On neutrino oscillations and the time-energy uncertainty relation

We consider neutrino oscillations as a nonstationary phenomenon based on the Schrödinger evolution equation and mixed neutrino states with definite flavor. We demonstrate that for such states, invariance under translations in time does not take place. We show that the time-energy uncertainty relation plays a crucial role in neutrino oscillations. We compare neutrino oscillations with K ⁰ ? -K ⁰, B _d ⁰ ? B _d ⁰ , and other oscillations.     

Influence of the dimension of a polycrystalline film and the optical anisotropy of crystallites on the effective dielectric constant of the film

The dimension D of a polycrystalline film and the optical anisotropy m = ε_z/ε_x of uniaxial crystallites with the principal components ε_x = ε_y and ε_z of the tensor of the dielectric constant have been shown to produce a strong influence on the effective dielectric constant ε_D^* and the effective refractive index n_D^* = (ε_D^*)^1/2 of the film in the optical transparency region, as well as on the boundaries of the intervals B_Dl ≤ ε_D^* ≤ B_Du. The intervals Δ₂(m) = B_2l–B_2u and Δ₃(m) = B_3l–B_3u are separated by a gap for m in the range 1 < m < 2, whereas the theoretical dependence ε₂^*(m) is separated by a gap from the interval Δ₃(m) for m in the range 1 < m < 4. This is confirmed by a comparison of the experimental (n_oP) and theoretical (n_D^*) ordinary refractive indices for uniaxial polycrystalline films of the conjugated polymer poly(p-phenylene vinylene) (PPV) with uniaxial crystallites and appropriate values of m. In the visible transparency region of the PPV films with a change in m(λ) in the range 2 < m(λ) < 3 due to the dependence of the components ε_x,z(λ) on the light wavelength λ, the refractive indices n_oP²(λ) = ε_oP(λ) are consistent with the theoretical values of ε₂^*(λ) and lie outside the interval Δ₃(m). For m(λ) > 3 near the electronic absorption band of the crystallites, the values of ε_oP(λ) lie in the region of the overlap of the intervals Δ₂(m) and Δ₃(m). The boundaries mc of the range 1 < m < m_c are determined, for which the interval Δ₂(m) is separated by a gap from the dependences ε₃^*(m) corresponding to the effective medium theory with spherical crystallites and hierarchical models of a polycrystal, as well as from the proposed new dependence ε₃^*(m).     

Stability of Coulomb systems

The stability of m ₁ ⁺ m ₂ ⁺ m ₃ ^? m ₄ ^? Coulomb systems formed by particles of unit charge against dissociation is considered as a function of the particle mass. It is shown that, from the stability of the m ₁ ⁺ m ₂ ⁺ m ₃ ^? three-particle system, it follows that the m ₁ ⁺ m ₂ ⁺ m ₃ ^? m ₄ ^? four-particle system containing an additional particle of mass satisfying the condition m ₄ ^? ? m ₃ ^? is stable. The results of calculations of the stability domain for m ₁ ⁺ m ₂ ⁺ m ₃ ^? systems asymmetric in particle masses are reported. The stability of 39 asymmetric exotic four-particle molecules and mesic molecules against dissociation is established.     

Dominant decays of scalar leptoquarks and scalar gluons in the minimal four-color symmetry model

Fermionic and weak decays of the scalar leptoquarks S = S ₁ ⁽⁺⁾ , S ₁ ^(?) , and S _m and the scalar gluons F = F ₁ and F ₂ predicted by the minimal model involving four-color symmetry and the Higgs mechanism of quark-and lepton-mass splitting are considered. The widths and the branching ratios are calculated for these decays, and the results are analyzed versus the couplings and masses of decaying particles. It is shown that, at relatively small mass splittings Δm within scalar doublets (Δm < m _W), the fermionic decays S ₁ ⁽⁺⁾ → tl _j ⁺ , S ₁ ^(?) → v _i \(\tilde b\), S _m → t \(\tilde \nu \) _j, F ₁ → t \(\tilde b\), and F ₂ → t \(\tilde t\), which are characterized by few-GeV widths for m _S, m _F < 1 TeV and decay branching ratios close to unity, are dominant, but that, for Δm > m _W, the weak decays S → S′W and F → F’W compete with the above fermionic decays. In the case of m _S < m _t, the processes S ₁ ⁽⁺⁾ → cl _j ⁺ , S ₁ ^(?) → v _i \(\tilde b\), S _m → bl _j ⁺ , and S _m → c \(\tilde \nu \) _j, whose total branching ratios are Br(S ₁ ⁽⁺⁾ → cl ⁺) ≈ Br(S ₁ ^(?) → v \(\tilde b\)) ≈ 1, Br(S _m → bl ⁺) ≈ 0.9, and Br(S _m → c \(\tilde \nu \)) ≈ 0.1, appear to be dominant decays of scalar leptoquarks. Searches for these decays at LHC and the Tevatron are of interest.     

Isotopically invariant dunham parameters and the potential function of the HCl molecule

The isotopically invariant Dunham parameters U _mj , Δ _mj ^H and Δ _mj ^Cl were determined by simultaneously fitting the line centers of vibration-rotation transitions of six isotopic HCl forms in the ground electronic state. Fitting included relations between U _mj values. The parameters of the isotopically invariant potential of HCl were determined using independent U _m0 and U _m1 values. The contributions to the vibrational terms of H³⁵Cl caused by violation of the Born-Oppenheimer approximation were calculated.     

Mixing of <Emphasis Type="Italic">K</Emphasis><Superscript>0</Superscript> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">B</Emphasis><Superscript>0</Superscript> neutral mesons within the minimum supersymmetry model

Mixing of K ⁰ and B ⁰ mesons is studied in the scope of the minimum supersymmetry model (MSSM) with a type II Yukawa sector and explicit violation of CP invariance in the Higgs potential. The mixing parameters Δm _LS and ? are calculated in the limit of the low-energy four-fermion approximation with a charged Higgs boson exchange. It is shown that supersymmetric effects are very small for K ⁰ mesons and may be quite significant for B _s ⁰ and B _d ⁰ mesons, which imposes constraints on the MSSM parameter space.     

Mass splitting of neutral <Emphasis Type="Italic">B</Emphasis><Stack><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">d,s</Emphasis></Subscript><Superscript>0</Superscript></Stack> mesons in the framework of the minimal supersymmetric model

The effects of a minimal supersymmetric model with the Yukawa sector of the second type and explicit violation of CP invariance in the Higgs potential occurring during the mixing of physical states in systems of neutral B _d,s ⁰ mesons are considered. The mixing parameter Δm _LS is calculated in the limit of four-fermion approximation with the exchange of charged Higgs bosons (H ^±). This study specifies data presented in [1] and establishes new constraints on \(m_{H^ \pm } \) in this model.     

First measurements in search for keV sterile neutrino in tritium beta-decay in the Troitsk nu-mass experiment

We present the first results of precision measurements of tritium -decay spectrum in the electron energy range 16–18.6 keV by the Troitsk nu-mass experiment. The goal is to find distortions that may be caused by the existence of heavy sterile neutrinos. A signature would correspond to a kink in the spectrum with characteristic shape and end point shifted by the value of a heavy neutrino mass. We set new upper limits to the neutrino mixing matrix element U _e4 ² , which improve existing limits by a factor of 2 to 5 in the mass range of 0.1–2 keV.     

Double Chooz project: Status of a reactor experiment aimed at searches for neutrino oscillations

Double Chooz is an experiment that is devoted to searches for reactor-antineutrino oscillations at the CHOOZ nuclear power plant. This project is aimed at measuring the unknown mixing angle θ ₁₃. It is assumed that the value of θ ₁₃ will be extracted from an analysis of the distortion of the antineutrino spectra obtained in relative measurements at two distances from the nuclear reactors by means of two identical detectors. The method makes it possible to minimize systematic errors of the experiment and to improve the sensitivity to the sought parameter. To date, the most stringent constraint on the parameter θ ₁₃ was obtained from the CHOOZ experiment in 1995–1997 [sin²(2θ ₁₃) < 0.19, with the difference of the squares of the neutrino masses being Δm ₁₃ ² = 2.5 × 10^?3 eV²].     

Measurement of polarization angular coefficients in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Z</Emphasis> boson leptonic decays with ATLAS at the LHC

This paper presents the complete set of polarization angular coefficients A _0?7 describing lepton angular distributions in Z boson decay, which were measured at the ATLAS experiment in proton–proton collisions with the energy √s = 8 TeV. Theoretical values for the difference A ₀ ? A ₂ calculated in the fixed-order QCD perturbation theory O(α _s ² ), demonstrate significant deviation from the measured data, which indicates the necessity of taking into account higher order corrections. The evidence of nonzero coefficients A _5,6,7 was obtained for the first time, in accordance with theoretical calculations in O(α _s ² ) approximation. Measurement of the polarization angular coefficients A _i is important for subsequent precision measurement of parameters of the electroweak model at the LHC, such as the sine of Weinberg electroweak mixing angle sin² θ _W and the W boson mass.     

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.     

Influence of a magnetic two-phase state on the magnetocaloric effect in the La<Subscript>1−<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Sr<Subscript>x</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> manganites

The magnetocaloric effect ΔT_ex and the magnetization in La_1?xSr_xMnO₃ single crystals (x=0.1, 0.125, 0.175, 0.3) have been experimentally studied. The magnetic entropy and the magnetocaloric effect ΔT_th were computed from magnetization curves. All the samples exhibited a maximum in the ΔT_th(T) curve at T=T _max ^′ . A step was observed on the ΔT_ex(T) curve in the region of T _max ^′ , with the value of ΔT_ex on this step being substantially smaller than ΔT_th. The step on the ΔT_ex(T) curve was followed by a maximum, which appeared at a temperature 20–40 K above T _max ^′ . This anomalous behavior of ΔT_ex and ΔT_th is assigned to the coexistence of two magnetic (ferro-and antiferromagnetic) phases in the crystal. The calculated value of ΔT_th is determined primarily by the ferromagnetic part of the crystal and disregards the negative contribution from the antiferromagnetic part of the crystal to ΔT_ex.     

Surface tension of pure liquid helium isotopes

The effects caused by vapor inhomogeneity over liquid helium are considered. Both pure isotopes have surface levels, whose population increases with temperature T. We separated their contribution to the temperature dependence of surface tension σ₃(T) and σ₄(T) and compared our theoretical results with the results of Japanese experimental works [1–3]. For liquid He³, one has σ₃(T)=σ₃(0)?σ ₃ ^∞ T² at 0.2 K<T<1 K and σ₃(T)=σ₃(0)?α ₃ ⁰ T²exp(?Δ₃/T) at T<0.2 K, with Δ₃≈0.25 K. For liquid He⁴, σ₄(T)=σ₄(0)?AT^7/3? α ₄ ⁰ T²exp(?Δ₄/T) at T<2 K, where A is the Atkins constant and Δ₄≈4 K. The parameters α ₃ ⁰ , α ₃ ^∞ , and α ₄ ⁰ depend on the fluid properties.     

Electronic structure of α-Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>: Ab initio simulations and comparison with experiment

Al₂O₃ films 150 Å thick are deposited on silicon by the ALD technique, and their x-ray (XPS) and ultraviolet (UPS) photoelectron spectra of the valence band are investigated. The electronic band structure of corundum (α-Al₂O₃) is calculated by the ab initio density functional method and compared with experimental results. The α-Al₂O₃ valence band consists of two subbands separated with an ionic gap. The lower band is mainly formed by oxygen 2s states. The upper band is formed by oxygen 2p states with a contribution of aluminum 3s and 3p states. A strong anisotropy of the effective mass is observed for holes: m _h⊥ ^* ≈ 6.3m ₀ and m _h‖ ^* ≈ 0.36m ₀. The effective electron mass is independent of the direction m _e‖ ^* ≈ m _e⊥ ^* ≈ 0.4m ₀.     

Two-detector reactor neutrino oscillation experiment Kr2Det at Krasnoyarsk: Status report

We consider the status of the Kr2Det project aimed at sensitive searches for neutrino oscillations in the atmospheric neutrino mass parameter region around Δm² ～ 3×10^?3 eV² and at obtaining new information on the electron neutrino mass structure (U_e3).     

Equilibrium magnetic and orbital states of the manganites with four manganese atoms in the unit cell

The carrier energy spectrum and the total energy of various magnetic and orbital crystal-structure configurations of the manganites R _1?x A _xMnO₃ (R=La, Pr, Nd, Sm, etc.; A=Ca, Sr, Ba) with four manganese atoms in the unit cell have been calculated for the electron doping region x>0.5. The equilibrium magnetic and orbital configurations of the model are determined by minimizing the total energy of the system with respect to the angles θ _i ^s , φ_i, and θ _i ^o , which define the directions of the local manganese magnetic moments and the type of orbital mixing of the e _g electrons in the manganites. Assuming the parameters of the Heisenberg exchange interaction to be 0.018t<J _AFM<0.022t, the Hund exchange interaction to be J _H=2.5t, and the Jahn-Teller splitting to be Δ=1.5ty, the model with four manganese atoms in the unit cell predicts the experimentally observed magnetic phase alternation sequence G-C-A with increasing doping level y=1?x. For the values J _AFM<0.018t and y<0.28, this model allows the existence of a collinear phase H not observed earlier.     

Overview on neutrinos and the Daya Bay experiment

Neutrinos are elementary particles in the Standard Model. Neutrino oscillation is a quantum mechanical phenomenon beyond the Standard Model. Neutrino oscillation can be described by two independent mass-squared differences Δm ₂₁ ² , Δm ₃₁ ² (or Δm ₃₂ ² ) and a 3 × 3 unitary matrix, containing three mixing angles θ ₁₂, θ ₂₃, θ ₁₃, and one charge-parity (CP) phase. θ ₁₂ is about 34° and determined by solar neutrino experiments and the reactor neutrino experiment KamLAND. θ ₂₃ is about 45° and determined by atmospheric neutrino experiments and accelerator neutrino experiments. θ ₁₃ can be measured by either accelerator or reactor neutrino experiments. On Mar. 8, 2012, the Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment reported the first observation of non-zero θ ₁₃ with 5.2 standard deviations. In June, with 2.5× previous data, Daya Bay improved the measurement of sin²2θ ₁₃ = 0.089 ± 0.010(stat) ± 0.005(syst).     

Dipole moment functions for electronic transitions from ion-pair states of the second tier of molecular iodine

The emission spectra caused by the transitions from the ion-pair states and f0 _g ⁺ and G1_g of the I₂ molecule are obtained by excitation of individual rovibronic levels of the molecule by the method of optical-optical double resonance. The emission spectra from the state F0 _u ⁺ populated due to collisions I₂(f) + I₂(X) are also measured. By modeling the experimental emission spectra, the dipole moment functions for the electronic transitions f _g ⁺ -B0 _u ⁺ , A0 _u ⁺ , and B″0 _u ⁺ ; G1_g-A0 _u ⁺ and B″0 _u ⁺ ; and F0 _u ⁺ -X0 _g ⁺ and a′0 _g ⁺ of the iodine molecule are reconstructed.     

Probabilities of forbidden magnetic-dipole transitions in the hydrogen atom and hydrogen-like ions

Explicit formulasfor strongly forbidden magnetic-dipole transitiions between states njl and n′jl in the hydrogen atom and light hydrogen-like ions are derived. The expressions for transition probabilities are presented in the form W _{n′jl; njl} ^(M1) = D _n′n ^lj αm _e (αZ)¹⁰ (in relativistic units), where m _e is the electron mass, α is the fine-structure constant, and Z is the nuclear charge; the constants D _n′n ^lj are presented in an analytical form. Before now, only the D ₂₁ ^01/2 coefficient corresponding to the 1s _1/2–2s _1/2 transition was known in explicit form. The results obtained can be used in designing an experiment on parity violation in the hydrogen atom.