0000000000002478
AUTHOR
José W. F. Valle
Interplay between collective effects and non-standard interactions of supernova neutrinos
We consider the effect of nonstandard neutrino interactions (NSI, for short) on the propagation of neutrinos through the supernova (SN) envelope within a three-neutrino framework and taking into account the presence of a neutrino background. We find that for given NSI parameters, with strength generically denoted by epsilon(ij), neutrino evolution exhibits a significant time dependence. For vertical bar epsilon(tau tau)vertical bar greater than or similar to 10(-3) the neutrino survival probability may become sensitive to the V-23 octant and the sign of epsilon(tau tau). In particular, if epsilon(tau tau) greater than or similar to 10(-2) an internal I-resonance may arise independently of t…
Measuring the leptonic CP phase in neutrino oscillations with nonunitary mixing
Non-unitary neutrino mixing implies an extra CP violating phase that can fake the leptonic Dirac CP phase $\delta_{CP}$ of the simplest three-neutrino mixing benchmark scheme. This would hinder the possibility of probing for CP violation in accelerator-type experiments. We take T2K and T2HK as examples to demonstrate the degeneracy between the "standard" (or "unitary") and "non-unitary" CP phases. We find, under the assumption of non-unitary mixing, that their CP sensitivities severely deteriorate. Fortunately, the TNT2K proposal of supplementing T2(H)K with a $\mu$DAR source for better measurement of $\delta_{CP}$ can partially break the CP degeneracy by probing both $\cos \delta_{CP}$ and…
Neutrino oscillations and new physics
I discuss the theoretical background and the status of neutrino oscillation parameters from the current worlds' global data sample and latest flux calculations. I give their allowed ranges, best fit values and discuss the small parameters and sin2theta13, which characterize CP violation in neutrino oscillations. I mention the significance of neutrinoless double beta decay and current expectations in view of oscillation results.
Tau lepton mixing with charginos and its effects on chargino searches at e+e− colliders
In bilinear R-Parity violating models where a term \epsilon_3L_3H_2 is introduced in the superpotential, the tau lepton can mix with charginos. We show that this mixing is fully compatible with LEP1 precision measurements of the Z\tau\tau and W\tau\nu_\tau couplings even for large values of \epsilon_3 and of the induced vacuum expectation value v_3 of the tau-sneutrino. The single production of charginos at e+e- colliders is possible in this case and we present numerical values of the cross-section at LEP1, LEP2 and an NLC. We find maximum values of 10 pb at LEP1 and 1 fb at NLC, while the corresponding values at LEP2 are too small to observe.
Pulsar Velocities without Neutrino Mass
We show that pulsar velocities may arise from anisotropic neutrino emission induced by resonant conversions of massless neutrinos in the presence of a strong magnetic field. The main ingredient is a small violation of weak universality and neither neutrino masses nor magnetic moments are required.
Testing the mechanism of R-parity breaking with slepton LSP decays
In supersymmetric models R-parity can be violated through either bilinear or trilinear terms in the superpotential, or both. If charged scalar leptons are the lightest supersymmetric particles, their decay properties can be used to obtain information about the relative importance of these couplings. We show that in some specific scenarios it is even possible to decide whether bilinear or trilinear terms give the dominant contribution to the neutrino mass matrix.
Neutrinoless double beta decay in supersymmetry with bilinear R-parity breaking
We reanalyze the contributions to neutrinoless double beta ($\znbb$) decay from supersymmetry with explicit breaking of R-parity. Although we keep both bilinear and trilinear terms, our emphasis is put on bilinear R-parity breaking terms, because these mimic more closely the models where the breaking of R-parity is spontaneous. Comparing the relevant Feynman diagrams we conclude that the usual mass mechanism of double beta decay is the dominant one. From the non-observation of $\znbb$ decay we set limits on the bilinear R-parity breaking parameters of typically a (few) 100 $keV$. Despite such stringent bounds, we stress that the magnitude of R-parity violating phenomena that can be expected…
Flavour in heavy neutrino searches at the LHC
Heavy neutrinos at the TeV scale have been searched for at the LHC in the context of left-right models, under the assumption that they couple to the electron, the muon, or both. We show that current searches are also sensitive to heavy neutrinos coupling predominantly to the tau lepton, and present limits can significantly constrain the parameter space of general flavour mixing.
Simplest scoto-seesaw mechanism
By combining the simplest (3,1) version of the seesaw mechanism containing a single heavy "right-handed" neutrino with the minimal scotogenic approach to dark matter, we propose a theory for neutrino oscillations. The "atmospheric" mass scale arises at tree level from the seesaw, while the "solar" oscillation scale emerges radiatively, through a loop involving the "dark sector" exchange. Such simple setup gives a clear interpretation of the neutrino oscillation lengths, has a viable WIMP dark matter candidate, and implies a lower bound on the neutrinoless double beta decay rate.
Probing neutrino magnetic moments at the Spallation Neutron Source facility
24 pages.- 8 figures
The Cabibbo angle as a universal seed for quark and lepton mixings
A model-independent ansatz to describe lepton and quark mixing in a unified way is suggested based upon the Cabibbo angle. In our framework neutrinos mix in a "Bi-Large" fashion, while the charged leptons mix as the "down-type" quarks do. In addition to the standard Wolfenstein parameters (lambda, A) two other free parameters are needed to specify the physical lepton mixing matrix. Through this simple assumption one makes specific predictions for the atmospheric angle as well as leptonic CP violation in good agreement with current observations.
Calculable inverse-seesaw neutrino masses in supersymmetry
4 pages, 3 figures, 1 table.-- PACS numbers: 12.60.Jv; 11.30.Pb; 14.60.Pq; 95.35.+d 14.60.-z, 12.15.-y
331 models and grand unification: From minimal SU(5) to minimal SU(6)
We consider the possibility of grand unification of the $\mathrm{ SU(3)_c \otimes SU(3)_L \otimes U(1)_X}$ model in an SU(6) gauge unification group. Two possibilities arise. Unlike other conventional grand unified theories, in SU(6) one can embed the $\mathrm{ SU(3)_c \otimes SU(3)_L \otimes U(1)_X}$ model as a subgroup such that different multiplets appear with different multiplicities. Such a scenario may emerge from the flux breaking of the unified group in an E(6) F-theory GUT. This provides new ways of achieving gauge coupling unification in $\mathrm{ SU(3)_c \otimes SU(3)_L \otimes U(1)_X}$ models while providing the radiative origin of neutrino masses. Alternatively, a sequential va…
Lepton physics versus neutrino mass
Abstract The relationship between the strength of lepton flavour violating processes and the magnitude of the neutrino mass is rather model dependent. I review this question within different neutrino mixing models including superstring inspired models. Processes such as μ → e + γ , μ → 3 e , μ - e conversion in nuclei, etc. as well as lepton flavour violating Z ° decays can occur even if the physical neutrinos are strictly massless. As a result, the corresponding rates are unconstrained by bounds on the neutrino mass that follow from laboratory, astrophysics and cosmology and can therefore be large. Leptonic CP violation may also occur even when the physical neutrinos are strictly massless.
Global constraints on muon-neutrino non-standard interactions
The search for new interactions of neutrinos beyond those of the Standard Model may help to elucidate the mechanism responsible for neutrino masses. Here we combine existing accelerator neutrino data with restrictions coming from a recent atmospheric neutrino data analysis in order to lift parameter degeneracies and improve limits on new interactions of muon neutrinos with quarks. In particular we re-consider the results of the NuTeV experiment in view of a new evaluation of its systematic uncertainties. We find that, although constraints for muon neutrinos are better than those applicable to tau or electron neutrinos, they lie at the few $\times 10^{-2}$ level, not as strong as previously …
Heavy Neutrinos and Lepton Flavour Violation in Left-Right Symmetric Models at the LHC
We discuss lepton flavour violating processes induced in the production and decay of heavy right-handed neutrinos at the LHC. Such particles appear in left-right symmetrical extensions of the Standard Model as the messengers of neutrino mass generation, and can have masses at the TeV scale. We determine the expected sensitivity on the right-handed neutrino mixing matrix, as well as on the right-handed gauge boson and heavy neutrino masses. By comparing the sensitivity of the LHC with that of searches for low energy LFV processes, we identify favourable areas of the parameter space to explore the complementarity between LFV at low and high energies.
Probing neutrino non-standard interactions with atmospheric neutrino data
We have reconsidered the atmospheric neutrino anomaly in light of the laetst data from Super-Kamiokande contained events and from Super-Kamiokande and MACRO up-going muons. We have reanalysed the proposed solution to the atmospheric neutrino anomaly in terms of non-standard neutrino-matter interactions (NSI) as well as the standard nu_mu -> nu_tau oscillations (OSC). Our statistical analysis shows that a pure NSI mechanism is now ruled out at 99%, while the standard nu_mu -> nu_tau OSC mechanism provides a quite remarkably good description of the anomaly. We therefore study an extended mechanism of neutrino propagation which combines both oscillation and non-standard neutrino-matter i…
Generalized Bounds on Majoron-neutrino couplings
We discuss limits on neutrino-Majoron couplings both from laboratory experiments as well as from astrophysics. They apply to the simplest class of Majoron models which covers a variety of possibilities where neutrinos acquire mass either via a seesaw-type scheme or via radiative corrections. By adopting a general framework including CP phases we generalize bounds obtained previously. The combination of complementary bounds enables us to obtain a highly non-trivial exclusion region in the parameter space. We find that the future double beta project GENIUS, together with constraints based on supernova energy release arguments, could restrict neutrino-Majoron couplings down to the 10^{-7} leve…
A potential test of the CP properties and Majorana nature of neutrinos
The scattering of solar neutrinos on electrons may reveal their CP properties, which are particularly sensitive to their Majorana nature. The cross section is sensitive to the neutrino dipole moments through an interference of electro-magnetic and weak amplitudes. We show how future solar neutrino experiments with good angular resolution and low energy threshold, such as Hellaz, can be sensitive to the resulting azimuthal asymmetries in event number, and could therefore provide valuable information on the CP properties and the nature of the neutrinos, provided the solar magnetic field direction is fixed.
Dynamical seesaw mechanism for Dirac neutrinos
So far we have not been able to establish that, as theoretically expected, neutrinos are their own anti-particles. Here we propose a dynamical way to account for the Dirac nature of neutrinos and the smallness of their mass in terms of a new variant of the seesaw paradigm in which the energy scale of neutrino mass generation could be accessible to the current LHC experiments.
Supersymmetry with spontaneous R-parity breaking in Z0 decays: the case of an additional Z
Single production of SUSY particles in the decays of the Z0 may proceed with large rates in models with spontaneously broken R-parity. We focus on the case where there is a lepton number symmetry as part of the gauge group. In the simplest of such models there is a single additional neutral gauge boson and the strength of Rp-violating interactions is related with that of the new gauge force. We study the phenomenological implications of the model for Z0 decays, including the study of the rates for single chargino production in Z0 decays, i.e. Z0→ξ±τ±, as well as for the so-called Zen events, and find that they may be measurable at LEP. The first process, characteristics of spontaneously bro…
Minimalistic Neutrino Mass Model
We consider the simplest model which solves the solar and atmospheric neutrino puzzles, in the sense that it contains the smallest amount of beyond the Standard Model ingredients. The solar neutrino data is accounted for by Planck-mass effects while the atmospheric neutrino anomaly is due to the existence of a single right-handed neutrino at an intermediate mass scale between 10^9 GeV and 10^14 GeV. Even though the neutrino mixing angles are not exactly predicted, they can be naturally large, which agrees well with the current experimental situation. Furthermore, the amount of lepton asymmetry produced in the early universe by the decay of the right-handed neutrino is very predictive and ma…
Probing neutralino properties in minimal supergravity with bilinear R-parity violation
Supersymmetric models with bilinear R-parity violation (BRPV) can account for the observed neutrino masses and mixing parameters indicated by neutrino oscillation data. We consider minimal supergravity versions of BRPV where the lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP) is a neutralino. This is unstable, with a large enough decay length to be detected at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC). We analyse the LHC potential to determine the LSP properties, such as mass, lifetime and branching ratios, and discuss their relation to neutrino properties.
Volume IV The DUNE far detector single-phase technology
This document was prepared by the DUNE collaboration using the resources of the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab), a U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, HEP User Facility. Fermilab is managed by Fermi Research Alliance, LLC (FRA), acting under Contract No. DE-AC02-07CH11359. The DUNE collaboration also acknowledges the international, national, and regional funding agencies supporting the institutions who have contributed to completing this Technical Design Report.
Bilarge neutrino mixing and the Cabibbo angle
Recent measurements of the neutrino mixing angles cast doubt on the validity of the so-far popular tri-bimaximal mixing ansatz. We propose a parametrization for the neutrino mixing matrix where the reactor angle seeds the large solar and atmospheric mixing angles, equal to each other in first approximation. We suggest such bi-large mixing pattern as a model building standard, realized when the leading order value of the reactor angle equals the Cabibbo angle.
On the interpretation of the atmospheric neutrino data in terms of flavor changing neutrino interactions
Flavour changing (FC) neutrino-matter interactions have been proposed as a solution to the atmospheric neutrino anomaly. Here we perform the analysis of the full set of the recent 52 kTy Super-Kamiokande atmospheric neutrino data, including the zenith angle distribution of the contained events as well as the higher energy upward-going stopping and through-going muon events. Our results show that the FC mechanism can describe the full data sample with a chi^2_{min}=44/(33 d.o.f) which is acceptable at the 90% confidence level. The combined analysis confines the amount of FC to be either close to maximal or to the level of about (10-50)%.
First results on ProtoDUNE-SP liquid argon time projection chamber performance from a beam test at the CERN Neutrino Platform
The ProtoDUNE-SP detector was constructed and operated on the CERN Neutrino Platform. We thank the CERN management for providing the infrastructure for this experiment and gratefully acknowledge the support of the CERN EP, BE, TE, EN, IT and IPT Departments for NP04/ProtoDUNE-SP. This documentwas prepared by theDUNEcollaboration using the resources of the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab), a U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, HEP User Facility. Fermilab is managed by Fermi Research Alliance, LLC (FRA), acting under Contract No. DE-AC02-07CH11359. This work was supported by CNPq, FAPERJ, FAPEG and FAPESP, Brazil; CFI, IPP and NSERC, Canada; CERN; MSMT, Czech Republi…
Canonical Neutral Current Predictions From The Weak Electromagnetic Gauge Group SU(3) X U(1)
A straightforward SU(3) x U(1) model in which there is effectively one new neutral-current parameter (denoted by R) is shown to give the canonical neutrino neutral-current predictions for all values of R. For small R the ''low-energy'' theory is essentially SU(2) x U(1) while for R of the order of one it has a much richer ''low-energy'' gauge-boson mass spectrum. Even in the latter case, the predicted e-d asymmetry agrees with experiment. It is interesting that the atomic-physics parity violation depends sensitively on R.
Lepton asymmetries and primordial hypermagnetic helicity evolution
The hypermagnetic helicity density at the electroweak phase transition (EWPT) exceeds many orders of magnitude the galactic magnetic helicity density. Together with previous magnetic helicity evolution calculations after the EWPT and hypermagnetic helicity conversion to the magnetic one at the EWPT, the present calculation completes the description of the evolution of this important topological feature of cosmological magnetic fields. It suggests that if the magnetic field seeding the galactic dynamo has a primordial origin, it should be substantially helical. This should be taken into account in scenarios of galactic magnetic field evolution with a cosmological seed.
Single-photon Z decays and small neutrino masses
We discuss some rare Z decay signatures associated with extensions of the Standard Model with spontaneous lepton number violation at the electroweak scale. We show that single-photon Z decays such as $Z \to \gamma H$ and $Z \to \gamma J J$ where H is a CP-even Higgs boson and J denotes the associated CP-odd Majoron may occur with branching ratios accessible to LEP sensitivities, even though the corresponding neutrino masses can be very small, as required in order to explain the deficit of solar neutrinos.
Left-right symmetry and Neutrino Stability
We consider a left-right symmetric model in which neutrinos acquire mass due to the spontaneous violation of both the gauged $B-L$ and a global $U(1)$ symmetry broken by the vacuum expectation value (VEV) of a gauge singlet scalar boson $\VEV{\sigma}$. For suitable choices of $\VEV{\sigma}$ consistent with all laboratory and astrophysical observations neutrinos will be unstable against majoron emission. All neutrino masses in the keV to MeV range are possible, since the expected neutrino decay lifetimes can be short enough to dilute their relic density below the cosmologically required level. A wide variety of possible new phenomena, associated to the presence of left-right symmetry and/or …
Neutrino interaction classification with a convolutional neural network in the DUNE far detector
The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment is a next-generation neutrino oscillation experiment that aims to measure CP-violation in the neutrino sector as part of a wider physics program. A deep learning approach based on a convolutional neural network has been developed to provide highly efficient and pure selections of electron neutrino and muon neutrino charged-current interactions. The electron neutrino (antineutrino) selection efficiency peaks at 90% (94%) and exceeds 85% (90%) for reconstructed neutrino energies between 2–5 GeV. The muon neutrino (antineutrino) event selection is found to have a maximum efficiency of 96% (97%) and exceeds 90% (95%) efficiency for reconstructed neutrino…
Bounds on Neutrino Transition Magnetic Moments in Random Magnetic Fields
We consider the conversions of active to sterile Majorana neutrinos $\nu_{a}$ and $\nu_{s}$, due to neutrino transition magnetic moments in the presence of random magnetic fields (r.m.f.) generated at the electroweak phase transition. From a simple Schr\"{o}dinger-type evolution equation, we derive a stringent constraint on the corresponding transition magnetic moments and display it as a function of the domain size and field geometry. For typical parameter choices one gets limits much stronger than usually derived from stellar energy loss considerations. These bounds are consistent with the hypothesis of seeding of galactic magnetic fields by primordial fields surviving past the re-combina…
Non-standard interactions: Atmospheric versus neutrino factory experiments
We consider the potential of a generic neutrino factory (NUFACT) in probing non-standard neutrino-matter interactions (NSI). We find that the sensitivity to flavour-changing (FC) NSI can be substantially improved with respect to present atmospheric neutrino data, especially at energies higher than approximately 50 GeV, where the effect of the tau mass is small. For example, a 100 GeV NUFACT can probe FC neutrino interactions at the level of few $|\epsilon| < {few} \times 10^{-4}$ at 99 % C.L.
Reconciling dark matter, solar and atmospheric neutrinos
We present models that can reconcile the solar and atmospheric neutrino data with the existence of a hot dark matter component in the universe. This dark matter is a quasi-Dirac neutrino whose mass $m_{DM}$ arises at the one-loop level. The solar neutrino deficit is explained via nonadiabatic conversions of electron neutrino to a sterile neutrino and the atmospheric neutrino data via maximal muon neutrino to tau neutrino oscillations generated by higher order loop diagrams. For $m_{DM} \sim 30$ eV the radiative neutrino decay can lead to photons that can ionize interstellar hydrogen. In one of the models one can have observable $\nu_e$ to $\nu_\tau$ oscillation rates, with no appreciable mu…
Minimal Supergravity Scalar Neutrino Dark Matter and Inverse Seesaw Neutrino Masses
We show that within the inverse seesaw mechanism for generating neutrino masses minimal supergravity is more likely to have a sneutrino as the lightest superparticle than the conventional neutralino. We also demonstrate that such schemes naturally reconcile the small neutrino masses with the correct relic sneutrino dark matter abundance and accessible direct detection rates in nuclear recoil experiments.
Flavour violation at the LHC: type-I versus type-II seesaw in minimal supergravity
20 pages, 13 figures.-- ISI article identifier:000267789100003.-- ArXiv pre-print avaible at:http://arxiv.org/abs/0903.1408
Relating quarks and leptons without grand-unification
In combination with supersymmetry, flavor symmetry may relate quarks with leptons, even in the absence of a grand-unification group. We propose an SU(3)xSU(2)xU(1) model where both supersymmetry and the assumed A4 flavor symmetries are softly broken, reproducing well the observed fermion mass hierarchies and predicting: (i) a relation between down-type quarks and charged lepton masses, and (ii) a correlation between the Cabibbo angle in the quark sector, and the reactor angle characterizing CP violation in neutrino oscillations.
Gravitino dark matter and neutrino masses with bilinear R-parity violation
Bilinear R-parity violation provides an attractive origin for neutrino masses and mixings. In such schemes the gravitino is a viable decaying dark matter particle whose R-parity violating decays lead to monochromatic photons with rates accessible to astrophysical observations. We determine the parameter region allowed by gamma-ray line searches, dark matter relic abundance and neutrino oscillation data, obtaining a limit on the gravitino mass $m_{\tilde G} \lsim$ 1-10 GeV corresponding to a relatively low reheat temperature $T_R \lsim$ few $\times 10^7-10^8$ GeV. Neutrino mass and mixing parameters may be reconstructed at accelerator experiments like the Large Hadron Collider.
Invisible Higgs decays and neutrino physics
Abstract A wide class of neutrino physics motivated models are characterized by the spontaneous violation of a global U(1) lepton number symmetry at or below the electroweak scale by an SU(2)⊗U(1) singlet vacuum expectation value 〈 σ 〉 ≲ O(1) TeV. In all these models the main Higgs decay channel is likely to be “invisible”, e.g. h → JJ, where J denotes the associated weakly interacting pseudoscalar Goldstone boson — the majoron. This leads to events with large missing energy that could be observable at LEP and affect the Higgs mass bounds obtained, as well as lead to novel ways to search for Higgs bosons and high-energy supercolliders such as the LHC/SSC.
Predictive flavor symmetries of the neutrino mass matrix.
Here we propose an $A_4$ flavour symmetry model which implies a lower bound on the neutrinoless double beta decay rate, corresponding to an effective mass parameter $M_{ee} \gsim 0.03$ eV, and a direct correlation between the expected magnitude of CP violation in neutrino oscillations and the value of $\sin^2\theta_{13}$, as well as a nearly maximal CP phase $\delta$.
Invisible Higgs boson decays in spontaneously broken R parity
The Higgs boson may decay mainly to an invisible mode characterized by missing energy, instead of the Standard Model channels. This is a generic feature of many models where neutrino masses arise from the spontaneous breaking of ungauged lepton number at relatively low scales, such as spontaneously broken R-parity models. Taking these models as framework, we reanalyze this striking suggestion in view of the recent data on neutrino oscillations that indicate non-zero neutrino masses. We show that, despite the smallness of neutrino masses, the Higgs boson can decay mainly to the invisible Goldstone boson associated to the spontaneous breaking of lepton number. This requires a gauge singlet su…
Probing CP violation with non-unitary mixing in long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiments: DUNE as a case study
When neutrino masses arise from the exchange of neutral heavy leptons, as in most seesaw schemes, the effective lepton mixing matrix $N$ describing neutrino propagation is non-unitary, hence neutrinos are not exactly orthonormal. New CP violation phases appear in $N$ that could be confused with the standard phase $\delta_{\text{CP}}$ characterizing the three neutrino paradigm. We study the potential of the long-baseline neutrino experiment DUNE in probing CP violation induced by the standard CP phase in the presence of non-unitarity. In order to accomplish this we develop our previous formalism, so as to take into account the neutrino interactions with the medium, important in long baseline…
Are solar neutrino oscillations robust?
The robustness of the large mixing angle (LMA) oscillation (OSC) interpretation of the solar neutrino data is considered in a more general framework where non-standard neutrino interactions (NSI) are present. Such interactions may be regarded as a generic feature of models of neutrino mass. The 766.3 ton-yr data sample of the KamLAND collaboration are included in the analysis, paying attention to the background from the reaction ^13C(\alpha,n) ^16O. Similarly, the latest solar neutrino fluxes from the SNO collaboration are included. In addition to the solution which holds in the absence of NSI (LMA-I) there is a 'dark-side' solution (LMA-D) with sin^2 theta_Sol = 0.70, essentially degenerat…
Are the B decay anomalies related to neutrino oscillations?
5 pages.- 2 figures.- v2: 1 ref. added.- v3: matches
Trimaximal neutrino mixing from scotogenic $A_4$ family symmetry
We propose a flavour theory of leptons implementing an $A_4$ family symmetry. Our scheme provides a simple way to derive trimaximal neutrino mixing from first principles, leading to simple and testable predictions for neutrino mixing and CP violation. Dark matter mediates neutrino mass generation, as in the simplest scotogenic model.
Towards gauge coupling unification in left-right symmetric SU(3)c×SU(3)L×SU(3)R×U(1)X theories
We consider the possibility of gauge coupling unification within the simplest realizations of the $\mathrm{SU}(3{)}_{\mathrm{c}}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}\mathrm{SU}(3{)}_{\mathrm{L}}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}\mathrm{SU}(3{)}_{\mathrm{R}}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}\mathrm{U}(1{)}_{\mathrm{X}}$ gauge theory. We present a first exploration of the renormalization group equations governing the ``bottom-up'' evolution of the gauge couplings in a generic model with free normalization for the generators. Interestingly, we find that for a $\mathrm{SU}(3{)}_{\mathrm{c}}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}\mathrm{SU}(3{)}_{\mathrm{L}}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}\mathrm{SU}(…
Neutrino masses and mixing: a flavour symmetry roadmap
Over the last ten years tri-bimaximal mixing has played an important role in modeling the flavour problem. We give a short review of the status of flavour symmetry models of neutrino mixing. We concentrate on non-Abelian discrete symmetries, which provide a simple way to account for the TBM pattern. We discuss phenomenological implications such as neutrinoless double beta decay, lepton flavour violation as well as theoretical aspects such as the possibility to explain quarks and leptons within a common framework, such as grand unified models
Quark–lepton mass relation in a realistic A4 extension of the Standard Model
We propose a realistic A4A4 extension of the Standard Model involving a particular quark–lepton mass relation, namely that the ratio of the third family mass to the geometric mean of the first and second family masses are equal for down-type quarks and charged leptons. This relation, which is approximately renormalization group invariant, is usually regarded as arising from the Georgi–Jarlskog relations, but in the present model there is no unification group or supersymmetry. In the neutrino sector we propose a simple modification of the so-called Zee–Wolfenstein mass matrix pattern which allows an acceptable reactor angle along with a deviation of the atmospheric and solar angles from thei…
Probing light sterile neutrino signatures at reactor and Spallation Neutron Source neutrino experiments
We investigate the impact of a fourth sterile neutrino at reactor and Spallation Neutron Source neutrino detectors. Specifically, we explore the discovery potential of the TEXONO and COHERENT experiments to subleading sterile neutrino effects through the measurement of the coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering event rate. Our dedicated $\chi^2$-sensitivity analysis employs realistic nuclear structure calculations adequate for high purity sub-keV threshold Germanium detectors.
Bilinear R-parity violation with flavor symmetry
Bilinear R-parity violation (BRPV) provides the simplest intrinsically supersymmetric neutrino mass generation scheme. While neutrino mixing parameters can be probed in high energy accelerators, they are unfortunately not predicted by the theory. Here we propose a model based on the discrete flavor symmetry Lambda(4) with a single R-parity violating parameter, leading to (i) correct Cabbibo mixing given by the Gatto-Sartori-Tonin formula, and a successful unification-like b-tau mass relation, and (ii) a correlation between the lepton mixing angles theta(13) and theta(23) in agreement with recent neutrino oscillation data, as well as a (nearly) massless neutrino, leading to absence of neutri…
Finding the Higgs boson through supersymmetry
6 pages, 7 figures.-- PACS nrs.: 12.60.Jv; 13.85.Ni; 14.60.Pq; 14.80.Cp.-- ArXiv pre-print available at: http://arxiv.org/abs/0809.1637
Physics at a future Neutrino Factory and super-beam facility
The conclusions of the Physics Working Group of the international scoping study of a future Neutrino Factory and super-beam facility (the ISS) are presented. The ISS was carried by the international community between NuFact05, (the 7th International Workshop on Neutrino Factories and Superbeams, Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, Rome, June 21-26, 2005) and NuFact06 (Ivine, California, 24{30 August 2006). The physics case for an extensive experimental programme to understand the properties of the neutrino is presented and the role of high-precision measurements of neutrino oscillations within this programme is discussed in detail. The performance of second generation super-beam experiments, …
The simplest scoto-seesaw model: WIMP dark matter phenomenology and Higgs vacuum stability
We analyze the consistency of electroweak breaking, neutrino and dark matter phenomenology within the simplest scoto-seesaw model. By adding the minimal dark sector to the simplest "missing partner" type-I seesaw one has a physical picture for the neutrino oscillation lengths: the "atmospheric" mass scale arises from the tree-level seesaw, while the "solar" scale is induced radiatively, mediated by the dark sector. We identify parameter regions consistent with theoretical constraints, as well as dark matter relic abundance and direct detection searches. Using two-loop renormalization group equations we explore the stability of the vacuum and the consistency of the underlying dark parity sym…
Probing the internal solar magnetic field through g-modes
The observation of g-mode candidates by the SoHO mission opens the possibility of probing the internal structure of the solar radiative zone (RZ) and the solar core more directly than possible via the use of the p-mode helioseismology data. We study the effect of rotation and RZ magnetic fields on g-mode frequencies. Using a self-consistent static MHD magnetic field model we show that a 1% g-mode frequency shift with respect to the Solar Seismic Model (SSeM) prediction, currently hinted in the GOLF data, can be obtained for magnetic fields as low as 300 kG, for current measured modes of radial order n=-20. On the other hand, we also argue that a similar shift for the case of the low order g…
New limits on neutrino magnetic moments from low energy neutrino data
Here we give a brief review on the current bounds on the general Majorana transition neutrino magnetic moments (TNMM) which cover also the conventional neutrino magnetic moments (NMM). Leptonic CP phases play a key role in constraining TNMMs. While the Borexino experiment is the most sensitive to the TNMM magnitudes, one needs complementary information from reactor and accelerator experiments in order to probe the complex CP phases.
Sensitivities to neutrino electromagnetic properties at the TEXONO experiment
18 pages.- 4 figures.- 1 table
Dirac neutrinos from flavor symmetry
We present a model where Majorana neutrino mass terms are forbidden by the flavor symmetry group Delta(27). Neutrinos are Dirac fermions and their masses arise in the same way as that of the charged fermions, due to very small Yukawa couplings. The model fits current neutrino oscillation data and correlates the octant of the atmospheric angle with the magnitude of the lightest neutrino mass, with maximal mixing excluded for any neutrino mass
Status of a hybrid three-neutrino interpretation of neutrino data
We reanalyze the non-standard interaction (NSI) solutions to the solar neutrino problem in the light of the latest solar, atmospheric and reactor neutrino data. We show that such solutions, although preferred by the solar data and consistent with the oscillation description of the atmospheric neutrino data, are ruled out by the first results of the KamLAND reactor experiment, at more than 3_sigma.
Gravitational footprints of massive neutrinos and lepton number breaking
We investigate the production of primordial Gravitational Waves (GWs) arising from First Order Phase Transitions (FOPTs) associated to neutrino mass generation in the context of type-I and inverse seesaw schemes. We examine both "high-scale" as well as "low-scale" variants, with either explicit or spontaneously broken lepton number symmetry $U(1)_L$ in the neutrino sector. In the latter case, a pseudo-Goldstone majoron-like boson may provide a candidate for cosmological dark matter. We find that schemes with softly-broken $U(1)_L$ and with single Higgs-doublet scalar sector lead to either no FOPTs or too weak FOPTs, precluding the detectability of GWs in present or near future measurements.…
Exact relativistic beta decay endpoint spectrum
5 pages, 3 figures.-- PACS nrs.: 14.60.Pq; 13.30.-a; 23.40.-s; 23.40.Bw.-- ISI Article Identifier: 000250620900070.-- ArXiv pre-print available at: http://arxiv.org/abs/0706.0897
Resolving the atmospheric octant by an improved measurement of the reactor angle
Taking into account the current global information on neutrino oscillation parameters we forecast the capabilities of future long baseline experiments such as DUNE and T2HK in settling the atmospheric octant puzzle. We find that a good measurement of the reactor angle $\theta_{13}$ plays a key role in fixing the octant of the atmospheric angle $\theta_{23}$ with such future accelerator neutrino studies.
Production mechanisms and signatures of isosinglet neutral heavy leptons in Z0 decays
Abstract Neutral Heavy Leptons (NHLs) arise in many extensions of the standard electroweak theory such as superstring inspired models. The possibility of gauge singlets NHLs is especially attractive because it gives an explanation for the observed smallness of the neutrino mass. Existing limits on the possible existence of such particles are still fairly poor. We have investigated isosinglet NHL production and decays within different models. The dominant production cross section is single production (i.e. Z 0 → N + ν or Z 0 → N + ν ) as a result of mixing with the standard doublet neutrinos. Subsequent NHL decays lead to striking signatures. Taking into account the expected luminosities and…
Neutrino mixing with revamped A(4) flavor symmetry
We suggest a minimal extension of the simplest A(4) flavor model that can induce a nonzero theta(13) value, as required by recent neutrino oscillation data from reactors and accelerators. The predicted correlation between the atmospheric mixing angle theta(23) and the magnitude of theta(13) leads to an allowed region substantially smaller than indicated by neutrino-oscillation global fits. Moreover, the scheme correlates CP violation in neutrino oscillations with the octant of the atmospheric mixing parameter theta(23) in such a way that, for example, maximal mixing necessarily violates CP. We briefly comment on other phenomenological features of the model.
Probing minimal supergravity in the type-I seesaw mechanism with lepton flavour violation at the CERN LHC
The most general supersymmetric seesaw mechanism has too many parameters to be predictive and thus can not be excluded by any measurements of lepton flavour violating (LFV) processes. We focus on the simplest version of the type-I seesaw mechanism assuming minimal supergravity boundary conditions. We compute branching ratios for the LFV scalar tau decays, ${\tilde \tau}_2 \to (e,\mu) + \chi^0_1$, as well as loop-induced LFV decays at low energy, such as $l_i \to l_j + \gamma$ and $l_i \to 3 l_j$, exploring their sensitivity to the unknown seesaw parameters. We find some simple, extreme scenarios for the unknown right-handed parameters, where ratios of LFV branching ratios correlate with neu…
New ambiguity in probing CP violation in neutrino oscillations
If neutrinos get mass via the seesaw mechanism the mixing matrix describing neutrino oscillations can be effectively non-unitary. We show that in this case the neutrino appearance probabilities involve a new CP phase, phi, associated to non-unitarity. This leads to an ambiguity in extracting the "standard" three--neutrino phase delta_CP, which can survive even after neutrino and antineutrino channels are combined. Its existence should be taken into account in the planning of any oscillation experiment aiming at a robust measurement of delta_CP.
Consistency of the dynamical high-scale type-I seesaw mechanism
We analyze the consistency of electroweak breaking within the simplest high-scale Standard Model type-I seesaw mechanism. We derive the full two-loop RGEs of the relevant parameters, including the quartic Higgs self-coupling of the Standard Model. For the simplest case of bare "right-handed" neutrino mass terms we find that, with large Yukawa couplings, the Higgs quartic self-coupling becomes negative much below the seesaw scale, so that the model may be inconsistent even as an effective theory. We show, however, that the "dynamical" type-I high-scale seesaw with spontaneous lepton number violation has better stability properties.
Light majoron cold dark matter from topological defects and the formation of boson stars
We show that for a relatively light majoron ($\ll 100 $ eV) non-thermal production from topological defects is an efficient production mechanism. Taking the type I seesaw as benchmark scheme, we estimate the primordial majoron abundance and determine the required parameter choices where it can account for the observed cosmological dark matter. The latter is consistent with the scale of unification. Possible direct detection of light majorons with future experiments such as PTOLEMY and the formation of boson stars from the majoron dark matter are also discussed.
Radiative zone solar magnetic fields and g modes
We consider a generalized model of seismic-wave propagation that takes into account the effect of a central magnetic field in the Sun. We determine the g-mode spectrum in the perturbative magnetic field limit using a one-dimensional Magneto-Hydrodynamics (MHD) picture. We show that central magnetic fields of about 600-800 kG can displace the pure g-mode frequencies by about 1%, as hinted by the helioseismic interpretation of GOLF observations.
XENON1T signal from transition neutrino magnetic moments
The recent puzzling results of the XENON1T collaboration at few keV electronic recoils could be due to the scattering of solar neutrinos endowed with finite Majorana transition magnetic moments (TMMs). Within such general formalism, we find that the observed excess in the XENON1T data agrees well with this interpretation. The required TMM strengths lie within the limits set by current experiments, such as Borexino, specially when one takes into account a possible tritium contamination.
Lepton asymmetries and the growth of cosmological seed magnetic fields
Primordial cosmological hypermagnetic fields polarize the early Universe plasma prior to the electroweak phase transition (EWPT). As a result of the long range parity violating gauge interaction present in the Standard Model their magnitude gets amplified, opening a new, perturbative way, of accounting for the observed intergalactic magnetic fields.
Scotogenic dark matter stability from gauged matter parity
We explore the idea that dark matter stability results from the presence of a matter-parity symmetry, arising naturally as a consequence of the spontaneous breaking of an extended $\mathrm{SU(3) \otimes SU(3)_L \otimes U(1)_X \otimes U(1)_{N}}$ electroweak gauge symmetry with fully gauged B-L. Using this framework we construct a theory for scotogenic dark matter and analyze its main features.
Phenomenology of supersymmetry with broken R-parity
Abstract In some phenomenological supersymmetric models R -parity (+1 for particles, −1 for sparticles) is spontaneously broken along with tau-lepton number L τ by a vacuum expectation value υ τ of the tau sneutrino ν τ . To avoid excess stellar energy loss through majorons, there should also be explicit L τ violation through right-handed neutrinos. To have a sufficiently light ν τ , either υ τ is very small which is unnatural and boring, and/or the Higgs mixing parameter ϵ is very small. We find that in the limit ϵ → 0: -both the forward-backward asymmetry in e + e − → τ + τ − and the τ lifetime are unchanged, -Z 0 → ggν⊥ decays are possible where ν τ is an extra neutrino, -squarks and glu…
Constraining nonstandard neutrino-quark interactions with solar, reactor and accelerator data
We present a reanalysis of nonstandard neutrino-down-quark interactions of electron and tau neutrinos using solar, reactor and accelerator data. In addition updating the analysis by including new solar data from SNO phase III and Borexino, as well as new KamLAND data and solar fluxes, a key role is played in our analysis by the combination of these results with the CHARM data. The latter allows us to better constrain the axial and axial-vector electron and tau-neutrino nonstandard interaction parameters characterizing the deviations from the Standard Model predictions.
R parity violation assisted thermal leptogenesis in the seesaw mechanism.
Successful leptogenesis within the simplest type I supersymmetric seesaw mechanism requires the lightest of the three right-handed neutrino supermultiplets to be heavier than $\sim10^9$ GeV. Thermal production of such (s)neutrinos requires very high reheating temperatures which result in an overproduction of gravitinos with catastrophic consequences for the evolution of the universe. In this letter, we let R-parity be violated through a $\lambda_i \hat{N}_i \hat{H}_u \hat{H}_d$ term in the superpotential, where $\hat{N}_i$ are right-handed neutrino supermultiplets. We show that in the presence of this term, the produced lepton-antilepton asymmetry can be enhanced. As a result, even for $\ha…
Modelling tribimaximal neutrino mixing
We model tribimaximal lepton mixing from first principles in a way that avoids the problem of the vacuum alignment characteristic of such models. This is achieved by using a softly broken A(4) symmetry realized with an isotriplet fermion, also triplet under A(4). No scalar A(4) triplet is introduced. This represents one possible realization of general schemes characterized by the minimal set of either three or five physical parameters. In the three parameter versions the neutrinoless double beta mass parameter m(ee) vanishes, while in the five parameter schemes the absolute scale of neutrino mass, although not predicted, is related to the two Majorana phases. The model realization we discus…
Probing neutrino properties with charged scalar lepton decays
Supersymmetry with bilinear R-parity violation provides a predictive framework for neutrino masses and mixings in agreement with current neutrino oscillation data. The model leads to striking signals at future colliders through the R-parity violating decays of the lightest supersymmetric particle. Here we study charged scalar lepton decays and demonstrate that if the scalar tau is the LSP (i) it will decay within the detector, despite the smallness of the neutrino masses, (ii) the relative ratio of branching ratios Br({tilde tau}_1 --> e sum nu_i)/ Br({tilde tau}_1 --> mu sum nu_i) is predicted from the measured solar neutrino angle, and (iii) scalar muon and scalar electron decays wi…
Resonant origin for density fluctuations deep within the Sun: helioseismology and magneto-gravity waves
We analyze helioseismic waves near the solar equator in the presence of magnetic fields deep within the solar radiative zone. We find that reasonable magnetic fields can significantly alter the shapes of the wave profiles for helioseismic g-modes. They can do so because the existence of density gradients allows g-modes to resonantly excite Alfven waves, causing mode energy to be funnelled along magnetic field lines, away from the solar equatorial plane. The resulting wave forms show comparatively sharp spikes in the density profile at radii where these resonances take place. We estimate how big these waves might be in the Sun, and perform a first search for observable consequences. We find …
Phenomenology of scotogenic scalar dark matter
We reexamine the minimal Singlet + Triplet Scotogenic Model, where dark matter is the mediator of neutrino mass generation. We assume it to be a scalar WIMP, whose stability follows from the same $\mathbb{Z} _{2}$ symmetry that leads to the radiative origin of neutrino masses. The scheme is the minimal one that allows for solar and atmospheric mass scales to be generated. We perform a full numerical analysis of the signatures expected at dark matter as well as collider experiments. We identify parameter regions where dark matter predictions agree with theoretical and experimental constraints, such as neutrino oscillations, Higgs data, dark matter relic abundance and direct detection searche…
Dark matter stability from Dirac neutrinos in scotogenic 3-3-1-1 theory
We propose the simplest TeV-scale scotogenic extension of the original 3-3-1 theory, where dark matter stability is linked to the Dirac nature of neutrinos, which results from an unbroken $B-L$ gauge symmetry. The new gauge bosons get masses through the interplay of spontaneous symmetry breaking \`a la Higgs and the Stueckelberg mechanism.
Updating neutrino magnetic moment constraints
20 pages.- 4 figures.- Addendum on the limit from the Borexino data
Cornering (3+1) sterile neutrino schemes
Using the most recent atmospheric neutrino data, as well as short-baseline, long-baseline and tritium $\beta$-decay data we show that the joint interpretation of the LSND, solar and atmospheric neutrino anomalies in (3+1) sterile neutrino schemes is severely disfavored, in contrast to the theoretically favored (2+2) schemes.
SU(6) Grand Unification of 3-3-1 Model
We discuss a sequential variant of the \(\mathrm { SU(3)_c \times SU(3)_L \times U(1)_X}\) model which fits within a minimal SU(6) grand unification. Interestingly, this minimal SU(6) embedding can allow a \(\mathrm { SU(3)_c \times SU(3)_L \times U(1)_X}\) symmetry breaking scale within the reach of LHC and with seesaw-type neutrino masses.
Cornering solar radiative-zone fluctuations with KamLAND and SNO salt
We update the best constraints on fluctuations in the solar medium deep within the solar Radiative Zone to include the new SNO-salt solar neutrino measurements. We find that these new measurements are now sufficiently precise that neutrino oscillation parameters can be inferred independently of any assumptions about fluctuation properties. Constraints on fluctuations are also improved, with amplitudes of 5% now excluded at the 99% confidence level for correlation lengths in the range of several hundred km. Because they are sensitive to correlation lengths which are so short, these solar neutrino results are complementary to constraints coming from helioseismology.
CP symmetries as guiding posts: Revamping tribimaximal mixing. II.
In this follow up of arXiv:1812.04663 we analyze the generalized CP symmetries of the charged lepton mass matrix compatible with the complex version of the Tri-Bi-Maximal (TBM) lepton mixing pattern. These symmetries are used to `revamp' the simplest TBM \textit{Ansatz} in a systematic way. Our generalized patterns share some of the attractive features of the original TBM matrix and are consistent with current oscillation experiments. We also discuss their phenomenological implications both for upcoming neutrino oscillation and neutrinoless double beta decay experiments.
Seesaw Dirac neutrino mass through dimension-six operators
In this paper, a follow-up of [S. C. Chuliá, R. Srivastava, and J. W. F. Valle, Phys. Lett. B 781, 122 (2018)], we describe the many pathways to generate Dirac neutrino mass through dimension-six operators. By using only the standard model Higgs doublet in the external legs, one gets a unique operator 1Λ2L¯Φ¯Φ¯ΦνR. In contrast, the presence of new scalars implies new possible field contractions, which greatly increase the number of possibilities. Here, we study in detail the simplest ones, involving SU(2)L singlets, doublets, and triplets. The extra symmetries needed to ensure the Dirac nature of neutrinos can also be responsible for stabilizing dark matter.
Leptogenesis with a dynamical seesaw scale
In the simplest type-I seesaw leptogenesis scenario right-handed neutrino annihilation processes are absent. However, in the presence of new interactions these processes are possible and can affect the resulting $B-L$ asymmetry in an important way. A prominent example is provided by models with spontaneous lepton number violation, where the existence of new dynamical degrees of freedom can play a crucial role. In this context, we provide a model-independent discussion of the effects of right-handed neutrino annihilations. We show that in the weak washout regime, as long as the scattering processes remain slow compared with the Hubble expansion rate throughout the relevant temperature range,…
A theory for scotogenic dark matter stabilised by residual gauge symmetry
Dark matter stability can result from a residual matter-parity symmetry, following naturally from the spontaneous breaking of the gauge symmetry. Here we explore this idea in the context of the $\mathrm{SU(3)_c \otimes SU(3)_L \otimes U(1)_X \otimes U(1)_{N}}$ electroweak extension of the standard model. The key feature of our new scotogenic dark matter theory is the use of a triplet scalar boson with anti-symmetric Yukawa couplings. This naturally implies that one of the light neutrinos is massless and, as a result, there is a lower bound for the $\rm 0\nu\beta\beta$ decay rate.
Minimal supergravity radiative effects on the tri-bimaximal neutrino mixing pattern
7 pages, 3 figures.-- PACS nrs.: 14.60.Pq, 12.60.Jv.-- ISI Article Identifier: 000245333000012.-- ArXiv pre-print available at: http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-ph/0606082
Neutrino oscillations and flavor theories
I discuss neutrino mixing ansatze, such as the generalized Tri-bimaximal and bi-large mixing patterns, and their utility in describing the oscillation data. Unitarity tests and probes of the absolute neutrino mass scale are briefly discussed. A short overview of neutrino mass generation is given. I discuss an orbifold approach to the flavor problem and the resulting implications, e.g. the golden quark-lepton mass relation, neutrinoless double beta decay and neutrino oscillation predictions.
Neutralino phenomenology at LEP2 in supersymmetry with bilinear breaking of R-parity
We discuss the phenomenology of the lightest neutralino in models where an effective bilinear term in the superpotential parametrizes the explicit breaking of R-parity. We consider supergravity scenarios where the lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP) is the lightest neutralino and which can be explored at LEP2. We present a detailed study of the LSP decay properties and general features of the corresponding signals expected at LEP2. We also contrast our model with gauge mediated supersymmetry breaking.
Testing generalized CP symmetries with precision studies at DUNE
We examine the capabilities of the DUNE experiment in probing leptonic CP violation within the framework of theories with generalized CP symmetries characterized by the texture zeros of the corresponding CP transformation matrices. We investigate DUNE's potential to probe the two least known oscillation parameters, the atmospheric mixing angle $\theta_{23}$ and the Dirac CP-phase $\delta_{\rm CP}$. We fix theory-motivated benchmarks for ($ \sin^2\theta_{23}, \delta_{\rm CP} $) and take them as true values in our simulations. Assuming 3.5 years of neutrino running plus 3.5 years in the antineutrino mode, we show that in all cases DUNE can significantly constrain and in certain cases rule out…
Flavour and CP predictions from orbifold compactification
We propose a theory for fermion masses and mixings in which an $A_4$ family symmetry arises naturally from a six-dimensional spacetime after orbifold compactification. The flavour symmetry leads to the successful "golden" quark-lepton unification formula. The model reproduces oscillation parameters with good precision, giving sharp predictions for the CP violating phases of quarks and leptons, in particular $\delta^\ell \simeq +268 ^\circ$. The effective neutrinoless double-beta decay mass parameter is also sharply predicted as $\langle m_{\beta\beta}\rangle \simeq 2.65\ meV$.
Lepton Flavor Violation and non-unitarity Lepton Mixing in Low-Scale Type-I Seesaw
Within low-scale seesaw mechanisms, such as the inverse and linear seesaw, one expects (i) potentially large lepton flavor violation (LFV) and (ii) sizeable non-standard neutrino interactions (NSI). We consider the interplay between the magnitude of non-unitarity effects in the lepton mixing matrix, and the constraints that follow from LFV searches in the laboratory. We find that NSI parameters can be sizeable, up to percent level in some cases, while LFV rates, such as that for \mu -> e \gamma, lie within current limits, including the recent one set by the MEG collaboration. As a result the upcoming long baseline neutrino experiments offer a window of opportunity for complementary LFV and …
Status and prospects of ‘bi-large’ leptonic mixing
Bi-large patterns for the leptonic mixing matrix are confronted with current neutrino oscillation data. We analyse the status of these patterns and determine, through realistic simulations, the potential of upcoming long-baseline experiment DUNE in testing bi-large \emph{ansatze} and discriminating amongst them.
Probing non-standard neutrino interactions with supernova neutrinos
17 pages, 12 figures.-- PACS nrs.: 13.15.+g; 14.60.Lm; 14.60.St; 97.60.Bw.-- ISI Article Identifier: 000249786800015.-- ArXiv pre-print available at: http://arxiv.org/abs/0704.0032
Bilarge neutrino mixing and Abelian flavor symmetry
We explore two bilarge neutrino mixing Anzatze within the context of Abelian flavor symmetry theories: (BL1) sin theta(12) similar to lambda, sin theta(13) similar to lambda, sin theta(23) similar to lambda, and (BL2) sin theta(12) similar to lambda, sin theta(13) similar to lambda, sin theta(23) similar to 1 - lambda. The first pattern is proposed by two of us and is favored if the atmospheric mixing angle theta(23) lies in the first octant, while the second one is preferred for the second octant of theta(23). In order to reproduce the second texture, we find that the flavor symmetry should be U(1) x Z(m), while for the first pattern the flavor symmetry should be extended to U(1) x Z(m) x …
Gauge and Yukawa unification with broken R-parity
We study gauge and Yukawa coupling unification in the simplest extension of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) which incorporates R-Parity violation through a bilinear superpotential term. Contrary to what happens in the MSSM, we show that bottom-tau unification at the scale M_GUT where the gauge couplings unify can be achieved for any value of tan(beta) by choosing appropriately the sneutrino vacuum expectation value. In addition, we show that bottom-tau-top unification occurs in a slightly wider tan(beta) range than in the MSSM.
Dark matter as the origin of neutrino mass in the inverse seesaw mechanism
We propose that neutrino masses are "seeded" by a dark sector within the inverse seesaw mechanism. This way we have a new, "hidden", variant of the scotogenic scenario for radiative neutrino masses. We discuss both explicit and dynamical lepton number violation. In addition to invisible Higgs decays with majoron emission, we discuss in detail the pheneomenolgy of dark matter, as well as the novel features associated to charged lepton flavour violation, and neutrino physics.
Reconciling dark matter and solar neutrinos
Abstract We present a simple model for neutrino dark matter in which neutrino masses arise radiatively and the solar neutrino data are explained via the MSW effect. The dark matter scale arises at the one-loop level with the MSW scale arises only in two loops. The model is compatible with all observational facts and allows observable ν e ν τ or ν μ ν τ oscillation rates in the laboratory if the limits from primordial big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) are taken conservatively. In addition, it can be probed by searching for muon number violating processes such as μ → e + γ , and μ →3 e . These rates can well lie within the sensitivities of present experiments. Finally, if we ignore BBN limits we…
The weak mixing angle from low energy neutrino measurements: A global update
Taking into account recent theoretical and experimental inputs on reactor fluxes we reconsider the determination of the weak mixing angle from low energy experiments. We perform a global analysis to all available neutrino-electron scattering data from reactor antineutrino experiments, obtaining sin^2(theta_W) = 0.252 \pm 0.030. We discuss the impact of the new theoretical prediction for the neutrino spectrum, the new measurement of the reactor antineutrino spectrum by the Daya Bay collaboration, as well as the effect of radiative corrections. We also reanalyze the measurements of the nu_e-e cross section at accelerator experiments including radiative corrections. By combining reactor and ac…
Thermal leptogenesis in extended supersymmetric seesaw model
We consider an extended supersymmetric SO(10) seesaw model with only doublet Higgs scalars, in which neutrino masses are suppressed by the scale of D-parity violation. Leptogenesis can occur at the TeV scale through the decay of a singlet Sigma, thereby avoiding the gravitino crisis. Washout of the asymmetry can be effectively suppressed by the absence of direct couplings of Sigma to leptons.
Status of three-neutrino oscillations after the SNO-salt data
We perform a global analysis of neutrino oscillation data in the framework of three neutrinos, including the recent improved measurement of the neutral current events at SNO. In addition to all current solar neutrino data we take into account the reactor neutrino data from KamLAND and CHOOZ, the atmospheric neutrino data from Super-Kamiokande and MACRO, as well as the first spectral data from the K2K long baseline accelerator experiment. The up-to-date best fit values and allowed ranges of the three-flavour oscillation parameters are determined from these data. Furthermore, we discuss in detail the status of the small parameters alpha = Delta_m^2_Sol / Delta_m^2_Atm and sin^2(theta_13), whi…
Addendum to “Updating neutrino magnetic moment constraints” [Phys. Lett. B 753 (2016) 191–198]
a Departamento de Fisica, Centro de Investigacion y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Apdo. Postal 14-740, 07000 Mexico, DF, Mexico b Universidad Santiago de Cali, Campus Pampalinda, Calle 5 No. 6200, 760001, Santiago de Cali, Colombia c AHEP Group, Institut de Fisica Corpuscular – C.S.I.C./Universitat de Valencia, Parc Cientific de Paterna, C/Catedratico Jose Beltran, 2, E-46980 Paterna (Valencia), Spain
Constraints on additionalZ′gauge bosons from a precise measurement of theZmass
We analyze the constraints on the mass and mixing of superstring-inspired E{sub 6} {ital Z}{prime} neutral gauge boson that follow from the recent precise {ital Z} mass measurements and show that they depend very sensitively on the assumed value of the {ital W} mass and also, to a lesser extent, on the top-quark mass.
SO(3) family symmetry and axions
Motivated by the idea of comprehensive unification, we study a gauged SO(3) flavor extension of the extended Standard Model, including right-handed neutrinos and a Peccei-Quinn symmetry with simple charge assignments. The model accommodates the observed fermion masses and mixings and yields a characteristic, successful relation among them. The Peccei-Quinn symmetry is an essential ingredient.
Phenomenology of dark matter from A(4) flavor symmetry
We investigate a model in which Dark Matter is stabilized by means of a Z2 parity that results from the same non-abelian discrete flavor symmetry which accounts for the observed pattern of neutrino mixing. In our A4 example the standard model is extended by three extra Higgs doublets and the Z2 parity emerges as a remnant of the spontaneous breaking of A4 after electroweak symmetry breaking. We perform an analysis of the parameter space of the model consistent with electroweak precision tests, collider searches and perturbativity. We determine the regions compatible with the observed relic dark matter density and we present prospects for detection in direct as well as indirect Dark Matter s…
Enhanced solar anti-neutrino flux in random magnetic fields
We discuss the impact of the recent KamLAND constraint on the solar anti-neutrino flux on the analysis of solar neutrino data in the presence of Majorana neutrino transition magnetic moments and solar magnetic fields. We consider different stationary solar magnetic field models, both regular and random, highlighting the strong enhancement in the anti-neutrino production rates that characterize turbulent solar magnetic field models. Moreover, we show that for such magnetic fields inside the Sun, one can constrain the intrinsic neutrino magnetic moment down to the level of mu_nu lessthan few times 10^-12 x mu_B irrespective of details of the underlying turbulence model. This limit is more str…
The effect of random matter density perturbations on the MSW solution to the solar neutrino problem
We consider the implications of solar matter density random noise upon resonant neutrino conversion. The evolution equation describing MSW-like conversion is derived in the framework of the Schr\"odinger approach. We study quantitatively their effect upon both large and small mixing angle MSW solutions to the solar neutrino problem. This is carried out both for the active-active $\nu_e \ra \nu_{\mu,\tau}$ as well as active-sterile $\nu_e \ra \nu_s$ conversion channels. We find that the small mixing MSW solution is much more stable (especially in $\Delta m^2$) than the large mixing solution. The possible existence of solar matter density noise at the few percent level could be tested at futu…
Volume I. Introduction to DUNE
Journal of Instrumentation 15(08), T08008 (1-228) (2020). doi:10.1088/1748-0221/15/08/T08008
Is the baryon asymmetry of the Universe related to galactic magnetic fields?
A tiny hypermagnetic field generated before the electroweak phase transition (EWPT) associated to the generation of elementary particle masses can polarize the early Universe hot plasma at huge redshifts z >= 10(15). The anomalous violation of the right-handed electron current characteristic of the EWPT converts the lepton asymmetry into a baryon asymmetry. Under reasonable approximations, the magnetic field strength inferred by requiring such "leptogenic'' origin for the observed baryon asymmetry of the Universe matches the large-scale cosmological magnetic field strengths estimated from current astronomical observations.
Discrete dark matter
We propose a new motivation for the stability of dark matter (DM). We suggest that the same non-abelian discrete flavor symmetry which accounts for the observed pattern of neutrino oscillations, spontaneously breaks to a Z2 subgroup which renders DM stable. The simplest scheme leads to a scalar doublet DM potentially detectable in nuclear recoil experiments, inverse neutrino mass hierarchy, hence a neutrinoless double beta decay rate accessible to upcoming searches, while reactor angle equal to zero gives no CP violation in neutrino oscillations.
Status of the MSW solutions of the solar neutrino problem
We present an updated global analysis of two-flavor MSW solutions to the solar neutrino problem in terms of conversions of nu_e into active or sterile neutrinos. We perform a fit to the full data set corresponding to the 825-day Super-Kamiokande data sample as well as to Chlorine, GALLEX and SAGE experiments. We use all measured total event rates as well as Super-Kamiokande data on the zenith angle dependence, energy spectrum and seasonal variation of the events. For conversions into active neutrinos we find that, although the data on the total event rates favours the Small Mixing Angle (SMA) solution, once the full data set is included both SMA and Large Mixing Angle (LMA) solutions give a…
BARYOGENESIS IN SUPERGRAVITY INFLATIONARY MODELS
Abstract Realistic N=1 supergravity theories with a gravitino mass of order 1 TeV require a period of inflation to dilute the gravitino abundance. Moreover, if the gravitino is unstable the reheat temperature is bounded to be no greater than O(108 GeV). We show that such models may still have acceptable rates of baryosynthesis and discuss possible mechanisms.
A Model of Comprehensive Unification
Comprehensive – that is, gauge and family – unification using spinors has many attractive features, but it has been challenged to explain chirality. Here, by combining an orbifold construction with more traditional ideas, we address that difficulty. Our candidate model features three chiral families and leads to an acceptable result for quantitative unification of couplings. A potential target for accelerator and astronomical searches emerges.
Combining first KamLAND results with solar neutrino data
We consider the impact of the recent KamLAND data on neutrino oscillations, the first terrestrial neutrino experiment that can probe the solar neutrino anomaly. By combining the first 145.1 days of KamLAND data with the full sample of latest solar neutrino data we find an enhanced rejection against non-LMA oscillations, allowed only at more than 4 sigma with respect to LMA. Furthermore, the new data have a strong impact in narrowing down the allowed range of Delta_m^2 inside the LMA region. In contrast, our global analysis indicates that the new data have little impact on the location of the best fit point. In particular the solar neutrino mixing remains significantly non-maximal (3 sigma).
Testing the Standard Model and beyond with the LENA proposal
We discuss the possibility of a precision measurement of the electroweak mixing angle and a probe for new physics in the leptonic process of neutrino electron scattering. In the new physics schemes we explore the case of non standard neutrino interactions (NSI). The LENA proposal, currently under discussion, considers a large detector and the use of an articial, 51 Cr, radioactive neutrino source with of 5 MCi intensity. We also discuss the possible use of the solar neutrino
Predictive discrete dark matter model and neutrino oscillations
Dark Matter stability can be achieved through a partial breaking of a flavor symmetry. In this framework we propose a type-II seesaw model where left-handed matter transforms nontrivially under the flavor group Delta(54), providing correlations between neutrino oscillation parameters, consistent with the recent Daya-Bay and RENO reactor angle measurements, as well as lower bounds for neutrinoless double beta decay. The dark matter phenomenology is provided by a Higgs-portal.
Bound-state dark matter and Dirac neutrino mass
We propose a simple theory for the idea that cosmological dark matter (DM) may be present today mainly in the form of stable neutral hadronic thermal relics. In our model neutrino masses arise radiatively from the exchange of colored DM constituents, giving a common origin for both dark matter and neutrino mass. The exact conservation of $B-L$ symmetry ensures dark matter stability and the Dirac nature of neutrinos. The theory can be falsified by dark matter nuclear recoil direct detection experiments, leading also to possible signals at a next generation hadron collider.
Probing new neutral gauge bosons with CEvNS and neutrino-electron scattering
The potential for probing extra neutral gauge boson mediators ($Z^\prime$) from low-energy measurements is comprehensively explored. Our study mainly focuses on $Z^\prime$ mediators present in string-inspired $E_6$ models and left-right symmetry. We estimate the sensitivities of coherent-elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CE$\nu$NS) and neutrino-electron scattering experiments. Our results indicate that such low-energy high-intensity measurements can provide a valuable probe, complementary to high-energy collider searches and electroweak precision measurements.
Tri-bimaximal neutrino mixing and neutrinoless double beta decay
We present a tri-bimaximal lepton mixing scheme where the neutrinoless double beta decay rate (bb0v) has a lower bound which correlates with the ratio alpha = Dmsol/Dmatm well determined by current data, as well as with the unknown Majorana CP phase phi12 characterizing the solar neutrino sub-system. For the special value phi12 = pi/2 (opposite CP-sign neutrinos) the bb0v rate vanishes at tree level when Dmsol/Dmatm = 3/80, only allowed at 3 sigma. For all other cases the rate is nonzero, and lies within current and projected experimental sensitivities close to phi12=0. We suggest two model realizations of this scheme in terms of an A4xZ2 and A4xZ4 flavour symmetries.
A4-based tri-bimaximal mixing within inverse and linear seesaw schemes
We consider tri-bimaximal lepton mixing within low-scale seesaw schemes where light neutrino masses arise from TeV scale physics, potentially accessible at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Two examples are considered, based on the A4 flavor symmetry realized within the inverse or the linear seesaw mechanisms. Both are highly predictive so that in both the light neutrino sector effectively depends only on three mass parameters and one Majorana phase, with no CP violation in neutrino oscillations. We find that the linear seesaw leads to a lower bound for neutrinoless double beta decay while the inverse seesaw does not. The models also lead to potentially sizeable decay rates for lepton flavor…
Zooming in on neutrino oscillations with DUNE
We examine the capabilities of the DUNE experiment as a probe of the neutrino mixing paradigm. Taking the current status of neutrino oscillations and the design specifications of DUNE, we determine the experiment's potential to probe the structure of neutrino mixing and CP violation. We focus on the poorly determined parameters $\theta_{23}$ and $\delta_{CP}$ and consider both two and seven years of run. We take various benchmarks as our true values, such as the current preferred values of $\theta_{23}$ and $\delta_{CP}$, as well as several theory-motivated choices. We determine quantitatively DUNE's potential to perform a precision measurement of $\theta_{23}$, as well as to test the CP vi…
Inverse tribimaximal type-III seesaw mechanism and lepton flavor violation
We present a type-III version of inverse seesaw or, equivalently an inverse version of type-III seesaw. Naturally small neutrino masses arise at low-scale from the exchange of neutral fermions transforming as hyperchargeless SU(2) triplets. In order to implement tri-bimaximal lepton mixing we supplement the minimal SU(3)xSU(2)xU(1) gauge symmetry with an A4-based flavor symmetry. Our scenario induces lepton flavour violating (LFV) three body decays that can proceed at the tree level, while radiative li to lj gamma decays and mu-e conversion in nuclei are also expected to be sizeable. LFV decays are related by the underlying flavor symmetry and the new fermions are also expected to be access…
Simpson's neutrino and the singular seesaw
We derive explicit forms for the neutrino and lepton "mixing-matrices" which describe the generic singular see-saw model. The dependence on the hierarchy parameter is contrasted with the non-singular case. Application is made to Simpson's 17 keV neutrino.
Predicting Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay
We give predictions for the neutrinoless double beta decay rate in a simple variant of the A_4 family symmetry model. We show that there is a lower bound for the neutrinoless double beta decay amplitude even in the case of normal hierarchical neutrino masses, corresponding to an effective mass parameter |m_{ee}| >= 0.17 \sqrt{\Delta m^2_{ATM}}. This result holds both for the CP conserving and CP violating cases. In the latter case we show explicitly that the lower bound on |m_{ee}| is sensitive to the value of the Majorana phase. We conclude therefore that in our scheme, neutrinoless double beta decay may be accessible to the next generation of high sensitivity experiments.
New neutrino mass sum rule from the inverse seesaw mechanism
A class of discrete flavor-symmetry-based models predicts constrained neutrino mass matrix schemes that lead to specific neutrino mass sum rules. One of these implies a lower bound on the effective neutrinoless double beta mass parameter, even for normal hierarchy neutrinos. Here we propose a new model based on the ${S}_{4}$ flavor symmetry that leads to the new neutrino mass sum rule and discuss how to generate a nonzero value for the reactor angle ${\ensuremath{\theta}}_{13}$ indicated by recent experiments, and the resulting correlation with the solar angle ${\ensuremath{\theta}}_{12}$.
Neutrino mass and baryon-number nonconservation in superstring models
We propose new mechanisms for understanding neutrino masses in superstring models that contain ${\mathrm{E}}_{6}$-singlet zero-mass fields after compactification. We show that the low-energy gauge group of these models can be phenomenologically acceptable. We then comment on \ensuremath{\Delta}B=1 and \ensuremath{\Delta}B=2 baryon-number-violating processes in these models.
Predictions from warped flavor dynamics based on the T′ family group
We propose a realistic theory of fermion masses and mixings using a five-dimensional warped scenario where all fermions propagate in the bulk and the Higgs field is localized on the IR brane. The assumed $T'$ flavor symmetry is broken on the branes by flavon fields, providing a consistent scenario where fermion mass hierarchies arise from adequate choices of the bulk mass parameters, while quark and lepton mixing angles are restricted by the family symmetry. Neutrino mass splittings, mixing parameters and the Dirac CP phase all arise from the type-I seesaw mechanism and are tightly correlated, leading to predictions for the neutrino oscillation parameters, as well as expected \znbb decay ra…
Low-energy neutrino-electron scattering as a Standard Model probe: the potential of LENA as case study
Several proposals for studying neutrinos with large detectors are currently under discussion. We suggest that they could provide a precise measurement of the electroweak mixing angle as well as a probe for new physics, such as non-standard neutrino interactions (NSI), and the electroweak gauge structure. We illustrate this explicitly for the case of the LENA proposal, either with an artificial radioactive source or by using the solar neutrino flux.
Bound-state dark matter with Majorana neutrinos
We propose a simple scenario in which dark matter (DM) emerges as a stable neutral hadronic thermal relics, its stability following from an exact $\operatorname{U}(1)_D$ symmetry. Neutrinos pick up radiatively induced Majorana masses from the exchange of colored DM constituents. There is a common origin for both dark matter and neutrino mass, with a lower bound for neutrinoless double beta decay. Direct DM searches at nuclear recoil experiments will test the proposal, which may also lead to other phenomenological signals at future hadron collider and lepton flavour violation experiments.
Neutrino oscillations and the seesaw origin of neutrino mass
The historical discovery of neutrino oscillations using solar and atmospheric neutrinos, and subsequent accelerator and reactor studies, has brought neutrino physics to the precision era. We note that CP effects in oscillation phenomena could be difficult to extract in the presence of unitarity violation. As a result upcoming dedicated leptonic CP violation studies should take into account the non-unitarity of the lepton mixing matrix. Restricting non-unitarity will shed light on the seesaw scale, and thereby guide us towards the new physics responsible for neutrino mass generation.
Status of neutrino oscillations 2018: 3 hint for normal mass ordering and improved CP sensitivity
We present a new global fit of neutrino oscillation parameters within the simplest three-neutrino picture, including new data which appeared since our previous analysis [1]. In this update we include new long-baseline neutrino data involving the antineutrino channel in T2K, as well as new data in the neutrino channel, data from NOνA, as well as new reactor data, such as the Daya Bay 1230 days electron antineutrino disappearance spectrum data and the 1500 live days prompt spectrum from RENO, as well as new Double Chooz data. We also include atmospheric neutrino data from the IceCube DeepCore and ANTARES neutrino telescopes and from Super-Kamiokande. Finally, we also update our solar oscillat…
An improved cosmological bound on the tau-neutrino mass
We consider the influence of non-equilibrium electronic neutrinos (and anti-neutrinos) on the neutron-to-proton ratio. These neutrinos would come from massive $\nu_\tau$ annihilations $\bar \nu_\tau \nu_\tau \rightarrow \bar \nu_e \nu_e$. For sufficiently large $\nu_\tau$ masses this new effect would strongly enhance the (n/p)-ratio, leading to a very stringent bound on the $\nu_\tau$ mass, even adopting a rather weak upper bound on the effective number on neutrino species during nucleosynthesis.
Neutrino oscillations from warped flavor symmetry: predictions for long baseline experiments T2K, NOvA and DUNE
Here we study the pattern of neutrino oscillations emerging from a previously proposed warped model construction incorporating $\Delta(27)$ flavor symmetry. In addition to a complete description of fermion masses, the model predicts the lepton mixing matrix in terms of two parameters. The good measurement of $\theta_{13}$ makes these two parameters nearly proportional, leading to an approximate one-parameter description of neutrino oscillations. There is a sharp fourfold degenerate correlation between $\delta_{CP}$ and the atmospheric mixing angle $\theta_{23}$, so that maximal $\theta_{23}$ also implies maximal leptonic CP violation. The predicted electron neutrino and anti-neutrino appear…
Classifying CP transformations according to their texture zeros: theory and implications
We provide a classification of generalized CP symmetries preserved by the neutrino mass matrix according to the number of zero entries in the associated transformation matrix. We determine the corresponding constrained form of the lepton mixing matrix, characterized by correlations between the mixing angles and the CP violating phases. We compare with the corresponding restrictions from current neutrino oscillation global fits and show that, in some cases, the Dirac CP phase characterizing oscillations is highly constrained. Implications for current and upcoming long baseline neutrino oscillation experiments T2K, NO$\nu$A and DUNE, as well as neutrinoless double beta decay experiments are d…
Relating quarks and leptons with the T7 flavour group
In this letter we present a model for quarks and leptons based on T7 as flavour symmetry, predicting a canonical mass relation between charged leptons and down-type quarks proposed earlier. Neutrino masses are generated through a Type-I seesaw mechanism, with predicted correlations between the atmospheric mixing angle and neutrino masses. Compatibility with oscillation results lead to lower bounds for the lightest neutrino mass as well as for the neutrinoless double beta decay rates, even for normal neutrino mass hierarchy.
Reloading the Axion in a 3-3-1 setup
We generalize the idea of the axion to an extended electroweak gauge symmetry setup. We propose a minimal axion extension of the Singer-Valle-Schechter (SVS) theory, in which the standard model fits in $\mathrm{SU(3)_L\otimes U(1)_X}$, the number of families results from anomaly cancellation, and the Peccei-Quinn (PQ) solution to the strong-CP problem is implemented. Neutrino masses arise from a type-I Dirac seesaw mechanism, suppressed by the ratio of SVS and PQ scales, suggesting the existence of new physics at a moderate SVS scale. Novel features include an enhanced axion coupling to photons when compared to the DFSZ axion, as well as flavour-changing axion couplings to quarks.
Exploring the Potential of Short-Baseline Physics at Fermilab
We study the capabilities of the short baseline neutrino program at Fermilab to probe the unitarity of the lepton mixing matrix. We find the sensitivity to be slightly better than the current one. Motivated by the future DUNE experiment, we have also analyzed the potential of an extra liquid Argon near detector in the LBNF beamline. Adding such a near detector to the DUNE setup will substantially improve the current sensitivity on non-unitarity. This would help to remove CP degeneracies due to the new complex phase present in the neutrino mixing matrix. We also study the sensitivity of our proposed setup to light sterile neutrinos for various configurations.
Underlying A_4 Symmetry for the Neutrino Mass Matrix and the Quark Mixing Matrix
The discrete non-Abelian symmetry $A_4$, valid at some high-energy scale, naturally leads to degenerate neutrino masses, without spoiling the hierarchy of charged-lepton masses. Realistic neutrino mass splittings and mixing angles (one of which is necessarily maximal and the other large) are then induced radiatively in the context of softly broken supersymmetry. The quark mixing matrix is also calculable in a similar way. The mixing parameter $U_{e3}$ is predicted to be imaginary, leading to maximal CP violation in neutrino oscillations. Neutrinoless double beta decay and $\tau \to \mu \gamma$ should be in the experimentally accessible range.
Confronting spin flavor solutions of the solar neutrino problem with current and future solar neutrino data
We show that spin flavor precession solutions to the solar neutrino problem, although preferred by the latest solar data, are ruled out by the first results from the KamLAND reactor experiment, at more than 3_sigma. An illustrative chi2 plot comparing these descriptions with oscillations is given.
Probing nonstandard neutrino-electron interactions with solar and reactor neutrinos
Most neutrino mass extensions of the standard electroweak model entail non-standard interactions which, in the low energy limit, can be parametrized in term of effective four-fermion operators $\nu_\alpha \nu_\beta \bar f f $. Typically of sub-weak strength, $\epsilon_{\alpha \beta} G_F$, these are characterized by dimensionless coupling parameters, $\epsilon_{\alpha \beta}$, which may be relatively sizeable in a wide class of schemes. Here we focus on non-universal (NU) flavor conserving couplings ($\alpha = \beta$) with electrons ($f = e$) and analyse their impact on the phenomenology of solar neutrinos. We consistently take into account their effect both at the level of propagation where…
Probing bilinear R-parity violating supergravity at the LHC
We study the collider phenomenology of bilinear R-parity violating supergravity, the simplest effective model for supersymmetric neutrino masses accounting for the current neutrino oscillation data. At the CERN Large Hadron Collider the center-of-mass energy will be high enough to probe directly these models through the search for the superpartners of the Standard Model (SM) particles. We analyze the impact of R-parity violation on the canonical supersymmetry searches - that is, we examine how the decay of the lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP) via bilinear R-parity violating interactions degrades the average expected missing momentum of the reactions and show how this diminishes the re…
Solar Neutrino Masses and Mixing from Bilinear R-Parity Broken Supersymmetry: Analytical versus Numerical Results
We give an analytical calculation of solar neutrino masses and mixing at one-loop order within bilinear R-parity breaking supersymmetry, and compare our results to the exact numerical calculation. Our method is based on a systematic perturbative expansion of R-parity violating vertices to leading order. We find in general quite good agreement between approximate and full numerical calculation, but the approximate expressions are much simpler to implement. Our formalism works especially well for the case of the large mixing angle MSW solution (LMA-MSW), now strongly favoured by the recent KamLAND reactor neutrino data.
Subleading effects in the 1-2 sector: Non-standard neutrino interactions
We have reconsidered the status of the large mixing angle (LMA) oscillation (OSC) interpretation of the solar neutrino data in a more general framework where non-standard neutrino interactions (NSI) are present. Using the latest data from all solar neutrino experiments and KamLAND we have found the existence of three LMA solutions, instead of the unique solution which holds in the absence of NSI, LMA-I. In addition to LMA-I, there is another solution with smaller Δ m 2 (LMA-0), and a new “dark-side” solution (LMA-D) with sin 2 θ = 0.70 . We comment on the potential of KamLAND and future solar neutrino experiments using 7Be and 8B neutrinos to lift the degeneracy between the LMA-I, LMA-0 and…
A(4)-based neutrino masses with Majoron decaying dark matter
We propose an A(4) flavor-symmetric SU(3) circle times SU(2) circle times U(1) seesaw model where lepton number is broken spontaneously. A consistent two-zero texture pattern of neutrino masses and mixing emerges from the interplay of type-I and type-II seesaw contributions, with important phenomenological predictions. We show that, if the Majoron becomes massive, such seesaw scenario provides a viable candidate for decaying dark matter, consistent with cosmic microwave background lifetime constraints that follow from current WMAP observations. We also calculate the subleading one-loop-induced decay into photons which leads to a monoenergetic emission line that may be observed in future x-r…
Seesaw roadmap to neutrino mass and dark matter
We describe the many pathways to generate Majorana and Dirac neutrino mass through generalized dimension-5 operators a la Weinberg. The presence of new scalars beyond the Standard Model Higgs doublet implies new possible field contractions, which are required in the case of Dirac neutrinos. We also notice that, in the Dirac neutrino case, the extra symmetries needed to ensure the Dirac nature of neutrinos can also be made responsible for stability of dark matter.
Constraining Nonstandard Neutrino-Electron Interactions
We present a detailed analysis on nonstandard neutrino interactions (NSI) with electrons including all muon and electron (anti)-neutrino data from existing accelerators and reactors, in conjunction with the ``neutrino counting'' data (e- e+ -> nu nu gamma) from the four LEP collaborations. First we perform a one-parameter-at-a-time analysis, showing how most constraints improve with respect to previous results reported in the literature. We also present more robust results where the NSI parameters are allowed to vary freely in the analysis. We show the importance of combining LEP data with the other experiments in removing degeneracies in the global analysis constraining flavor-conservin…
Can one ever prove that neutrinos are Dirac particles?
According to the "Black Box" theorem the experimental confirmation of neutrinoless double beta decay ($0 \nu 2 \beta$) would imply that at least one of the neutrinos is a Majorana particle. However, a null $0 \nu 2 \beta$ signal cannot decide the nature of neutrinos, as it can be suppressed even for Majorana neutrinos. In this letter we argue that if the null $0 \nu 2 \beta$ decay signal is accompanied by a $0 \nu 4 \beta$ quadruple beta decay signal, then at least one neutrino should be a Dirac particle. This argument holds irrespective of the underlying processes leading to such decays.
Confusing non-standard neutrino interactions with oscillations at a neutrino factory
Most neutrino mass theories contain non-standard interactions (NSI) of neutrinos which can be either non-universal (NU) or flavor-changing (FC). We study the impact of such interactions on the determination of neutrino mixing parameters at a neutrino factory using the so-called ``golden channels'' \pnu{e}\to\pnu{\mu} for the measurement of \theta_{13}. We show that a certain combination of FC interactions in neutrino source and earth matter can give exactly the same signal as oscillations arising due to \theta_{13}. This implies that information about \theta_{13} can only be obtained if bounds on NSI are available. Taking into account the existing bounds on FC interactions, this leads to a …
Predicting neutrino oscillations with “bi-large” lepton mixing matrices
We propose two schemes for the lepton mixing matrix $U = U_l^\dagger U_\nu$, where $U = U_l$ refers to the charged sector, and $U_\nu$ denotes the neutrino diagonalization matrix. We assume $U_\nu$ to be CP conserving and its three angles to be connected with the Cabibbo angle in a simple manner. CP violation arises solely from the $U_l$, assumed to have the CKM form, $U_l\simeq V_{\rm CKM}$, suggested by unification. Oscillation parameters depend on a single parameter, leading to narrow ranges for the "solar" and "accelerator" angles $\theta_{12}$ and $\theta_{23}$, as well as for the CP phase, predicted as $\delta_{\rm CP}\sim 1.3\pi$.
Testing neutrino mixing at future collider experiments
Low energy supersymmetry with bilinear breaking of R-parity leads to a weak-scale seesaw mechanism for the atmospheric neutrino scale and a radiative mechanism for the solar neutrino scale. The model has striking implications for collider searches of supersymmetric particles. Assuming that the lightest SUSY particle is the lightest neutralino we demonstrate that (i) The neutralino decays inside the detector even for tiny neutrino masses. (ii) Measurements of the neutrino mixing angles lead to predictions for the ratios of various neutralino branching ratios implying an independent test of neutrino physics at future colliders, such as the Large Hadron Collider or a Linear Collider.
Generalized mu-tau reflection symmetry and leptonic CP violation
14 pages.- 9 figures
Constraining the neutrino magnetic moment with anti-neutrinos from the Sun
We discuss the impact of different solar neutrino data on the spin-flavor-precession (SFP) mechanism of neutrino conversion. We find that, although detailed solar rates and spectra allow the SFP solution as a sub-leading effect, the recent KamLAND constraint on the solar antineutrino flux places stronger constraints to this mechanism. Moreover, we show that for the case of random magnetic fields inside the Sun, one obtains a more stringent constraint on the neutrino magnetic moment down to the level of \mu_\nu \lsim few \times 10^{-12}\mu_B, similar to bounds obtained from star cooling.
Global analysis of neutrino oscillation data in four-neutrino schemes
We present an analysis of the global neutrino oscillation data in terms of four-neutrino mass schemes. We find that the strong preference of oscillations into active neutrinos implied by the latest solar as well as atmospheric neutrino data allows to rule out (2+2) mass schemes, whereas (3+1) schemes are strongly disfavoured by short-baseline experiments. Our analysis shows that four-neutrino oscillations do not provide a satisfactory description of the global neutrino oscillation data including the LSND result.
Observable Majoron emission in neutrinoless double beta decay
We consider a class of simplest Majoron models where neutrino- majoron couplings can be in the range $g \sim 10^{-5}-10^{-3}$ leading to the observability of neutrinoless double beta decay with majoron emission. The majoron is a singlet of the electroweak gauge symmetry, thus avoiding conflict with the LEP data on Z decay, which rules out the triplet and doublet majoron models.
Dirac neutrinos from Peccei-Quinn symmetry: a fresh look at the axion
We show that a very simple solution to the strong CP problem naturally leads to Dirac neutrinos. Small effective neutrino masses emerge from a type-I Dirac seesaw mechanism. Neutrino mass limits probe the axion parameters in regions currently inaccessible to conventional searches.
The simplest resonant spin-flavour solution to the solar neutrino problem
We re-analyse the resonant spin-flavour (RSF) solutions to the solar neutrino problem in the framework of analytic solutions to the solar magneto-hydrodynamics (MHD) equations. By substantially eliminating the arbitrariness associated to the magnetic field profile due to both mathematical consistency and physical requirements we propose the simplest scheme (MHD-RSF, for short) for solar neutrino conversion using realistic static MHD solutions. Using such effective two-parameter scheme we perform the first global fit of the recent solar neutrino data, including event rates as well as zenith angle distributions and recoil electron spectra induced by solar neutrino interactions in Superkamioka…
Generalized bottom-tau unification, neutrino oscillations and dark matter: Predictions from a lepton quarticity flavor approach
We propose an $A_4$ extension of the Standard Model with a Lepton Quarticity symmetry correlating dark matter stability with the Dirac nature of neutrinos. The flavor symmetry predicts (i) a generalized bottom-tau mass relation involving all families, (ii) small neutrino masses are induced a la seesaw, (iii) CP must be significantly violated in neutrino oscillations, (iv) the atmospheric angle $\theta_{23}$ lies in the second octant, and (v) only the normal neutrino mass ordering is realized.
Future CEvNS experiments as probes of lepton unitarity and light-sterile neutrinos
We determine the sensitivities of short-baseline coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CE$\nu$NS) experiments using a pion decay at rest neutrino source as a probe for nonunitarity in the lepton sector, as expected in low-scale type-I seesaw schemes. We also identify the best configuration for probing light sterile neutrinos at future ton-scale liquid argon CE$\nu$NS experiments, estimating the projected sensitivities on the sterile neutrino parameters. Possible experimental setups at the Spallation Neutron Source, Lujan facility and the European Spallation Source are discussed. Provided that systematic uncertainties remain under control, we find that CE$\nu$NS experiments will be c…
Large mixing angle oscillations as a probe of the deep solar interior
We re-examine the sensitivity of solar neutrino oscillations to noise in the solar interior using the best current estimates of neutrino properties. Our results show that the measurement of neutrino properties at KamLAND provides new information about fluctuations in the solar environment on scales to which standard helioseismic constraints are largely insensitive. We also show how the determination of neutrino oscillation parameters from a combined fit of KamLAND and solar data depends strongly on the magnitude of solar density fluctuations. We argue that a resonance between helioseismic and Alfven waves might provide a physical mechanism for generating these fluctuations and, if so, neutr…
Supersymmetry unification predictions for m(top), V(cb) and tan(beta)
We study the predictions for M_top, tan(beta) and V_cb in a popular texture ansatze for the fermion mass matrices. We do this both for the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) and for the simplest model (MSSM-BRpV) where a bilinear R-Parity violating term is added to the superpotential. We find that taking the experimental values for M_top and V_cb at 99 % C.L. and the GUT relations h_b=h_tau and (V_cb)^2=h_c/h_t within 5 %, the large tan(beta) solution, characteristic in the MSSM with bottom--tau unification, becomes disallowed. In contrast the corresponding allowed region for the MSSM-BRpV is slightly larger. We also find that important modifications occur if we relax the texture …
Probing supernova physics with neutrino oscillations
We point out that solar neutrino oscillations with large mixing angle as evidenced in current solar neutrino data have a strong impact on strategies for diagnosing collapse-driven supernova (SN) through neutrino observations. Such oscillations induce a significant deformation of the energy spectra of neutrinos, thereby allowing us to obtain otherwise inaccessible features of SN neutrino spectra. We demonstrate that one can determine temperatures and luminosities of non-electron flavor neutrinos by observing bar{nu}_{e} from galactic SN in massive water Cherenkov detectors by the charged current reactions on protons.
Constraining neutrino oscillation parameters with current solar and atmospheric data
We analyze the impact of recent solar, atmospheric and reactor data in the determination of the neutrino oscillation parameters, taking into account that both the solar nu_e and the atmospheric nu_mu may convert to a mixture of active and sterile neutrinos. We use the most recent global solar neutrino data, including the 1496-day Super-K neutrino data sample, and we investigate in detail the impact of the SNO neutral current, spectral and day/night data by performing also an analysis using only the charged current rate from SNO. The implications of the first 145.1 days of KamLAND data on the determination of the solar neutrino parameters are also discussed in detail. We confirm the clear pr…
Probing a Supersymmetric Model for Neutrino Masses at Ultrahigh Energy Neutrino Telescopes
A bilinear R-Parity breaking SUSY model for neutrino mass and mixing predicts the lightest superparticle to decay mainly into a pair of tau leptons or b quarks along with a neutrino for relatively light SUSY spectra. This leads to a distinctive triple bang signature of SUSY events at ultrahigh energy neutrino telescopes like IceCube or Antares. While the expected signal size is only marginal at IceCube, it will be promising for a future multi-km^3 size neutrino telescope.
WIMP dark matter as radiative neutrino mass messenger
The minimal seesaw extension of the Standard SU(3)(c)circle times SU(2)(L)circle times U(1)(Y) Model requires two electroweak singlet fermions in order to accommodate the neutrino oscillation parameters at tree level. Here we consider a next to minimal extension where light neutrino masses are generated radiatively by two electroweak fermions: one singlet and one triplet under SU(2)(L). These should be odd under a parity symmetry and their mixing gives rise to a stable weakly interactive massive particle (WIMP) dark matter candidate. For mass in the GeV-TeV range, it reproduces the correct relic density, and provides an observable signal in nuclear recoil direct detection experiments. The f…
Quark-lepton mass relation and CKM mixing in an A(4) extension of the minimal supersymmetric standard model
An interesting mass relation between down-type quarks and charged leptons has been recently predicted within a supersymmetric SU(3)(c) circle times SU(2)(L) circle times U(1)(Y) model based on the A(4) flavor symmetry. Here we propose a simple extension which provides an adequate full description of the quark sector. By adding a pair of vectorlike up quarks, we show how the CKM entries V-ub, V-cb, V-td and V-ts arise from deviations of the unitarity. We perform an analysis including the most relevant observables in the quark sector, such as oscillations and rare decays of kaons, B-d and B-s mesons. In the lepton sector, the model predicts an inverted hierarchy for the neutrino masses, leadi…
Searching for Invisibly Decaying Higgs Bosons at LEP II
We study the potential of LEP II to unravel the existence of invisibly decaying Higgs bosons, predicted in a wide class of models. We perform a model independent analysis, focusing our attention to the final state topologies exhibiting $b \bar{b}$ or $\ell^+ \ell^-$ ($\ell=\mu$ or $e$) pairs and missing energy. We carefully evaluate the signals and backgrounds, choosing appropriate cuts to enhance the discovery limits. Our results demonstrate that LEP II is capable of discovering such a Higgs boson for a wide range of masses and couplings.
Simple theory for scotogenic dark matter with residual matter-parity
Dark matter stability can result from a residual matter-parity symmetry surviving spontaneous breaking of an extended gauge symmetry. We propose the simplest scotogenic dark matter completion of the original SVS theory (Phys.Rev. D22 (1980) 738), in which the "dark sector" particles as well as matter-parity find a natural theoretical origin in the model. We briefly comment on its main features.
Majorons: a simultaneous solution to the large and small scale dark matter problems
Abstract It is shown that the existence of majorons, which enable a heavy neutrino, 500 eV ≲ mνH ≲ 25 keV to decay into a light neutrino mνL ≲ 8 eV and a majoron, with lifetime 104 yr ≲ τνH ≲ 108 yr can solve both the large and small scale dark matter problems. For a primordial “Zeldovich” spectrum of fluctuations the limits are m v H ≲ 550 eV and τ v H > 107 to 108 yr (the ranges mνH ≲ eV and τνH ≳ 108 yr are allowed by the model but galaxy formation becomes problematic). The large scale dark matter problem is how to achieve the critical density as implied by inflation, the small scale problems deal with the halos of galaxies and galaxy formation and perturbation growth. The heavy neutrino…
Enhanced lepton flavor violation in the supersymmetric inverse seesaw model
We discuss a supersymmetric inverse seesaw model in which lepton flavour violating decays can be enhanced either by flavour violating slepton contributions or by the non-unitarity of the charged current mixing matrix. As an example we calculate Br(mu -> e gamma) taking into account both heavy lepton exchange as well as supersymmetric diagrams in a minimal supergravity framework. We find that the for the same parameters the rate can be enhanced with respect to seesaw model expectations, with or without supersymmetry.
Solar neutrino problem accounting for self-consistent magnetohydrodynamics solution for solar magnetic fields
The analysis of the resonant spin-flavour (RSF) solutions to the solar neutrino problem in the framework of simplest analytic solutions to the solar magneto-hydrodynamics (MHD) equations is presented. We performed the global fit of the recent solar neutrino data, including event rates as well as day and night recoil electron spectra induced by solar neutrino interactions in SuperKamiokande. We compare quantitatively our simplest MHD-RSF fit with vacuum oscillation (VAC) and MSW--type (SMA, LMA and LOW) solutions to the solar neutrino problem using a common well-calibrated theoretical calculation and fit procedure and find MHD-RSF fit to be somewhat better than those obtained for the favored…
On the description of non-unitary neutrino mixing
28 pages.- 8 figures.- typos corrected.- modified bounds on non-unitarity parameters.- new figs 3 and 4
Lepton-number violation with quasi-Dirac neutrinos
We investigate lepton-number violation in weak interactions with massive Dirac neutrinos. In the framework of a simple $\mathrm{SU}{(3)}_{L}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}\mathrm{U}(1)$ electroweak model we find that neutrinos naturally acquire only Dirac masses at tree level, and for an odd number of lepton families, one neutrino remains massless. After a spontaneous breakdown of symmetry we find that the SU(2)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}U(1) effective theory has lepton-number-violating currents which couple to the standard gauge bosons. Flavorconserving $|\ensuremath{\Delta}l|=2$ processes such as neutrinoless double-$\ensuremath{\beta}$ decay are forbidden in the simplest model,…
Enhanced lepton flavor violation with massless neutrinos: a study of muon and tau decays
Lepton flavor violating rates can be experimentally measurable even if the observed neutrinos are strictly massless. We make a study of the attainable rates for anomalous leptonic muon and tau number violating decays such as μ→eγ, μ→3e, τ→μγ, τ→eγ, τ→μμ+ μ−, τ→ ee+e−, τ→eμ+μ−, etc. as well as semileptonic lepton flavor violating tau decays such as τ→μπ0, τ→eπ0, τ→eη, etc. All muonic violating decays can be as large as the present limits from LAMPF, TRIUMF and PSI. The corresponding tau violating processes can all be at the limit of sensitivity of the upcoming τ factories.
Detection of intermediate mass Higgs bosons from spontaneously broken R-parity supersymmetry
The Higgs sector in spontaneously broken R Parity supersymmetry (RPSUSY) shows interesting features that require new search techniques. Both the mass spectrum and production rates may differ from the standard model and minimal supersymmetric model (MSSM) expectations. For some parameter choices, the dominant Higgs boson decay mode can even be invisible, leading to events with large missing transverse momentum carried by superweakly interacting majorons. We study the reaction $pp \ra Z + H + X$, and find that it canlead to detectable events at LHC/SSC for a large region of parameter space.
Chern-Simons anomaly as polarization effect
The parity violating Chern-Simons term in the epoch before the electroweak phase transition can be interpreted as a polarization effect associated to massless right-handed electrons (positrons) in the presence of a large-scale seed hypermagnetic field. We reconfirm the viability of a unified seed field scenario relating the cosmological baryon asymmetry and the origin of the protogalactic large-scale magnetic fields observed in astronomy.
A non-resonant dark-side solution to the solar neutrino problem
We re-analyse spin-flavour precession solutions to the solar neutrino problem in the light of the recent SNO CC result as well as the 1258--day Super-Kamiokande data and the upper limit on solar anti-neutrinos. In a self-consistent magneto-hydrodynamics approach the resulting scheme has only 3 effective parameters: $\Delta m^2$, $\mu B_\perp$ and the neutrino mixing angle $\theta$. We show how a rates-only analysis for fixed $\mu B_\perp$ slightly favours spin-flavour precession (SFP) solutions over oscillations (OSC). In addition to the resonant solution (RSFP for short), there is a new non-resonant solution (NRSFP) in the ``dark-side''. Both RSFP and NRSFP lead to flat recoil energy spect…
2020 global reassessment of the neutrino oscillation picture
We present an updated global fit of neutrino oscillation data in the simplest three-neutrino framework. In the present study we include up-to-date analyses from a number of experiments. Concerning the atmospheric and solar sectors, we give updated analyses of DeepCore and SNO data, respectively. We have also included the latest electron antineutrino data collected by the Daya Bay and RENO reactor experiments, and the long-baseline T2K and NO$\nu$A measurements. These new analyses result in more accurate measurements of $\theta_{13}$, $\theta_{12}$, $\Delta m_{21}^2$ and $|\Delta m_{31}^2|$. The best fit value for the atmospheric angle $\theta_{23}$ lies in the second octant, but first octan…
The Hunt for New Physics at the Large Hadron Collider
233 páginas.-- AHEP Group: et al..-- El Pdf del artículo es la versión pre-print: arXiv.1001.2693v1.-- Trabajo presentado al "The International Workshop on Beyond the Standard Model Physics and LHC Signatures (BSM-LHC) celebrado en Boston (USA) del 2 al 4 de junio de 2009.
Scotogenic dark matter and Dirac neutrinos from unbroken gauged B − L symmetry
We propose a simple extension of the standard model where neutrinos get naturally small “scotogenic” Dirac masses from an unbroken gauged B−L symmetry, ensuring dark matter stability. The associated gauge boson gets mass through the Stueckelberg mechanism. Two scenarios are identified, and the resulting phenomenology briefly sketched.
Neutrino masses, leptogenesis, and dark matter in a hybrid seesaw model
4 pages.-- ISI article identifier:000263816600020.-- ArXiv pre-print avaible at:http://arxiv.org/abs/0811.0953
Neutrino physics outlook
Here I identify some of the opportunities in particle physics associated to the lepton sector, according to their perceived significance, and taking into account the current state-of-the-art.
Limits on associated production of visibly and invisibly decaying Higgs bosons from Z decays
Many extensions of the standard electroweak model Higgs sector suggest that the main Higgs decay channel is "invisible", for example, $h \to J J$ where $J$ denotes the majoron, a weakly interacting pseudoscalar Goldstone boson associated to the spontaneous violation of lepton number. In many of these models the Higgs boson may also be produced in association to a massive pseudoscalar boson (HA), in addition to the standard Bjorken mechanism (HZ). We describe a general strategy to determine limits from LEP data on the masses and couplings of such Higgs bosons, using the existing data on acoplanar dijet events as well as data on four and six $b$ jet event topologies. For the sake of illustrat…
Constraining Majorana neutrino electromagnetic properties from the LMA-MSW solution of the solar neutrino problem
In this paper we use solar neutrino data to derive stringent bounds on Majorana neutrino transition moments (TMs). Should such be present, they would contribute to the neutrino--electron scattering cross section and hence alter the signal observed in Super-Kamiokande. Motivated by the growing robustness of the LMA-MSW solution of the solar neutrino problem indicated by recent data, and also by the prospects of its possible confirmation at KamLAND, we assume the validity of this solution, and we constrain neutrino TMs by using the latest global solar neutrino data. We find that all elements of the TM matrix can be bounded at the same time. Furthermore, we show how reactor data play a complem…
A White Paper on keV sterile neutrino Dark Matter
We present a comprehensive review of keV-scale sterile neutrino Dark Matter, collecting views and insights from all disciplines involved - cosmology, astrophysics, nuclear, and particle physics - in each case viewed from both theoretical and experimental/observational perspectives. After reviewing the role of active neutrinos in particle physics, astrophysics, and cosmology, we focus on sterile neutrinos in the context of the Dark Matter puzzle. Here, we first review the physics motivation for sterile neutrino Dark Matter, based on challenges and tensions in purely cold Dark Matter scenarios. We then round out the discussion by critically summarizing all known constraints on sterile neutrin…
Comment On The Lepton Mixing Matrix
The problem of finding a suitable parametrization for a nontrivial lepton mixing matrix is considered in the framework of the ''sequential'' Weinberg-Salam theory. It is noted that in the case of n lepton generations there are in fact n+1 different theories, corresponding to different numbers m of right-handed neutrino fields present in the Lagrangian. These (n,m) models conserve CP for leptonic couplings naturally only for m=0 or 1 when n > or = 3. These models would seem to be useful as self-consistent approximations for reducing the number of parameters in the experimental analysis of lepton mixing matrices.
Phenomenology of fermion dark matter as neutrino mass mediator with gauged B-L
We analyze a model with unbroken B-L gauge symmetry where neutrino masses are generated at one loop, after spontaneous breaking of a global U(1) symmetry. These symmetries ensure dark matter stability and the Diracness of neutrinos. Within this context, we examine fermionic dark matter. Consistency between the required neutrino mass and the observed relic abundance indicates dark matter masses and couplings within the reach of direct detection experiments.
Supersymmetry parameter analysis: SPA convention and project.
18 páginas, 6 figuras, 12 tablas.-- et al.
Neutrino Unification
Present neutrino data are consistent with neutrino masses arising from a common seed at some ``neutrino unification'' scale $M_X$. Such a simple theoretical ansatz naturally leads to quasi-degenerate neutrinos that could lie in the electron-volt range with neutrino mass splittings induced by renormalization effects associated with supersymmetric thresholds. In such a scheme the leptonic analogue of the Cabibbo angle $\theta_{\odot}$ describing solar neutrino oscillations is nearly maximal. Its exact value is correlated with the smallness of $\theta_{reactor}$. These features agree both with latest data on the solar neutrino spectra and with the reactor neutrino data. The two leading mass-ei…
Volume III. DUNE far detector technical coordination
The preponderance of matter over antimatter in the early universe, the dynamics of the supernovae that produced the heavy elements necessary for life, and whether protons eventually decay-these mysteries at the forefront of particle physics and astrophysics are key to understanding the early evolution of our universe, its current state, and its eventual fate. The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is an international world-class experiment dedicated to addressing these questions as it searches for leptonic charge-parity symmetry violation, stands ready to capture supernova neutrino bursts, and seeks to observe nucleon decay as a signature of a grand unified theory underlying the st…
Where we are onθ13: addendum to ‘Global neutrino data and recent reactor fluxes: status of three-flavor oscillation parameters’
In this addendum to arXiv:1103.0734 we consider the recent results from long-baseline $\nu_\mu\to\nu_e$ searches at the T2K and MINOS experiments and investigate their implications for the mixing angle $\theta_{13}$ and the leptonic Dirac CP phase $\delta$. By combining the $2.5\sigma$ indication for a non-zero value of $\theta_{13}$ coming from T2K data with global neutrino oscillation data we obtain a significance for $\theta_{13} > 0$ of about $3\sigma$ with best fit points $\sin^2\theta_{13} = 0.013(0.016)$ for normal (inverted) neutrino mass ordering. These results depend somewhat on assumptions concerning the analysis of reactor neutrino data.
Spontaneous Breaking of Lepton Number and Cosmological Domain Wall Problem
We show that if global lepton number symmetry is spontaneously broken in a post inflation epoch, then it can lead to the formation of cosmological domain walls. This happens in the well-known "Majoron paradigm" for neutrino mass generation. We propose some realistic examples which allow spontaneous lepton number breaking to be safe from such domain walls.
Probing neutrino oscillations in supersymmetric models at the Large Hadron Collider
The lightest supersymmetric particle may decay with branching ratios that correlate with neutrino oscillation parameters. In this case the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC) has the potential to probe the atmospheric neutrino mixing angle with sensitivity competitive to its low-energy determination by underground experiments. Under realistic detection assumptions, we identify the necessary conditions for the experiments at CERN's LHC to probe the simplest scenario for neutrino masses induced by minimal supergravity with bilinear R parity violation.
Nucleosynthesis constraints on active-sterile neutrino conversions in the early universe with random magnetic field
We consider active-sterile neutrino conversions in the early universe hot plasma in the presence of a random magnetic field generated at the electroweak phase transition. Within a random field domain the magnetization asymmetry of the lepton antilepton plasma produced by a uniform constant magnetic field is huge in contrast to their small density asymmetry, leading to a drastic change in the active-sterile conversion rates. Assuming that the random field provides the seed for the galactic field one can estimate the restrictions from primordial nucleosynthesis. Requiring that the extra sterile \neu does not enter in equilibrium with the active ones before nucleosynthesis we find limits of th…
Realistic Tri-Bi-Maximal neutrino mixing
We propose a generalized version of the Tri-Bi-Maximal (TBM) ansatz for lepton mixing, leading to non-zero reactor angle $\theta_{13}$ and CP violation. The latter is characterized by two CP phases. The Dirac phase affecting neutrino oscillations is nearly maximal ($\delta_{CP} \sim \pm \pi/2$), while the Majorana phase implies narrow allowed ranges for the neutrinoless double beta decay amplitude. The solar angle $\theta_{12}$ lies nearly at its TBM value, while the atmospheric angle $\theta_{23}$ has the TBM value for maximal $\delta_{CP}$. Neutrino oscillation predictions can be tested in present and upcoming experiments.
Flavour-symmetric type-II Dirac neutrino seesaw mechanism
We propose a Standard Model extension with underlying A4 flavour symmetry where small Dirac neutrino masses arise from a Type-II seesaw mechanism. The model predicts the "golden" flavour-dependent bottom-tau mass relation, requires an inverted neutrino mass ordering and non-maximal atmospheric mixing angle. Using the latest neutrino oscillation global fit we derive restrictions on the oscillation parameters, such as a correlation between Dirac CP phase and the lightest neutrino mass.
Testing a lepton quarticity flavor theory of neutrino oscillations with the DUNE experiment
Oscillation studies play a central role in elucidating at least some aspects of the flavor problem. Here we examine the status of the predictions of a lepton quarticity flavor theory of neutrino oscillations against the existing global sample of oscillation data. By performing quantitative simulations we also determine the potential of the upcoming DUNE experiment in narrowing down the currently ill-measured oscillation parameters $\theta_{23}$ and $\delta_{\text{CP}}$. We present the expected improved sensitivity on these parameters for different assumptions.