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A. Yu. Smirnov

Publications and source records attributed to A. Yu. Smirnov.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
arXiv2012

Searches for sterile neutrinos with IceCube DeepCore

We show that study of the atmospheric neutrinos in the 10--100 GeV energy range by DeepCore sub-array of the IceCube Neutrino Observatory can substantially constrain the mixing of sterile neutrinos of mass $\sim 1$ eV with active neutrinos. In the scheme with one sterile neutrino we calculate $ν_μ-$ and $\barν_μ-$ oscillation probabilities as well as zenith angle distributions of $ν_μ^{CC}$ events in different energy intervals in DeepCore. The distributions depend on the mass hierarchy of active neutrinos. Therefore, in principle, the hierarchy can be identified, if $ν_s$ exists. After a few years of exposure the DeepCore data will allow to exclude the mixing $|U_{μ4}|^2 \geq 0.02$ indicated by the LSND/MiniBooNE results. Combination of the DeepCore and high energy IceCube data will further improve sensitivity to $ν_s$ mixing parameters.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2012

Neutrino production coherence and oscillation experiments

Neutrino oscillations are only observable when the neutrino production, propagation and detection coherence conditions are satisfied. In this paper we consider in detail neutrino production coherence, taking π\to μν\ decay as an example. We compare the oscillation probabilities obtained in two different ways: (1) coherent summation of the amplitudes of neutrino production at different points along the trajectory of the parent pion; (2) averaging of the standard oscillation probability over the neutrino production coordinate in the source. We demonstrate that the results of these two different approaches exactly coincide, provided that the parent pion is considered as pointlike and the detection process is perfectly localized. In this case the standard averaging of the oscillation probability over the finite spatial extensions of the neutrino source (and detector) properly takes possible decoherence effects into account. We analyze the reason for this equivalence of the two approaches and demonstrate that for pion wave packets of finite width σ_{xπ} the equivalence is broken. The leading order correction to the oscillation probability due to σ_{xπ}\ne 0 is shown to be \sim [v_g/(v_g-v_π)]σ_{xπ}/l_{osc}, where v_g and v_π\ are the group velocities of the neutrino and pion wave packets, and l_{osc} is the neutrino oscillation length.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2011

Active to sterile neutrino oscillations: Coherence and MINOS results

We study the $ν_μ- ν_s$ oscillation effects in the near detector of the MINOS experiment. Conceptually, the MINOS search for sterile neutrinos with mass $\sim 1$ eV realizes an interesting situation of partial decoherence of the neutrino state at the production. This corresponds to a difference of energies of the two mass eigenstates that is comparable with or bigger than the width of the initial state (pion). We show that these effects modify the MINOS bound on mixing of sterile neutrino for $Δm^2_{41} \aprge 0.5$ eV$^2$ and make the experiment insensitive to oscillations with $Δm^2_{41} \gtrsim 15$ eV$^2$. Oscillations with $Δm^2_{41} = (1 - 3)$ eV$^2$ could explain some deficit of events observed in the low energy bins in the near detector and correspondingly the excess of events in the far detector.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2011

Searching for sterile neutrinos in ice

Oscillation interpretation of the results from the LSND, MiniBooNE and some other experiments requires existence of sterile neutrino with mass $\sim 1$ eV and mixing with the active neutrinos $|U_{μ0}|^2 \sim (0.02 - 0.04)$. It has been realized some time ago that existence of such a neutrino affects significantly the fluxes of atmospheric neutrinos in the TeV range which can be tested by the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. In view of the first IceCube data release we have revisited the oscillations of high energy atmospheric neutrinos in the presence of one sterile neutrino. Properties of the oscillation probabilities are studied in details for various mixing schemes both analytically and numerically. The energy spectra and angular distributions of the $ν_μ-$events have been computed for the simplest $ν_s-$mass, and $ν_s - ν_μ$ mixing schemes and confronted with the IceCube data. An illustrative statistical analysis of the present data shows that in the $ν_s-$mass mixing case the sterile neutrinos with parameters required by LSND/MiniBooNE can be excluded at about $3σ$ level. The $ν_s- ν_μ$ mixing scheme, however, can not be ruled out with currently available IceCube data.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2011

The 2-3 mixing and mass split: atmospheric neutrinos and magnetized spectrometers

We study dependence of the atmospheric $ν_μ$ and $\barν_μ$ fluxes on the deviations of the 2-3 mixing from maximal, $|45^\circ - θ_{23}|$, on the $θ_{23}$-octant and on the neutrino mass splitting $Δm_{32}^2$. Analytic expressions for the $θ_{23}-$deviation effect and the octant asymmetry are derived. We present conservative estimations of sensitivities of the iron (magnetized) calorimeter detectors (ICAL) to these parameters. ICAL can establish the $θ_{23}$-deviation at higher than 3$σ$ confidence level if $| 45^\circ - θ_{23}| > 6^{\circ}$ with the exposure of 1 Mton$\cdot$yr. Sensitivity to the octant is low for zero or very small 1-3 mixing, but it can be substantially enhanced for $θ_{13} > 3^\circ$. ICAL can measure the difference of $Δm_{32}^2$ in $ν$ and $\barν$ channels (the CPT test) with accuracy $0.8\times 10^{-4}$ eV$^2$ (3$σ$) with 1 Mton$\cdot$yr exposure, and the present MINOS result can be excluded at $>5σ$ confidence level. We discuss possible ways to further improve sensitivity of the magnetized spectrometers.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2011

Solar neutrino spectrum, sterile neutrinos and additional radiation in the Universe

Recent results from the SNO, Super-Kamiokande and Borexino experiments do not show the expected upturn of the energy spectrum of events (the ratio $R \equiv N_{obs}/N_{SSM}$) at low energies. At the same time, cosmological observations testify for possible existence of additional relativistic degrees of freedom in the early Universe: $ΔN_{eff} = 1 - 2$. These facts strengthen the case of very light sterile neutrino, $ν_s$, with $Δm^2_{01} \sim (0.7 - 2) \cdot 10^{-5}$ eV$^2$, which mixes weakly with the active neutrinos. The $ν_s$ mixing in the mass eigenstate $ν_1$ characterized by $\sin^2 2α\sim 10^{-3}$ can explain an absence of the upturn. The mixing of $ν_s$ in the eigenstate $ν_3$ with $\sin^2 β\sim 0.1$ leads to production of $ν_s$ via oscillations in the Universe and to additional contribution $ΔN_{eff} \approx 0.7 - 1$ before the big bang nucleosynthesis and later. Such a mixing can be tested in forthcoming experiments with the atmospheric neutrinos as well as in future accelerator long baseline experiments. It has substantial impact on conversion of the supernova neutrinos.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2010

Neutrino oscillations: Entanglement, energy-momentum conservation and QFT

We consider several subtle aspects of the theory of neutrino oscillations which have been under discussion recently. We show that the $S$-matrix formalism of quantum field theory can adequately describe neutrino oscillations if correct physics conditions are imposed. This includes space-time localization of the neutrino production and detection processes. Space-time diagrams are introduced, which characterize this localization and illustrate the coherence issues of neutrino oscillations. We discuss two approaches to calculations of the transition amplitudes, which allow different physics interpretations: (i) using configuration-space wave packets for the involved particles, which leads to approximate conservation laws for their mean energies and momenta; (ii) calculating first a plane-wave amplitude of the process, which exhibits exact energy-momentum conservation, and then convoluting it with the momentum-space wave packets of the involved particles. We show that these two approaches are equivalent. Kinematic entanglement (which is invoked to ensure exact energy-momentum conservation in neutrino oscillations) and subsequent disentanglement of the neutrinos and recoiling states are in fact irrelevant when the wave packets are considered. We demonstrate that the contribution of the recoil particle to the oscillation phase is negligible provided that the coherence conditions for neutrino production and detection are satisfied. Unlike in the previous situation, the phases of both neutrinos from $Z^0$ decay are important, leading to a realization of the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen paradox.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2010

Is the tri-bimaximal mixing accidental?

The Tri-bimaximal (TBM) mixing is not accidental if structures of the corresponding leptonic mass matrices follow immediately from certain (residual or broken) flavor symmetry. We develop a simple formalism which allows one to analyze effects of deviations of the lepton mixing from TBM on structure of the neutrino mass matrix and on underlying flavor symmetry. We show that possible deviations from the TBM mixing can lead to strong modifications of the mass matrix and strong violation of the TBM mass relations. As a result, the mass matrix may have an "anarchical" structure with random values of elements or it may have some symmetry which differs from the TBM symmetry. Interesting examples include matrices with texture zeros, matrices with certain "flavor alignment" as well as hierarchical matrices with a two-component structure, where the dominant and sub-dominant contributions have different symmetries. This opens up new approaches to understand the lepton mixing.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2010

Flavor conversion of cosmic neutrinos from hidden jets

High energy cosmic neutrino fluxes can be produced inside relativistic jets under the envelopes of collapsing stars. In the energy range E ~ (0.3 - 1e5) GeV, flavor conversion of these neutrinos is modified by various matter effects inside the star and the Earth. We present a comprehensive (both analytic and numerical) description of the flavor conversion of these neutrinos which includes: (i) oscillations inside jets, (ii) flavor-to-mass state transitions in an envelope, (iii) loss of coherence on the way to observer, and (iv) oscillations of the mass states inside the Earth. We show that conversion has several new features which are not realized in other objects, in particular interference effects ("L- and H- wiggles") induced by the adiabaticity violation. The neutrino-neutrino scattering inside jet and inelastic neutrino interactions in the envelope may produce some additional features at E > 1e4 GeV. We study dependence of the probabilities and flavor ratios in the matter-affected region on angles theta13 and theta23, on the CP-phase delta, as well as on the initial flavor content and density profile of the star. We show that measurements of the energy dependence of the flavor ratios will, in principle, allow to determine independently the neutrino and astrophysical parameters.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2009

Oscillations of very low energy atmospheric neutrinos

There are several new features in production, oscillations and detection of the atmospheric neutrinos of low energies, E<100 MeV. The flavor ratio, r, of muon to electron neutrino fluxes is substantially smaller than 2 and decreases with energy, significant part of events is due to the decay of invisible muons at rest, etc. Oscillations in two-layer medium (atmosphere - earth) should be taken into account. We derive analytical and semi-analytical expressions for the oscillation probabilities of these "sub-subGeV" neutrinos. The energy spectra of the e-like events in water cherenkov detectors are computed and dependence of the spectra on the 2-3 mixing angle, the 1-3 mixing and CP-violation phase are studied. We find that variations of 2-3 mixing angle in the presently allowed region change the number of e-like events by about 15 - 20 % as well as to distortion of the energy spectrum. The 1-3 mixing and CP-violation can lead to ~10% effects. Detailed study of the sub-subGeV neutrinos will be possible in future Megaton-scale detectors.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2009

Describing neutrino oscillations in matter with Magnus expansion

We present new formalism for description of the neutrino oscillations in matter with varying density. The formalism is based on the Magnus expansion and has a virtue that the unitarity of the S-matrix is maintained in each order of perturbation theory. We show that the Magnus expansion provides better convergence of series: the restoration of unitarity leads to smaller deviations from the exact results especially in the regions of large transition probabilities. Various expansions are obtained depending on a basis of neutrino states and a way one splits the Hamiltonian into the self-commuting and non-commuting parts. In particular, we develop the Magnus expansion for the adiabatic perturbation theory which gives the best approximation. We apply the formalism to the neutrino oscillations in matter of the Earth and show that for the solar oscillation parameters the second order Magnus adiabatic expansion has better than 1% accuracy for all energies and trajectories. For the atmospheric $Δm^2$ and small 1-3 mixing the approximation works well ($< 3 %$ accuracy for $\sin^2 θ_{13} = 0.01$) outside the resonance region (2.7 - 8) GeV.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2008

Proton transport and torque generation in rotary biomotors

We analyze the dynamics of rotary biomotors within a simple nano-electromechanical model, consisting of a stator part and a ring-shaped rotor having twelve proton-binding sites. This model is closely related to the membrane-embedded F$_0$ motor of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthase, which converts the energy of the transmembrane electrochemical gradient of protons into mechanical motion of the rotor. It is shown that the Coulomb coupling between the negative charge of the empty rotor site and the positive stator charge, located near the periplasmic proton-conducting channel (proton source), plays a dominant role in the torque-generating process. When approaching the source outlet, the rotor site has a proton energy level higher than the energy level of the site, located near the cytoplasmic channel (proton drain). In the first stage of this torque-generating process, the energy of the electrochemical potential is converted into potential energy of the proton-binding sites on the rotor. Afterwards, the tangential component of the Coulomb force produces a mechanical torque. We demonstrate that, at low temperatures, the loaded motor works in the shuttling regime where the energy of the electrochemical potential is consumed without producing any unidirectional rotation. The motor switches to the torque-generating regime at high temperatures, when the Brownian ratchet mechanism turns on. In the presence of a significant external torque, created by ATP hydrolysis, the system operates as a proton pump, which translocates protons against the transmembrane potential gradient. Here we focus on the F$_0$ motor, even though our analysis is applicable to the bacterial flagellar motor.

cond-mat.other↗
arXiv2008

Enhancing the conductance of a two-electron nanomechanical oscillator

We consider electron transport through a mobile island (i.e., a nanomechanical oscillator) which can accommodate one or two excess electrons and show that, in contrast to immobile islands, the Coulomb blockade peaks, associated with the first and second electrons entering the island, have different functional dependences on the nano-oscillator parameters when the island coupling to its leads is asymmetric. In particular, the conductance for the second electron (i.e., when the island is already charged) is greatly enhanced in comparison to the conductance of the first electron in the presence of an external electric field. We also analyze the temperature dependence of the two conduction peaks and show that these exhibit different functional behaviors.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗
arXiv2007

Unidirectional rotary nanomotors powered by an electrochemical potential gradient

We examine the dynamics of biological nanomotors within a simple model of a rotor having three ion-binding sites. It is shown that in the presence of an external dc electric field in the plane of the rotor, the loading of the ion from the positive side of a membrane (rotor charging) provides a torque leading to the motor rotation. We derive equations for the proton populations of the sites and solve these equations numerically jointly with the Langevin-type equation for the rotor angle. Using parameters for biological systems, we demonstrate that the sequential loading and unloading of the sites lead to the unidirectional rotation of the motor. The previously unexplained phenomenon of fast direction-switching in the rotation of a bacterial flagellar motor can also be understood within our model.

cond-mat.other↗
arXiv2007

Modelling chemical reactions using semiconductor quantum dots

We propose using semiconductor quantum dots for a simulation of chemical reactions as electrons are redistributed among such artificial atoms. We show that it is possible to achieve various reaction regimes and obtain different reaction products by varying the speed of voltage changes applied to the gates forming quantum dots. Considering the simplest possible reaction, $H_2+H\to H+H_2$, we show how the necessary initial state can be obtained and what voltage pulses should be applied to achieve a desirable final product. Our calculations have been performed using the Pechukas gas approach, which can be extended for more complicated reactions.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗
arXiv2007

Nonlinear response and observable signatures of equilibrium entanglement

We investigate how equilibrium entanglement is manifested in the nonlinear response of an $N$-qubit system. We show that in the thermodynamic limit the irreducible part of the $n$th-order nonlinear susceptibility indicates that the eigenstates of the system contain entangled $(n+1)$-qubit clusters. This opens the way to a directly observable multiqubit entanglement signature. We show that the irreducible part of the static cubic susceptibility of a system of four flux qubits, as a function of external parameters, behaves as a global 4-qubit entanglement measure introduced in Ref.\cite{Love}. We discuss the possibility of extracting purely-entanglement-generated contribution from the general multipoint correlators in a multiqubit system.

quant-ph↗
arXiv2007

Sign- and magnitude-tunable coupler for superconducting flux qubits

We experimentally confirm the functionality of a coupling element for flux-based superconducting qubits, with a coupling strength $J$ whose sign and magnitude can be tuned {\it in situ}. To measure the effective $J$, the groundstate of a coupled two-qubit system has been mapped as a function of the local magnetic fields applied to each qubit. The state of the system is determined by directly reading out the individual qubits while tunneling is suppressed. These measurements demonstrate that $J$ can be tuned from antiferromagnetic through zero to ferromagnetic.

cond-mat.supr-con↗