3,548 research outputs found

    Large mixing angles for neutrinos from infrared fixed points

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    Radiative amplification of neutrino mixing angles may explain the large values required by solar and atmospheric neutrino oscillations. Implementation of such mechanism in the Standard Model and many of its extensions (including the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model) to amplify the solar angle, the atmospheric or both requires (at least two) quasi-degenerate neutrino masses, but is not always possible. When it is, it involves a fine-tuning between initial conditions and radiative corrections. In supersymmetric models with neutrino masses generated through the Kahler potential, neutrino mixing angles can easily be driven to large values at low energy as they approach infrared pseudo-fixed points at large mixing (in stark contrast with conventional scenarios, that have infrared pseudo-fixed points at zero mixing). In addition, quasi-degeneracy of neutrino masses is not always required.Comment: 36 pages, 7 ps figure

    Theoretical Constraints on the Vacuum Oscillation Solution to the Solar Neutrino Problem

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    The vacuum oscillation (VO) solution to the solar anomaly requires an extremely small neutrino mass splitting, Delta m^2_{sol}\leq 10^{-10} eV^2. We study under which circumstances this small splitting (whatever its origin) is or is not spoiled by radiative corrections. The results depend dramatically on the type of neutrino spectrum. If m_1^2 \sim m_2^2 \geq m_3^2, radiative corrections always induce too large mass splittings. Moreover, if m_1 and m_2 have equal signs, the solar mixing angle is driven by the renormalization group evolution to very small values, incompatible with the VO scenario (however, the results could be consistent with the small-angle MSW scenario). If m_1 and m_2 have opposite signs, the results are analogous, except for some small (though interesting) windows in which the VO solution may be natural with moderate fine-tuning. Finally, for a hierarchical spectrum of neutrinos, m_1^2 << m_2^2 << m_3^2, radiative corrections are not dangerous, and therefore this scenario is the only plausible one for the VO solution.Comment: 13 pages, LaTeX, 3 ps figures (psfig.sty

    General RG Equations for Physical Neutrino Parameters and their Phenomenological Implications

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    The neutral leptonic sector of the Standard Model presumably consists of three neutrinos with non-zero Majorana masses with properties further determined by three mixing angles and three CP-violating phases. We derive the general renormalization group equations for these physical parameters and apply them to study the impact of radiative effects on neutrino physics. In particular, we examine the existing solutions to the solar and atmospheric neutrino problems, derive conclusions on their theoretical naturalness, and show how some of the measured neutrino parameters could be determined by purely radiative effects. For example, the mass splitting and mixing angle suggested by solar neutrino data could be entirely explained as a radiative effect if the small angle MSW solution is realized. On the other hand, the mass splitting required by atmospheric neutrino data is probably determined by unknown physics at a high energy scale. We also discuss the effect of non-zero CP-violating phases on radiative corrections

    Theoretical Constraints on the Vacuum Oscillation Solution to the Solar Neutrino Problem

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    Abstract The vacuum oscillation (VO) solution to the solar anomaly requires an extremely small neutrino mass splitting, ∆m 2 sol &lt; ∼ 10 −10 eV 2 . We study under which circumstances this small splitting (whatever its origin) is or is not spoiled by radiative corrections. The results depend dramatically on the type of neutrino spectrum. , radiative corrections always induce too large mass splittings. Moreover, if m 1 and m 2 have equal signs, the solar mixing angle is driven by the renormalization group evolution to very small values, incompatible with the VO scenario (however, the results could be consistent with the small-angle MSW scenario). If m 1 and m 2 have opposite signs, the results are analogous, except for some small (though interesting) windows in which the VO solution may be natural with moderate fine-tuning. Finally, for a hierarchical spectrum of neutrinos, m 2 1 ≪ m 2 2 ≪ m 2 3 , radiative corrections are not dangerous, and therefore this scenario is the only plausible one for the VO solution

    A combined approach to assessing the conservation status of Cap des Trois Fourches as a potential MPA: is there a shortage of MPAs in the Southern Mediterranean?

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    The Mediterranean basin is recognized as one of the most diverse regions on the planet, but is being threatened by overexploitation and habitat loss. Furthermore, the Strait of Gibraltar and adjacent Alboran Sea have been identified as representing an important habitat for many threatened or endangered species. In this context, one vehicle for marine conservation is the creation of marine protected sites, although Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are neither large nor representative enough to form an effective network of protection. An inventory of the benthic communities and habitats of conservation interest has been carried out in Cap des Trois Fourches, an ecological and biogeographical site of interest. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed differences for marine communities among habitats and localities, indicating a great diversity in marine assemblages but an absence of a spatial gradient in marine α-diversity. The Trois Fourches area showed a high environmental quality and hosted several endangered species. Habitats of conservation concern, such as marine caves, seagrass meadows and coralligenous assemblages, were detected and studied. The scientific data recorded provide sound support for the establishment of a new MPA in Trois Fourches, taking into account that the findings match the scientific criteria required for declaration as a protected area. The benefits for connectivity at the Mediterranean scale and the local economy are discussed

    Scale-independent mixing angles

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    A radiatively-corrected mixing angle has to be independent of the choice of renormalization scale to be a physical observable. At one-loop in MS-bar, this only occurs for a particular value, p*, of the external momentum in the two-point functions used to define the mixing angle: p*^2=(M1^2+M2^2)/2, where M1, M2 are the physical masses of the two mixed particles. We examine two important applications of this to the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model: the mixing angle for a) neutral Higgs bosons and b) stops. We find that this choice of external momentum improves the scale independence (and therefore provides a more reliable determination) of these mixing angles.Comment: 14 pages, 11 ps figures Version to appear in PR

    Adsorption of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products on Granular Activated Carbon

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    We investigated the adsorption to granular activated carbon of two pharmaceuticals (carbamazepine and sildenafil citrate) and a personal-care product (methylparaben) in aqueous solution, characterized the carbon, and evaluated its influence on the kinetics and adsorption equilibrium of the compounds under study. We adjusted data for the analysis of equilibrium to Langmuir and Freundlich models of adsorption isotherms and described adsorption rate using pseudo first- and second-order models; that same analysis was made on the basis of the behavior of the initial rate. In addition, we analyzed the potentiality of a nonlinear adjustment for studying kinetics and equilibrium of adsorption, an approach requiring neither knowledge of equilibrium conditions nor a-priori hypothetical suppositions regarding the order of reaction. The results indicated that the nonlinear model was capable of describing adsorption kinetic behavior, in order to determine concentrations adsorbed at equilibrium, adsorption rates of the system, maximum adsorption capacity, and global rate constant. Granular carbon exhibited an adsorption capacity for carbamazepine and methylparaben of ca. 323 mg/g and for sildenafil citrate of ca. 142 mg/g, though with slow adsorption kinetics characterized by average adsorption times of at least 168 h.Facultad de Ciencias ExactasFacultad de Ingeniería (FI

    Nearly degenerate neutrinos, Supersymmetry and radiative corrections

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    If neutrinos are to play a relevant cosmological role, they must be essentially degenerate with a mass matrix of the bimaximal mixing type. We study this scenario in the MSSM framework, finding that if neutrino masses are produced by a see-saw mechanism, the radiative corrections give rise to mass splittings and mixing angles that can accommodate the atmospheric and the (large angle MSW) solar neutrino oscillations. This provides a natural origin for the Δmsol2<<Δmatm2\Delta m^2_{sol} << \Delta m^2_{atm} hierarchy. On the other hand, the vacuum oscillation solution to the solar neutrino problem is always excluded. We discuss also in the SUSY scenario other possible effects of radiative corrections involving the new neutrino Yukawa couplings, including implications for triviality limits on the Majorana mass, the infrared fixed point value of the top Yukawa coupling, and gauge coupling and bottom-tau unification.Comment: 32 pages, 12 Postscript figures, uses psfig.st
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