Electron capture on ^{8}B nuclei and Superkamiokande results

The energy spectrum of recoil electrons from solar neutrino scattering, as observed by Superkamiokande, is deformed with respect to that expected from SSM calculations. We considered \nu-e scattering from neutrinos produced by the electron-capture on ^{8}B nuclei, e^{-}+^{8}B --> ^{8}Be^{*}+\nu_{e}, as a possible explanation of the spectral deformation. A flux \Phi_{eB}\simeq 10^{4} cm^{-2} s^{-1} could account for Superkamiokande solar neutrino data. However this explanation is untenable, since the theoretical prediction, \Phi_{eB}=(1.3+-0.2) cm^{-2} s^{-1}, is smaller by four orders of magnitude.Comment: 9 pages, incl. 3 figures (epsfig

What will the first year of SNO show?

The ratio of the measured to the predicted standard model CC event rates in SNO will be 0.47 if no oscillations occur. The best-fit active oscillation predictions for the CC ratio are: 0.35-39 (MSW) and 0.38-42 (vacuum) (all for a 5 MeV energy threshold), typically about 20% less than the no-oscillation expectation. We calculate the predicted ratios for six active and sterile neutrino oscillation solutions allowed at 99% CL and determine the dependence of the ratios on energy threshold. If the high-energy anomaly observed by SuperKamiokande is due to an enhanced hep flux, MSW active solutions predict that out of a total of 5000 CC events above 5 MeV in SNO between 49 and 54 events will be observed above 13 MeV whereas only 19 events are expected for no-oscillations and a nominal standard hep flux.Comment: Phys Lett accepted. Editorial corrections. Related material and viewgraphs at http://www.sns.ias.edu/~jn

Neutrino Mixing and Future Solar Neutrino Experiments

Possibilities of a model independent treatment of the data from future real-time solar neutrino experiments (SNO, Super-Kamiokande and others) are discussed. It is shown that in the general case of transitions of the initial solar $\nu_e$'s into $\nu_\mu$ and/or $\nu_\tau$ the total flux of initial 8B neutrinos and the $\nu_e$ survival probability can be determined directly from the experimental data. Lower bounds for the probability of transition of solar $\nu_e$'s into all possible sterile states are derived and expressed through measurable quantities.Comment: 3 pages. Compressed postscript file. If you prefer the uncompressed postscript file or a hardcopy of the paper, please write to [email protected]. Talk presented by S.M. Bilenky at TAUP93. DFTT 66/9

Sterile Neutrinos and Future Solar Neutrino Experiments

It is shown that future solar neutrino experiments (SNO, Super-Kamiokande and others), in which high energy neutrinos will be detected (mostly from 8B decay), may allow to answer in a model independent way the question whether there are transitions of solar $\nu_e$'s into sterile states. No assumptions about the initial flux of 8B neutrinos are done. Lower bounds for the probability of transition of solar $\nu_e$'s into all possible sterile states are derived and expressed through measurable quantities.Comment: DFTT 62/93. 11 pages, 1 figure (included). Compressed Postscript file. If you prefer the uncompressed postscript file or a hardcopy of the paper, please write to [email protected]

Solar Neutrinos

Experimental work with solar neutrinos has illuminated the properties of neutrinos and tested models of how the sun produces its energy. Three experiments continue to take data, and at least seven are in various stages of planning or construction. In this review, the current experimental status is summarized, and future directions explored with a focus on the effects of a non-zero theta-13 and the interesting possibility of directly testing the luminosity constraint. Such a confrontation at the few-percent level would provide a prediction of the solar irradiance tens of thousands of years in the future for comparison with the present-day irradiance. A model-independent analysis of existing low-energy data shows good agreement between the neutrino and electromagnetic luminosities at the +/- 20 % level.Comment: 16 pages, 8 figures. Proceedings of International School on Nuclear Physics; 27th Course: "Neutrinos in Cosmology, in Astro, Particle and Nuclear Physics" in Erice, Sicily, Italy; September 16 - 24, 2005. To be published in Progress Part. Nucl. Phy

Solar Neutrinos: Where We Are, What We Need

This talk compares standard model predictions with the results of solar neutrino experiments. Here `standard model' means the combined standard model of minimal electroweak theory plus a standard solar model. I emphasize the importance of recent analyses in which the neutrino fluxes are treated as free parameters, independent of any constraints from solar models, and the stunning agreement between the predictions of standard solar models and helioseismological measurements. In order to interpret solar neutrino experiments more accurately in terms of fundamental physics and astronomy, we need improved improved nuclear physics data. I describe the five most important nuclear physics problems whose solution is required for understanding the precise implications of solar neutrino experiments.Comment: 20 pages, RevTeX file. To appear in the Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Few-Body Problems in Physics, Groningen, The Netherlands, 22--26 July 1997, ed. J. C. S. Bacelar, A. E. L. Dieperink, and R. A. Malfliet (Amsterdam: Elsevier Science Publishers). Related material at http://www.sns.ias.edu/~jn

A Mixed Solar Core, Solar Neutrinos and Helioseismology

We consider a wide class of solar models with mixed core. Most of these models can be excluded as the predicted sound speed profile is in sharp disagreement with helioseismic constraints. All the remaining models predict $^7$Be and/or $^7$B neutrino fluxes at least as large as those of SSMs. In conclusion, helioseismology shows that a mixed solar core cannot account for the neutrino deficit implied by the current solar neutrino experiments.Comment: 6 pages, RevTeX, plus 5 postscript figure

Potential for Precision Measurement of Solar Neutrino Luminosity by HERON

Results are presented for a simulation carried out to test the precision with which a detector design (HERON) based on a superfluid helium target material should be able to measure the solar pp and Be7 fluxes. It is found that precisions of +/- 1.68% and +/- 2.97% for pp and Be7 fluxes, respectively, should be achievable in a 5-year data sample. The physics motivation to aim for these precisions is outlined as are the detector design, the methods used in the simulation and sensitivity to solar orbit eccentricity.Comment: 15 pages, 11 figure

Present Status of the Theoretical Predictions for the ^(37)Cl Solar-Neutrino Experiment

The theoretical predictions for the ^(37)Cl solar-neutrino experiment are summarized and compared with the experimental results of Davis, Harmer, and Hoffman. Three important conclusions about the sun are shown to follow

Cross Section Uncertainties in the Gallium Neutrino Source Experiments

The 51Cr neutrino source experiments play a unique role in testing overall operations of the GALLEX and SAGE solar neutrino experiments. Recently Hata and Haxton argued that the excited-state contribution to the 71Ga cross section for 51Cr neutrino absorption might not be known reliably, despite forward-angle (p,n) measurements. A large-basis shell model calculation reported here indicates that the unusual situation they envisioned - destructive interference between weak spin and strong spin-tensor amplitudes - does occur for the transition to the first excited state in 71Ge. The calculation provides a counterexample to procedures previously used to determine the 51Cr cross section: the predicted (p,n) cross section for this state agrees with experiment, while the BGT value is well outside the accepted 3-standard-deviation limit. The results argue for a shift in the interpretation of the source experiments: they become more crucial as measurements of the 71Ga detector response to 7Be solar neutrinos, and less definitive as wholly independent tests of 71Ge recovery and counting efficiencies.Comment: 14 pages, 2 figures, Revte