1,238 research outputs found
Status of neutrino oscillations 2018: first 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~\cite{Forero:2014bxa}. 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 NOA, 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 oscillation analysis by including the 2055-day day/night
spectrum from the fourth phase of the Super-Kamiokande experiment. With the new
data we find a preference for the atmospheric angle in the upper octant for
both neutrino mass orderings, with maximal mixing allowed at for normal (inverted) ordering. We also obtain a strong
preference for values of the CP phase in the range ,
excluding values close to at more than 4. More remarkably, our
global analysis shows for the first time hints in favour of the normal mass
ordering over the inverted one at more than 3. We discuss in detail the
origin of the mass ordering, CP violation and octant sensitivities, analyzing
the interplay among the different neutrino data samples.Comment: Updated neutrino oscillation analysis using the most recent results
from T2K, NOA, RENO and Super-Kamiokande. 17 pages, 8 figures, 1 tabl
Correlations of the elements of the neutrino mass matrix
Assuming Majorana nature of neutrinos, we re-investigate, in the light of the
recent measurement of the reactor mixing angle, the allowed ranges for the
absolute values of the elements of the neutrino mass matrix in the basis where
the charged-lepton mass matrix is diagonal. Apart from the derivation of upper
and lower bounds on the values of the matrix elements, we also study their
correlations. Moreover, we analyse the sensitivity of bounds and correlations
to the global fit results of the neutrino oscillation parameters which are
available in the literature.Comment: 37 pages, 146 figures, minor corrections, 17 additional figures,
version for publication in JHE
Two-parameter neutrino mass matrices with two texture zeros
We reanalyse Majorana-neutrino mass matrices M_nu with two texture zeros, by
searching for viable hybrid textures in which the non-zero matrix elements of
M_nu have simple ratios. Referring to the classification scheme of Frampton,
Glashow and Marfatia, we find that the mass matrix denoted by A1 allows the
ratios (M_nu)_{mu mu} : (Mnu)_{tau tau} = 1:1 and (M_nu)_{e tau} : (Mnu)_{mu
tau} = 1:2. There are analogous ratios for texture A2. With these two hybrid
textures, one obtains, for instance, good agreement with the data if one
computes the three mixing angles in terms of the experimentally determined
mass-squared differences Delta m^2_21 and Delta m^2_31. We could not find
viable hybrid textures based on mass matrices different from those of cases A1
and A2.Comment: 10 pages, no figures, minor changes, some references adde
Characterizing SL2S galaxy groups using the Einstein radius
We analyzed the Einstein radius, , in our sample of SL2S galaxy
groups, and compared it with (the distance from the arcs to the center of
the lens), using three different approaches: 1.- the velocity dispersion
obtained from weak lensing assuming a Singular Isothermal Sphere profile
(), 2.- a strong lensing analytical method ()
combined with a velocity dispersion-concentration relation derived from
numerical simulations designed to mimic our group sample, 3.- strong lensing
modeling () of eleven groups (with four new models presented in
this work) using HST and CFHT images. Finally, was analyzed as a function
of redshift to investigate possible correlations with L, N, and the
richness-to-luminosity ratio (N/L). We found a correlation between
and , but with large scatter. We estimate = (2.2 0.9)
+ (0.7 0.2), = (0.4 1.5) + (1.1
0.4), and = (0.4 1.5) + (0.9 0.3) for
each method respectively. We found a weak evidence of anti-correlation between
and , with Log = (0.580.06) - (0.040.1), suggesting
a possible evolution of the Einstein radius with , as reported previously by
other authors. Our results also show that is correlated with L and N
(more luminous and richer groups have greater ), and a possible
correlation between and the N/L ratio. Our analysis indicates that
is correlated with in our sample, making useful to
characterize properties like L and N (and possible N/L) in galaxy groups.
Additionally, we present evidence suggesting that the Einstein radius evolves
with .Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics. Typos correcte
Scanned Probe Microscopy of Electronic Transport in Carbon Nanotubes
We use electrostatic force microscopy and scanned gate microscopy to probe
the conducting properties of carbon nanotubes at room temperature. Multi-walled
carbon nanotubes are shown to be diffusive conductors, while metallic
single-walled carbon nanotubes are ballistic conductors over micron lengths.
Semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes are shown to have a series of
large barriers to conduction along their length. These measurements are also
used to probe the contact resistance and locate breaks in carbon nanotube
circuits.Comment: 4 page
Potential of optimized NOvA for large theta(13) & combined performance with a LArTPC & T2K
NOvA experiment has reoptimized its event selection criteria in light of the
recently measured moderately large value of theta(13). We study the improvement
in the sensitivity to the neutrino mass hierarchy and to leptonic CP violation
due to these new features. For favourable values of deltacp, NOvA sensitivity
to mass hierarchy and leptonic CP violation is increased by 20%. Addition of 5
years of neutrino data from T2K to NOvA more than doubles the range of deltacp
for which the leptonic CP violation can be discovered, compared to stand alone
NOvA. But for unfavourable values of deltacp, the combination of NOvA and T2K
are not enough to provide even a 90% C.L. hint of hierarchy discovery.
Therefore, we further explore the improvement in the hierarchy and CP violation
sensitivities due to the addition of a 10 kt liquid argon detector placed close
to NOvA site. The capabilities of such a detector are equivalent to those of
NOvA in all respects. We find that combined data from 10 kt liquid argon
detector (3 years of nu + 3 years of nubar run), NOvA (6 years of nu + 6 years
of nubar run) and T2K (5 years of nu run) can give a close to 2 sigma hint of
hierarchy discovery for all values of deltacp. With this combined data, we can
achieve CP violation discovery at 95% C.L. for roughly 60% values of deltacp.Comment: 22 pages, 24 pdf figures, 5 tables. In the appendix, new results are
presented with conservative choices of central values of oscillation
parameters. New references are added. Accepted in JHE
The Glial Regenerative Response to Central Nervous System Injury Is Enabled by Pros-Notch and Pros-NFκB Feedback
Organisms are structurally robust, as cells accommodate changes preserving structural integrity and function. The molecular mechanisms underlying structural robustness and plasticity are poorly understood, but can be investigated by probing how cells respond to injury. Injury to the CNS induces proliferation of enwrapping glia, leading to axonal re-enwrapment and partial functional recovery. This glial regenerative response is found across species, and may reflect a common underlying genetic mechanism. Here, we show that injury to the Drosophila larval CNS induces glial proliferation, and we uncover a gene network controlling this response. It consists of the mutual maintenance between the cell cycle inhibitor Prospero (Pros) and the cell cycle activators Notch and NFκB. Together they maintain glia in the brink of dividing, they enable glial proliferation following injury, and subsequently they exert negative feedback on cell division restoring cell cycle arrest. Pros also promotes glial differentiation, resolving vacuolization, enabling debris clearance and axonal enwrapment. Disruption of this gene network prevents repair and induces tumourigenesis. Using wound area measurements across genotypes and time-lapse recordings we show that when glial proliferation and glial differentiation are abolished, both the size of the glial wound and neuropile vacuolization increase. When glial proliferation and differentiation are enabled, glial wound size decreases and injury-induced apoptosis and vacuolization are prevented. The uncovered gene network promotes regeneration of the glial lesion and neuropile repair. In the unharmed animal, it is most likely a homeostatic mechanism for structural robustness. This gene network may be of relevance to mammalian glia to promote repair upon CNS injury or disease
Mass hierarchy discrimination with atmospheric neutrinos in large volume ice/water Cherenkov detectors
Large mass ice/water Cherenkov experiments, optimized to detect low energy
(1-20 GeV) atmospheric neutrinos, have the potential to discriminate between
normal and inverted neutrino mass hierarchies. The sensitivity depends on
several model and detector parameters, such as the neutrino flux profile and
normalization, the Earth density profile, the oscillation parameter
uncertainties, and the detector effective mass and resolution. A proper
evaluation of the mass hierarchy discrimination power requires a robust
statistical approach. In this work, the Toy Monte Carlo, based on an extended
unbinned likelihood ratio test statistic, was used. The effect of each model
and detector parameter, as well as the required detector exposure, was then
studied. While uncertainties on the Earth density and atmospheric neutrino flux
profiles were found to have a minor impact on the mass hierarchy
discrimination, the flux normalization, as well as some of the oscillation
parameter (\Delta m^2_{31}, \theta_{13}, \theta_{23}, and \delta_{CP})
uncertainties and correlations resulted critical. Finally, the minimum required
detector exposure, the optimization of the low energy threshold, and the
detector resolutions were also investigated.Comment: 23 pages, 16 figure
Constraining Non-Standard Interactions of the Neutrino with Borexino
We use the Borexino 153.6 ton.year data to place constraints on non-standard
neutrino-electron interactions, taking into account the uncertainty in the 7Be
solar neutrino flux, and backgrounds due to 85Kr and 210Bi beta-decay. We find
that the bounds are comparable to existing bounds from all other experiments.
Further improvement can be expected in Phase II of Borexino due to the
reduction in the 85Kr background.Comment: 21 pages, 16 pdf figures, 2 tables. Analysis updated including the
uncertainty in sin^2\theta_{23}. Accepted in JHE
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