New answer to the solar neutrino problem

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Solar neutrino oscillation phenomenology

This article summarises the status of the solar neutrino oscillation phenomenology at the end of 2002 in the light of the SNO and KamLAND results. We first present the allowed areas obtained from global solar analysis and demonstrate the preference of the solar data towards the large-mixing-angle (LMA) MSW solution. A clear confirmation in favour of the LMA solution comes from the KamLAND reactor neutrino data. The KamLAND spectral data in conjunction with the global solar data further narrows down the allowed LMA region and splits it into two allowed zones a low Δm ² region (low-LMA) and high Δm ² region (high-LMA). We demonstrate through a projected analysis that with an exposure of 3 kton-year (kTy) KamLAND can remove this ambiguity.     

The solar neutrino problem

I review the solar neutrino problem and what it has taught us about the Sun and fundamental physics.     

Resonant spin-flavor precession constraints on the neutrino parameters and the twisting structure of the solar magnetic fields from the solar neutrino data

Resonant spin-flavor precession (RSFP) scenario with twisting solar magnetic fields has been confronted with the solar neutrino data from various ongoing experiments. The anticorrelation apparent in the Homestake solar neutrino data has been taken seriously to constrain (Δ m ² ,φ′) parameter space and the twisting profiles of the magnetic field in the convective zone of the Sun. The twisting profiles, thus derived, have been used to calculate the variation of the neutrino detection rates with the solar magnetic activity for the Homestake, Super-Kamiokande and the gallium experiments. It is found that the presence of twisting reduces the degree of anticorrelation in all the solar neutrino experiments. However, the anticorrelation in the Homestake experiment is expected to be more pronounced in this scenario. Moreover, the anticorrelation of the solar neutrino flux emerging from the southern solar hemisphere is expected to be stronger than that for the neutrinos emerging from the northern solar hemispheres.     

Experimental and phenomenological status of neutrino anomalies

The current status of neutrino anomalies is summarized; the KamLAND experiment is described and the recent results of KamLAND presented.     

On the possibility to determine neutrino mass hierarchy via supernova neutrinos with short-time characteristics

In this paper, we investigate whether it is possible to determine the neutrino mass hierarchy via a high-statistics and real-time observation of supernova neutrinos with short-time characteristics. The essential idea is to utilize distinct times-of-flight for different neutrino mass eigenstates from a core-collapse supernova to the Earth, which may significantly change the time distribution of neutrino events in the future huge water-Cherenkov and liquid-scintillator detectors. For illustration, we consider two different scenarios. The first case is the neutronization burst of emitted in the first tens of milliseconds of a core-collapse supernova, while the second case is the black hole formation during the accretion phase for which neutrino signals are expected to be abruptly terminated. In the latter scenario, it turns out only when the supernova is at a distance of a few Mpc and the fiducial mass of the detector is at the level of gigaton, might we be able to discriminate between normal and inverted neutrino mass hierarchies. In the former scenario, the probability for such a discrimination is even less due to a poor statistics.     

Earthquake forecast via neutrino tomography

We discuss the possibility of forecasting earthquakes by means of (anti)neutrino tomography. An- tineutrinos emitted from reactors are used as a probe. As the antineutrinos traverse through a region prone to earthquakes, observable variations in the matter effect on the antineutrino oscillation would provide a tomog- raphy of the vicinity of the region. In this preliminary work, we adopt a simplified model for the geometrical profile and matter density in a fault zone. We calculate the survival probability of electron antineutrinos for cases without and with an anomalous accumulation of electrons which can be considered as a clear signal of the coming earthquake, at the geological region with a fault zone, and find that the variation may reach as much as 3% for ν<,e> emitted from a reactor. The case for a ν<,e> beam from a neutrino factory is also investigated, and it is noted that, because of the typically high energy associated with such neutrinos, the oscillation length is too large and the resultant variation is not practically observable. Our conclusion is that with the present reactor facilities and detection techniques, it is still a difficult task to make an earthquake forecast using such a scheme, though it seems to be possible from a theoretical point of view while ignoring some uncertainties. However, with the development of the geology, especially the knowledge about the fault zone, and with the improvement of the detection techniques, etc., there is hope that a medium-term earthquake forecast would be feasible.     

Earthquake forecast via neutrino tomography

We discuss the possibility of forecasting earthquakes by means of (anti)neutrino tomography. Antineutrinos emitted from reactors are used as a probe. As the antineutrinos traverse through a region prone to earthquakes, observable variations in the matter effect on the antineutrino oscillation would provide a tomography of the vicinity of the region. In this preliminary work, we adopt a simplified model for the geometrical profile and matter density in a fault zone. We calculate the survival probability of electron antineutrinos for cases without and with an anomalous accumulation of electrons which can be considered as a clear signal of the coming earthquake, at the geological region with a fault zone, and find that the variation may reach as much as 3% for ν_e emitted from a reactor. The case for a ν_e beam from a neutrino factory is also investigated, and it is noted that, because of the typically high energy associated with such neutrinos, the oscillation length is too large and the resultant variation is not practically observable. Our conclusion is that with the present reactor facilities and detection techniques, it is still a difficult task to make an earthquake forecast using such a scheme, though it seems to be possible from a theoretical point of view while ignoring some uncertainties. However, with the development of the geology, especially the knowledge about the fault zone, and with the improvement of the detection techniques, etc., there is hope that a medium-term earthquake forecast would be feasible.     

Solutions to the solar neutrino problem

Several well known neutrino physics solutions to the solar neutrino problem are briefly reviewed and their status in the light of the latest experimental data is presented.     

Supernova neutrino detection on earth

In this paper,we first discuss the detection of supernova neutrinos on earth.Then we propose a possible method to acquire information about θ13 smaller than 1.5° by detecting the ratio of the event numbers of different flavor supernova neutrinos.Such an sensitivity cannot yet be achieved by the Daya Bay reactor neutrino experiment.     

认识中微子

由于中微子的作用截面很小而不容易被探测和认识，从而人们给予中微子一些独特的性质，如中微子没有确定的内禀宇称，没有静止质量和磁矩或存在所谓中微子振荡现象等。     

Supernova neutrino detection on earth

In this paper, we first discuss the detection of supernova neutrinos on earth. Then we propose a possible method to acquire information about θ13 smaller than 1.5° by detecting the ratio of the event numbers of different flavor supernova neutrinos. Such an sensitivity cannot yet be achieved by the Daya Bay reactor neutrino experiment.     

A gut solution to the solar neutrino problem

Within the supersymmetric flipped SU(5)×U(1) model, we propose a mechanism for realization of the Voloshin-Vysotsky-Okun solution to the solar neutrino problem by attributing a large magnetic moment to the electron neutrino, as required to explain the solar neutrino data.     

Working group report: Astroparticle and neutrino physics

The working group on astroparticle and neutrino physics at WHEPP-9 covered a wide range of topics. The main topics were neutrino physics at INO, neutrino astronomy and recent constraints on dark energy coming from cosmological observations of large scale structure and CMB anisotropy.     

Anomalous single production of the fourth generation neutrino at future ep colliders

Possible single productions of the fourth standard model generation neutrino via anomalous interactions at the future ep colliders are studied. Signatures of such anomalous processes and backgrounds are discussed in detail. Discovery limits for neutrino mass and achievable values of anomalous coupling strength are determined.     

SNO results and neutrino magnetic moment solution to the solar neutrino problem

We have analysed the solar neutrino data obtained from chlorine, gallium and Super-Kamiokande (SK) experiments (1258 days) and also the new results that came from Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) charge current (CC) and elastic scattering (ES) experiments considering that the solar neutrino deficit is due to the interaction of neutrino transition magnetic moment with the solar magnetic field. We have also analysed the moments of the spectrum of scattered electrons at SK. Another new feature in the analysis is that for the global analysis, we have replaced the spectrum by its centroid.