Majorana neutrinos, <Emphasis Type="Italic">CP</Emphasis> violation,neutrinoless double beta and tritium beta decays

If the present or upcoming searches for neutrinoless double beta ((ββ)_0ν) decay give a positive result, the Majorana nature of massive neutrinos will be established. From the determination of the value of the (ββ)_0ν-decay effective Majorana mass parameter (|〈m〉|), it would be possible to obtain information on the type of neutrino mass spectrum. Assuming 3-ν mixing and massive Majorana neutrinos, we discuss the information that a measurement of, or an upper bound on, |〈m〉| can provide on the value of the lightest neutrino mass m₁. With additional data on the neutrino masses obtained in ³H β-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.     

Effect of Majorana Phases in Neutrino Oscillation

Quantum gravity (Planck scale effects) lead to an effective SU(2) _L ×U(1) invariant dimension-5 Lagrangian involving neutrino and Higgs fields. On symmetry breaking, this operator gives rise to correction to the above masses and mixing. The gravitational interaction M _X =M _pl , we find that for degenerate neutrino mass spectrum, it is shown that the Majorana phase of the neutrino mixing matrix can effects in neutrino oscillation probability.     

CAMEO project and discovery potential of the future 2<Emphasis Type="Italic">β</Emphasis>-decay experiments

The demands on the future supersensitivity 2β-decay experiments (aiming to observe neutrinoless 2β decay or to advance restrictions on the neutrino mass to m_ν≤0.01 eV) are considered and requirements for their discovery potential are formulated. The most realistic 2β projects are reviewed and the conclusion is obtained that only several of them with high energy resolution would completely satisfy these severe demands and requirements. At the same time, most of the recent projects (CAMEO, CUORE, DCBA, EXO, etc.) could certainly advance the limit on the neutrino mass up to m_ν≤0.05 eV.     

CP Violation in Neutrino Oscillation Due to Planck Scale Effects

We consider non renormalization 1/M _x interaction term as a perturbation of the neutrino mass matrix. We find that for the degenerate neutrino mass spectrum. We assume that the neutrino masses and mixing arise through physics at a scale intermediate between Planck Scale and the electroweak scale. We also assume, above the electroweak breaking scale, neutrino masses are nearly degenerate and their mixing is bimaximal. The perturbation generates a non zero value of θ ₁₃, which is within reach of the high performance neutrino factory. In this paper, we find that the non zero value of θ ₁₃ due to Planck scale effects indicates the possibility of CP violation.     

Neutrinos in a spherical box

The purpose of the present paper is to study the neutrino properties as they may appear in the low-energy neutrinos emitted in the triton decay \(_1^3 H \to _2^3 He + e^ - + \bar \nu _e \) with maximum neutrino energy of 18.6 keV. The technical challenges to this end can be summarized as building a very large TPC capable of detecting low-energy recoils, down to a few 100 eV, within the required low-background constraints. More specifically, we propose the development of a spherical gaseous TPC of about 10 m in radius and a 200-MCi triton source in the center of curvature. One can list a number of exciting studies concerning fundamental physics issues that could be made using a large volume TPC and low-energy antineutrinos: (i) The oscillation length involving the small angle δ = sinθ₁₃, directly measured in our ν_e disappearance experiment, is fully contained inside the detector. Measuring the counting rate of neutrino-electron elastic scattering as a function of the distance of the source will give a precise and unambiguous measurement of the oscillation parameters free of systematic errors. In fact, first estimates show that, even with a year's data taking, a sensitivity of a few percent for the measurement of the above angle will be achieved. (ii) The low-energy detection threshold offers a unique sensitivity for the neutrino magnetic moment which is about two orders of magnitude beyond the current experimental limit of 10^?10μ_B. (iii) Scattering at such low neutrino energies has never been studied and any departure from the expected behavior may be an indication of new physics beyond the Standard Model. We present a summary of various theoretical studies and possible measurements, including a precise measurement of the Weinberg angle at very low momentum transfer.     

Random coincidence of 2<Emphasis Type="Italic">ν</Emphasis>2<Emphasis Type="Italic">β</Emphasis> decay events as a background source in bolometric 0<Emphasis Type="Italic">ν</Emphasis>2<Emphasis Type="Italic">β</Emphasis> decay experiments

Two-neutrino double β decay can create an irremovable background even in high energy resolution detectors searching for neutrinoless double β decay due to random coincidence of 2ν2β events in the case of poor time resolution. Some possibilities for suppressing this background in cryogenic scintillating bolometers are discussed. It is shown that the present bolometric detector technologies enable one to control this form of background at the level required to explore the inverted hierarchy of the neutrino mass pattern, including the case of bolometers searching for the neutrinoless double β decay of ¹⁰⁰Mo, which is characterized by a relatively short two-neutrino double β decay half-life.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">O</Emphasis>(1) eV sterile neutrino in <Emphasis Type="Italic">f</Emphasis>(<Emphasis Type="Italic">R</Emphasis>) gravity

We refer [1] to the role of an additional O(1) eV sterile neutrino in modified gravity models. We find parameter constraints in particular f(R) gravity model using following up-to-dated cosmological data: measurements of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropy, the CMB lensing potential, the baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO), the cluster mass function and the Hubble constant. It was obtained for the sterile neutrino mass 0.47 eV < m _ν,sterile < 1 eV (2σ) assuming that the sterile neutrinos are thermalized and the active neutrinos are massless, not significantly larger than in the standard cosmology model within the same data set: 0.45 eV < m _ν,sterile < 0.92 eV (2σ). But, if the mass of sterile neutrino is fixed and equals ≈ 1.5 eV according to various anomalies in neutrino oscillation experiments, f(R) gravity is much more consistent with observation data than the CDM model.     

Double-beta decay and neutrino mass

Recent achievements in the study of double-beta (ββ) decay are presented. We discuss the potential of this process to search, beyond Standard Model physics, for the QRPA-based methods used for the calculation of the relevant nuclear matrix elements and the derivation of the neutrino mass from both ββ-decay calculations and neutrino oscillation and cosmological data. The key position of the ββ-decay experiments in resolving the neutrino absolute mass is highlighted.     

Scalar-leptoquark contributions to the neutrino magnetic moment

On the basis of astrophysical data on the neutrino magnetic moment, μ _ν < 3 × 10⁻¹² μ _B , constraints on the scalar-leptoquark masses are found within the minimal model involving four-color symmetry. It is shown that data on the neutrino magnetic moment are compatible with the mixing-parameter range that admits the existence of scalar leptoquarks whose masses are below 1 TeV, reaching experimental limits obtained from direct searches. In the case of mass degeneracy for the scalar leptoquarks S _m of electric charge Q = 2/3, the constraint m _{S m} > 330 GeV is obtained, which is independent of the mixing parameters of the model. The results are compared with the predictions of other leptoquark models. Original Russian Text ? A.V. Povarov, 2007, published in Yadernaya Fizika, 2007, Vol. 70, No. 5, pp. 905–911.     

Alzheimer random walk

Using the Monte Carlo simulation, we investigate a memory-impaired self-avoiding walk on a square lattice in which a random walker marks each of sites visited with a given probability p and makes a random walk avoiding the marked sites. Namely, p = 0 and p = 1 correspond to the simple random walk and the self-avoiding walk, respectively. When p> 0, there is a finite probability that the walker is trapped. We show that the trap time distribution can well be fitted by Stacy’s Weibull distribution \(b{\left( {\tfrac{a}{b}} \right)^{\tfrac{{a + 1}}{b}}}{\left[ {\Gamma \left( {\tfrac{{a + 1}}{b}} \right)} \right]^{ - 1}}{x^a}\exp \left( { - \tfrac{a}{b}{x^b}} \right)\) where a and b are fitting parameters depending on p. We also find that the mean trap time diverges at p = 0 as ~p ^{? α} with α = 1.89. In order to produce sufficient number of long walks, we exploit the pivot algorithm and obtain the mean square displacement and its Flory exponent ν(p) as functions of p. We find that the exponent determined for 1000 step walks interpolates both limits ν(0) for the simple random walk and ν(1) for the self-avoiding walk as [ ν(p) ? ν(0) ] / [ ν(1) ? ν(0) ] = p ^β with β = 0.388 when p ? 0.1 and β = 0.0822 when p ? 0.1.     

Constraining the lightest neutrino mass and <Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">m</Emphasis> <Subscript> <Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">ee</Emphasis> </Subscript> from general lepton mass matrices

Despite spectacular advances in fixing the neutrino mass and mixing parameters through various neutrino oscillation experiments, we still have little knowledge about the magnitudes of some vital parameters in the neutrino sector such as the absolute neutrino mass scale, effective Majorana mass m_ee measured in neutrinoless double beta decay. In this context, the present work aims to make an attempt to obtain some bounds for m_ee and the lightest neutrino mass using fairly general lepton mass matrices in the Standard Model.     

Neutrino Oscillations with Three Active and Three Sterile Neutrinos

This is an extension of estimates of the probability of μ to e neutrino oscillation with one sterile neutrino to three sterile neutrinos, using a 6x6 matrix. Since the mixing angle for only one sterile neutrino has been experimentally determined, we estimate the μ to e neutrino oscillation probability with different mixing angles for two of the sterile neutrinos.     

Disorder effect on the quantum Hall effect in thin films of three-dimensional topological insulators

We numerically study the quantum Hall effect (QHE) in three-dimensional topological insulator (3DTI) thin film in the presence of the finite Zeeman energy g and the hybridization gap Δ under a strong magnetic field and disorder. For Δ = 0 but g ≠ 0, the Hall conductivity remains to be odd-integer quanti-zed σ _xy = ν(e ²/h) , where ν = 2? + 1 with ? being an integer. In the presence of disorder, the Hall plateaus can be destroyed through the float-up of extended levels toward the band center and the higher plateaus disappear first. The two central plateaus with ν = ± 1 around the band center are strongest against disorder scattering. With the increasing of the disorder strength, Hall plateaus are destroyed faster for the system with a weaker magnetic field. If g = 0 but Δ ≠ 0, there is a splitting of the central (n = 0) Landau level, yielding a new plateau with ν = 0, in addition to the original odd-integer plateaus. In the strong-disorder regime, the QHE plateaus can be destroyed due to the float-up of extended levels toward the band center. The ν = 0 plateau around the band center is strongest against disorder scattering, which eventually disappears. For both g ≠ 0 and Δ ≠ 0, the simultaneous presence of nonzero g and Δ causes the splitting of the degenerating Landau levels, so that all integer Hall plateaus ν = ? appear. The ν = 0,1 plateaus are the most stable ones. In the strong-disorder regime, all QHE states are destroyed by disorder, and the system transits into an insulating phase.     

Dark matter from the SU(4) model

The left-right symmetric Pati-Salam model of the unification of quarks and leptons is based on the SU(4) and SU(2)×SU(2) symmetry groups. These groups are naturally extended to include the classification of families of quarks and leptons. We assume that the family group (the group which unites the families) is also the SU(4) group. The properties of the fourth generation of fermions are the same as those of the ordinary-matter fermions in the first three generations except for the family charge of the SU(4)_F group: F=(1/3, 1/3, 1/3, ?1), where F=1/3 for fermions of ordinary matter and F=?1 for the fourth-generation fermions. The difference in F does not allow mixing between ordinary and fourth-generation fermions. Because of the conservation of the Fcharge, the creation of baryons and leptons in the process of electroweak baryogenesis must be accompanied by the creation of fermions of the fourth generation. As a result, the excess n _B of baryons over antibaryons leads to the excess n_4ν=N?N? of neutrinos over antineutrinos in the fourth generation with n_4ν=n _B . This massive neutrino may form nonbaryonic dark matter. In principle, the mass density of the fourth neutrino n_4νm _N in the Universe can make the main contribution to dark matter, since the lower bound on the neutrino mass m _N from the data on decay of the Z bosons is m _N <m _Z /2. The straightforward prediction of this model leads to the amount of cold dark matter relative to baryons, which is an order of magnitude higher than allowed by observations. This inconsistency may be avoided by nonconservation of the F charge.     

Parametric resonance in neutrino oscillations in periodically varying electromagnetic fields

It is shown that a parametric resonance may arise in neutrino oscillations in varying electromagnetic fields. For two types of electromagnetic fields—an amplitude-modulated electromagnetic wave and a transverse magnetic field that is constant in time, but which has an amplitude periodically varying in space—the probabilities of the ν _i ? ν _j neutrino transitions are found, and it is shown that the probability amplitudes increase with time for a specific choice of the parameters of external electromagnetic fields.     

New MACRO results on atmospheric neutrino oscillations

The final results of the MACRO experiment on atmospheric neutrino oscillations are presented and discussed. The data concern different event topologies with average neutrino energies of ～3 and ～50 GeV. Multiple Coulomb scattering of the high-energy muons in absorbers was used to estimate the neutrino energy of each event. The angular distributions, the L/E_ν distribution, the particle ratios, and the absolute fluxes all favor ν_π?ν_τ oscillations with maximal mixing and Δm²=0.0023 eV². A discussion is made on the Monte Carlos used for the atmospheric neutrino flux. Some results on neutrino astrophysics are also briefly discussed.     

Baryogenesis via leptogenesis in multi-field inflation

In multi-field reheating after modular j-inflation we investigate the conditions under which baryogenesis via non-thermal leptogenesis can be successfully realized. We introduce three heavy right-handed neutrinos to the non-supersymmetric Standard Model of particle physics, assuming hierarchical neutrino masses. Considering a typical mass for the first right-handed neutrino of the order of \(10^{11}\) GeV, suggested from the seesaw mechanism and also from concrete SO(10) grand unification models, we obtain the allowed parameter space for viable baryogenesis. An upper bound for the inflaton mass as well as a lower bound for its branching ratio to the pair of lightest right-handed neutrinos are found and reported.     

On emission from a hydrogen-like atom

A solution of the Dirac equation for an electron in the field of a point nucleus (Ze) has been obtained as an eigenfunction of the Schrödinger Hamiltonian and the spin projection operator Σ₃. With the use of this solution, the probability W^(ν) of the emission of a neutrino per unit time from a hydrogen-like atom, \((Ze)* \to (Ze) + \nu \bar \nu\), has been calculated for the first time in the first order of the parameter Ze ? 1. The probability W^(ν) appears to be rather small, and the corresponding lifetime τ^(ν) = [W^(ν)]^–1 is much larger than the age of the Universe; correspondingly, this process cannot affect the balance of low-energy neutrinos. The smallness of W^(ν) is due not only to the presence of the obvious “weak” factor (Gm_p²)²(m/mp)⁴ in the expression for W^(ν), but also primarily to the “electromagnetic” factor (Zα)¹², which can be revealed only in a particular calculation. It has been argued within quantum electrodynamics with the mentioned wavefunctions that photon emission, (Ze)* → (Ze) + γ, can be absent (analysis of photon emission requires the further development of the method), whereas axion emission, (Ze)* → (Ze) + a, can occur, although the last two effects have not been considered in detail.     

Global analysis of solar and atmospheric neutrino data

A global analysis of solar (including the recent SNO result), atmospheric, and reactor neutrino data is presented in terms of three-and four-neutrino oscillations. We first present the allowed regions of solar and atmospheric oscillation parameters assuming three-neutrino families, showing that in this framework it is possible to reconcile the two anomalies and providing an unified fit of all the observables at a time. Then, we consider scenarios where a sterile neutrino is added to the three standard ones and the mass spectra present two separate doublets. We evaluate the allowed active-sterile admixture in both solar and atmospheric oscillations, showing that, although the Super-Kamiokande data disfavor both the pure ν_μ→ν _s atmospheric channel and, in combination with SNO, the pure ν _e →ν _s solar channel, the result from the combined analysis still favors close-to-pure active and sterile oscillations and disfavors oscillations into a near-maximal active-sterile admixture.