Probing the seesaw mechanism with neutrino data and leptogenesis

We use the current low-energy neutrino data to understand the structure of the neutrino mass matrix. Considering this information and assuming hierarchical neutrino Yukawa couplings, we use the seesaw formula to study the properties of the heavy right-handed neutrinos N_i. We find that successful baryogenesis via leptogenesis requires mass degeneracy and maximal mixing of N₁ and N₂.     

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.     

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.     

Maximum Entropy Inferences on the Axion Mass in Models with Axion-Neutrino Interaction

In this work, we use the maximum entropy principle (MEP) to infer the mass of an axion which interacts to photons and neutrinos in an effective low energy theory. The Shannon entropy function to be maximized is defined in terms of the axion branching ratios. We show that MEP strongly constrains the axion mass taking into account the current experimental bounds on the neutrinos masses. Assuming that the axion is massive enough to decay into all the three neutrinos and that MEP fixes all the free parameters of the model, the inferred axion mass is in the interval 0.1 eV < m _A < 0.2 eV, which can be tested by forthcoming experiments such as IAXO. However, even in the case where MEP fixes just the axion mass and no other parameter, we found that 0.1 eV < m _A < 6.3 eV in the DFSZ model with right-handed neutrinos. Moreover, a light axion, allowed to decay to photons and the lightest neutrino only, is determined by MEP as a viable dark matter candidate.     

Neutrino properties from high-energy astrophysical neutrinos

It is shown how high-energy neutrino beams from very distant sources can be utilized to learn about some properties of neutrinos such as lifetimes. Furthermore, even mixing elements such as U_e3 and the CP-violating phase in the neutrino mixing matrix can be measured in principle. Pseudo-Dirac mass differences as small as 10^?18 eV² can be probed as well.     

Neutrino Oscillations With Two Sterile Neutrinos

This work estimates the probability of μ to e neutrino oscillation with two sterile neutrinos using a 5×5 U-matrix, an extension of the previous estimate with one sterile neutrino and a 4×4 U-matrix. The sterile neutrino-active neutrino mass differences and the mixing angles of the two sterile neutrinos with the three active neutrinos are taken from recent publications, and the oscillation probability for one sterile neutrino is compared to the previous estimate.     

<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.     

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.     

Twin-unified <Emphasis Type="Italic">SU</Emphasis>(5) × <Emphasis Type="Italic">SU</Emphasis>(5)′ GUT and phenomenology

In this article, after a short introduction, grand unified SU(5)×SU(5)^′ model augmented by D₂ parity has been discussed. The latter turns out to be important for phenomenology. Specific pattern of the GUT symmetry breaking causes new strong dynamics at low energies. Consequently, the Standard Model leptons, along with right-handed /sterile neutrinos, come out as composite states. Issues of the gauge coupling unification, generation of the charged fermion and neutrino masses will be presented. Also, various phenomenological implications and constraints will be discussed.     

Neutrino mass bounds from neutrinoless double beta-decays and cosmological probes

We investigate the way the total mass sum of neutrinos can be constrained from the neutrinoless double beta-decay and cosmological probes with cosmic microwave background (CMBR), large-scale structures including 2dFGRS and SDSS datasets. First we discuss, in brief, the current status of neutrino mass bounds from neutrino beta decays and cosmic constraint within the flat ΛCMD model. In addition, we explore the interacting neutrino dark-energy model, where the evolution of neutrino masses is determined by quintessence scalar field, which is responsible for cosmic acceleration. Assuming the flatness of the Universe, the constraint we can derive from the current observation is \(\sum m_{\nu } < 0.87\) eV at 95% confidence level, which is consistent with \(\sum m_{\nu } < 0.68\) eV in the flat ΛCDM model without Lyman alpha forest data. In the presence of Lyman- α forest data, interacting dark-energy models prefer a weaker bound \(\sum m_{\nu } < 0.43\) eV to \(\sum m_{\nu } < 0.17\) eV (Seljark et al). Finally, we discuss the future prospect of the neutrino mass bound with weak-lensing effects.     

Rare kaon decay $$K^ + \to \pi ^ + \nu \bar \nu $$ in S U(3)C ⊗ S U(3)L ⊗ U(1)N models

The rare kaon decay \(K^ + \to \pi ^ + \nu \bar \nu \) is considered in the framework of models based on the SU(3) _C ? SU(3) _L ? U(1) _N (3-3-1) gauge group. In the 3-3-1 model with right-handed neutrinos, the lower bound of the Z’ mass is derived at 3 TeV, and that in the minimal version, at 1.7 TeV.     

Neutrinos in the time of Higgs

In this paper, the recent progress in the determination of neutrino oscillation parameters and future prospects have been discussed. The tiny neutrino masses as inferred from oscillation data and cosmology cannot be explained naturally by the Higgs mechanism and warrant some new physics. The latter can be connected to the Majorana nature of the neutrinos which can be probed by neutrinoless double beta decay (0 νββ). The paper also summarizes the latest experimental results in 0 νββ and discusses some implications for the left–right symmetric model which could be a plausible new physics scenario for the generation of neutrino masses.     

Neutrino trapping in braneworld extremely compact stars

Extremely Compact Stars (ECS) contain trapped null geodesics. When such objects enter the evolution period admitting geodetical motion of neutrinos, certain part of neutrinos produced in their interior will be trapped influencing their neutrino luminosity and thermal evolution. We study neutrino trapping in the braneworld ECS, assuming uniform distribution of neutrino emissivity and massless neutrinos. We give the efficiency of the neutrino trapping effects in the framework of the simple model of the internal spacetime with uniform distribution of energy density, and external spacetime described by the Reissner-Nordström geometry characterized by the braneworld “tidal” parameter b. For b < 0 the external spacetime is of the black-hole type, while for b > 0 the external spacetime can be of both black-hole and naked-singularity type. Then the ECS surface radius R can be located also above the unstable (outer) photon circular orbit. Such basically new types of the spacetimes strongly alter the trapping phenomena as compared to the standard case of b = 0. It is shown that the neutrino trapping effects are slightly lowered by the presence of physically more plausible case of b < 0, as compared to the standard internal Schwarzschild spacetime, while they can be magnified by positive tidal charges if b < 1 and lowered for b > 1. However, potential astrophysical relevance of the trapping phenomena is strongly enhanced for negative tidal charges enabling a significant enlargement of the ECS surface radius to values coherent with recent observations.     

Oscillation properties of active and sterile neutrinos and neutrino anomalies at short distances

A generalized phenomenological (3 + 2 + 1) model featuring three active and three sterile neutrinos that is intended for calculating oscillation properties of neutrinos for the case of a normal activeneutrino mass hierarchy and a large splitting between the mass of one sterile neutrino and the masses of the other two sterile neutrinos is considered. A new parametrization and a specific form of the general mixing matrix are proposed for active and sterile neutrinos with allowance for possible CP violation in the lepton sector, and test values are chosen for the neutrino masses and mixing parameters. The probabilities for the transitions between different neutrino flavors are calculated, and graphs representing the probabilities for the disappearance of muon neutrinos/antineutrinos and the appearance of electron neutrinos/antineutrinos in a beam of muon neutrinos/antineutrinos versus the distance from the neutrino source for various values of admissible model parameters at neutrino energies not higher than 50 MeV, as well as versus the ratio of this distance to the neutrino energy, are plotted. It is shown that the short-distance accelerator anomaly in neutrino data (LNSD anomaly) can be explained in the case of a specific mixing matrix for active and sterile neutrinos (which belongs to the a₂ type) at the chosen parameter values. The same applies to the short-distance reactor and gallium anomalies. The theoretical results obtained in the present study can be used to interpret and predict the results of ground-based neutrino experiments aimed at searches for sterile neutrinos, as well as to analyze some astrophysical observational data.     

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.     

On the possibility of detecting solar <Emphasis Type="Italic">pp</Emphasis> neutrino with the large-volume liquid organic scintillator detector

It is shown that a large-volume liquid organic scintillator detector with an energy resolution of 10 keV at 200 keV (1σ) will be sensitive to solar pp neutrinos, if operated at the target radiopurity levels for the Borexino detector or the solar neutrino project of KamLAND.     

Single <Emphasis Type="Italic">Z</Emphasis>′ production at compact linear collider based on <Emphasis Type="Italic">e</Emphasis>-γ collisions

We analyze the potential of the compact linear collider (CLIC) based on e-γ collisions to search for the new Z′ gauge boson. Single Z′ production on e-γ colliders in two SU(3)_C?SU(3)_L ? U(1)_N models, the minimal model and the model with right-handed neutrinos is studied in detail. The results show that new Z′ gauge bosons can be observed on the CLIC and that the cross sections in the model with right-handed neutrinos are bigger than those in the minimal one.     

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.     

First results of the observation of <Superscript>7</Superscript>Be solar neutrinos with the BOREXINO detector

The results of a direct measurement of the counting rate for solar neutrinos from the electron-capture process on ⁷Be, ⁷Be(e ^?, ν _e )⁷Li(E _ν = 0.862 MeV), with the low-background scintillation detector BOREXINO are presented. This is the first ever real-time observation of a signal from solar neutrinos of energy below 1 MeV. The counting rate for monoenergetic beryllium neutrinos in the BOREXINO detector proved to be 47 ± 7 (stat.) ± 12 (syst.) counts/(day × 100 t), which is in agreement with the predictions of the standard solar model and the hypothesis of neutrino oscillations in matter with parameters in the LMA region.     

The 3–3–1 Model with RH Neutrinos and Associated ZH Production at High-Energy ${\bf \textit{e}}^{+}{\bf \textit{e}}^{-}$ Collider

In the context of SU(3) _C ?? SU(3) _L ?? U(1) _X (3–3–1) model with right-handed neutrinos, we study the Higgsstrahlung process e ^?+? e ^???→ZH and calculate the cross section of this process at leading order. Our numerical results showed that the production cross sections for this process can be significantly large as \(M_{Z'}\approx \sqrt{s}\). With reasonable values of the Z′ mass M _Z′, Z′ exchange can generate large corrections to the cross sections of this process, which might be detected in the future high-energy linear e ^?+? e ^??? collider experiments.