The effects of Majorana phases in three-generation neutrinos

Neutrino-oscillation solutions for the atmospheric neutrino anomaly and the solar neutrino deficit can determine the texture of the neutrino mass matrix according to three types of neutrino mass hierarchy: Type A: , Type B: , and Type C: , where is the absolute mass of the ith generation neutrino. The relative sign assignments of the neutrino masses in each type of mass hierarchy play crucial roles in the stability against quantum corrections. Actually, two physical Majorana phases in the lepton flavor mixing matrix connect the relative sign assignments of the neutrino masses. Therefore, in this paper we analyze the stability of the mixing angles against quantum corrections according to three types of neutrino mass hierarchy (Type A, B, C) and two Majorana phases. The two phases play crucial roles in the stability of the mixing angles against quantum corrections. Received: 9 May 2000 / Revised version: 23 May 2000 / Published online: 8 September 2000     

Physics prospects of the Jinping neutrino experiment

The China Jinping Underground Laboratory(CJPL), which has the lowest cosmic-ray muon flux and the lowest reactor neutrino flux of any laboratory, is ideal to carry out low-energy neutrino experiments. With two detectors and a total fiducial mass of 2000 tons for solar neutrino physics(equivalently, 3000 tons for geo-neutrino and supernova neutrino physics), the Jinping neutrino experiment will have the potential to identify the neutrinos from the CNO fusion cycles of the Sun, to cover the transition phase for the solar neutrino oscillation from vacuum to matter mixing, and to measure the geo-neutrino flux, including the Th/U ratio. These goals can be fulfilled with mature existing techniques. Efforts on increasing the target mass with multi-modular neutrino detectors and on developing the slow liquid scintillator will increase the Jinping discovery potential in the study of solar neutrinos,geo-neutrinos, supernova neutrinos, and dark matter.     

Mikheyev–Smirnov–Wolfenstein Effect¶for Linear Electron Density

When the electron density is a linear function of distance, it is known that the MSW equations for two neutrino species can be solved in terms of known functions. It is shown here that more generally, for any number of neutrino species, these MSW equations can be solved exactly in terms of single integrals. While these integrals cannot be expressed in terms of known functions, some of their simple properties are obtained. Application to the solar neutrino problem is briefly discussed. Received: 3 April 2000 / Accepted: 10 April 2000     

Stability of the lepton-flavor mixing matrix against quantum corrections

Recent neutrino experiments suggest strong evidence of tiny neutrino masses and the lepton-flavor mixing. Neutrino-oscillation solutions for the atmospheric neutrino anomaly and the solar neutrino deficit can determine the texture of the neutrino mass matrix according to the neutrino mass hierarchies as Type A: , Type B: , and Type C: , where is the i-th generation neutrino mass. In this paper we study the stability of the lepton-flavor mixing matrix against quantum corrections for all three types of mass hierarchy in the minimal supersymmetric Standard Model with an effective dimension-five operator which gives the Majorana masses of neutrinos. The relative sign assignments of neutrino masses in each type play crucial role for the stability against quantum corrections. We find that the lepton-flavor mixing matrix of Type A is stable against quantum corrections, and that of Type B with the same (opposite) signs of and are unstable (stable). For Type C, the lepton-flavor-mixing matrix approaches the definite unitary matrix according to the relative sign assignments of the neutrino mass eigenvalues as the effects of quantum corrections become large enough to neglect the squared mass differences of neutrinos. Received: 24 June 1999 / Revised version: 23 December 1999 / Published online: 17 March 2000     

A 4-neutrino model with a Higgs triplet

We take as a starting point the Gelmini–Roncadelli model enlarged by a term with explicit lepton number violation in the Higgs potential and add a neutrino singlet field that is coupled via a scalar doublet to the usual leptons. This scenario allows us to take into account all three present indications in favor of neutrino oscillations provided by the solar, atmospheric, and LSND neutrino oscillation experiments. Furthermore, it suggests a model which reproduces naturally one of the two 4-neutrino mass spectra favored by the data. In this model, the solar neutrino problem is solved by large mixing MSW transitions, and the atmospheric neutrino problem by transitions of into a sterile neutrino. Received: 11 May 1999 / Published online: 3 February 2000     

\mu-e conversion in nuclei in the left-right supersymmetric model

We investigate the contributions to conversion in nuclei in a supersymmetric model with left-right symmetry, motivated by the new data on neutrino oscillations. We study the dependence of the conversion rate on the various parameters of the model, and show that light-mass or large scenarios are severely restricted. We analyse the effect of several popular mecahnisms of neutrino mixing on the conversion rate as well as the influence of the right-handed scale on the conversion rate. We compare the conversion rate to the branching ratio for and discuss their relative accessibility at future experiments, their sensitivity to various parameters of the model, as well as their relative importance in providing signals for new Physics. Received: 31 May 2000 / Published online: 31 August 2000     

Vacuum solutions of neutrino anomalies through a softly broken U(1) symmetry

We discuss an extended model which naturally leads to mass scales and mixing angles relevant for understanding both the solar and atmospheric neutrino anomalies in terms of the vacuum oscillations of the three known neutrinos. The model uses a softly broken –– symmetry and contains a heavy scale GeV. The –– symmetric neutrino masses solve the atmospheric neutrino anomaly while breaking of –– generates the highly suppressed radiative mass scale needed for the vacuum solution of the solar neutrino problem. All the neutrino masses in the model are inversely related to , thus providing seesaw-type of masses without invoking any heavy right-handed neutrinos. The possible embedding of the model into an SU(5) grand unified theory is discussed. Received: 5 August 1999 / Revised version: 18 November 1999 / Published online: 6 April 2000     

Charge and magnetic moment of the neutrino in the background field method and in the linear R_{\xi}^L gauge

We present a computation of the charge and the magnetic moment of the neutrino in the recently developed electro-weak Background Field Method and in the linear gauge. First, we deduce a formal Ward-Takahashi identity which implies the immediate cancellation of the neutrino electric charge. This Ward-Takahashi identity is as simple as that for QED. The computation of the (proper and improper) one loop vertex diagrams contributing to the neutrino electric charge is also presented in an arbitrary gauge, checking in this way the Ward-Takahashi identity previously obtained. Finally, the calculation of the magnetic moment of the neutrino, in the minimal extension of the Standard Model with massive Dirac neutrinos, is presented, showing its gauge parameter and gauge structure independence explicitly. Received: 6 July 1999 / Revised version: 27 October 1999 / Published online: 27 January 2000     

Searches for the appearance of \nu_\tau using neutrino beams from muon storage rings

We study the possibilities offered by muon storage rings for appearance experiments in order to determine masses and mixing angles for the and oscillations. The dependence of tau event rates on baseline, forward peaking of decay neutrinos with increasing energies, and average fluxes intercepted by detectors of various sizes is discussed. It is found that the baseline length does not significantly affect the rates for oscillations of such magnitudes as are suggested by the current atmospheric neutrino data. Subsequently, the effects of cuts on hadronic and wrong sign leptonic modes are computed and used to plot 90% CL contours for the parameter regions that can be explored in such experiments. The results show that even for modest muon beam energies, convincing coverage and verification of the Super Kamiokande parameters is possible. In addition, a very significant enlargement of present day bounds on the mixing parameters for neutrino oscillations of all types is guaranteed by these types of searches. Received: 4 April 2000 / Revised version: 22 July 2000 / Published online: 8 December 2000     

Effects of quantum space time foam in the neutrino sector

We discuss violations of CPT and quantum mechanics due to interactions of neutrinos with space-time quantum foam. Neutrinoless double beta decay and oscillations of neutrinos from astrophysical sources (supernovae, active galactic nuclei) are analysed. It is found that the propagation distance is the crucial quantity entering any bounds on EHNS parameters. Thus, while the bounds from neutrinoless double beta decay are not significant, the data of the supernova 1987a imply a bound being several orders of magnitude more stringent than the ones known from the literature. Even more stringent limits may be obtained from the investigation of neutrino oscillations from active galactic nuclei sources, which have an impressive potential for the search of quantum foam interactions in the neutrino sector. Received: 5 June 2000 / Accepted: 12 July 2000     

Effects of the scale-dependent vacuum expectation values in the renormalisation group analysis of neutrino masses

The contribution of scale-dependent vacuum expectation values (VEVs) of Higgs scalars, which gives significant effects in the evolution of the fundamental fermion masses in the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM), is now considered in the derivation of the analytic one-loop expression for the evolution of the left-handed Majorana neutrino masses with energies. The inclusion of such an effect of the running VEV increases the stability of the neutrino masses under quantum corrections even for the low values of at the scale GeV, and leads to a mild decrease of the neutrino masses with higher energies. Such a trend is common with that of other fundamental fermion masses. Received: 18 September 2000 / Published online: 23 February 2001     

A covariant path amplitude description of flavour oscillations: the Gribov-Pontecorvo phasefor neutrino vacuum propagation is right

An extended study is performed of geometrical and kinematical assumptions used in calculations of the neutrino oscillation phase. The almost universally employed "equal velocity" assumption, in which all neutrino mass eigenstates are produced at the same time, is shown to underestimate, by a factor of two, the neutrino propagation contribution to the phase. Taking properly into account, in a covariant path amplitude calculation, the incoherent nature of neutrino production as predicted by the standard model, results in an important source propagator contribution to the phase. It is argued that the commonly discussed Gaussian "wave packets" have no basis within quantum mechanics and are the result of a confused amalgam of quantum and classical wave concepts.Received: 15 November 2002, Published online: 29 August 2003     

Interference Phase of Neutrino Oscillation in Schwarzschild-de Sitter Space-Time

We study the mass neutrino interference phase in Schwarzschild-de Sitter space time along the null trajectory and the geodesic line and obtain the effects of cosmological constant A on the neutrino oscillation. Firstly, in the high energy limit, we find that the phase along the geodesic keeps the double of that along the null. Secondly, we calculate the phase on the condition that the cosmological constant, A, is a small quantity. The correction of the phase due to A is given. Finally, we calculate the proper oscillation length in Schwarzschild-de Sitter space-time, which increases because of the existence of A, compared with the result in Schwarzschild space-time. All of our results can be reduced to those in Schwarzschild space-time as A approaches to zero.     

Analysis of a three flavor neutrino oscillation fit to recent Super-Kamiokande data

We have analyzed the most recent available Super-Kamiokande data in a three flavor neutrino oscillation model. We have here neglected possible matter effects and we performed a fit to atmospheric and solar Super-Kamiokande data. We have investigated a large parameter range where the mixing angles were restricted to , , and the mass squared differences were taken to be in the intervals and , i.e., the hierarchy between the mass squared differences is not completely determined. This yielded a best solution characterized by the parameter values , , , , and , which shows that the analyzed experimental data speak in favor of a bimaximal mixing scenario with one of the mass squared differences in the “just-so” domain and the other one in the range capable of providing a solution to the atmospheric neutrino problem. Received: 4 July 2000 / Published online: 27 October 2000     

Photon events with missing energy at \sqrt{s} =183 to 189 GeV

The production of single photons has been studied in the reaction at centre-of-mass energies of 183 GeV and 189 GeV. A previously published analysis of events with multi-photon final states accompanied by missing energy has been updated with 189 GeV data. The data were collected with the DELPHI detector and correspond to integrated luminosities of about 51 pb and 158 pb at the two energies. The number of light neutrino families is measured to be . The absence of an excess of events beyond that expected from Standard Model processes is used to set limits on new physics as described by supersymmetric and composite models. A limit on the gravitational scale is also determined. Received: 28 January 2000 / Revised version: 27 April 2000 / Published online: 26 July 2000     

No collective neutrino flavor conversions during the supernova accretion phase

We perform a dedicated study of the supernova (SN) neutrino flavor evolution during the accretion phase, using results from recent neutrino radiation hydrodynamics simulations. In contrast to what was expected in the presence of only neutrino-neutrino interactions, we find that the multiangle effects associated with the dense ordinary matter suppress collective oscillations. The matter suppression implies that neutrino oscillations will start outside the neutrino decoupling region and therefore will have a negligible impact on the neutrino heating and the explosion dynamics. Furthermore, the possible detection of the next galactic SN neutrino signal from the accretion phase, based on the usual Mikheyev-Smirnov-Wolfenstein effect in the SN mantle and Earth matter effects, can reveal the neutrino mass hierarchy in the case that the mixing angle θ(13) is not very small.     

Trimuon production in \nuN-scattering as a probe of massive neutrinos

The lepton–number violating process \nu_\mu is studied for the first time in connection with Majorana neutrino masses of the second generation. The sensitivity for light and heavy Majorana neutrinos is investigated. The ratio with respect to the standard model charged current process is improved by some orders of magnitude if compared to previously discussed Majorana induced processes. Non–observation of this process in previous experiments allows to demand the effective mass to be GeV, being more stringent than previously discussed direct bounds, however still unnaturally high. Therefore, in the forseeable future, indirect bounds on effective masses other than \mbox{} will be more stringent. Received: 16 February 2000 / Revised version: 11 April 2000 / Published online: 6 July 2000     

Fermion masses in a model for spontaneous parity breaking

In this paper we discuss a left–right symmetric model for elementary particles and their connection with the mass spectrum of elementary fermions. The model is based on the group . New mirror fermions and a minimal set of Higgs particles that break this symmetry down to are proposed. The model can accommodate a consistent pattern for charged and neutral fermion masses as well as neutrino oscillations. An important consequence of the model is that the connection between the left and right sectors can be implemented by the neutral vector gauge boson Z and a new heavy Z'. Received: 15 June 2000 / Revised version: 14 September 2000 / Published online: 5 February 2001     

Pulsar kicks via spin-1 color superconductivity

We propose a new neutrino propulsion mechanism for neutron stars which can lead to strong velocity kicks, needed to explain the observed bimodal velocity distribution of pulsars. The spatial asymmetry in the neutrino emission is naturally provided by a stellar core containing spin-1 color-superconducting quark matter in the A phase. The neutrino propulsion mechanism switches on when the stellar core temperature drops below the transition temperature of this phase.     

About the Mixing and CP Violation in Neutrino System

Suppose that the geometrical explanation to the weak CP phase in quark sector is also valid for neutrinos, the mixing and CP violation in neutrino system are discussed. We find that a J_Cp larger than 3 × 10^-3 implies the large-mixing solution for solar neutrino problem. In the case of bi-maximal mixing, we predict relative large CP violation with J_Cp larger than 10^-3 in neutrino system, except the third mixing angle approaching to 0 or π/2 very closely.