and in neutrino oscillations. Our setup is the seesaw mechanism in the context of MSSM with two quasi-degenerate right-handed neutrinos, with baryon asymmetry generated via resonant leptogenesis. Three different models are found with specific textures in the Yukawa coupling matrices, each with a single phase which controls leptogenesis and neutrino CP violation. One model leads to normal hierarchy of light neutrino masses and the prediction tan theta_13 = sin theta_12 …
From recent groundbreaking experiments, it is now known that the Pontecorvo-Maki-Nakagawa-Sakata mixing differs significantly from the tribimaximal model in which theta_13=0 and theta_23=pi/4. Flavor symmetry can require that the departures from these two equations are linearly related. T' and A_4, which successfully accommodated the pre-T2K Pontecorvo-Maki-Nakagawa-Sakata matrix, predict that 38.07 deg.< theta_23 <39.52 deg. at 95% C.L.. The best fit values, combining the model predictions with T2K, MINOS, Double Chooz, Daya Bay, and RENO data, are theta_23=38.7 deg. and theta_13=8.9 deg..
We study minimal implementations of Majorana and Dirac neutrino scenarios in F-theory GUT models. In both cases the mass scale of the neutrinos m_nu ~ (M_weak)^2/M_UV arises from integrating out Kaluza-Klein modes, where M_UV is close to the GUT scale. The participation of non-holomorphic Kaluza-Klein mode wave functions dilutes the mass hierarchy in comparison to the quark and charged lepton sectors, in agreement with experimentally measured mass splittings. The neutrinos are predicted to exhibit a "normal" mass hierarchy, with masses m_3,m_2,m_1 ~ .05*(1,(alpha_GUT)^(1/2),alpha_GUT) eV. When…
The tetra-maximal neutrino mixing pattern predicts a relatively large reactor mixing angle theta_13 \approx 8.4^\circ, which is in good agreement with the latest best-fit value theta_13 = 9^\circ. However, its prediction for theta_12 \approx 30.4^\circ is inconsistent with current oscillation data at the 3sigma C.L. We show that explicit perturbations to the tetra-maximal mixing can naturally enhance theta_12 to its best-fit value theta_12 = 34^\circ. Furthermore, we demonstrate that if the tetra-maximal mixing is produced by a certain flavor symmetry at a high-energy scale Lambda = 10^14 GeV,…
We examine accuracy of theta_{23} determination in future long-baseline (LBL) nu_{mu} disappearance experiments in the three-flavor mixing scheme of neutrinos. Despite that the error of sin^2{2theta_{23}} is indeed a few % level at around the maximal mixing, we show that the error of physics variable s^2_{23} is large, delta(s^2_{23})/s^2_{23} \simeq 10-20%, depending upon regions of theta_{23}. The errors are severely affected by the octant degeneracy of theta_{23}, and delta(s^2_{23}) is largely amplified by the Jacobian factor relating these two variables in a region near to the maximal mix…
We study the impact of very light sterile neutrinos (Delta m^2_new around 1 to 10 times 10^(-2) eV^2, sin^2 2theta_new<10^(-1)) on upcoming theta_13-driven reactor antineutrino experiments like Double-CHOOZ and Daya Bay. Oscillations driven by these vales of Delta m^2_new affect data in the near and far detectors differently and hence potentially modify the capability of these experimental setups to constrain and measure sin^2 2theta_13. We find that the hypothesis theta_new different from zero negatively impacts one's ability to either place an upper bound on sin^2 2theta_13 in the advent of …
We study the QCD corrections to neutrino deep-inelastic scattering on a nucleus, and analytically estimate their size. For an isoscalar target, we show that the dominant QCD corrections to the ratio of the neutral- to charged-current events are suppressed by sin^4 theta_W, where theta_W is the weak mixing angle. We then discuss the implications for the NuTeV determination of sin^2 theta_W.
The effect of the higher-energy 2nd resonance and the associated adiabatic-to-nonadiabatic transition on neutrino propagation in solar matter is presented. For WIMP-annihilation neutrinos injected with energies in the "sweet region" between 300 MeV and 10 GeV at the Sun's center, a significant and revealing dependence on the neutrino mass hierarchy and the mixing angle theta_13 down to 0.5 degrees is found in the flavor ratios arriving at Earth. In addition, the amplification of flavor ratios in the sweet region allows a better discrimination among possible annihilation modes of the solar dark…
The Daya Bay Collaboration has recently observed neutrino oscillations in the nu_e-bar -> nu_e-bar disappearance channel, indicating that sin^2 theta_13 = 0.024 +(-) 0.005 (1 sigma) and theta_13 = 0 is already excluded at the 5.2 sigma confidence level. Now three neutrino mixing angles have been measured to a good degree of accuracy (theta_12 ~ 34^\circ, theta_23 ~ 45^\circ and theta_13 ~ 9^\circ). Motivated by these experimental results, we propose a novel lepton flavor mixing pattern, which predicts sin^2 theta_23 = 1/2, sin^2 theta_12 = (2+\sqrt{3})/(10+\sqrt{3}) ~ 0.318 and sin^2 theta_13 …
It has recently been speculated that the solar neutrino mixing angle is connected to the golden ratio phi. Two such proposals have been made, cot theta_{12} = phi and cos theta_{12} = phi/2. We compare these Ansatze and discuss a model leading to cos theta_{12} = phi/2 based on the dihedral group D_{10}. This symmetry is a natural candidate because the angle in the expression cos theta_{12} = phi/2 is simply pi/5, or 36 degrees. This is the exterior angle of a decagon and D_{10} is its rotational symmetry group. We also estimate radiative corrections to the golden ratio predictions.
Neutrino masses and mixings are analyzed in terms of left-handed fields and a 6x6 complex symmetric mass matrix whose singular values are the neutrino masses. An angle theta_nu characterizes the kind of the neutrinos, with theta_nu=0 for Dirac neutrinos and theta_nu=pi/2 for Majorana neutrinos. At theta_nu = 0 baryon-minus-lepton number is conserved. If theta_nu is approximately zero, the six neutrino masses coalesce into three nearly degenerate pairs. Thus the tiny mass differences exhibited in the solar and atmospheric neutrino experiments are naturally explained by the approximate conservat…
We analyzed the atmospheric neutrino experiments of SuperKamiokande including zenith angle dependence's using the three-flavor neutrino framework with the hierarchy m^2_1 \approx m^2_2<<m^2_3. Taking into account the terrestrial, solar neutrino experimental data and the atmospheric neutrino experiments including the sub-GeV and multi-GeV data in SuperKamiokande, large angle solution in the solar neutrino experiments is favored and the range of the mass parameter Deltam^2_{23} is restricted between 0.08eV^2 - 2eV^2. Allowed regions of mixing parameters are (theta_{13}<4degree, 27degree<theta_{2…
We present an up-to-date global analysis of solar, atmospheric, reactor and accelerator neutrino data in the framework of three-neutrino oscillations. We discuss in detail the statistical significance of the observed "hint" of non-zero theta13 in the solar sector at the light of the latest experimental advances, such as the Borexino spectral data, the lower value of Gallium rate recently measured in SAGE, and the low energy threshold analysis of the combined SNO phase I and phase II. We also study the robustness of the results under changes of the inputs such as the choice of solar model fluxe…
We discuss neutrino oscillation physics with a neutrino factory in stages, including the possibility of upgrading the muon energy within the same program. We point out that a detector designed for the low energy neutrino factory may be used off-axis in a high energy neutrino factory beam. We include the re-optimization of the experiment depending on the value of theta_13 found. As upgrade options, we consider muon energy, additional baselines, a detector mass upgrade, an off-axis detector, and the platinum (muon to electron neutrino) channels. In addition, we test the impact of Daya Bay data o…
Photon-neutrino interactions arise quite naturally in noncommutative field theories. Such couplings are absent in ordinary field theory and imply experimental lower bounds on the energy scale Lambda_NC ~ 1/|theta|^2 of noncommutativity. Using non-perturbative methods and a Seiberg-Witten map based covariant approach to noncommutative gauge theory, we obtain theta-exact expressions for the interactions, thereby eliminating previous restrictions to low-energy phenomena. We discuss implications for plasmon decay, neutrino charge radii, big bang nucleosynthesis and ultrahigh energy cosmic rays. Ou…
In a previous paper [Phys. Rev. D 83, 113013 (2011)] we have shown that the solar sector data (solar and KamLAND) are sensitive to the parameter theta_14, encoding the admixture of the electron neutrino with a fourth (essentially) sterile mass eigenstate. In that work we evidenced that such data prefer a non-zero value of theta_14 and that such a preference is completely degenerate with that of non-zero theta_13. In this report we show how the evidence of theta_13 > 0, recently emerged from global neutrino data analyses, lifts such a degeneracy and disfavors the case of sterile neutrino mixing…
When solar neutrino and KamLAND data are analyzed separately one finds that, even though allowed regions of neutrino parameters overlap, the values of $δm^2$ and the mixing angle $θ_{12}$ at the $χ^2$ minima are different. We show that a non-zero, but small value of the angle $θ_{13}$ can account for this behavior. From the joint analysis of solar neutrino and KamLAND data we find the best fit value of $\sin^2 2 θ_{13} = 0.01 ^{-0.01}_{+0.09}$.
An analysis of the neutrino oscillation physics capability of a low energy Neutrino Factory is presented, including a first simulation of the detector efficiency and event energy threshold. The sensitivity of the physics reach to the presence of backgrounds is also studied. We consider a representative baseline of 1480 km, we use muons with 4.12 GeV energy and we exploit a very conservative estimate of the energy resolution of the detector. Our analysis suggests an impressive physics reach for this setup, which can eliminate degenerate solutions, for both large and small values of the mixing a…
Keeping in mind the possibility of large theta(13), which will be soon explored by reactor and accelerator experiments, I formulate a perturbation theory of neutrino oscillation under the ansatz, sin^2(theta_{13}) \simeq Delta m^2_{21}/Δm^2_{31} \simeq 0.03, which is comparable to the Chooz limit. Under the framework, I derive the perturbative formula of the nu_{e} appearance probability valid to order ε^2 in which effects of arbitrary matter density profile is taken into account. I use the formula to analyze problem of possible obstruction to detecting lepton CP violation by effects of asymme…
