Astrophysical Implications of the Induced Neutrino Magnetic Moment from Large Extra Dimensions

Theories involving extra dimensions, a low (TeV) string scale and bulk singlet neutrinos will produce an effective neutrino magnetic moment which may be large (< 10^{-11} mu_B). The effective magnetic moment increases with neutrino energy, and therefore high energy reactions are most useful for limiting the allowed number of extra dimensions. We examine constraints from both neutrino-electron scattering and also astrophysical environments. We find that supernova energy loss considerations require a number of extra dimensions, n > 1, for an electron neutrino-bulk neutrino Yukawa coupling of order 1.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures, figure added, references adde

Soviet experience of underground coal gasification focusing on surface subsidence

Global coal mining activity is increasing due to demands for cheap energy and the availability of large coal deposits around the world; however, the risks associated with conventional coal mining activities remain relatively high. Underground coal gasification (UCG), also known as in-situ coal gasification (ISCG) is a promising alternative method of accessing energy resources derived from coal. UCG is a physical-chemical-geotechnical method of coal mining that has several advantages over traditional mining, for example, its applicability in areas where conventional mining methods are not suitable and the reduction of hazards associated with working underground. The main disadvantages of UCG are the possibility of underground water pollution and surface subsidence. This work is focused on the latter issue. A thorough understanding of subsidence issues is a crucial step to implement UCG on a wide scale. Scientists point out the scarce available data on strata deformations resulting from UCG. The former Soviet Union countries have a long history of developing the science related to UCG and experimenting with its application. However, the Soviet development occurred in relative isolation and this makes a modern review of the Soviet experience valuable. There are some literature sources dealing with Soviet UCG projects; however, they are neither up-to-date nor focus on aspects that are of particular importance to surface subsidence, including geological profiles, strata physical-mechanical properties, thermal properties of geomaterials, and temperature spreading. The goal of this work is to increase the knowledge on these aspects in the English-speaking science community

Constraints on the axion-electron coupling for solar axions produced by Compton process and bremsstrahlung

The search for solar axions produced by Compton ($\gamma+e^-\rightarrow e^-+A$) and bremsstrahlung-like ($e^-+Z \rightarrow Z+e^-+A$) processes has been performed. The axion flux in the both cases depends on the axion-electron coupling constant. The resonant excitation of low-lying nuclear level of $^{169}\rm{Tm}$ was looked for: $A+^{169}$Tm $\rightarrow ^{169}$Tm$^*$ $\rightarrow ^{169}$Tm $+ \gamma$ (8.41 keV). The Si(Li) detector and $^{169}$Tm target installed inside the low-background setup were used to detect 8.41 keV $\gamma$-rays. As a result, a new model independent restriction on the axion-electron and the axion-nucleon couplings was obtained: $g_{Ae}\times|g^0_{AN}+ g^3_{AN}|\leq 2.1\times10^{-14}$. In model of hadronic axion this restriction corresponds to the upper limit on the axion-electron coupling and on the axion mass $g_{Ae}\times m_A\leq3.1\times10^{-7}$ eV (90% c.l.). The limits on axion mass are $m_A\leq$ 105 eV and $m_A\leq$ 1.3 keV for DFSZ- and KSVZ-axion models, correspondingly (90% c.l.).Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure

Does the neutrino magnetic moment have an impact on solar neutrino physics?

Solar neutrino observations coupled with the recent KamLAND data suggest that spin-flavor precession scenario does not play a major role in neutrino propagation in the solar matter. We provide approximate analytical formulas and numerical results to estimate the contribution of the spin-flavor precession, if any, to the electron neutrino survival probability when the magnetic moment and magnetic field combination is small.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figure

Tau neutrino magnetic moments from the Super-Kamiokande and ν\nu e-scattering data

Combined results on $\nu_{\mu}\to \nu_{\tau}$ oscillations and $\nu e$-scattering from the Super-Kamiokande and LAMPF experiments, respectively, limit the Dirac $\nu_{\tau}$ diagonal magnetic moment to $\mu_{\nu_{\tau}} < 1.9\times 10^{-9} \mu_{B}$. For the scheme with 3 Majorana neutrinos the LAMPF results allow the limitation of effective $\nu_{\tau}$ magnetic moment to $\mu_{\nu_{\tau}} < 7.6 \times 10^{-10}\mu_{B}$. The moments in the scheme with additional Majorana light sterile neutrinos as well as experiments on stimulated radiative neutrino conversion are also discussed.Comment: 12 pages, To appear in Phys. Lett.

Neutrino magnetic moments, flavor mixing, and the SuperKamiokande solar data

We find that magnetic neutrino-electron scattering is unaffected by oscillations for vacuum mixing of Dirac neutrinos with only diagonal moments and for Majorana neutrinos with two flavors. For MSW mixing, these cases again obtain, though the effective moments can depend on the neutrino energy. Thus, e.g., the magnetic moments measured with $\bar{\nu}_e$ from a reactor and $\nu_e$ from the Sun could be different. With minimal assumptions, we find a new limit on $\mu_{\nu}$ using the 825-days SuperKamiokande solar neutrino data: $|\mu_{\nu}| \le 1.5\times 10^{-10} \mu_B$ at 90% CL, comparable to the existing reactor limit.Comment: 4 pages including two inline figures. New version has 825 days SK result, some minor revisions. Accepted for Physical Review Letter

Search for axioelectric effect of 5.5 MeV solar axions using BGO detectors

A search for axioelectric absorption of solar axions produced in the $p + d \rightarrow {^3\rm{He}}+\gamma (5.5 \rm{MeV})$ reactions has been performed with a BGO detector placed in a low-background setup. A model-independent limit on an axion-nucleon and axion-electron coupling constant has been obtained: $| g_{Ae}\times g_{AN}^3|< 2.9\times 10^{-9}$ for 90% confidence level. The constrains of the axion-electron coupling have been obtained for hadronic axion with masses in (0.1 - 1) MeV range: $|g_{Ae}| \leq (1.4 - 9.7)\times 10^{-7}$.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, to be published in EPJ C. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1007.338

Search for solar axions produced by Compton process and bremsstrahlung using the resonant absorption and axioelectric effect

The search for resonant absorption of Compton and bremsstrahlung solar axions by $^{169}$Tm nuclei have been performed. Such an absorption should lead to the excitation of low-lying nuclear energy level: $A+^{169}$Tm $\rightarrow ^{169}$Tm$^*$ $\rightarrow ^{169}$Tm $+ \gamma$ (8.41 keV). Additionally the axio-electric effect in silicon atoms is sought. The axions are detected using a Si(Li) detectors placed in a low-background setup. As a result, a new model independent restrictions on the axion-electron and the axion-nucleon coupling: $g_{Ae}\times|g^0_{AN}+ g^3_{AN}|\leq 2.1\times10^{-14}$ and the axion-electron coupling constant: $|g_{Ae}| \leq 2.2\times 10^{-10}$ has been obtained. The limits leads to the bounds $m_{A}\leq$ 7.9 eV and $m_{A}\leq$ 1.3 keV for the mass of the axion in the DFSZ and KSVZ models, respectively ($90\%$ C.L.).Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, contributed to the 9th Patras Workshop on Axions, WIMPs and WISPs, Mainz, June 24-28, 201