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Naotoshi Okamura

Publications and source records attributed to Naotoshi Okamura.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2017

Revisiting T2KK and T2KO physics potential and $ν_μ$ - $\barν_μ$ beam ratio

We revisit the sensitivity study of the Tokai-to-Kamioka-and-Korea (T2KK) and Tokai-to-Kamioka-and-Oki (T2KO) proposals where a water Cerenkov detector with the 100 kton fiducial volume is placed in Korea ($L = 1000$ km) and Oki island ($L = 653$ km) in Japan, respectively, in addition to the Super-Kamiokande for determination of the neutrino mass hierarchy and leptonic CP phase ($δ_{CP}$). We systematically study the running ratio of the $ν_μ$ and $\barν_μ$ focusing beams with dedicated background estimation for the $ν_e$ appearance and $ν_μ$ disappearance signals, especially improving treatment of the neutral current $π^0$ backgrounds. Using a $ν_μ$ - $\barν_μ$ beam ratio between 3 : 2 and 2.5 : 2.5 (in unit of $10^{21}$POT with the proton energy of 40 GeV), the mass hierarchy determination with the median sensitivity of 3 - 5 $σ$ by the T2KK and 1 - 4 $σ$ by the T2KO experiment are expected when $\sin^2θ_{23} = 0.5$, depending on the mass hierarchy pattern and CP phase. These sensitivities are enhanced (reduced) by $30\%$ - $40\%$ in $Δχ^2$ when $\sin^2θ_{23} = 0.6\, (0.4)$. The CP phase is measured with the uncertainty of $20^\circ$ - $50^\circ$ by the T2KK and T2KO using the $ν_μ$ - $\barν_μ$ focusing beam ratio between 3.5 : 1.5 and 1.5 : 3.5. These findings indicate that inclusion of the $\barν_μ$ focusing beam improves the sensitivities of the T2KK and T2KO experiments to both the mass hierarchy determination and leptonic CP phase measurement simultaneously with the preferred beam ratio being between 3 : 2 - 2.5 : 2.5 ($\times 10^{21}$POT).

hep-ph↗
arXiv2013

Determination of mass hierarchy with medium baseline reactor neutrino experiments

We study the sensitivity of future medium baseline reactor antineutrino experiments on the neutrino mass hierarchy. By using the standard chi^2 analysis, we find that the sensitivity depends strongly on the baseline length L and the energy resolution (delta E/E)^2 = (a/sqrt{E/MeV})^2 + b^2, where a and b parameterize the statistical and systematic uncertainties, respectively. The optimal length is found to be L ~ 40-55 km, where a slightly shorter L in the range is preferred for poorer energy resolution. The running time needed to determine the mass hierarchy also depends strongly on the energy resolution; for a 5 kton detector (with 12% weight fraction of free proton) placed at L ~ 50 km away from a 20 GW_{th} reactor, three-sigma determination needs 14 years of running with a = 3% and b = 0.5%, which can be reduced to 5 years if a = 2% and b = 0.5%. On the other hand, the experiment can measure the mixing parameters accurately, achieving delta sin^2(2theta_{12}) ~ 4*10^{-3}, delta (m_2^2-m_1^2) ~ 0.03*10^{-5} eV^2, and delta |m_3^2 -m_1^2| ~ 0.007*10^{-3} eV^2, in 5 years, almost independently of the energy resolution for a < 3% and b < 1%. In order to compare our simple (Delta chi^2)_{min} results with those obtained by simulating many experiments, we develop an efficient method to estimate the uncertainty of (Delta chi^2)_{min}, and the probability for determining the right mass hierarchy by an experiment is presented as a function of the mean (Delta chi^2)_{min}.

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arXiv2012

Physics potential of neutrino oscillation experiment with a far detector in Oki Island along the T2K baseline

Oki Island is located between Japan and Korea along the Tokai-To-Kamioka (T2K) baseline. The distance from J-PARC to Oki Island is about 653km, which is twice that of the T2K experiment (L=295km). When the off-axis angle of the neutrino beam from J-PARC is 3.0^\circ (2.0^\circ) at Super-Kamiokande (SK), the off-axis beam (OAB) with 1.4^\circ (0.6^\circ) reaches at Oki Island. We examine physics case of placing a far detector in Oki Island during the T2K experimental period. We estimate the matter density profile along the Tokai-to-Oki baseline by using recent seismological measurements. For a detector of 100kton fiducial volume and 2.5x10^21 POT (protons on target) exposure for both ν_μand \barν_μbeams, we find that the mass hierarchy pattern can be distinguished at 3σlevel if sin^22theta_rct \equiv 4|U_{e3}|^2(1-|U_{e3}|^2) \gsim 0.09, by observing the electron-like CCQE (Charged-Current Quasi Elastic) events. The CP phase in the Maki-Nakagawa-Sakata lepton flavor mixing matrix, δ_mns, can be constrained with \pm 20^\circ. As a reference, we repeat the same analysis by placing the same detector in Korea at L=1000km and OAB=0.5^\circ (T2KK) and also by placing it at the SK site (T2K_122). The Tokai-to-Kamioka-OKI (T2KO) sensitivity to the mass hierarchy is about 1/3 (in Δχ^2_min) of T2KK, while the sensitivity to the phase δ_mns is similar between T2KO and T2KK. The T2K_122 option has almost no sensitivity to the mass hierarchy, and cannot measure the CP phase except when δ_mns \sim -90^\circ (90^\circ) for the normal (inverted) hierarchy.

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arXiv2011

The earth matter effects in neutrino oscillation experiments from Tokai to Kamioka and Korea

We study the earth matter effects in the Tokai-to-Kamioka-and-Korea experiment (T2KK), which is a proposed extension of the T2K (Tokai-to-Kamioka) neutrino oscillation experiment between J-PARC at Tokai and Super-Kamiokande (SK) in Kamioka, where an additional detector is placed in Korea along the same neutrino beam line.By using recent geophysical measurements, we examine the earth matter effects on the oscillation probabilities at Kamioka and Korea. The average matter density along the Tokai-to-Kamioka baseline is found to be 2.6 g/cm^3, and that for the Tokai-to-Korea baseline is 2.85, 2.98, and 3.05 g/cm^3 for the baseline length of L = 1000, 1100, and 1200 km, respectively. The uncertainty of the average density is about 6%, which is determined by the uncertainty in the correlation between the accurately measured sound velocity and the matter density. The effect of the matter density distribution along the baseline is studied by using the step function approximation and the Fourier analysis. We find that the nu_mu -> nu_e oscillation probability is dictated mainly by the average matter density, with small but non-negligible contribution from the real part of the first Fourier mode. We also find that the sensitivity of the T2KK experiment on the neutrino mass hierarchy does not improve significantly by reducing the matter density error from 6% to 3%, since the measurement is limited by statistics for the minimum scenario of T2KK with SK at Kamioka anda 100 kt detector in Korea considered in this report. The sensitivity of the T2KK experiment on the neutrino mass hierarchy improves significantly by splitting the total beam time into neutrino and anti-neutrino runs, because the matter effect term contributes to the oscillation amplitudes with the opposite sign.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2009

The Effect of the Minimal Length Uncertainty Relation on the Density of States and the Cosmological Constant Problem

We investigate the effect of the minimal length uncertainty relation, motivated by perturbative string theory, on the density of states in momentum space. The relation is implemented through the modified commutation relation [x_i,p_j]=i hbar[(1 + beta p^2) delta_{ij} + beta' p_i p_j]. We point out that this relation, which is an example of an UV/IR relation, implies the finiteness of the cosmological constant. While our result does not solve the cosmological constant problem, it does shed new light on the relation between this outstanding problem and UV/IR correspondence. We also point out that the blackbody radiation spectrum will be modified at higher frequencies, but the effect is too small to be observed in the cosmic microwave background spectrum.

hep-th↗
arXiv2009

Re-evaluation of the T2KK physics potential with simulations including backgrounds

The Tokai-to-Kamioka-and-Korea (T2KK) neutrino oscillation experiment under examination can have a high sensitivity to determine the neutrino mass hierarchy for a combination of relatively large (\sim 3.0^circ) off-axis angle beam at Super-Kamiokande (SK) and small (\sim 0.5^circ) off-axis angle at L \sim 1,000km in Korea. We elaborate previous studies by taking into account smearing of reconstructed neutrino energy due to finite resolution of electron or muon energies, nuclear Fermi motion and resonance production, as well as the neutral current π^0 production background to the nu_mu to nu_e oscillation signal. It is found that the mass hierarchy pattern can still be determined at 3sigma level if sin^22thata_rct \quiv 4|U_{e3}|^2(1-|U_{e3}|^2) \gsim 0.08(0.09) when the hierarchy is normal (inverted) with 5 \times10^{21} POT exposure, or 5 years of the T2K experiment, if a 100kton water cherenkov detector is placed in Korea. The π^0 backgrounds deteriorate the capability of the mass hierarchy determination, whereas the events from nuclear resonance productions contribute positively to the hierarchy discrimination power. We also find that the π^0 backgrounds seriously affect the CP phase measurement. Although δ_mns can still be constrained with an accuracy of \sim \pm 45^circ (\pm 60^circ) at 1sigma level for the normal (inverted) hierarchy with the above exposure if sin^22theta_rct \gsim 0.04, CP violation can no longer be established at 3sigma level even for delta_mns=\pm 90^circ and sin^22theta_rct=0.1. About four times higher exposure will be needed to measure delta_mns with \pm 30^circ accuracy.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2007

Constraints on New Physics from Long Baseline Neutrino Oscillation Experiments

New physics beyond the Standard Model can lead to extra matter effects on neutrino oscillation if the new interactions distinguish among the three flavors of neutrino. In a previous paper, we argued that a long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment in which the Fermilab-NUMI beam in its high-energy mode is aimed at the planned Hyper-Kamiokande detector would be capable of constraining the size of those extra effects, provided the vacuum value of \sin^2 2θ_{23} is not too close to one. In this paper, we discuss how such a constraint would translate into limits on the coupling constants and masses of new particles in various models. The models we consider are: models with generation distinguishing Z's such as topcolor assisted technicolor, models containing various types of leptoquarks, R-parity violating SUSY, and extended Higgs sector models. In several cases, we find that the limits thus obtained could be competitive with those expected from direct searches at the LHC. In the event that any of the particles discussed here are discovered at the LHC, then the observation, or non-observation, of their matter effects could help in identifying what type of particle had been observed.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2007

Physics potential of T2KK: An extension of the T2K neutrino oscillation experiment with a far detector in Korea

We study physics potential of placing a far detector in the east coast of Korea, where the off-axis beam from J-PARC at Tokai village for the T2K project has significant intensity at a few GeV range. In particular we examine the capability of determining the mass hierarchy pattern and the CP phase of the lepton-flavor-mixing matrix when a 100 kt water Cerenkov detector is placed at various locations in Korea for the off-axis beam (OAB) of 2.5 deg. and 3 deg. at the Super-Kamiokande site. The best results are found for a combination of 3 deg. OAB at SK (L = 295 km) and 0.5 deg. OAB at L = 1000km, where the mass hierarchy pattern can be determined at 3-σlevel for sin^2 2θ_{RCT} \simgt 0.05 (0.06) when the hierarchy is normal (inverted), after 5 years of running (5 \times 10^{21}POT). We also find that the leptonic CP phase, δ_{MNS}, can be constrained uniquely, without invoking anti-neutrino beams, as long as the mass hierarchy pattern is determined. Those results are obtained by assuming that the charged current quasi-elastic events can be separated from the other backgrounds with high efficiency, the neutrino energy can be reconstructed with a hundred MeV uncertainty, and the earth matter density along the baseline can be determined with 3% accuracy.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2007

The effect of Topcolor Assisted Technicolor, and other models, on Neutrino Oscillation

New physics beyond the Standard Model can lead to extra matter effects on neutrino oscillation if the new interactions distinguish among the three flavors of neutrino. In Ref.1, we argued that a long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment in which the Fermilab-NUMI beam in its high-energy mode is aimed at the planned Hyper-Kamiokande detector would be capable of constraining the size of those extra matter effects, provided the vacuum value of \sin^2 2θ_{23} is not too close to one. In this talk, we discuss how such a constraint would translate into limits on the coupling constants and masses of new particles in models such as topcolor assisted technicolor.

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arXiv2006

Solving the degeneracy of the lepton-flavor mixing angle theta_atm by the T2KK two detector neutrino oscillation experiment

If the atmospheric neutrino oscillation amplitude, sin^2 2theta_atm is not maximal, there is a two fold ambiguity in the neutrino parameter space: sin^2 theta_atm>0.5 or sin^2 theta_atm<0.5. In this article, we study the impact of this degeneracy, the so-called octant degeneracy, on the T2KK experiment, which is a proposed extension of the T2K (Tokai-to-Kaimoka) neutrino oscillation experiment with an additional water cherenkov detector placed in Korea. We find that the degeneracy between sin^2 theta_atm= 0.40 and 0.60 can be resolved at the 3sigma level for sin^2 2theta_rct>0.12 (0.08) for the optimal combination of a 3.0^circ off-axis beam (OAB) at SK (L=295km) and a 0.5^circ OAB at L=1000km with a far detector of 100kton volume, after 5 years of exposure with 1.0(5.0) time 10^21 POT/year, if the hierarchy is normal. We also study the influence of the octant degeneracy on the capability of T2KK experiment to determine the mass hierarchy and the leptonic CP phase. The capability of rejecting the wrong mass hierarchy grows with increasing sin^2 theta_atm when the hierarchy is normal, whereas it is rather insensitive to sin^2 theta_atm for the inverted hierarchy. We also find that the 1sigma allowed region of the CP phase is not affected significantly even when the octant degeneracy is not resolved. All our results are obtained for the 22.5 kton Super-Kamiokande as a near detector and without an anti-neutrino beam.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2006

Matter Effect on Neutrino Oscillations from the violation of Universality in Neutrino Neutral Current Interactions

The violation of lepton-flavor-universality in the neutrino-Z interactions can lead to extra matter effects on neutrino oscillations at high energies, beyond that due to the usual charged-current interaction of the electron-neutrino. We show that the dominant effect of the violation is a shift in the effective value of θ_{23}. This is in contrast to the dominant effect of the charged-current interaction which shifts θ_{12} and θ_{13}. The shift in θ_{23} will be difficult to observe if the value of \sin^2(2θ_{23}) is too close to one. However, if the value of \sin^2(2θ_{23}) is as small as 0.92, then a Fermilab -> Hyper-Kamiokande experiment can potentially place a constraint on universality violation at the 1% level after 5 years of data taking.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2006

Leptonic CP Violation Search and the Ambiguity of dm^2_31

We consider a search for the CP-violating angle deltaCP in long baseline neutrino oscillation experiments. We show that the subleading deltaCP-dependent terms in the nu_mu -> nu_e oscillation probability can be easily obscured by the ambiguity of the leading term which depends on |dm^2_31|. It is thus necessary to determine the value of dm^2_31 with a sufficient accuracy. The nu_mu survival events, which can be accumulated simultaneously with the nu_e appearance events, can serve for this purpose owing to its large statistics. Therefore, the combined analysis of nu_e appearance and nu_mu survival events is crucial to provide a restrictive constraint on deltaCP. Taking a test experimental setup, we demonstrate in the deltaCP-dm^2_31 plane that the analysis of nu_e appearance events leads to less restrictive constraints on the value of deltaCP due to the ambiguity of dm^2_31 and that the combined analysis efficiently improves the constraints.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2006

A Simple Parameterization of Matter Effects on Neutrino Oscillations

We present simple analytical approximations to matter-effect corrected effective neutrino mixing-angles and effective mass-squared-differences. The expressions clarify the dependence of oscillation probabilities in matter to the mixing angles and mass-squared-differences in vacuum, and are useful for analyzing long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiments.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2005

Solving the neutrino parameter degeneracy by measuring the T2K off-axis beam in Korea

The T2K neutrino oscillation experiment will start in 2009. In this experiment the center of the neutrino beam from J-PARC at Tokai village will go through underground beneath Super-Kamiokande, reach the sea level east of Korean shore, and an off-axis beam at $0.5^{\circ}$ to $1.0^{\circ}$ can be observed in Korea. We study physics impacts of putting a 100 kt-level Water \cerenkov detector in Korea during the T2K experimental period. For a combination of the $3^{\circ}$ off-axis beam at SK with baseline length L = 295 km and the $0.5^{\circ}$ off-axis beam in the east coast of Korea at L = 1000 km, we find that the neutrino mass hierarchy (the sign of $m^2_{3} - m^2_1$) can be resolved and the CP phase of the MNS unitary matrix can be constrained uniquely at 3-$σ$ level when \sin^2 2θ_{\rm rct} $ \ge 0.06 $.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2005

Resolve the Neutrino Parameter Degeneracies with the T2K Off-axis Beam and the Large Detector in Korea

In this talk, we show the physics impacts of putting a large Water Cerenkov detector in Korea during the T2K experimental period. The T2K experiment which will start in 2009 plans to use the high intensity conventional neutrino beam from J-PARC at Tokai village, Japan. The center of this beam will reach the sea level between Japan and Korea, and an off-axis beam at 0.5^o to 1.0^o can be observed in Korea. For a combination of the 3^o off-axis beam at SK with baseline length L=295km and the 0.5^o off-axis beam in the east coast of Korea, near Gyeongju, at L=1000km, we find that the neutrino mass hierarchy (the sign of the larger mass-squared difference) can be resolved and the CP phase of the MNS unitary matrix can be constrained uniquely at 3-sigma level when sin^2(2theta_rct) simgt 0.06.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2005

Effect of the smaller mass-squared difference for the long base-line neutrino experiments

Usually, neutrino oscillation experiments are analyzed within the two-flavor framework which is governed by 1 mass-squared difference and 1 mixing angle. But there are 6 parameters,2 mass-squared differences, 3 mixing angles, and 1 CP phase within the three-flavor framework.In this article,we estimate the effect from the smaller mass-squared difference,the other mixing angles, and the CP phase, which we call three-flavor effect, for the determination of the mass-squared difference and the mixing angle from the nu_mu's survival and transition probability with the two-flavor analysis.It is found that the mass-squared difference from the two-flavor analysis is slightly shifted from the larger mass-squared difference by the three-flavor effect.The order of magnitude of the three-flavor effect for the mass-squared difference is comparable with that of the expected error for the mass-squared difference of the two-flavor analysis in the future long base-line neutrino oscillation experiments.The CP phase dependence of the nu_mu to nu_etransition probability is also shown.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2004

Lifting degeneracies in the oscillation parameters by a neutrino factory

We study the potential of a very long baseline neutrino oscillation experiment with a neutrino factory and a large segmented water-Cerenkov calorimeter detector in resolving the degeneracies in the neutrino oscillation parameters; the sign of the larger mass-squared difference $δm^2_{13}$, the sign of $|U_{μ3}|^2 (\equiv \sin^2θ_{ATM)-1/2$, and a possible two-fold ambiguity in the determination of the CP phase $δ_{MNS}$. We find that the above problems can be resolved even if the particle charges are not measured. The following results are obtained in our exploratory study for a neutrino factory which delivers $10^{21}$ decaying $μ^+$ and $μ^-$ at 10 GeV and a 100 kton detector which is placed 2,100 km away and is capable of measuring the event energy and distinguishing $e^\pm$ from $μ^\pm$, but not their charges. The sign of $δm^2_{13}$ can be determined for $4|U_{e3}|^2(1-|U_{e3}|^2)\equiv \sin^22θ_{RCT}\gsim 0.008$. That of $\sin^2θ_{ATM}-1/2$ can be resolved for $\sin^22θ_{ATM}=0.96$ when $\sin^22θ_{RCT}\gsim 0.06$. The CP-violating phase $δ_{MNS}$ can be uniquely constrained for $\sin^22θ_{RCT}\gsim 0.02$ if its true value is around $90^\circ$ or $270^\circ$, while it can be constrained for $\sin^22θ_{RCT}\gsim 0.03$ if its true value is around $0^\circ$ or $180^\circ$.

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