0000000000015834
AUTHOR
Carlos Pena-garay
showing 49 related works from this author
Robust signatures of solar neutrino oscillation solutions
2001
With the goal of identifying signatures that select specific neutrino oscillation parameters, we test the robustness of global oscillation solutions that fit all the available solar and reactor experimental data. We use three global analysis strategies previously applied by different authors and also determine the sensitivity of the oscillation solutions to the critical nuclear fusion cross section, S_{17}(0), for the production of 8B. The favored solutions are LMA, LOW, and VAC in order of g.o.f. The neutral current to charged current ratio for SNO is predicted to be 3.5 +- 0.6 (1 sigma), which is separated from the no-oscillation value of 1.0 by much more than the expected experimental er…
Three-neutrino mixing after the first results from K2K and KamLAND
2003
We analyze the impact of the data on long baseline \nu_\mu disappearance from the K2K experiment and reactor \bar\nu_e disappearance from the KamLAND experiment on the determination of the leptonic three-generation mixing parameters. Performing an up-to-date global analysis of solar, atmospheric, reactor and long baseline neutrino data in the context of three-neutrino oscillations, we determine the presently allowed ranges of masses and mixing and we consistently derive the allowed magnitude of the elements of the leptonic mixing matrix. We also quantify the maximum allowed contribution of \Delta m^2_{21} oscillations to CP-odd and CP-even observables at future long baseline experiments.
Size of the dark side of the solar neutrino parameter space
2000
We present an analysis of the MSW neutrino oscillation solutions of the solar neutrino problem in the framework of two-neutrino mixing in the enlarged parameter space $(\ensuremath{\Delta}{m}^{2},{\mathrm{tan}}^{2}\ensuremath{\theta})$ with $\ensuremath{\theta}\ensuremath{\in}(0,\ensuremath{\pi}/2).$ Recently, it was pointed out that the allowed region of parameters from a fit to the measured total rates can extend to values $\ensuremath{\theta}g~\ensuremath{\pi}/4$ (the so-called ``dark side'') when higher confidence levels are allowed. The purpose of this Rapid Communication is to reanalyze the problem, including all the solar neutrino data available, to discuss the dependence on the stat…
If sterile neutrinos exist, how can one determine the total solar neutrino fluxes?
2002
The 8B solar neutrino flux inferred from a global analysis of solar neutrino experiments is within 11% (1 sigma) of the predicted standard solar model value if only active neutrinos exist, but could be as large as 1.7 times the standard prediction if sterile neutrinos exist. We show that the total 8B neutrino flux (active plus sterile neutrinos) can be determined experimentally to about 10% (1 sigma) by combining charged current measurements made with the KamLAND reactor experiment and with the SNO CC solar neutrino experiment, provided the LMA neutrino oscillation solution is correct and the simulated performance of KamLAND is valid. Including also SNO NC data, the sterile component of the…
Phenomenology of maximal and near-maximal lepton mixing
2000
We study the phenomenological consequences of maximal and near-maximal mixing of the electron neutrino with other ($x$=tau and/or muon) neutrinos. We describe the deviations from maximal mixing in terms of a parameter $\epsilon\equiv1-2\sin^2\theta_{ex}$ and quantify the present experimental status for $|\epsilon|<0.3$. We find that the global analysis of solar neutrino data allows maximal mixing with confidence level better than 99% for $10^{-8}$ eV$^2\lsim\Delta m^2\lsim2\times10^{-7}$ eV$^2$. In the mass ranges $\Delta m^2\gsim 1.5\times10^{-5}$ eV$^2$ and $4\times10^{-10}$ eV$^2\lsim\Delta m^2\lsim2\times10^{-7}$ eV$^2$ the full interval $|\epsilon|<0.3$ is allowed within 4$\sigma$(99.9…
First year performance of the IceCube neutrino telescope
2006
The first sensors of the IceCube neutrino observatory were deployed at the South Pole during the austral summer of 2004-2005 and have been producing data since February 2005. One string of 60 sensors buried in the ice and a surface array of eight ice Cherenkov tanks took data until December 2005 when deployment of the next set of strings and tanks began. We have analyzed these data, demonstrating that the performance of the system meets or exceeds design requirements. Times are determined across the whole array to a relative precision of better than 3 ns, allowing reconstruction of muon tracks and light bursts in the ice, of air-showers in the surface array and of events seen in coincidence…
Mass Varying Neutrinos in the Sun
2005
In this work we study the phenomenological consequences of the dependence of mass varying neutrinos on the neutrino density in the Sun, which we precisely compute in each point along the neutrino trajectory. We find that a generic characteristic of these scenarios is that they establish a connection between the effective Delta m^2 in the Sun and the absolute neutrino mass scale. This does not lead to any new allowed region in the oscillation parameter space. On the contrary, due to this effect, the description of solar neutrino data worsens for large absolute mass. As a consequence a lower bound on the level of degeneracy can be derived from the combined analysis of the solar and KamLAND da…
Zenith angle distributions at Super-Kamiokande and SNO and the solution of the solar neutrino problem
2000
We have performed a detailed study of the zenith angle dependence of the regeneration factor and distributions of events at SNO and SK for different solutions of the solar neutrino problem. In particular, we discuss oscillatory behaviour and the synchronization effect in the distribution for the LMA solution, the parametric peak for the LOW solution, etc.. Physical interpretation of the effects is given. We suggest a new binning of events which emphasizes distinctive features of zenith angle distributions for the different solutions. We also find the correlations between the integrated day-night asymmetry and the rates of events in different zenith angle bins. Study of these correlations st…
Is it possible to explore Peccei-Quinn axions from frequency dependence radiation dimming?
2011
Abstract We explore how the Peccei–Quinn (PQ) axion parameter space can be constrained by the frequency-dependence dimming of radiation from astrophysical objects. To do so we perform accurate calculations of photon–axion conversion in the presence of a variable magnetic field. We propose several tests where the PQ axion parameter space can be explored with current and future astronomical surveys: the observed spectra of isolated neutron stars, occultations of background objects by white dwarfs and neutron stars, the light-curves of eclipsing binaries containing a white dwarf. We find that the lack of dimming of the light-curve of a detached eclipsing white dwarf binary recently observed, l…
Four-neutrino oscillations and the solar neutrino problem
2000
We perform a fit of solar neutrino data in the framework of the two four-neutrino schemes that are compatible with the results of all neutrino oscillation experiments. These schemes allow simultaneous transitions of solar nu_e's into active nu_mu's, nu_tau's and sterile nu_s. The data imply that the SMA solution is valid for any combination of nu_e->active and nu_e->sterile transitions, whereas the LMA, LOW and VO solutions disappear when nu_e->nu_s transitions are dominant.
Can we measure the neutrino mass hierarchy in the sky?
2010
Cosmological probes are steadily reducing the total neutrino mass window, resulting in constraints on the neutrino-mass degeneracy as the most significant outcome. In this work we explore the discovery potential of cosmological probes to constrain the neutrino hierarchy, and point out some subtleties that could yield spurious claims of detection. This has an important implication for next generation of double beta decay experiments, that will be able to achieve a positive signal in the case of degenerate or inverted hierarchy of Majorana neutrinos. We find that cosmological experiments that nearly cover the whole sky could in principle distinguish the neutrino hierarchy by yielding 'substan…
Four-neutrino oscillation solutions of the solar neutrino problem
2000
We present an analysis of the neutrino oscillation solutions of the solar neutrino problem in the framework of four-neutrino mixing where a sterile neutrino is added to the three standard ones. 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 and Kamiokande experiments. In our analysis we use all measured total event rates as well as all Super-Kamiokande data on the zenith angle dependence and the recoil electron energy spectrum. We consider both transitions via the Mikheyev-Smirnov-Wolfenstein (MSW) mechanism as well as oscillations in vacuum (just-so) and find the allowed solutions for different values …
NEUTRINO ASTRONOMY AND COSMIC RAYS AT THE SOUTH POLE: LATEST RESULTS FROM AMANDA AND PERSPECTIVES FOR ICECUBE
2005
The AMANDA neutrino telescope has been in operation at the South Pole since 1996. The present final array configuration, operational since 2000, consists of 677 photomultiplier tubes arranged in 19 strings, buried at depths between 1500 and 2000 m in the ice. The most recent results on a multi-year search for point sources of neutrinos will be shown. The study of events triggered in coincidence with the surface array SPASE and AMANDA provided a result on cosmic ray composition. Expected improvements from IceCube/IceTop will also be discussed.
Probing new physics by comparing solar and KamLAND data
2004
We explore whether KamLAND and solar data may end up inconsistent when analyzed in terms of two-flavor neutrino oscillations. If this turned out to be the case, one would be led to conclude that there is more new physics, besides neutrino masses and mixing, in the leptonic sector. On the other hand, given that KamLAND and solar data currently agree when analyzed in terms of two-flavor neutrino oscillations, one is able to place nontrivial bounds on several manifestations of new physics. In particular, we compute how well a combined KamLAND and solar data analysis is able to constrain a specific form of violation of CPT invariance by placing a very stringent upper bound, |Delta m^2 - Delta b…
Global three-neutrino oscillation analysis of neutrino data
2001
A global analysis of the solar, atmospheric and reactor neutrino data is presented in terms of three-neutrino oscillations. We include the most recent solar neutrino rates of Homestake, SAGE, GALLEX and GNO, as well as the recent 1117 day Super-Kamiokande data sample, including the recoil electron energy spectrum both for day and night periods and we treat in a unified way the full parameter space for oscillations, correctly accounting for the transition from the matter enhanced (MSW) to the vacuum oscillations regime. Likewise, we include in our description conversions with $\theta_{12} > \pi/4$. For the atmospheric data we perform our analysis of the contained events and the upward-going …
IceCube contributions to the XIV International Symposium on Very High Energy Cosmic Ray Interactions (ISVHECRI 2006)
2008
IceCube contributions to the XIV International Symposium on Very High Energy Cosmic Ray Interactions (ISVHECRI 2006) Weihai, China - August 15-22
A road map to solar neutrino fluxes, neutrino oscillation parameters, and tests for new physics
2003
We analyze all available solar and related reactor neutrino experiments, as well as simulated future 7Be, p-p, pep, and ^8B solar neutrino experiments. We treat all solar neutrino fluxes as free parameters subject to the condition that the total luminosity represented by the neutrinos equals the observed solar luminosity (the `luminosity constraint'). Existing experiments show that the p-p solar neutrino flux is 1.02 +- 0.02 (1 sigma) times the flux predicted by the BP00 standard solar model; the 7Be neutrino flux is 0.93^{+0.25}_{-0.63} the predicted flux; and the ^8B flux is 1.01 +- 0.04 the predicted flux. The neutrino oscillation parameters are: Delta m^2 = 7.3^{+0.4}_{-0.6}\times 10^{-…
Does the Sun Shine byppor CNO Fusion Reactions?
2002
We show that solar neutrino experiments set an upper limit of 7.8% (7.3% including the recent KamLAND measurements) to the fraction of energy that the Sun produces via the CNO fusion cycle, which is an order of magnitude improvement upon the previous limit. New experiments are required to detect CNO neutrinos corresponding to the 1.5% of the solar luminosity that the standard solar model predicts is generated by the CNO cycle.
Discovery potential of xenon-based neutrinoless double beta decay experiments in light of small angular scale CMB observations
2013
The South Pole Telescope (SPT) has probed an expanded angular range of the CMB temperature power spectrum. Their recent analysis of the latest cosmological data prefers nonzero neutrino masses, with Sigma m(nu) = (0.32 +/- 0.11) eV. This result, if con firmed by the upcoming Planck data, has deep implications on the discovery of the nature of neutrinos. In particular, the values of the effective neutrino mass m(beta beta) involved in neutrinoless double beta decay (beta beta 0 nu) are severely constrained for both the direct and inverse hierarchy, making a discovery much more likely. In this paper, we focus in xenon-based beta beta 0 nu experiments, on the double grounds of their good perfo…
Solar models and solar neutrino oscillations
2004
We provide a summary of the current knowledge, theoretical and experimental, of solar neutrino fluxes and of the masses and mixing angles that characterize solar neutrino oscillations. We also summarize the principal reasons for doing new solar neutrino experiments and what we think may be learned from the future measurements.
Global Analysis of Solar Neutrino Oscillations Including SNO CC Measurement
2001
For active and sterile neutrinos, we present the globally allowed solutions for two neutrino oscillations. We include the SNO CC measurement and all other relevant solar neutrino and reactor data. Five active neutrino oscillation solutions (LMA, LOW, SMA, VAC, and Just So2) are currently allowed at 3 sigma; three sterile neutrino solutions (Just So2, SMA, and VAC) are allowed at 3 sigma. The goodness of fit is satisfactory for all eight solutions. We also investigate the robustness of the allowed solutions by carrying out global analyses with and without: 1) imposing solar model constraints on the 8B neutrino flux, 2) including the Super-Kamiokande spectral energy distribution and day-night…
Seasonal dependence in the solar neutrino flux
1999
MSW solutions of the solar neutrino problem predict a seasonal dependence of the zenith angle distribution of the event rates, due to the non-zero latitude at the Super-Kamiokande site. We calculate this seasonal dependence and compare it with the expectations in the no-oscillation case as well as just-so scenario, in the light of the latest Super-Kamiokande 708-day data. The seasonal dependence can be sizeable in the large mixing angle MSW solution and would be correlated with the day-night effect. This may be used to discriminate between MSW and just-so scenarios and should be taken into account in refined fits of the data.
Solar neutrinos as probes of neutrino–matter interactions
2004
Data from solar neutrino and KamLAND experiments have led to a discovery of nonzero neutrino masses. Here we investigate what these data can tell us about neutrino interactions with matter, including the poorly constrained flavor-changing nu_e-nu_tau interactions. We give examples of the interaction parameters that are excluded by the solar/KamLAND data and are beyond the reach of other experiments. We also demonstrate that flavor-changing interactions, at the allowed level, may profoundly modify the conversion probability for neutrinos of energy <~ 6 MeV and the values of the mass parameter inferred from the data. The implications for future experiments are discussed.
Status of the MSW solutions of the solar neutrino problem
2000
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…
Solar Neutrinos Before and After Neutrino 2004
2004
We compare, using a three neutrino analysis, the allowed neutrino oscillation parameters and solar neutrino fluxes determined by the experimental data available Before and After Neutrino 2004. New data available after Neutrino2004 include refined KamLAND and gallium measurements. We use six different approaches to analyzing the KamLAND data. We present detailed results using all the available neutrino and anti-neutrino data for Delta m^2_{12}, tan^2 theta_{12}, sin^2 theta_{13}, and sin^2 eta (sterile fraction). Using the same complete data sets, we also present Before and After determinations of all the solar neutrino fluxes, which are treated as free parameters, an upper limit to the lumi…
Solving the solar neutrino puzzle with KamLAND and solar data
2001
We study what will be learnt about the solar neutrino puzzle and solar neutrino oscillations once the data from the KamLAND reactor neutrino experiment (soon to become available) are combined with those from the current solar neutrino experiments. We find that, in agreement with previous estimates, if the solution to the solar neutrino puzzle falls on the LMA region, KamLAND should be able to ``pin-point'' the right solution with unprecedented accuracy after a few years of data taking. Furthermore, the light side ($\theta\pi/4$) at the 95% confidence level (CL) for most of the LMA region allowed by the current data at the 99% CL, while the addition of the KamLAND data need not improve our a…
The 3 Cavity Prototypes of RADES: An Axion Detector Using Microwave Filters at CAST
2019
The Relic Axion Detector Experimental Setup (RADES) is an axion search project that uses a microwave filter as resonator for Dark Matter conversion. The main focus of this publication is the description of the 3 different cavity prototypes of RADES. The result of the first tests of one of the prototypes is also presented. The filters consist of 5 or 6 stainless steel sub-cavities joined by rectangular irises. The size of the sub-cavities determines the working frequency, the amount of sub-cavities determine the working volume. The first cavity prototype was built in 2017 to work at a frequency of $\sim$ 8.4 GHz and it was placed at the 9 T CAST dipole magnet at CERN. Two more prototypes wer…
Solar Neutrinos Before and After KamLAND
2002
We use the recently reported KamLAND measurements on oscillations of reactor anti-neutrinos, together with the data of previously reported solar neutrino experiments, to show that: (1) the total 8B neutrino flux emitted by the Sun is 1.00(1.0 \pm 0.06) of the standard solar model (BP00) predicted flux, (2) the KamLAND measurements reduce the area of the globally allowed oscillation regions that must be explored in model fitting by six orders of magnitude in the Delta m^2-tan^2 theta plane, (3) LMA is now the unique oscillation solution to a CL of 4.7sigma, (4) maximal mixing is disfavored at 3.1 sigma, (5) active-sterile admixtures are constrained to sin^2 eta<0.13 at 1 sigma, (6) the ob…
Status of the MSW Solutions to the Solar Neutrino Problem
2000
In this talk we present the results of 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 including the the full data set corresponding to the 825-day Super-Kamiokande data sample as well as to Chlorine, GALLEX and SAGE experiments.
Photo-z optimization for measurements of the BAO radial scale
2009
ArXiv pre-print avaible at:http://arxiv.org/abs/0812.3414
The IceCube prototype string in Amanda
2006
The Antarctic Muon And Neutrino Detector Array (Amanda) is a high-energy neutrino telescope. It is a lattice of optical modules (OM) installed in the clear ice below the South Pole Station. Each OM contains a photomultiplier tube (PMT) that detects photons of Cherenkov light generated in the ice by muons and electrons. IceCube is a cubic-kilometer-sized expansion of Amanda currently being built at the South Pole. In IceCube the PMT signals are digitized already in the optical modules and transmitted to the surface. A prototype string of 41 OMs equipped with this new all-digital technology was deployed in the Amanda array in the year 2000. In this paper we describe the technology and demonst…
Non-linear evolution of the cosmic neutrino background
2012
We investigate the non-linear evolution of the relic cosmic neutrino background by running large box-size, high resolution N-body simulations which incorporate cold dark matter (CDM) and neutrinos as independent particle species. Our set of simulations explore the properties of neutrinos in a reference Lambda CDM model with total neutrino masses between 0.05-0.60 eV in cold dark matter haloes of mass 10(11) – 10(15) h(-1) M-circle dot, over a redshift range z = 0 – 2. We compute the halo mass function and show that it is reasonably well fitted by the Sheth-Tormen formula, once the neutrino contribution to the total matter is removed. More importantly, we focus on the CDM and neutrino proper…
Limits on the muon flux from neutralino annihilations at the center of the Earth with AMANDA
2006
A search has been performed for nearly vertically upgoing neutrino-induced muons with the Antarctic Muon And Neutrino Detector Array (AMANDA), using data taken over the three year period 1997–99. No excess above the expected atmospheric neutrino background has been found. Upper limits at 90% confidence level have been set on the annihilation rate of neutralinos at the center of the Earth, as well as on the muon flux at AMANDA induced by neutrinos created by the annihilation products.
Multiyear search for a diffuse flux of muon neutrinos with AMANDA-II
2007
A search for TeV - PeV muon neutrinos from unresolved sources was performed on AMANDA-II data collected between 2000 and 2003 with an equivalent livetime of 807 days. This diffuse analysis sought to find an extraterrestrial neutrino flux from sources with non-thermal components. The signal is expected to have a harder spectrum than the atmospheric muon and neutrino backgrounds. Since no excess of events was seen in the data over the expected background, an upper limit of E^{2}\Phi_{90% C.L.} < 7.4 x 10^{-8} GeV cm^{-2} s^{-1} sr^{-1} is placed on the diffuse flux of muon neutrinos with a \Phi \propto E^{-2} spectrum in the energy range 16 TeV to 2.5 PeV. This is currently the most sensitive…
Cosmological data analysis of f(R) gravity models
2009
A class of well-behaved modified gravity models with long enough matter domination epoch and a late-time accelerated expansion is confronted with SNIa, CMB, SDSS, BAO and H(z) galaxy ages data, as well as current measurements of the linear growth of structure. We show that the combination of geometrical probes and growth data exploited here allows to rule out f(R) gravity models, in particular, the logarithmic of curvature model. We also apply solar system tests to the models in agreement with the cosmological data. We find that the exponential of the inverse of the curvature model satisfies all the observational tests considered and we derive the allowed range of parameters. Current data s…
Five years of searches for point sources of astrophysical neutrinos with the AMANDA-II neutrino telescope
2007
We report the results of a five-year survey of the northern sky to search for point sources of high energy neutrinos. The search was performed on the data collected with the AMANDA-II neutrino telescope in the years 2000 to 2004, with a live-time of 1001 days. The sample of selected events consists of 4282 upward going muon tracks with high reconstruction quality and an energy larger than about 100 GeV. We found no indication of point sources of neutrinos and set 90% confidence level flux upper limits for an all-sky search and also for a catalog of 32 selected sources. For the all-sky search, our average (over declination and right ascension) experimentally observed upper limit \Phi^{0}=(E/…
SOLAR MODELS WITH ACCRETION. I. APPLICATION TO THE SOLAR ABUNDANCE PROBLEM
2011
We generate new standard solar models using newly analyzed nuclear fusion cross sections and present results for helioseismic quantities and solar neutrino fluxes. We discuss the status of the solar abundance problem and investigate whether nonstandard solar models with accretion from the protoplanetary disk might alleviate the problem. We examine a broad range of possibilities, analyzing both metal-enriched and metal-depleted accretion models and exploring three scenarios for the timing of the accretion. Only partial solutions are found: one can bring either the depth of the convective zone or the surface helium abundance into agreement with helioseismic results, but not both simultaneousl…
Neutrino halos in clusters of galaxies and their weak lensing signature
2011
We study whether non-linear gravitational effects of relic neutrinos on the development of clustering and large-scale structure may be observable by weak gravitational lensing. We compute the density profile of relic massive neutrinos in a spherical model of a cluster of galaxies, for several neutrino mass schemes and cluster masses. Relic neutrinos add a small perturbation to the mass profile, making it more extended in the outer parts. In principle, this non-linear neutrino perturbation is detectable in an all-sky weak lensing survey such as EUCLID by averaging the shear profile of a large fraction of the visible massive clusters in the universe, or from its signature in the general weak …
Neutrino Masses and Mixing one Decade from Now
2000
We review the status of neutrino masses and mixings in the light of the solar and atmospheric neutrino data. The result from the LSND experiment is also considered. We discuss the present knowledge and the expected sensitivity to the neutrino mixing parameters in the simplest schemes proposed to reconcile these data some of which include a light sterile neutrino in addition to the three standard ones.
On the selection of AGN neutrino source candidates for a source stacking analysis with neutrino telescopes
2006
The sensitivity of a search for sources of TeV neutrinos can be improved by grouping potential sources together into generic classes in a procedure that is known as source stacking. In this paper, we define catalogs of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) and use them to perform a source stacking analysis. The grouping of AGN into classes is done in two steps: first, AGN classes are defined, then, sources to be stacked are selected assuming that a potential neutrino flux is linearly correlated with the photon luminosity in a certain energy band (radio, IR, optical, keV, GeV, TeV). Lacking any secure detailed knowledge on neutrino production in AGN, this correlation is motivated by hadronic AGN mode…
Solar Neutrino Observables Sensitive to Matter Effects
2010
We discuss constraints on the coefficient A_{MSW} which is introduced to simulate the effect of weaker or stronger matter potential for electron neutrinos with the current and future solar neutrino data. The currently available solar neutrino data leads to a bound A_{MSW} = 1.47^{-0.42}_{+0.54} (^{-0.82}_{+1.88}) at 1\sigma (3\sigma) CL, which is consistent with the Standard Model prediction A_{MSW} = 1. For weaker matter potential (A_{MSW} 1), the bound is milder and is dominated by the day-night asymmetry of ^8B neutrino flux recently observed by Super-Kamiokande. Among the list of observable of ongoing and future solar neutrino experiments, we find that (1) an improved precision of the d…
What can we learn from neutrinoless double beta decay experiments?
2004
We assess how well next generation neutrinoless double beta decay and normal neutrino beta decay experiments can answer four fundamental questions. 1) If neutrinoless double beta decay searches do not detect a signal, and if the spectrum is known to be inverted hierarchy, can we conclude that neutrinos are Dirac particles? 2) If neutrinoless double beta decay searches are negative and a next generation ordinary beta decay experiment detects the neutrino mass scale, can we conclude that neutrinos are Dirac particles? 3) If neutrinoless double beta decay is observed with a large neutrino mass element, what is the total mass in neutrinos? 4) If neutrinoless double beta decay is observed but ne…
Energy-independent new physics in the flavour ratios of high-energy astrophysical neutrinos
2010
We have studied the consequences of breaking the CPT symmetry in the neutrino sector, using the expected high-energy neutrino flux from distant cosmological sources such as active galaxies. For this purpose we have assumed three different hypotheses for the neutrino production model, characterised by the flavour fluxes at production phi(0)(e) : phi(0)(mu) : phi(0)(tau) = 1 : 2 : 0, 0 : 1 : 0, and 1 : 0 : 0, and studied the theoretical and experimental expectations for the muon-neutrino flux at Earth, phi(mu), and for the flavour ratios at Earth, R = phi(mu)/phi(e) and S = phi(tau)/phi(mu). CPT violation (CPTV) has been implemented by adding an energy-independent term to the standard neutrin…
Neutrinoless double beta decay in light of SNO salt data
2003
In the SNO data from its salt run, probably the most significant result is the consistency with the previous results without assuming the 8B energy spectrum. In addition, they have excluded the maximal mixing at a very high confidence level. This has an important implication on the double beta decay experiments. For the inverted or degenerate mass spectrum, we find |_{ee}| > 0.013 eV at 95% CL, and the next generation experiments can discriminate Majorana and Dirac neutrinos if the inverted or degenerate mass spectrum will be confirmed by the improvements in cosmology, tritium data beta decay, or long-baseline oscillation experiments.
Status of the Gribov-Pontecorvo solution to the solar neutrino problem
2001
We discuss the status of the Gribov-Pontecorvo (GP) solution to the solar neutrino problem. This solution naturally appears in bimaximal neutrino mixing and reduces the solar and atmospheric neutrino problems to vacuum oscillations of three active neutrinos. The GP solution predicts an energy-independent suppression of the solar neutrino flux. It is disfavoured by the rate of the Homestake detector, but its statistical significance greatly improves, when the chlorine rate and the boron neutrino flux are slightly rescaled, and when the Super-Kamiokande neutrino spectrum is included in the analysis. Our results show that rescaling of the chlorine signal by only 10% is sufficient for the GP so…
Absence of a day-night asymmetry in the7Be solar neutrino rate in Borexino
2012
We report on a search for the day-night asymmetry of the Be-7 solar neutrino rate measured by Borexino at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS), Italy. The measured value, Adn=0.001 +- 0.012 (stat) +- 0.007 (syst), shows the absence of a significant asymmetry. This result alone rejects the so-called LOW solution at more than 8.5 sigma. Combined with the other solar neutrino data, it isolates the Large Mixing Angle (LMA) -- MSW solution at DeltaChi2 > 190 without relying on the assumption of CPT symmetry in the neutrino sector. We also show that including the day-night asymmetry, data from Borexino alone restricts the MSW neutrino oscillations to the LMA solution at 90% confidence l…
A non-resonant dark-side solution to the solar neutrino problem
2001
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…
Using the standard solar model to constrain solar composition and nuclear reaction S factors
2013
While standard solar model (SSM) predictions depend on approximately 20 input parameters, SSM neutrino flux predictions are strongly correlated with a single model output parameter, the core temperature T-c. Consequently, one can extract physics from solar neutrino flux measurements while minimizing the consequences of SSM uncertainties, by studying flux ratios with appropriate power-law weightings tuned to cancel this T-c dependence. We reexamine an idea for constraining the primordial C + N content of the solar core from a ratio of CN-cycle O-15 to pp-chain B-8 neutrino fluxes, showing that non-nuclear SSM uncertainties in the ratio are small and effectively governed by a single parameter…
Solar and Atmospheric Four-Neutrino Oscillations
2001
We present an analysis of the neutrino oscillation solutions of the solar and atmospheric neutrino problems in the framework of four-neutrino mixing where a sterile neutrino is added to the three standard ones and the mass spectra presents two separated doublets. Such scenarios allow for simultaneous transitions of solar $\nu_e$, as well as atmospheric $\nu_\mu$, into active and sterile neutrinos controlled by the additional mixing angles $\vartheta_{23}$ and $\vartheta_{24}$, and they contain as limiting cases the pure solar $\nu_e$-active and $\nu_e$-sterile neutrino oscillations, and the pure atmospheric $\nu_\mu\to\nu_s$ and $\nu_\mu\to\nu_\tau$ oscillations, respectively. We evaluate t…