The Sudbury Neutrino Observatory: Observation of flavor change for solar neutrinos

The Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) experiment was constructed by an international scientific collaboration primarily to provide a clear determination of whether solar neutrinos change their flavor in transit from the core of the sun to the earth. The detector used 1000 tonnes of heavy water (>99.92% D2O) in an ultra‐clean location 2 km underground in INCO's Creighton mine near Sudbury, Canada to observe two separate reactions of neutrinos on deuterium. The first reaction was sensitive only to electron flavor neutrinos and the second reaction was equally sensitive to all neutrino flavors. The measurements by SNO showed clearly that the hypothesis of no neutrino flavor change was ruled out by more than 5.3 standard deviations. The observation of flavor change for neutrinos implies that they have a non‐zero mass. The measured total flux of active neutrinos from ⁸B decay in the sun was found to be in excellent agreement with the predictions of solar model calculations. This paper describes the history and scientific measurements of the SNO experiment. 2     

Magnetic moment solution to the solar neutrino problem,anticorrelation with sunspot activity and challenges for future experiments

The analysis of the most recent solar neutrino data in the light of the resonant spin flip flavour conversion of neutrinos in the Sun suggests the existence of two possible solutions for the solar neutrino problem, one of them associated with a neutrino flavour mass square difference of the order of 10^?8 eV² and the other of the order of 10^?5eV². The magnetic moment is in the range μ_v= (10^?12 ? 10^?11) μ_B. In the first possibility the most energetic neutrinos will have their resonance in the solar onvective zone. This indicates that the forthcoming SNO and Icarus experiments are very well placed to test this solution through the anticorrelation effect with sunspot activity that may be present in the Homestake data but still remains an open question.     

A new three-flavor oscillation solution of the solar neutrino deficit in <Emphasis Type="Italic">R</Emphasis>-parity violating supersymmetry

We present a solution of the solar neutrino deficit using three flavors of neutrinos and R-parity non-conserving supersymmetry. In this model, in vacuum, the is massless and unmixed, mass and mixing being restricted to the - sector only, which we choose in consistency with the requirements of the atmospheric neutrino anomaly. The flavor changing and flavor diagonal neutral currents present in the model and the three-flavor picture together produce an energy dependent resonance-induced - mixing in the sun. This mixing plays a key role in the new solution to the solar neutrino problem. The best fit to the solar neutrino rates and spectrum (1258-day SK and 241-day SNO data) requires a mass square difference of eV² in vacuum between the two lightest neutrinos. This solution cannot accommodate a significant day-night effect for solar neutrinos nor CP violation in terrestrial neutrino experiments. Received: 26 December 2001 / Revised version: 16 February 2002 / Published online: 26 July 2002     

SNO and the new SNOLAB

A new international science laboratory, SNOLAB, has recently begun operation 2 km underground at the site of the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO), near Sudbury, Canada. The laboratory incorporates the SNO detector and includes several new experimental areas with a total excavated volume about three times larger than the original SNO cavity. The SNO detector has now completed operation with heavy water and data analysis is being completed with improved accuracy by combining all three phases of the project. A new project, SNO +, has recently been funded and will provide high sensitivity for neutrino-less double beta decay, low energy solar neutrinos, geoneutrinos, supernovae and other physics measurements. A number of dark matter measurements are in progress or preparing for deployment and a new supernova measurement, HALO is also being deployed. The status and physics objectives of the experimental program is outlined.     

Status of the standard solar model prediction of solar neutrino fluxes

The Standard Solar Model (BP04) predicts a total ⁸B neutrino flux that is 17.2% larger than that measured in the salt phase of the SNO detector (and if it is significant, it will indicate oscillation to sterile neutrinos). Hence, it is important to examine in detail the uncertainties (and values) of inputs to the BP04. Currently, the largest fractional uncertainty is due to the new evaluation of the surface composition of the Sun. We examine the nuclear input on the formation of solar ⁸B [S ₁₇(0)] and demonstrate that it is still quite uncertain due to the ill-known slope of the measured astrophysical cross section factor and thus illdefined extrapolation to zero energy. This yields an additional reasonable uncertainty due to extrapolation of _−3.0 ^+0.0 eV b ( _−14% ^+0% ). Since a large discrepancy exists between measured as well as predicted slopes, the value of S ₁₇(0) is dependent on the choice of data and theory used to extrapolate S ₁₇(0). This situation must be alleviated by new measurement(s). The “world average” is driven by the Seattle result owing to the very small quoted uncertainty, which we, however, demonstrate to be an overestimated accuracy. We propose more realistic error bars for the Seattle results based on the published Seattle data. The text was submitted by the author in English.     

Are there sterile neutrinos in the flux of solar neutrinos on the earth?

It is shown that the future SNO and Super-Kamiokande experiments, in which high energy⁸B neutrinos will be detected through the observation of CC, NC and –e elastic scattering processes, could allow to reveal in a model independent way the presence of sterile neutrinos in the flux of solar neutrinos on the earth. Lower bounds for different averaged values of the probability of transition of solar v^e'S into sterile states and for the total flux of⁸B neutrinos are derived in terms of measurable quantities. The possibilities to reveal the presence of v and/or v in the solar neutrino flux on the earth are also considered and the case of transitions of solar v^e'S only into sterile states is discussed. Some numerical results for a simple model with v–v^s mixing are given.     

Do Two Flavour Oscillations Explain both KamLAND Data and the Solar Neutrino Spectrum?

The recent measurement of Δ _sol by the KamLAND experiment with very small errors, makes definitive predictions for the energy dependence of the solar neutrino survival probability P _ee . We fix Δ _sol to be the KamLAND best fit value of 8×10⁻⁵ eV² and study the energy dependence of P _ee for solar neutrinos, in the framework of two flavour oscillations and also of three flavour oscillations. For the case of two flavour oscillations, P _ee has a measurable slope in the 5–8 MeV range but the solar spectrum measurements in this range find P _ee to be flat. The predicted values of P _ee , even for the best fit value of θ _sol , differ by 2–3 σ from the Super-K measured values in each of the three energy bins of the 5–8 MeV range. If future measurements of solar neutrinos by Super-K and SNO find a flat spectrum with reduced error bars (by a factor of 2), it will imply that two flavour oscillations can no longer explain both KamLAND data and the solar spectrum. However a flat solar neutrino spectrum and the Δ _sol measured by KamLAND can be reconciled in a three flavour oscillation framework with a moderate value of θ ₁₃≈13°.     

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.     

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.     

Testing the vacuum oscillation and the MSW solutions of the solar neutrino problem

Solar model independent tests of the vacuum oscillation and MSW solutions of the solar neutrino problem are considered. Detailed predictions for time (seasonal) variations of the signals due to neutrino oscillations in vacuum are given for the future solar neutrino detectors (SNO, Super-Kamiokande, BOREXINO, HELLAZ). Results on the distortions of the spectra of ⁸B neutrinos, and of e⁻ from the reaction ν + e⁻ → ν + e⁻ induced by ⁸B neutrinos, are presented in the cases of vacuum oscillations or MSW transitions for a large number of values of the relevant parameters. The possibilities to distinguish between the vacuum oscillation, the MSW adiabatic, and the MSW nonadiabatic transitions in the future solar neutrino experiments are discussed.     

Possible tests of neutrino maximal mixing and comments on matter effects

We show in a simple and general way that matter effects do not contribute to the average value of the transition probabilities of solar ν_e's into other states in the case of maximal mixing of any number of massive neutrinos. We also show that future solar neutrino experiments (Super-Kamiokande and SNO) will allow to test the model with maximal mixing of three massive neutrinos in a way that does not depend on the initial solar neutrino flux.     

Limits on the neutrino magnetic moment from solar neutrino experiments

If neutrinos have non-vanishing mass and non-vanishing magnetic moments, then electron neutrinos emitted in nuclear reactions in the solar interior may undergo flavour oscillations, spin precession or resonant spin-flavour precession. Assuming equal values for the magnetic moments of all neutrino flavours and using the data from Homestake and SuperKamiokande we obtain an upper limit on the neutrino magnetic moment and find μ_νe ≤ (2.2 − 2.3) × 10⁻¹⁰μ_B, within four standard solar models. We also point out that this limit may be further reduced if the detector threshold energy for the ν_e,χe⁻ scattering is decreased.     

Solar neutrino flux measurements by the Soviet-American gallium experiment (SAGE) for half the 22-year solar cycle

We present measurements of the solar neutrino capture rate on metallic gallium in the Soviet-American gallium experiment (SAGE) over a period of slightly more than half the 22-year solar cycle. A combined analysis of 92 runs over the twelve-year period from January 1990 until December 2001 yields a capture rate of 70.8 _?5.2 ^+5.3 (stat) _?3.2 ^+3.7 (sys) SNU for solar neutrinos with energies above 0.233 MeV. This value is slightly more than half the rate predicted by the standard solar model, 130 SNU. We present the results of new runs since April 1998 and analyze all runs combined by years, months, and bimonthly periods beginning in 1990. A simple analysis of the SAGE results together with the results of other solar neutrino experiments gives an estimate of (4.6±1.2)× 10¹⁰ neutrinos cm^?2 s^?1 for the flux of the electron pp neutrinos that reach the Earth without changing their flavor. The flux of the pp neutrinos produced in thermonuclear reactions in the Sun is estimated to be (7.6 ± 2.0) × 10¹⁰ neutrinos cm^?2 s^?1, in agreement with the value of (5.95±0.06)×10¹⁰ neutrinos cm^?2 s^?1 predicted by the standard solar model.     

New answer to the solar neutrino problem

We suggest a new answer to the problem of the solar neutrinos: a neutrino-photon interaction that would cause the neutrinos to disappear before they leave the sun or make them lose energy towards detection thresholds. We calculate the available energy in the system of the centre of mass, and show that the photons may be endowed with a pseudo-cross-section in the system of the sun. Under the assumption of an absorption, made to simplify the neutrino transport calculation, the chlorine experiment yields:σ _a =1.8( _−1.0 ^+0.7 )*10⁻⁹ barn, which is close tog _β/(ℏc)=4·49^*10⁻⁹ barn. The escape probability is substantially larger for the gallium neutrinos than for the chlorine neutrinos. Thermal radiation in the core of a supernova is suppressed by electrical conductivity, therefore the neutrinos from SN1987A could escape; they interacted with the photon piston in the outer layers of the supernova and the interaction has to be a scattering. The cosmological implications of a neutrino-photon interaction are discussed; Hubble’s constant may have to be modified. The case of an elastic scattering between neutrino and photon is discussed in more detail. An erratum to this article is available at .     

C2GT: intercepting CERN neutrinos to Gran Sasso in the Gulf of Taranto to measure θ13

Today’s greatest challenge in accelerator-based neutrino physics is to measure the mixing angle θ₁₃ which is known to be much smaller than the solar mixing angle θ₁₂ and the atmospheric mixing angle θ₂₃. A non-zero value of the angle θ₁₃ is a prerequisite for observing CP violation in neutrino mixing. In this paper, we discuss a deep-sea neutrino experiment with 1.5 Mt fiducial target mass in the Gulf of Taranto with the prime objective of measuring θ₁₃. The detector is exposed to the CERN neutrino beam to Gran Sasso in off-axis geometry. Monochromatic muon neutrinos of ≈ 800 MeV energy are the dominant beam component. Neutrinos are detected through quasi-elastic, charged-current reactions in sea water; electrons and muons are detected in a large-surface, ring-imaging Cherenkov detector. The profile of the seabed in the Gulf of Taranto allows for a moveable experiment at variable distances from CERN, starting at 1100 km. From the oscillatory pattern of the disappearance of muon neutrinos, the experiment will measure sin²θ₂₃ and especially Δm² ₂₃ with high precision. The appearance of electron neutrinos will be observed with a sensitivity to P(ν_μ→ν_e) as small as 0.0035 (90% CL) and sin²θ₁₃ as small as 0.0019 (90% CL; for a CP phase angle δ=0° and for normal neutrino mass hierarchy).     

Matter effects for solar neutrino oscillations

Possible solar neutrino oscillations are reviewed in the two-neutrino case taking into account the effect of coherent forward scattering when neutrinos travel through the sun and earth. As recently pointed out by Mikheyev and Smirnov this effect can induce a large suppression of the solar ν_e flux for values of Δm ² around 10^?4–10^?8 eV² even for small values of the mixing angle. It also may cause substantial modifications of the solar neutrino spectrum shape. All this may be used for determining Δm ² and sin² 2θ in a large domain from the experimental results of the chlorine, gallium, indium and heavy water detectors.     

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.     

Measurement of the rate of ν e+d → p+p+e − interactions produced by 8B solar neutrinos at the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory

Solar neutrinos from the decay of ⁸B have been detected at the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) via the charged current (CC) reaction on deuterium and by the elastic scattering (ES) of electrons. The CC reaction is sensitive exclusively to ν _e, while the ES reaction also has a small sensitivity to ν _μ and ν _τ. The flux of ν _e from ⁸B decay measured by the CC reaction rate is φ ^CC(ν _e )=[1.75±0.07(stat.) _?0.11 ^+0.12 (syst.)×0.05(theor.)]×10⁶cm^?2s^?1. Assuming no flavor transformation, the flux inferred from the ES reaction rate is φ ^ES(ν _x )=[2.39±0.34(stat.) _?0.14 ^+0.16 (syst.)]×10⁶cm^?2s^?1. Comparison of φ ^CC(ν _e) to the Super-Kamiokande collaboration’s precision value of φ ^ES(ν _x) yields a 3.3σ difference, assuming the systematic uncertainties are normally distributed, providing evidence that there is a nonelectron flavor active neutrino component in the solar flux. The total flux of active ⁸B neutrinos is thus determined to be (5.44±0.99)×10⁶ cm^?2 s^?1, in close agreement with the predictions of solar models.     

Search for Cold Dark Matter and Solar Neutrinos with GENIUS and GENIUS-TF

The new project GENIUS will cover a wide range of the parameter space of predictions of SUSY for neutralinos as cold dark matter. Further it has the potential to be a real-time detector for low-energy (pp and ⁷Be) solar neutrinos. A GENIUS Test Facility has been funded and will come into operation by early 2003.     

Sterile neutrinos and future solar neutrino experiments

It is shown that future solar neutrino experiments (SNO, Super-Kamiokande and others), in which high energy neutrinos will be detected (mostly from ⁸B decay), may allow to answer in a model independent way the question whether there are transitions of solar v_e's into sterile states. No assumptions about the initial flux of ⁸B neutrinos are made. Lower bounds for the probability of transition of solar v_e's into all sterile states are derived and expressed through measurable quantities.