arXiv subjects

Alexei Yu. Smirnov

Publications and source records attributed to Alexei Yu. Smirnov.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2024

Restricting Sterile Neutrinos by Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay

The bounds on parameters of the eV and higher scale sterile neutrinos from the $0\nu \beta \beta$ decay have been refined and updated. We present a simple and compact analytic expression for the bound in the $\Delta m^2_{41} - \sin^2 2\theta_{14}$ plane, which includes all relevant parameters. Dependencies of the bound on unknown CP-phases and the type of mass spectrum of light neutrinos (mass ordering and level of degeneracy) are studied in detail. We have computed the bounds using the latest and most stringent data from KamLAND-Zen. The projected constraints from future experiments are estimated. The obtained bounds are confronted with positive indications of the presence of sterile neutrinos as well as with the other existing bounds. The $0\nu \beta \beta$ decay results exclude the regions of parameters implied by BEST and Neutrino-4, and the regions indicated by LSND and MiniBooNE are in conflict with $0\nu \beta \beta$ results combined with $\nu_\mu-$ disappearance bounds.

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arXiv2024

Toward a theory of neutrino mass and mixing

Among numerous theoretical ideas, approaches, mechanisms, models there are probably few elements which will eventually enter the true theory of neutrino masses and mixing. The task is to identify them. Still something conceptually important can be missed. The problems of construction of the theory are outlined. Perspectives and possible future developments are discussed.

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arXiv2023

Neutrinos from GRB 221009A: producing ALPs and explaining LHAASO anomalous $γ$ event

We propose a novel explanation for the 18 TeV gamma ray from GRB 221009A observed by LHAASO. High-energy neutrinos are converted into axion-like particles (ALPs) via their interaction with the cosmic neutrino background. Subsequently, ALPs are converted into high-energy photons in the magnetic field of our galaxy. We compute the fluxes of neutrinos, ALPs, and photons reaching Earth. IceCube's constraints on the neutrino flux from GRB 221009A translate into a severe upper bound on the photon flux. We find a range of parameters where all existing bounds are satisfied and the 18 TeV LHAASO photon can be explained. In the future, the specific correlation between the photon and neutrino flux reaching Earth from powerful neutrino sources with energies larger than 10 TeV such as GRBs or AGNs, can be used as a tool to differentiate our explanation from the alternatives suggested in the literature. We discuss how the interactions of our scenario can be embedded within electroweak gauge-invariant models, avoiding various cosmological and terrestrial bounds. We comment on the possibility of explaining the 251 TeV photon observed by the Carpet-2 detector, taking into account the bounds from the observation of high-energy neutrinos from TXS 0506+056.

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arXiv2022

Neutrino bound states and bound systems

Yukawa interactions of neutrinos with a new light scalar boson $ϕ$ can lead to formation of stable bound states and bound systems of many neutrinos ($ν$-clusters). For allowed values of the coupling $y$ and the scalar mass $m_ϕ$, the bound state of two neutrinos would have the size larger than $10^{12}$ cm. Bound states with sub-cm sizes are possible for keV scale sterile neutrinos with coupling $y > 10^{-4}$. For $ν$-clusters we study in detail the properties of final stable configurations. If there is an efficient cooling mechanism, these configurations are in the state of degenerate Fermi gas. We formulate and solve equations of the density distributions in $ν$-clusters. In the non-relativistic case, they are reduced to the Lane-Emden equation. We find that (i) stable configurations exist for any number of neutrinos, $N$; (ii) there is a maximal central density $\sim 10^9$ cm$^{-3}$ determined by the neutrino mass; (iii) for a given $m_ϕ$ there is a minimal value of $Ny^3$ for which stable configurations can be formed; (iv) for a given strength of interaction, $S_ϕ= (ym_ν/m_ϕ)^2$, the minimal radius of $ν$-clusters exists. We discuss the formation of $ν$-clusters from relic neutrino background in the process of expansion and cooling of the Universe. One possibility realized for $S_ϕ> 700$ is the development of instabilities in the $ν$-background at $T < m_ν$ which leads to its fragmentation. For allowed values of $y$, cooling of $ν$-clusters due to $ϕ$-bremsstrahlung and neutrino annihilation is negligible. The sizes of $ν$-clusters may range from $\sim$ km to $\sim 5$ Mpc. Formation of clusters affects perspectives of detection of relic neutrinos.

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arXiv2021

Model Independent Bounds on the Non-Oscillatory Explanations of the MiniBooNE Excess

We consider the non-oscillatory explanations of the low energy excess of events detected by MiniBooNE. We present a systematic search for phenomenological scenarios based on new physics which can produce the excess. We define scenarios as series of transitions and processes which connect interactions of accelerated protons in target with single shower events in the MiniBooNE detector. The key elements of the scenarios are production and decay of new light $\mathcal{O}(\text{keV}-100\,\text{MeV})$ particles (fermions or/and bosons). We find about $20$ scenarios with minimal possible number of new particles and interaction points. In practice, they are all reduced to few generic scenarios and in this way we develop the effective theory of the MiniBooNE excess. We consider tests of the scenarios with near or close detectors in neutrino experiments T2K ND280, NO$ν$A, MINER$ν$A as well as in NOMAD and PS191. The scenarios immediately connect the MiniBooNE excess and expected numbers of new physics events in these detectors. We compute the expected numbers of events as functions of lifetimes and masses of new particles and confront them with the corresponding experimental bounds. We indicate scenarios that are excluded or strongly disfavored by one or several experiments. Given our general approach, this work can also be regarded as the effective theory of new physics at accelerator based neutrino experiments, being relevant for future projects such as DUNE.

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arXiv2021

Coherence of oscillations in matter and supernova neutrinos

We study the propagation coherence for neutrino oscillations in media with different density profiles. For each profile, we find the dependence of the coherence length, $L_{coh}$, on neutrino energy and address the issue of correspondence of results in the distance and energy-momentum representations. The key new feature in matter is existence of energy ranges with enhanced coherence around the energies $E_0$ of "infinite coherence" at which $L_{coh} \rightarrow \infty$. In the configuration space, the infinite coherence corresponds to equality of the (effective) group velocities of the eigenstates. In constant density medium, there is a unique $E_0$, which coincides with the MSW resonance energy of oscillations of mass states and is close to the MSW resonance energy of flavor states. In the case of massless neutrinos or negligible masses in a very dense medium the coherence persists continuously. In the adiabatic case, the infinite coherence is realized for periodic density change. Adiabaticity violation changes the shape factors of the wave packets (WPs) and leads to their spread. In a medium with sharp density changes (jumps), splitting of the eigenstates occurs at crossing of each jump. We study the increase of the coherence length in a single jump and periodic density jumps - castle-wall (CW) profiles. For the CW profile, there are several $E_0$ corresponding to parametric resonances. We outlined applications of the results for supernova neutrinos. In particular, we show that coherence between two shock wave fronts leads to observable oscillation effects, and our analysis suggests that the decoherence can be irrelevant for flavor transformations in the central parts of collapsing stars.

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arXiv2021

Wolfenstein potentials for neutrinos induced by ultra-light mediators

New physics can emerge at low energy scales, involving very light and very weakly interacting new particles. These particles can mediate interactions between neutrinos and usual matter and contribute to the Wolfenstein potential relevant for neutrino oscillations. We compute the Wolfenstein potential in the presence of ultra-light scalar and vector mediators and study the dependence of the potential on the mediator mass $m_A$, taking the finite size of matter distribution (Earth, Sun, supernovae) into consideration. For ultra-light mediators with $m_{A}^{-1}$ comparable to the size of the medium ($R$), the usual $m_{A}^{-2}$ dependence of the potential is modified. In particular, when $m_{A}^{-1}\gg R$, the potential does not depend on $m_{A}$. Taking into account existing bounds on light mediators, we find that for the scalar case significant effects on neutrino propagation are not possible, while for the vector case large matter effects are allowed for $m_{A} \in [2\times10^{-17}$, $4\times10^{-14}]$ eV and the gauge coupling $g\sim 10^{-25}$.

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arXiv2020

Oscillation tomography of the Earth with solar neutrinos and future experiments

We study in details the Earth matter effects on the boron neutrinos from the Sun using recently developed 3D models of the Earth. The models have a number of new features of the density profiles, in particular, a substantial deviation from spherical symmetry. In this connection, we further elaborate on relevant aspects of oscillations ($ε^2$ corrections, adiabaticity violation, entanglement, {\it etc.}) and the attenuation effect. The night excesses of the $νe-$ and $νN-$ events and the Day-Night asymmetries, $A_{ND}$, are presented in terms of the matter potential and the generalized energy resolution functions. The energy dependences of the cross-section and the flux improve the resolution, and consequently, sensitivity to remote structures of the profiles. The nadir angle ($η$) dependences of $A_{ND}$ are computed for future detectors DUNE, THEIA, Hyper-Kamiokande, and MICA at the South pole. Perspectives of the oscillation tomography of the Earth with the boron neutrinos are discussed. Next-generation detectors will establish the integrated day-night asymmetry with high confidence level. They can give some indications of the $η-$ dependence of the effect, but will discriminate among different models at most at the $(1 - 2)σ$ level. For high-level discrimination, the MICA-scale experiments are needed. MICA can detect the ice-soil borders and perform unique tomography of Antarctica.

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arXiv2019

Effect of extended neutrino production region on collective oscillations in supernovae

In supernovae neutrinos are emitted from a region with a width $r_{\rm eff}$ of a few kilometers (rather than from a surface of infinitesimal width). We study the effect of integration (averaging) over such an extended emission region on collective oscillations. The averaging leads to additional suppression of the correlation (off-diagonal element of the density matrix) by a factor $ \sim 1/r_{\rm eff} V_e \sim 10^{-10}$, where $V_e$ is the matter potential. This factor enters the initial condition for further collective oscillations and, consequently, leads to a delay of the strong flavour transitions. We justify and quantify this picture using a simple example of collective effects in two intersecting fluxes. We have derived the evolution equation for the density matrix elements integrated over the emission region and solved it both numerically and analytically. For the analytic solution we have used linearized equations. We show that the delay of the development of the instability and the collective oscillations depends on the suppression factor due to the averaging (integration) logarithmically. If the instability develops inside the production region, the integration leads not only to a delay but also to a modification of the exponential grow.

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arXiv2019

Low Scale Left-Right Symmetry and Naturally Small Neutrino Mass

We consider the low scale ($10$ - $100$ TeV) left-right symmetric model with "naturally" small neutrino masses generated through the inverse seesaw mechanism. The Dirac neutrino mass terms are taken to be similar to the masses of charged leptons and quarks in order to satisfy the quark-lepton similarity condition. The inverse seesaw implies the existence of fermion singlets $S$ with Majorana mass terms as well as the "left" and "right" Higgs doublets. These doublets provide the portal for $S$ and break the left-right symmetry. The inverse seesaw allows to realize a scenario in which the large lepton mixing originates from the Majorana mass matrix of $S$ fields which has certain symmetry. The model contains heavy pseudo-Dirac fermions, formed by $S$ and the right-handed neutrinos, which have masses in the $1$ GeV - $100$ TeV range and can be searched for at current and future colliders such as LHC and FCC-ee as well as in SHiP and DUNE experiments. Their contribution to neutrinoless double beta decay is unobservable. The radiative corrections to the mass of the Higgs boson and the possibility for generating the baryon asymmetry of the Universe are discussed. Modification of the model with two singlets ($S_L$ and $S_R$) per generation can provide a viable keV-scale dark matter candidate.

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arXiv2018

Non-standard interactions and the CP phase measurements in neutrino oscillations at low energies

We study the effects of non-standard interactions (NSI) and the genuine CP phase $δ_D$ in neutrino oscillations at low, $E_ν\lesssim 1\,\mbox{GeV}$, and very low, $E_ν\lesssim 0.1\,\mbox{GeV}$, energies. For experimental setup with baseline and neutrino energy tuned to the first 1-3 oscillation maximum, we develop a simple analytic formalism to show the effects of NSI. The vacuum mimicking and its violation as well as the use of the separation basis play a central role in our formalism. The NSI corrections that affect the CP phase measurement mainly come from the violation of vacuum mimicking as well as from the corrections to the 1-3 mixing angle and mass-squared difference. We find that the total NSI correction to the $ν_μ- ν_e$ probability $P_{μe}$ can reach $20\% - 30\%$ ($1 σ$) at T2(H)K. Correspondingly, the correction to the CP phase can be as large as $50^\circ$ and hence significantly deteriorates the CP sensitivity at T2(H)K. The proposed TNT2K experiment, a combination of T2(H)K and the short baseline experiment $μ$Kam that uses the Super-K/Hyper-K detector at Kamioka to measure the oscillation of the antineutrinos from muon decay at rest ($μ$DAR), can substantially reduce the degeneracy between NSI and the genuine CP phase $δ_D$ to provide high CP sensitivity. The NSI correction to $P_{μe}$ is only $2\%$ ($1 σ$) for $μ$DAR neutrinos.

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arXiv2018

Neutrino conversion in a neutrino flux: Towards an effective theory of collective oscillations

Collective oscillations of supernova neutrinos above the neutrino sphere can be completely described by the propagation of individual neutrinos in external potentials and are in this sense a linear phenomenon. An effective theory of collective oscillations can be developed based on certain assumptions about time dependence of these potentials. General conditions for strong flavor transformations are formulated and these transformations can be interpreted as parametric resonance effects induced by periodic modulations of the potentials. We study a simplified and solvable example, where a probe neutrino is propagating in a flux of collinear neutrinos, such that $νν-$ interactions in the flux are absent. Still, this example retains the main feature - the coherent flavor exchange. Properties of the parametric resonance are studied, and it is shown that integrations over energies and emission points of the flux neutrinos suppress modulations of the potentials and therefore strong transformations. The transformations are also suppressed by changes in densities of background neutrinos and electrons.

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arXiv2018

Neutrino mixing in SO(10) GUTs with non-abelian flavor symmetry in the hidden sector

The relation between the mixing matrices of leptons and quarks: $U_{\rm{PMNS}} \approx V_{\rm{CKM}}^\dagger U_0$, where $U_0$ is a matrix of special forms (e.g. BM, TBM), can be a clue for understanding the lepton mixing and neutrino masses. It may imply the Grand unification and existence of a hidden sector with certain symmetry which generates $U_0$ and leads to the smallness of neutrino masses. We apply the residual symmetry approach to obtain $U_0$. The residual symmetries of both the visible and hidden sectors are $\mathbb{Z}_{2} \times \mathbb{Z}_{2}$. Their embedding in a unified flavor group is considered. We find that there are only several possible structures of $U_0$, including the BM mixing and matrices with elements determined by the golden ratio. Realization of the BM scenario based on the $SO(10)$ GUT with the $S_4$ flavor group is presented. Generic features of this scenario are discussed, in particular, the prediction of CP phase $144^{\circ}\lesssimδ_{\rm CP}\lesssim 210^{\circ}$ in the minimal version.

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arXiv2017

Scanning the Earth with solar neutrinos and DUNE

We explore oscillations of the solar $^8$B neutrinos in the Earth in detail. The relative excess of night $ν_e$ events (the Night-Day asymmetry) is computed as function of the neutrino energy and the nadir angle $η$ of its trajectory. The finite energy resolution of the detector causes an important attenuation effect, while the layer-like structure of the Earth density leads to an interesting parametric suppression of the oscillations. Different features of the $η-$ dependence encode information about the structure (such as density jumps) of the Earth density profile; thus measuring the $η$ distribution allows the scanning of the interior of the Earth. We estimate the sensitivity of the DUNE experiment to such measurements. About 75 neutrino events are expected per day in 40 kt. For high values of $Δm^2_{21}$ and $E_ν> $11 MeV, the corresponding D-N asymmetry is about 4\% and can be measured with $15\%$ accuracy after 5 years of data taking. The difference of the D-N asymmetry between high and low values of $Δm^2_{21}$ can be measured at the $4σ$ level. The relative excess of the $ν_e$ signal varies with the nadir angle up to 50\%. DUNE may establish the existence of the dip in the $η-$ distribution at the $(2 - 3) σ$ level.

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arXiv2017

Solar neutrinos and neutrino physics

Solar neutrino studies triggered and largely motivated the major developments in neutrino physics in the last 50 years. Theory of neutrino propagation in different media with matter and fields has been elaborated. It includes oscillations in vacuum and matter, resonance flavor conversion and resonance oscillations, spin and spin-flavor precession, etc. LMA MSW has been established as the true solution of the solar neutrino problem. Parameters theta12 and Delta_m21^2 have been measured; theta13 extracted from the solar data is in agreement with results from reactor experiments. Solar neutrino studies provide a sensitive way to test theory of neutrino oscillations and conversion. Characterized by long baseline, huge fluxes and low energies they are a powerful set-up to search for new physics beyond the standard 3nu paradigm: new neutrino states, sterile neutrinos, non-standard neutrino interactions, effects of violation of fundamental symmetries, new dynamics of neutrino propagation, probes of space and time. These searches allow us to get stringent, and in some cases unique bounds on new physics. We summarize the results on physics of propagation, neutrino properties and physics beyond the standard model obtained from studies of solar neutrinos.

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arXiv2016

Decoherence and oscillations of supernova neutrinos

Supernova neutrinos have several exceptional features which can lead to interesting physical consequences. At the production point their wave packets have an extremely small size $σ_x \sim 10^{-11}$ cm; hence the energy uncertainty can be as large as the energy itself, $σ_E \sim E$, and the coherence length is short. On the way to the Earth the wave packets of mass eigenstates spread to macroscopic sizes and separate. Inside the Earth the mass eigenstates split into eigenstates in matter and oscillate again. The coherence length in the Earth is comparable with the radius of the Earth. We explore these features and their consequences. (i) We present new estimates of the wave packet size. (ii) We consider the decoherence condition for the case of wave packets with spatial spread and show that it is not modified by the spread. (iii) We study the coherence of neutrinos propagating in a multi-layer medium with density jumps at the borders of layers. In this case coherence can be partially restored due to a "catch-up effect", increasing the coherence length beyond the usual estimate. This catch-up effect can occur for supernova neutrinos as they cross the shock wave fronts in the exploding star or the core of the Earth.

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arXiv2016

The Liouville equation for flavour evolution of neutrinos and neutrino wave packets

We consider several aspects related to the form, derivation and applications of the Liouville equation (LE) for flavour evolution of neutrinos. To take into account the quantum nature of neutrinos we derive the evolution equation for the matrix of densities using wave packets instead of Wigner functions. The obtained equation differs from the standard LE by an additional term which is proportional to the difference of group velocities. We show that this term describes loss of the propagation coherence in the system. In absence of inelastic collisions, the LE can be reduced to a single derivative equation over a trajectory coordinate. Additional time and spacial dependence may steam from initial (production) conditions. The transition from single neutrino evolution to the evolution of a neutrino gas is considered.

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arXiv2016

Hidden flavor symmetries of SO(10) GUT

The Yukawa interactions of the SO(10) GUT with fermions in 16-plets (as well as with singlets) have certain intrinsic ("built-in") symmetries which do not depend on the model parameters. Thus, the symmetric Yukawa interactions of the 10 and 126 dimensional Higgses have intrinsic discrete $Z_2\times Z_2$ symmetries, while the antisymmetric Yukawa interactions of the 120 dimensional Higgs have a continuous SU(2) symmetry. The couplings of SO(10) singlet fermions with fermionic 16-plets have $U(1)^3$ symmetry. We consider a possibility that some elements of these intrinsic symmetries are the residual symmetries, which originate from the (spontaneous) breaking of a larger symmetry group $G_f$. Such an embedding leads to the determination of certain elements of the relative mixing matrix $U$ between the matrices of Yukawa couplings $Y_{10}$, $Y_{126}$, $Y_{120}$, and consequently, to restrictions of masses and mixings of quarks and leptons. We explore the consequences of such embedding using the symmetry group conditions. We show how unitarity emerges from group properties and obtain the conditions it imposes on the parameters of embedding. We find that in some cases the predicted values of elements of $U$ are compatible with the existing data fits. In the supersymmetric version of SO(10) such results are renormalization group invariant.

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