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V. Barger

Publications and source records attributed to V. Barger.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Testing radiative neutrino mass generation via R-parity violation at the Tevatron

An R-parity violating SUSY model with lepton-number violating couplings $λ'_{i33}$, i=2,3 can generate a neutrino mass spectrum that explains the recent results from neutrino oscillation experiments. These R-parity violating couplings lead to a clean signal with at least one isolated lepton and at least three tagged $b$ jets that is accessible in chargino and neutralino production at the Tevatron collider. This signature can be probed at $3 σ$ up to $m_{1/2} = 230$ GeV (320 GeV) with an integrated luminosity of $2 fb^{-1}$ ($30 fb^{-1}$).

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Imprint of SNO neutral current data on the solar neutrino problem

We perform a global analysis in the framework of two active neutrino oscillations of all solar neutrino data, including the recent SNO day and night spectra (comprised of the charged current (CC), elastic scattering (ES) and neutral current (NC) events), the Super-Kamiokande (SK) day and night spectra (from 1496 days) and the updated SAGE results. We find that the Large Mixing Angle (LMA) solution is selected at the 99% C.L.; the best-fit parameters are Δm^2=5.6 \times 10^{-5} eV^2 and θ=32^{\circ}. No solutions with θ\geq π/4 are allowed at the 5σC.L. Oscillations to a pure sterile state are excluded at 5.3σ, but a sizeable sterile neutrino component could still be present in the solar flux.

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Supernova 1987A did not test the neutrino mass hierarchy

We dispel the misconception that data from SN 1987A favor the normal neutrino mass hierarchy over the inverted hierarchy for $\sin^2 θ_{13} \gsim 10^{-4}$. We find comparable fits for the two hierarchies. No bound can be placed on the mixing angle $θ_{13}$ even at the 1$σ$ level.

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Neutrino oscillation parameters from MINOS, ICARUS and OPERA combined

We perform a detailed analysis of the capabilities of the MINOS, ICARUS and OPERA experiments to measure neutrino oscillation parameters at the atmospheric scale with their data taken separately and in combination. MINOS will determine $Δm^2_{32}$ and $\sin^2 2θ_{23}$ to within 10% at the 99% C.L. with 10 kton-years of data. While no one experiment will determine $\sin^2 2θ_{13}$ with much precision, if its value lies in the combined sensitivity region of the three experiments, it will be possible to place a lower bound of O(0.01) at the 95% C.L. on this parameter by combining the data from the three experiments. The same bound can be placed with a combination of MINOS and ICARUS data alone.

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Breaking Eight-fold Degeneracies in Neutrino CP Violation, Mixing, and Mass Hierarchy

We identify three independent two-fold parameter degeneracies (δ, θ_{13}), sgn(δm^2_{31}) and (θ_{23}, π/2-θ_{23}) inherent in the usual three-neutrino analysis of long-baseline neutrino experiments, which can lead to as much as an eight-fold degeneracy in the determination of the oscillation parameters. We discuss the implications these degeneracies have for detecting CP violation and present criteria for breaking them. A superbeam facility with a baseline at least as long as the distance between Fermilab and Homestake (1290 km) and a narrow band beam with energy tuned so that the measurements are performed at the first oscillation peak can resolve all the ambiguities other than the (θ_{23}, π/2-θ_{23}) ambiguity (which can be resolved at a neutrino factory) and a residual (δ, π-δ) ambiguity. However, whether or not CP violation occurs in the neutrino sector can be ascertained independently of the latter two ambiguities. The (δ,π-δ) ambiguity can be eliminated by performing a second measurement to which only the \cosδterms contribute. The hierarchy of mass eigenstates can be determined at other oscillation peaks only in the most optimistic conditions, making it necessary to use the first oscillation maximum. We show that the degeneracies may severely compromise the ability of the proposed SuperJHF-HyperKamiokande experiment to establish CP violation. In our calculations we use approximate analytic expressions for oscillation probabilitites that agree with numerical solutions with a realistic Earth density profile.

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Unknowns after the SNO Charged-Current Measurement

We perform a model-independent analysis of solar neutrino flux rates including the recent charged-current measurement at the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO). We derive a universal sum rule involving SNO and SuperKamiokande rates, and show that the SNO neutral-current measurement can not fix the fraction of solar $ν_e$ oscillating to sterile neutrinos. The large uncertainty in the SSM $^8$B flux impedes a determination of the sterile neutrino fraction.

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Physics of Higgs Factories

We outline the unique role of a muon collider as a Higgs factory for Higgs boson resonance production in the $s$-channel. Physics examples include: the precision measurements of the Higgs mass and total width, and the resulting ability to discriminate between the SM-like Higgs bosons of different models such as between a light SM Higgs boson and the light Higgs boson of the MSSM; the determination of the spin and coupling via the $h\to \tautau$ decay mode; differentiation of two nearly degenerate heavy Higgs bosons by an energy scan; and the ability to explore a general extended Higgs sector, possibly with CP-violating couplings. The muon collider Higgs factory could perform measurements that would be highly complementary to Higgs studies at the LHC and LC; it would be likely to play a very crucial role in fully understanding the Higgs sector.

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Neutrino Superbeam Scenarios at the Peak

We discuss options for U.S. long baseline neutrino experiments using upgraded conventional neutrino beams, assuming $L/E_ν$ is chosen to be near the peak of the leading oscillation. We find that for L = 1290 km (FNAL-Homestake) or 1770 km (FNAL-Carlsbad, or BNL-Soudan) it is possible to simultaneously have good $\sin^22θ_{13}$ reach and sgn($δm^2_{31}$) determination, and possibly sizeable $τ$ rates and some $δ$ sensitivity.

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Piecing the Solar Neutrino Puzzle Together at SNO

We perform an oscillation parameter-independent analysis of solar neutrino flux measurements from which we predict the charged-current rate at SNO relative to Standard Solar Model to be $R_{SNO}^{CC}=0.35^{+0.16}_{-0.09} (0.46^{+0.13}_{-0.11})$ for oscillations to active (sterile) neutrinos. By alternately considering the $^8$B flux normalization fixed and free, we find that the flux measured by Super-Kamiokande (SK) not being a result of oscillations is strongly disfavored for oscillations to active neutrinos. SNO will determine the best-fit value of the $^8$B flux normalization $β$ (equal to the neutral-current rate), without recourse to neutral-current measurements, from the derived relation $β=R_{SNO}^{NC}=5.85 R_{SK} - 4.85 R_{SNO}^{CC}$. Using a simple parameterization of the fraction of high, intermediate, and low energy solar neutrinos starting above resonance, we reproduce the results of global analyses to good accuracy; we find that the LMA solution with a normal mass hierarchy is clearly favored. With $β$ free, our analysis for oscillations to active neutrinos gives $R_{SNO}^{NC}=β=1.34 \pm 0.34$, which corresponds to $R_{SNO}^{CC}=0.28\pm 0.07$.

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Exploring Neutrino Oscillations with Superbeams

We consider the medium- and long-baseline oscillation physics capabilities of intense muon-neutrino and muon-antineutrino beams produced using future upgraded megawatt-scale high-energy proton beams. In particular we consider the potential of these conventional neutrino ``superbeams'' for observing ν_μ\toν_e oscillations, determining the hierarchy of neutrino mass eigenstates, and measuring CP-violation in the lepton sector. The physics capabilities of superbeams are explored as a function of the beam energy, baseline, and the detector parameters. The trade-offs between very large detectors with poor background rejection and smaller detectors with excellent background rejection are illustrated. We find that it may be possible to observe ν_μ\toν_e oscillations with a superbeam provided that the amplitude parameter \sin^2 2θ_{13} is larger than a few \times 10^{-3}. If \sin^2 2θ_{13} is of order 10^{-2} or larger, then the neutrino mass hierarchy can be determined in long-baseline experiments, and if in addition the large mixing angle MSW solution describes the solar neutrino deficit then there is a small region of parameter space within which maximal CP-violation in the lepton sector would be observable in a low-energy medium-baseline experiment. We explicitly consider massive water Cherenkov and liquid argon detectors at superbeams with neutrino energies ranging from 1 GeV to 15 GeV, and baselines from 295 km to 9300 km. Finally, we compare the oscillation physics prospects at superbeams with the corresponding prospects at neutrino factories. The sensitivity at a neutrino factory to CP violation and the neutrino mass hierarchy extends to values of the amplitude parameter \sin^2 2θ_{13} that are one to two orders of magnitude lower than at a superbeam.

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Earth Regeneration of Solar Neutrinos at SNO and Super-Kamiokande

We analyze the 1258-day Super-Kamiokande day and night solar neutrino energy spectra with various $χ^2$ definitions. The best-fit lies in the LMA region at $(Δm^2, tan^2 θ)=(5.01\times 10^{-5} eV^2, 0.60)$, independently of whether systematic errors are included in the $χ^2$-definition. We compare the exclusion and allowed regions from the different definitions and choose the most suitable definition to predict the regions from SNO at the end of three years of data accumulation. We first work under the assumption that Super-Kamiokande sees a flux-suppressed flat energy spectrum. Then, we consider the possibility of each one of the three MSW regions being the solution to the solar neutrino problem. We find that the exclusion and allowed regions for the flat spectrum hypothesis and the LMA and LOW solutions are alike. In three years, we expect SNO to find very similar regions to that obtained by Super-Kamiokande. We evaluate whether the zenith angle distribution at SNO with optimum binning will add anything to the analysis of the day and night spectra; for comparison, we show the results of our analysis of the 1258-day zenith angle distribution from Super-Kamiokande, for which the best-fit parameters are $(Δm^2, tan^2 θ)=(5.01\times 10^{-5} eV^2, 0.56)$.

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CP-Violating Phases in SUSY, Electric Dipole Moments, and Linear Colliders

We reexamine large CP-violating phases in the general Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model, as well as more restricted models. We perform a detailed scan over parameter space to find solutions which satisfy the current experimental limits on the electric dipole moments of the electron, neutron and $^{199}$Hg atom, exploring the allowed configurations of phases and masses, and we attempt to quantify the level of tuning of the parameters necessary to populate the regions of cancellations. We then consider the measurement of CP-violating phases at a future linear collider. We find that measurements of chargino and neutralino masses and production cross-sections allow for a determination of $ϕ_1$(the phase of $M_1$) to a precision of $π/30$, while the EDM constraints require that $θ_μ$ be too small to be measured. Using the EDM constraints we find that the CP-even model parameters and the phase $ϕ_1$ can be determined at a Linear Collider with $400 \gev$ c.m. energy. As long as some information on the size of $|μ|$ is included in the observables, a measurement of $ϕ_1$ is guaranteed for $ϕ_1 > π/10$. To unambiguously identify CP violation, we construct CP-odd kinematical variables at a linear collider. However, the CP asymmetries are rather small, typically about $0.1-1.5%$, and it will be challenging to experimentally observe the predicted asymmetries.

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Oscillation Measurements with Upgraded Conventional Neutrino Beams

We consider the nu_mu to nu_e oscillation measurements that would be possible at upgraded 1 GeV and multi-GeV conventional neutrino sources driven by future megawatt-scale proton drivers. If these neutrino superbeams are used together with detectors that are an order of magnitude larger than those presently foreseen, we find that the sensitivity to nu_mu to nu_e oscillations can be improved by an order of magnitude beyond the next generation of accelerator based experiments. In addition, over a limited region of parameter space, the neutrino mass hierarchy can be determined with a multi-GeV long baseline beam. If the Large Mixing Angle MSW solution correctly describes the solar neutrino deficit, there is a small corner of allowed parameter space in which maximal CP-violation in the lepton sector might be observable at a 1 GeV medium baseline experiment. Superbeams with massive detectors would therefore provide a useful tool en route to a neutrino factory, which would permit a further order of magnitude improvement in sensitivity, together with a more comprehensive check of CP-violation and the oscillation framework.

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Resolving the Solar Neutrino Problem with KamLAND

We study how well KamLAND, the first terrestrial neutrino experiment capable of addressing the solar neutrino problem, will perform in ascertaining whether or not the large mixing angle MSW solution (with $10^{-5}<Δm_{21}^2< 10^{-4} eV^2$ and oscillation amplitude $sin^2 2 θ_{12}>0.3$) is correct. We find that in a year of operation KamLAND will provide unequivocal evidence for or against this solution. Furthermore, its sensitivity to the three-neutrino oscillation parameters in this region is sufficiently acute as to determine $Δm_{21}^2$ to approximately $\pm 10$ % (for $sin^2 2 θ_{12}>0.7$) and to fix $sin^2 2 θ_{12}$ to within $\pm 0.1$ (at the $2σ$ level) with three years of accumulated data, independent of the value of $θ_{13}$.

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Lepton Flavor Violating Era of Neutrino Physics

The physics agenda for future long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiments is outlined and the prospects for accomplishing those goals at future neutrino facilities are considered. Neutrino factories can deliver better reach in the mixing and mass-squared parameters but conventional super-beams with large water or liquid argon detectors can probe regions of the parameter space that could prove to be interesting.

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Supernova data may be unable to distinguish between quintessence and k-essence

We consider the efficacy of using luminosity distance measurements of deep redshift supernovae to discriminate between two forms of dark energy, quintessence (a scalar field with canonical kinetic terms rolling down a potential) and k-essence (a scalar field whose cosmic evolution is driven entirely by non-linear kinetic terms). The primary phenomenological distinction between the two types of models that can be quantified by supernova searches (at least in principle) is that the equation of state $w\equiv p/ρ$ of quintessence is falling today while that of k-essence is rising. By simulating $10^5$ possible datasets that SNAP could obtain, we show that even if the mass density $Ω_m$ is known exactly, an ambiguity remains that may not allow a definitive distinction to be made between the two types of theories.

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