Mesonic decays of τ− lepton: Effects of neutrino mass and mass mixing

Experimentally established mesonic decays ofτ ⁻ lepton have been reexamined with the inclusion of the effects of finite neutrino mass and the associated mass mixing in the form of Kobayashi-Maskawa mixing matrix. A comparison with the experimentally predicted decay probabilities provides limits for thev _τ mass which are finite in all decays except for the lower limit in mass mixing case of the decayτ ⁻→K*⁻ (892)+v _τ for which MeV. The large error in this value is because of (i) large errors in the experimental values of life time and branching ratio for this decay and (ii) thekm mixing used in the calculations. The ratio of parity-violating to parity-conserving terms in the differential decay probabilities of various decays differs slightly from their values corresponding to those with varishingv _τ mass.     

Matter induced neutrino decay and solar antineutrinos

The properties of matter-induced neutrino decay with majoron emission are analysed in some details for the cases of Majorana, ZKM and Dirac neutrinos. The result of such a decay of solarv _e 's in the sun interior could be the appearance of \(\bar \nu _e \) flux. Assuming that the neutrinos have only standard weak interactions, the solar \(\bar \nu _e \) flux can be at the border of detectability for the future large volume detectors like Borex or Super-Kamiokande. However, the \(\bar \nu _e \) signal can be considerably larger, provided the neutrinos have new non-standard interactions with matter.     

Anomalouse + e − pairs in heavy ion collisions and solar neutrinos

The production of anomalouse ⁺ e ^–pairs in heavy ion collisions and the solar neutrino puzzle are two seemingly unrelated problems of the standard model of electroweak interactions. According to the observations made at Homestake and Kamiokande, the flux of solar neutrinos is too small. Furthermore, the observations made at Homestake (neutrino-nucleon scattering) show anticorrelation of the solar neutrino flux with sunspots, unlike the observations made in Kamiokande (neutrino-electron scattering). According to the previously proposed model inspired by T(opological) G(eometro) D(ynamics), anomalouse ⁺ e ^–pairs result from the decay of the leptopion, which can be regarded as a bound state of color excited electrons. In this paper we show that the generalization of PCAC ideas leads to a prediction for the lifetime and production cross section of the leptopion in agreement with data. The model is also consistent with constraints coming from Babbha scattering and supernova physics. Leptopion exchange implies a new weak interaction between leptons at low cm energies (of the order of a few MeVs), which explains the Kamiokande-Homestake puzzle. Part of the solar neutrinos are transformed in the convective zone of the Sun to right-handed neutrinos inert with respect to ordinary electroweak interactions, but interacting with electrons via leptopion exchange so that they are observed in Kamiokande. A correct average value for the neutrino flux at Kamiokande is predicted using as input the Homestake flux, and the anticorrelation with sunspots in Kamiokande is predicted to be considerably weaker than in Homestake.     

Cherenkov effect in the weak interactions generated by the neutrinos and new approach for estimation of neutrino mass

It is shown that if weak interactions can generate masses and polarize matter, then the Cherenkov effect induced by these interactions at v _v > c/n appears. The effect of (resonance) enhancement of neutrino oscillations in matter (v _v < c/n) and the Cherenkov (v _v > c/n) effect are competitive processes and at definite neutrino energies the effect of (resonance) enhancement of neutrino oscillations in matter will change to the Cherenkov effect. Then neutrino vacuum oscillations will regenerate and we obtain an excellent possibility of estimating neutrino masses. And knowing estimation of mass for one (electron) neutrino we can obtain masses of the rest neutrinos by using the values for mass differences for neutrinos obtained in oscillation experiments.     

Neutrino mass spectrum with vμ → vs oscillations of atmospheric neutrinos

We consider the “standard” spectrum of the active neutrinos (characterized by strong mass hierarchy and small mixing) with additional sterile neutrino, v_s. The sterile neutrino mixes strongly with the muon neutrino, so that v_μ ↔ v_s oscillations solve the atmospheric neutrino problem. We show that the parametric enhancement of the v_μ ↔ v_s oscillations occurs for the high energy atmospheric neutrinos which cross the core of the Earth. This can be relevant for the anomaly observed by the MACRO experiment. Solar neutrinos are converted both to v_μand v_s. The heaviest neutrino (≈ v_τ) may compose the hot dark matter of the Universe. The phenomenology of this scenario is elaborated and crucial experimental signatures are identified. We also discuss properties of the underlying neutrino mass matrix. 1998 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.     

Atmospheric neutrinos and discovery of neutrino oscillations

Neutrino oscillation was discovered through studies of neutrinos produced by cosmic-ray interactions in the atmosphere. These neutrinos are called atmospheric neutrinos. They are produced as decay products in hadronic showers resulting from collisions of cosmic rays with nuclei in the atmosphere. Electron-neutrinos and muon-neutrinos are produced mainly by the decay chain of charged pions to muons to electrons. Atmospheric neutrino experiments observed zenith-angle and energy dependent deficit of muon-neutrino events. Neutrino oscillations between muon-neutrinos and tau-neutrinos explain these data well. Neutrino oscillations imply that neutrinos have small but non-zero masses. The small neutrino masses have profound implications to our understanding of elementary particle physics and the Universe. This article discusses the experimental discovery of neutrino oscillations.     

Neutrinos in a Vacuum Dominated Cosmology

We explore the dynamics of neutrinos in a vacuum dominated cosmology. First we show that such a geometry will induce a phase change in the eigenstates of a massive neutrino and we calculate the phase change. We also calculate the delay in the neutrino flight times in this geometry. Applying our results to the presently observed background vacuum energy density, we find that for neutrino sources further than 1.5 Gpc away both effects become non-trivial, being of the order of the standard relativistic corrections. Such sources are within the observable Hubble Deep Field. The results which are theoretically interesting are also potentially useful, in the future, as detection techniques improve. For example such effects on neutrinos from distant sources like supernovae could be used, in an independent method alternative to standard candles, to constrain the dark energy density and the deceleration parameter. The discussion is extended to investigate Caianiello's inertial or maximal acceleration (MA) effects of such a vacuum dominated spacetime on neutrino oscillations. Assuming that the MA phenomenon exists, we find that its form as generated by the presently observed vacuum energy density would still have little or no measurable effect on neutrino phase evolution, for neutrinos in the energy range of a few eV.     

Super-high-energy neutrino spectra in the atmosphere derived from the latest JACEE, MSU, SOKOL and CRN primary spectrum usingZ-factors for p-air collisions estimated from Fermi national accelerator data

Summary The absolute spectra of atmospheric neutrinos in the vertical direction and at large zenith angle have been estimated directly from the primary cosmic-ray nucleon spectrum based on the latest JACEE, MSU, SOKOL and CRN data surveyed by Swordy. The Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory results for pp→K^±X, pp→K^±X and pp→pX inclusive reactions have been used for theZ-factor calculations for meson production and these were modified for p-air and A-A collisions. The derived muon and electron neutrino spectra at 0° and 89° from non-prompt meson decay are found comparable with the results of Volkova and Zatsepin, and Butkevichet al. An estimate of the prompt muon neutrino spectra at 0° and 89° fromtthe charmed-meson decay has been given along with the earlier results of different authors. The present result for muon neutrino spectra at zenith angles 0° and 89° is found in approximate agreement with the EAS-TOP results of the Gran Sasso group.     

Neutrino masses as a second-order effect in Higgs coupling

It is suggested that in the usual type of gauge theory all fermions, including neutrinos, have right-handed components. The smallness or vanishing of the observed neutrino masses is explained by the fact that the appropriate neutral Higgs boson does not develop a non-zero vacuum expectation value. In the case when the neutrino masses do not vanish they are finite, of order G_Fm³, where m is the mass of the charged lepton. Non-conservation of lepton flavor gives rise to an instability of all neutrinos except v_e and to μ→e+γ decay, but at a very low level.     

Calculation of double beta decay rates and the neutrino mass

Predictions for 2v and 0v double beta decay rates are given for all nuclei with A ⩾ 70, for which double beta decay is energetically allowed. These predictions are based on detailed nuclear structure studies of the beta strength distribution and replace earlier estimates basing mostly on phase space considerations. New and more stringent limits on the Majorana neutrino mass are deduced from existing double beta decay experiments. Since the collective effects arising from spin-isospin as well as quadrupole-quadrupole forces are found to lead to a strong reduction of the nuclear matrix elements for two-neutrino double beta decay, but to have only minor influence on the matrix elements M^0v for the neutrinoless decay mode, the smaller limits for m_v result mainly from the fact that the widely used scaling procedure underestimates the 0_v matrix elements. It is further discussed to what extent interference between different neutrinos affects the obtained mass limits.     

Mimicking diffuse supernova antineutrinos with the sun as a source

Measuring the $ \bar \nu _e $ \bar \nu _e component of the cosmic diffuse supernova neutrino background (DSNB) is the next ambitious goal for low-energy neutrino astronomy. The largest flux is expected in the lowest accessible energy bin. However, for E ≲ 15 MeV a possible signal can be mimicked by a solar $ \bar \nu _e $ \bar \nu _e flux that originates from the usual ⁸B neutrinos by spin-flavor oscillations. We show that such an interpretation is possible within the allowed range of neutrino electromagnetic transition moments and solar turbulent field strengths and distributions. Therefore, an unambiguous detection of the DSNB requires a significant number of events at E ≳ 15 MeV.     

Topological geometrodynamics and the solar neutrino problem

A solution of the solar neutrino problem based on certain differences between T(opological) G(eometro) D(ynamics) and the standard model of the electroweak interactions is proposed. First, TGD predicts the existence of a right-handed neutrino inert with respect to ordinary electroweak interactions. Second, the generalization of the massless Dirac equation contains terms mixing differentM ⁴ chiralities, unlike the ordinary massless Dirac equation. This and the observation of anticorrelations of the solar neutrino flux with sunspot number suggest that solar neutrinos are transformed to right-handed neutrinos on the convective zone of the Sun. Third, the compactness ofCP ₂ implies topological field quantization: space-time decomposes into regions, topological field quanta, characterized by a handful of vacuum quantum numbers. In particular, there are topological obstructions for the smooth global imbeddings of magnetic fields and the decomposition of the solar magnetic field into flux tubes is predicted. Finally, every electromagnetically neutral mass distribution is accompanied by a long-rangeZ ⁰ vacuum field. If the vacuum quantum numbers inside the flux tubes of the solar magnetic field are considerably smaller than in the normal phase, theZ ⁰ electric force becomes strong and implies Thomas precession for the spin of the lefthanded component of the neutrino. As a consequence, left-handed neutrinos are transformed to right-handed ones and the process is irreversible, since righthanded neutrinos do not couple toZ ⁰.     

Heavy sterile neutrinos and supernova explosions

We consider sterile neutrinos with rest masses 0.2 GeV and with vacuum flavor mixing angles θ²>10⁻⁸ for mixing with τ-neutrinos, or 10⁻⁸<θ²<10⁻⁷ for mixing with muon neutrinos. Such sterile neutrinos could augment core collapse supernova shock energies by enhancing energy transport from the core to the vicinity of the shock front. The decay of these neutrinos could produce a flux of very energetic active neutrinos, detectable by future neutrino observations from galactic supernova. The relevant range of sterile neutrino masses and mixing angles can be probed in future laboratory experiments.     

Statistical theory of nuclear neutrino capture: (II). Inclusion of first-forbidden transitions

The statistical theory of nuclear neutrino capture is extended to include first-forbidden transitions. A comparison with the theory of Bahcall and Frautschi is made. It is found that the present theory predicts neutrino capture cross sections which are smaller than those of Bahcall and Frautschi by a factor 2–3 for neutrino energies less than 50 MeV when first-forbidden transitions are dominant. Calculation of the cross section is made for the process in which ³⁷Cl nuclei capture electron neutrinos that are emitted in muon decay. The present calculation gives a cross section which is around one half of that of Donnelly and Haxton. Finally the contributions of the highly excited states in ³⁷Ar to the neutrino capture cross section are evaluated. It is shown that the contributions from the highly excited states (E > 6.02 MeV) to the neutrino capture cross section amount to 60% for E_v = 50 MeV.     

Leptogenesis: The other cuts

For standard leptogenesis from the decay of singlet right-handed neutrinos, we derive source terms for the lepton asymmetry that are present in a finite density background but absent in the vacuum. These arise from cuts through the vertex correction to the decay asymmetry, where in the loop either the Higgs boson and the right-handed neutrino or the left-handed lepton and the right-handed neutrino are simultaneously on-shell. We evaluate the source terms numerically and use them to calculate the lepton asymmetry for illustrative points in parameter space, where we consider only two right-handed neutrinos for simplicity. Compared to calculations where only the standard cut through the propagators of left-handed lepton and Higgs boson is included, sizable corrections arise when the masses of the right-handed neutrinos are of the same order, but the new sources are found to be most relevant when the decaying right-handed neutrino is heavier than the one in the loop. In that situation, they can yield the dominant contribution to the lepton asymmetry.     

Determination of the atmospheric neutrino spectra with the Fréjus detector

The combined analysis of the final event set of data on neutrino interactions inside the detector, upward going stopping muons and horizontal muons recorded in the Fréjus experiment is presented. The absolute atmospheric neutrino spectra in the energy range for electron neutrinos and for muon neutrinos are determined. Based on the parameterization of Volkova for thev ^µ a spectral index of =2.66±0.05 is obtained from the ratio of horizontal muons over upward going stopping muons and from the measurement of the energy loss of horizontal muons inside the detector. The neutrino spectra are compared with various flux calculations. They do not show any evidence for neutrino oscillations in agreement with earlier analyses of the Fréjus data.Now atUniversity of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA     

Radiative decay of neutrino and primordial nucleosynthesis

Radiative decay of massive unstable neutrinos is examined in detail. Constraints on their mass and lifetime are established by solving the networks of nucleosynthesis and calculating the spectra of high-energy photons produced by massive neutrino decay. It is found that primordial nucleosynthesis sets stringent constraints on the mass and the lifetime of massive unstable neutrinos. According to these constraints together with constraints derived from other cosmological consideration and laboratory experiments, radiative decay of massive τ neutrinos is not allowed except for the case that the mass and the lifetime of the τ neutrino satisfy rather strict constraints; 30 MeV ≲ m_ντ ≲ 70 MeV, 10² s ≲ τ_ντ ≲ 10⁴ s. Constraints on neutrinos in the 4th generation are also derived.     

A direct measurement of theZ0 invisible width by single photon counting

The OPAL detector at LEP is used to measure the branching ratio of theZ ⁰ into invisible particles by measuring the cross section of single photon events ine ⁺ e ^– collisions at centre-of-mass energies near theZ ⁰ resonance. In a data sample of 5.3 pb^–1, we observe 73 events with single photons depositing more than 1.5 GeV in the electromagnetic calorimeter, with an expected background of 8±2 events not associated with invisibleZ ⁰ decay. With this data we determine theZ ⁰ invisible width to be 0.50±0.07±0.03 GeV, where the first error is statistical and the second systematic. This corresponds to 3.0±0.4±0.2 light neutrino generations in the Standard Model.     

Physics potential of searching for 0vββ decays in JUNO

In the past few decades, numerous searches have been made for the neutrinoless double-beta decay (0vββ) process, aiming to establish whether neutrinos are their own antiparticles (Majorana neutrinos), but no 0vββ decay signal has yet been observed. A number of new experiments are proposed but they ultimately suffer from a common problem: the sensitivity may not increase indefinitely with the target mass. We have performed a detailed analysis of the physics potential by using the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) to improve the sensitivity to 0vββ up to a few meV, a major step forward with respect to the experiments currently being planned. JUNO is a 20 kton low-background liquid scintillator (LS) detector with 3%E(MeV) energy resolution, now under construction. It is feasible to build a balloon filled with enriched xenon gas (with ¹³⁶Xe up to 80%) dissolved in LS, inserted into the central region of the JUNO LS. The energy resolution is ～1.9% at the Q-value of ¹³⁶Xe 0vββ decay. Ultra-low background is the key for 0vββ decay searches. Detailed studies of background rates from intrinsic 2vββ and ⁸B solar neutrinos, natural radioactivity, and cosmogenic radionuclides (including light isotopes and ¹³⁷Xe) were performed and several muon veto schemes were developed. We find that JUNO has the potential to reach a sensitivity (at 90% C. L.) to T_1/2^0vββ of 1.8×10²⁸ yr (5.6×10²⁷ yr) with ～50 tons (5 tons) of fiducial ¹³⁶Xe and 5 years exposure, while in the 50-ton case the corresponding sensitivity to the effective neutrino mass, m_ββ, could reach (5-12) meV, covering completely the allowed region of inverted neutrino mass ordering.