Searcharxiv⌕ Search

arXiv subjects

S. T. Petcov

Publications and source records attributed to S. T. Petcov.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

On the Day-Night Effect and CC to NC Event Rate Ratio Predictions for the SNO Detector

Detailed predictions for the D-N asymmetry for the Super-Kamiokande and SNO experiments, as well as for the ratio of the CC and NC event rates measured by SNO, in the cases of the LMA MSW and of the LOW solutions of the solar neutrino problem, are derived. The possibilities to further constrain the regions of the LMA MSW and LOW solutions of the solar neutrino problem by using the forthcoming SNO data on the D-N asymmetry and on the CC to NC event rate ratio are also discussed.

hep-ph↗

Cosmological bounds on neutrino degeneracy improved by flavor oscillations

We study three-flavor neutrino oscillations in the early universe in the presence of neutrino chemical potentials. We take into account all effects from the background medium, i.e. collisional damping, the refractive effects from charged leptons, and in particular neutrino self-interactions that synchronize the neutrino oscillations. We find that effective flavor equilibrium between all active neutrino species is established well before the big-bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) epoch if the neutrino oscillation parameters are in the range indicated by the atmospheric neutrino data and by the large mixing angle (LMA) MSW solution of the solar neutrino problem. For the other solutions of the solar neutrino problem, partial flavor equilibrium may be achieved if the angle theta_13 is close to the experimental limit tan^2(theta_13)<0.065. In the LMA case, the BBN limit on the nu_e degeneracy parameter, |xi_nu|< 0.07, now applies to all flavors. Therefore, a putative extra cosmic radiation contribution from degenerate neutrinos is limited to such low values that it is neither observable in the large-scale structure of the universe nor in the anisotropies of the cosmic microwave background radiation. Existing limits and possible future measurements, for example in KATRIN, of the absolute neutrino mass scale will provide unambiguous information on the cosmic neutrino mass density, essentially free of the uncertainty of the neutrino chemical. potentials.

hep-ph↗

The LMA MSW Solution of the Solar Neutrino Problem, Inverted Neutrino Mass Hierarchy and Reactor Neutrino Experiments

In the context of three-neutrino oscillations, we study the possibility of using antineutrinos from nuclear reactors to explore the 10^{-4} {\rm eV^2} < \ms \ltap 8\times 10^{-4} {\rm eV^2} region of the LMA MSW solution of the solar neutrino problem and measure $\ms$ with high precision. The KamLAND experiment is not expected to determine $\ms$ if the latter happens to lie in the indicated region. By analysing both the total event rate suppression and the energy spectrum distortion caused by \barν_e oscillations in vacuum, we show that the optimal baseline of such an experiment is L \sim (20 - 25) km. Furthermore, for 10^{-4} {\rm eV^2} < \ms \ltap 5\times 10^{-4} {\rm eV^2}, the same experiment might be used to try to distinguish between the two possible types of neutrino mass spectrum - with normal or with inverted hierarchy, by exploring the effect of interference between the atmospheric- and solar- Δm^2 driven oscillations; for larger values of \ms not exceeding 8.0\times 10^{-4} eV^2, a shorter baseline, L \cong 10 km, would be needed for the purpose. The indicated interference effect modifies in a characteristic way the energy spectrum of detected events. Distinguishing between the two types of neutrino mass spectrum requires, however, a high precision determination of the atmospheric Δm^2, a sufficiently large \sin^2θand a non-maximal \sin^22θ_{\odot}, where θand θ_{\odot} are the mixing angles respectively limited by the CHOOZ and Palo Verde data and characterizing the solar neutrino oscillations. It also requires a relatively high precision measurement of the positron spectrum in the reaction \barν_e + p \to e^{+} + n.

hep-ph↗

Majorana Neutrinos, CP-Violation, Neutrinoless Double-Beta and Tritium-Beta Decays

If the present or upcoming searches for neutrinoless double beta decay give a positive result, the Majorana nature of massive neutrinos will be established. From the determination of the value of the effective Majorana mass parameter | |, it would be possible to obtain information on the type of neutrino mass spectrum. Assuming 3-neutrino mixing and massive Majorana neutrinos, we discuss the information a measurement of, or an upper bound on, | | can provide on the value of the lightest neutrino mass m1. With additional data on the neutrino masses obtained in tritium beta decay experiments, it might be possible to establish whether the CP-symmetry is violated in the lepton sector. This would require very high precision measurements. If CP-invariance holds, the allowed patterns of the relative CP-parities of the massive Majorana neutrinos would be determined.

hep-ph↗

Constraints on $|U_{e3}|^2$ from a Three-Neutrino Oscillation Analysis of the CHOOZ Data

Results of a new analysis of the CHOOZ data, performed in the framework of three-neutrino mixing, are presented. Both the cases of normal and inverted neutrino mass hierarchy are considered. The parameters characterizing the solar neutrino oscillations, $Δm^2_{\odot}$ and $θ_{\odot}$, are assumed to lie in the region of the large mixing angle (LMA) MSW solution of the solar neutrino problem. For $Δm^2_{\odot}$ not exceeding $10^{-4} eV^2$ the new CHOOZ exclusion curve in the $Δm^2_{31} - |U_{e3}|^2$ plane practically coincides with the exclusion curve obtained in the two-neutrino mixing case. For $Δm^2_{\odot}$ bigger than or equal to $2x10^{-4} eV^2$, the constraints of the CHOOZ data on $|U_{e3}|^2$ are more stringent than those obtained in the two- neutrino oscillation analysis.

hep-ph↗

Searching for the CP-Violation Associated with Majorana Neutrinos

The effective Majorana mass which determines the rate of the neutrinoless double beta decay, | |, is considered in the case of three-neutrino mixing and massive Majorana neutrinos. Assuming a rather precise determination of the parameters characterizing the neutrino oscillation solutions of the solar and atmospheric neutrino problems has been made, we discuss the information a measurement of | | > (0.005 - 0.010) eV can provide on the value of the lightest neutrino mass and on the CP-violation in the lepton sector. The implications of combining a measurement of | | with future measurement of the neutrino mass in tritium beta-decay experiments for the possible determination of leptonic CP-violation are emphasized.

hep-ph↗

The Earth Mantle-Core Effect in Matter-Induced Asymmetries for Atmospheric Neutrino Oscillations

Earth medium effects in the three-neutrino oscillations of atmospheric neutrinos are observable under appropriate conditions. This paper generalizes the study of the medium effects and the possibility of their observation in the atmospheric neutrino oscillations from the case of neutrinos traversing only the Earth mantle, where the density is essentially constant, to the case of atmospheric neutrinos crossing also the Earth core. In the latter case new resonance-like effects become apparent. We calculate the CPT-odd asymmetry for the survival probability of muon neutrinos and the observable muon-charge asymmetry, taking into account the different atmospheric neutrino fluxes, and show the dependence of these asymmetries on the sign of $Δm^{2}_{3 1}$ and on the magnitude of the mixing angle $θ_{13}$. A magnetized detector with a sufficiently good neutrino momentum resolution is required for the observation of the muon-charge asymmetry generated by the Earth mantle-core effect.

hep-ph↗

Hierarchies of quark masses and the mixing matrix in the standard theory

We study the general dependence of mixing angles on heavy fermion masses when mass hierarchies exist among the fermions. For two generations and small Cabibbo angle, this angle is directly shown to scale like $μ_1/m_s \pm μ_2/m_c$, where $|μ_1| \ll m_s, |μ_2| \ll m_c$ are independent mass scales. For $n=3$ generations, we extend to the Yukawa matrices of $u$- and $d$-type quarks the property that the $2\times 2$ upper-left sub-matrix of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix $K$ is a good approximation to the Cabibbo matrix $C$. Then, without any additional Ansatz concerning the existence of mass hierarchies or the smallness of the mixing angles, the moduli of its entries $K_{13},K_{23},K_{31},K_{32}$ are shown to scale like $[β_{13},β_{23},β_{31},β_{32}] \sqrt{{m_c}/{m_t}} \pm [δ_{13},δ_{23},δ_{31},δ_{32}] \sqrt{{m_s}/{m_b}}$, where the $β$'s and the $δ$'s are coefficients smaller than 10. This method, when used for two generations, gives a dependence on $m_s$ and $m_c$ ``weaker'' than the one obtained first, but which matches a well known behaviour for the Cabibbo angle: $θ_c \approx \sqrt{ε_d (m_d/m_s)} - \sqrt{ε_u(m_u/m_c)}$, with $ε_d,ε_u \leq 1$. The asymptotic behaviour in the case of three generations can also be strengthened into a $1/m_{b,t}$ behaviour by incorporating our knowledge about the hierarchies of quark masses and the smallness of the mixing angles.

hep-ph↗

Majorana Neutrinos, Neutrino Mass Spectrum, CP-Violation and Neutrinoless Double Beta-Decay: I. The Three-Neutrino Mixing Case

Assuming mixing of three massive Majorana neutrinos, we study the implications of the neutrino oscillation solutions of the solar and atmospheric neutrino problems and of the results of the CHOOZ experiment for the predictions of the effective Majorana mass in neutrinoless double beta decay, |< m >|. The general case of CP-nonconservation is investigated. The predicted values of |< m >|, depend strongly on the type of the neutrino mass spectrum, on the solution of the solar neutrino problem, as well as on the values of the two Majorana CP-violating phases, present in the lepton mixing matrix. We find that i) $|< m >| \lesssim 0.02 $eV for a hierarchical neutrino mass spectrum, ii) $|< m >| \lesssim 0.09 $eV if the spectrum is of the inverted hierarchy type, and iii) $|< m >| \leq m$ in the case of three quasi-degenerate neutrinos, m > 0 being the common neutrino mass scale which is limited by the bounds from the $^3$H $β-$decay experiments, $m < 2.5 $eV. The observation of the $(ββ)_{0ν}-$decay with a rate corresponding to $|< m >| \gtrsim 0.02 $eV can provide unique information on the neutrino mass spectrum and on the CP-violation in the lepton sector, and if CP-invariance holds - on the relative CP-parities of the massive Majorana neutrinos.

hep-ph↗

Majorana Neutrinos, Neutrino Mass Spectrum, CP-Violation and Neutrinoless Double Beta-Decay: II. Mixing of Four Neutrinos

Assuming four-neutrino mixing and massive Majorana neutrinos, we study the implications of the neutrino oscillation solutions of the solar and atmospheric neutrino problems, of the results of the LSND experiment and of the constraints on neutrino oscillations, obtained in reactor and accelerator experiments, for the predictions of the effective Majorana mass in neutrinoless double beta (\betabeta-)decay, \meff. All 4-neutrino mass spectra compatible with the existing neutrino mass and oscillation data are considered. The general case of CP-nonconservation is investigated. We have also analyzed in detail the question of whether a measurement of $\meff \gtap 0.01$ eV in the next generation of \betabeta-decay experiments (NEMO3, CUORE, EXO, GENIUS), combined with the data from the solar, atmospheric, reactor and accelerator neutrino oscillation experiments and from the future neutrino mass $^3$H $β-$decay experiment KATRIN would allow, and under what conditions, i) to determine the absolute values of the neutrino masses and thus the neutrino mass spectrum, and ii) to establish the existence of CP-violation in the lepton sector. For certain 4-neutrino mass spectra there exists a direct relation between \meff or the lightest neutrino mass $m_1$ and the neutrino mass measured in $^3$H $β-$decay, $m_{ν_e}$, and the measurement of $\meff \gtap 0.01$ eV and of $m_{ν_e} \gtap 0.4$ eV will give the unique possibility to determine the absolute values of all four neutrino masses and to obtain information on CP-violation in the lepton sector.

hep-ph↗

Neutrino Mass Spectra, CP-Violation and Neutrinoless Double Beta-Decay

Assuming 3-neutrino mixing and massive Majorana neutrinos, we present some implications of the neutrino oscillation solutions of the solar and atmospheric neutrino problems and the results of the CHOOZ experiment for the predictions of the neutrinoless double-beta decay rate. If the present or upcoming searches of neutrinoless double-beta decay give a positive result, the Majorana nature of massive neutrinos will be established. From the determination of the value of the effective Majorana mass, it would be possible to obtain information on the neutrino mass spectrum. With additional information on the absolute value of neutrino masses, it might be possible to infer if CP-parity is violated in the lepton sector.

hep-ph↗

Analytical description of quasivacuum oscillations of solar neutrinos

We propose a simple prescription to calculate the solar neutrino survival probability P_{ee} in the quasivacuum oscillation (QVO) regime. Such prescription is obtained by matching perturbative and exact analytical results, which effectively take into account the density distribution in the Sun as provided by the standard solar model. The resulting analytical recipe for the calculation of P_{ee} is shown to reach its highest accuracy |ΔP_{ee}| < 2.6 x 10^{-2} in the whole QVO range) when the familiar prescription of choosing the solar density scale parameter r_0 at the Mikheyev-Smirnov-Wolfenstein (MSW) resonance point is replaced by a new one, namely, when r_0 is chosen at the point of ``maximal violation of adiabaticity'' (MVA) along the neutrino trajectory in the Sun. The MVA prescription admits a smooth transition from the QVO regime to the MSW transition one. We discuss in detail the phase acquired by neutrinos in the Sun, and show that it might be of relevance for the studies of relatively short timescale variations of the fluxes of the solar νlines in the future real-time solar neutrino experiments. Finally, we elucidate the role of matter effects in the convective zone of the Sun.

hep-ph↗

The Super - Kamiokande Day - Night Effect Data and the MSW Solutions of the Solar Neutrino Problem

The current Super-Kamiokande data on the D-N asymmetry between the the day event rate and the {\it Night} and {\it Core} event rates, produced by solar neutrinos which respectively cross the Earth along any trajectory and cross the Earth core before reaching the detector, imply rather stringent constraints on the MSW small mixing angle (SMA) $ν_e \to ν_{μ(τ)}$ solution of the solar neutrino problem. A simplified analysis shows, in particular, that a substantial subregion of the SMA solution region is disfavored by these data. The {\it Core} D-N asymmetry data alone allow to rule out at 99.7% C.L. a part of this subregion. The constraints on the MSW large mixing angle and LOW $ν_e \to ν_{μ(τ)}$ solutions as well as on the MSW $ν_e \to ν_{s}$ solution, following from the data on the {\it Night} and {\it Core} D-N asymmetries are also discussed.

hep-ph↗

Day - Night Effect Predictions for the SNO Detector

Detailed predictions for the day-night (D-N) asymmetry in the energy-integrated one year signals in the SNO detector in the case of the MSW $ν_e \to ν_{μ(τ)}$ and/or $ν_e \to ν_s$ transition solutions of the solar neutrino problem are presented. The asymmetries in the charged current (CC) and $ν- e^{-}$ elastic scattering (ES) event rates are calculated for both MSW solutions; in the case of the $ν_e \to ν_s$ transition solution the D-N asymmetry in the neutral current (NC) event rate are derived as well. The asymmetries are calculated for three night samples of events which are produced by the solar neutrinos crossing i) the Earth mantle only (Mantle), ii) the Earth core (Core) and iii) the Earth core and/or the mantle (Night). The effects of the uncertainties, e.g., in the values of the cross-sections of the CC and NC neutrino-induced reactions on deuterium on the corresponding D-N asymmetry predictions are analyzed. It is shown, in particular, that that due to the strong enhancement of the transitions of the solar neutrinos crossing the Earth core, at $\sin^22θ_V \leq 0.01$ the corresponding one year average D-N asymmetry in the Core sample of CC events in the case of the $ν_e \to ν_{μ(τ)}$ solution can be larger by a factor of up to $\sim 8$ than the asymmetry in the Night sample. Iso - (D-N) asymmetry contours in the $Δm^2 - \sin^22θ_V$ plane for the SNO detector are derived in the region $\sin^22θ_V \gsim 10^{-4}$ for the Core and Night samples of the CC, ES and NC events.

hep-ph↗

On the New Conditions for a Total Neutrino Conversion in a Medium

We show that the arguments forming the basis for the claim that the conditions for total neutrino conversion derived and studied in detail in [1,2] ``are just the conditions of the parametric resonance of neutrino oscillations supplemented by the requirement that the parametric enhancement be complete'', given in [4] have flaws which make the claim physically questionable. We show also that in the case of the transitions in the Earth of the Earth-core-crossing solar and atmospheric neutrinos the peaks in the relevant transitions probabilities $P_{a b}$, associated with the new conditions, $max P_{a b} = 1$, are of physical relevance - in contrast to what is suggested in [4]. Actually, the enhancement of $P_{a b}$ in any region of the corresponding parameter space are essentially determined by these absolute maxima of $P_{a b}$. We comment on few other aspects of the results derived in [1,2,3] which have been misunderstood and/or misinterpreted in [4].

hep-ph↗

Testing Matter Effects in Very Long Baseline Neutrino Oscillation Experiments

Assuming three-neutrino mixing, we study the capabilities of very long baseline neutrino oscillation experiments to verify and test the MSW effect and to measure the lepton mixing angle theta_13. We suppose that intense neutrino and antineutrino beams will become available in so-called neutrino factories. We find that the most promising and statistically significant results can be obtained by studying nu_e ->nu_mu and \bar{nu}_e-> \bar{nu}_mu oscillations which lead to matter enhancements and suppressions of wrong sign muon rates. We show the theta_13 ranges where matter effects could be observed as a function of the baseline. We discuss the scaling laws of rates, significances and sensitivities with the relevant mixing angles and experimental parameters. Our analysis includes fluxes, event rates and statistical aspects so that the conclusions should be useful for the planning of experimental setups. We discuss the subleading Delta m^2_{21} effects in the case of the LMA MSW solution of the solar problem, showing that they are small for L >= 7000 km. For shorter baselines, Delta m^2_{21} effects can be relevant and their dependence on L offers a further handle for the determination of the CP-violation phase δ. Finally we comment on the possibility to measure the specific distortion of the energy spectrum due to the MSW effect.

hep-ph↗

Describing Analytically the Matter-Enhanced Two-Neutrino Transitions in a Medium

A general exact analytic expression for the probability of matter-enhanced two-neutrino transitions in a medium (MSW, RSFP, generated by neutrino FCNC interactions, etc.) is derived. The probability is expressed in terms of three real functions of the parameters of the transitions: the ``jump'' probability and two phases (angles). The results obtained can be utilized, in particular, in the studies of the matter-enhanced transitions/conversions of solar and supernova neutrinos. An interesting similarity between the Schroedinger equation for the radial part of the non-relativistic wave function of the hydrogen atom and the equation governing the MSW transitions of solar neutrinos in the exponentially varying matter density in the Sun is also briefly discussed.

hep-ph↗

New Conditions for a Total Neutrino Conversion in a Medium

A new effect of total neutrino conversion is possible when neutrino propagates through multi-layer medium of nonperiodic constant density layers. The effect can take place in the oscillations in the Earth of the Earth-core-crossing solar and atmospheric neutrinos.

hep-ph↗