728 research outputs found
Understanding the performance of the low energy neutrino factory: the dependence on baseline distance and stored-muon energy
Motivated by recent hints of large {\theta}13 from the T2K, MINOS and Double
Chooz experiments, we study the physics reach of a Low Energy Neutrino Factory
(LENF) and its dependence on the chosen baseline distance, L, and stored-muon
energy, E_{\mu}, in order to ascertain the configuration of the optimal LENF.
In particular, we study the performance of the LENF over a range of baseline
distances from 1000 km to 4000 km and stored-muon energies from 4 GeV to 25
GeV, connecting the early studies of the LENF (1300 km, 4.5 GeV) to those of
the conventional, high-energy neutrino factory design (4000 km and 7000 km, 25
GeV). Three different magnetized detector options are considered: a
Totally-Active Scintillator Detector (TASD) and two models of a liquid-argon
detector distinguished by optimistic and conservative performance estimates. In
order to compare the sensitivity of each set-up, we compute the full
{\delta}-dependent discovery contours for the determination of non-zero
{\theta}13, CP-violating values of {\delta} and the mass hierarchy. In the case
of large {\theta}13 with sin^2(2*{\theta}13) = (few)*10^{-3}, the LENF provides
a strong discovery potential over the majority of the L-E_{\mu} parameter space
and is a promising candidate for the future generation of long baseline
experiments aimed at discovering CP-violation and the mass hierarchy, and at
making a precise determination of the oscillation parameters.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figure
Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay and Future Neutrino Oscillation Precision Experiments
We discuss to what extent future precision measurements of neutrino mixing
observables will influence the information we can draw from a measurement of
(or an improved limit on) neutrinoless double beta decay. Whereas the Delta m^2
corresponding to solar and atmospheric neutrino oscillations are expected to be
known with good precision, the parameter theta_{12} will govern large part of
the uncertainty. We focus in particular on the possibility of distinguishing
the neutrino mass hierarchies and on setting a limit on the neutrino mass. We
give the largest allowed values of the neutrino masses which allow to
distinguish the normal from the inverted hierarchy. All aspects are discussed
as a function of the uncertainty stemming from the involved nuclear matrix
elements. The implications of a vanishing, or extremely small, effective mass
are also investigated. By giving a large list of possible neutrino mass
matrices and their predictions for the observables, we finally explore how a
measurement of (or an improved limit on) neutrinoless double beta decay can
help to identify the neutrino mass matrix if more precise values of the
relevant parameters are known.Comment: 35 pages, 12 figures. Comments and references added. To appear in PR
Gravitational Waves and Proton Decay: Complementary Windows into Grand Unified Theories
Proton decay is a smoking gun signature of grand unified theories (GUTs). Searches by Super-Kamiokande have resulted in stringent limits on the GUT symmetry-breaking scale. The large-scale multipurpose neutrino experiments DUNE, Hyper-Kamiokande, and JUNO will either discover proton decay or further push the symmetry-breaking scale above 1016 GeV. Another possible observational consequence of GUTs is the formation of a cosmic string network produced during the breaking of the GUT to the standard model gauge group. The evolution of such a string network in the expanding Universe produces a stochastic background of gravitational waves which will be tested by a number of gravitational wave detectors over a wide frequency range. We demonstrate the nontrivial complementarity between the observation of proton decay and gravitational waves produced from cosmic strings in determining SO(10) GUT-breaking chains. We show that such observations could exclude SO(10) breaking via flipped SU(5) × U(1) or standard SU(5), while breaking via a Pati-Salam intermediate symmetry, or standard SU(5) × U(1), may be favored if a large separation of energy scales associated with proton decay and cosmic strings is indicated. We note that recent results by the NANOGrav experiment have been interpreted as evidence for cosmic strings at a scale of ∼ 10 14 GeV. This would strongly point toward the existence of GUTs, with SO(10) being the prime candidate. We show that the combination with already available constraints from proton decay allows us to identify preferred symmetry-breaking routes to the standard model
Impact of CP phases on neutrinoless double beta decay
We highlight in a model independent way the dependence of the effective
Majorana mass parameter, relevant for neutrinoless double beta decay, on the CP
phases of the PMNS matrix, using the most recent neutrino data including the
cosmological WMAP measurement. We perform our analysis with three active
neutrino flavours in the context of three kinds of mass spectra:
quasi-degenerate, normal hierarchical and inverted hierarchical. If a
neutrinoless double beta decay experiment records a positive signal, then
assuming that Majorana masses of light neutrinos are responsible for it, we
show how it might be possible to discriminate between the three kinds of
spectra.Comment: 10 pages, latex, 9 eps figs, version to appear in Phys Rev
Conditions for detecting CP violation via neutrinoless double beta decay
Neutrinoless double beta decay data together with information on the absolute
neutrino masses obtained from the future KATRIN experiment and/or astrophysical
measurements give a chance to find CP violation in the lepton sector with
Majorana neutrinos. We derive and discuss necessary conditions which make
discovery of such CP violation possible for the future neutrino oscillation and
mass measurements data.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figures, RevTe
Confronting SO(10) GUTs with proton decay and gravitational waves
Grand Unified Theories (GUT) predict proton decay as well as the formation of cosmic strings which can generate gravitational waves. We determine which non-supersymmetric SO(10) breaking chains provide gauge unification in addition to a gravitational signal from cosmic strings. We calculate the GUT and intermediate scales for these SO(10) breaking chains by solving the renormalisation group equations at the two-loop level. This analysis predicts the GUT scale, hence the proton lifetime, in addition to the scale of cosmic string generation and thus the associated gravitational wave signal. We determine which SO(10) breaking chains survive in the event of the null results of the next generation of gravitational waves and proton decay searches and determine the correlations between proton decay and gravitational waves scales if these observables are measured
Sensitivities and synergies of DUNE and T2HK
Long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiments, in particular the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) and Tokai to Hyper-Kamiokande (T2HK), will lead the effort in the precision determination of the as yet unknown parameters of the leptonic mixing matrix. In this article, we revisit the potential of DUNE, T2HK and their combination in light of the most recent experimental information. As well as addressing more conventional questions, we pay particular attention to the attainable precision on δ , which is playing an increasingly important role in the physics case of the long-baseline program. We analyze the complementarity of the two designs, identify the benefit of a program comprising distinct experiments and consider how best to optimize the global oscillation program. This latter question is particularly pertinent in light of a number of alternative design options which have recently been mooted: a Korean second detector for T2HK and different beams options at DUNE. We study the impact of these options and quantify the synergies between alternative proposals, identifying the best means of furthering our knowledge of the fundamental physics of neutrino oscillation
Full polarization study of SiO masers at 86 GHz
We study the polarization of the SiO maser emission in a representative
sample of evolved stars in order to derive an estimate of the strength of the
magnetic field, and thus determine the influence of this magnetic field on
evolved stars. We made simultaneous spectroscopic measurements of the 4 Stokes
parameters, from which we derived the circular and linear polarization levels.
The observations were made with the IF polarimeter installed at the IRAM 30m
telescope. A discussion of the existing SiO maser models is developed in the
light of our observations. Under the Zeeman splitting hypothesis, we derive an
estimate of the strength of the magnetic field. The averaged magnetic field
varies between 0 and 20 Gauss, with a mean value of 3.5 Gauss, and follows a
1/r law throughout the circumstellar envelope. As a consequence, the magnetic
field may play the role of a shaping, or perhaps collimating agent of the
circumstellar envelopes in evolved objects.Comment: 22 pages, accepted in A&A (19/12/2005
Immunohistochemical localization of IGF-I, IGF-II and MSTN proteins during development of triploid sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)
The cellular localization of IGF-I, IGF-II and MSTN proteins was investigated during ontogenesis of triploid sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) by an immunohistochemical approach. The results were compared with those observed in diploids. IGF-I immunostaining was mainly observed in skin, skeletal muscle, intestine and gills of both diploids and triploids. From day 30 of larval life, IGF-I immunoreactivity observed in skeletal muscle, intestine, gills and kidney was stronger in triploids than in diploids. At day 30, triploids exhibited a standard length significantly higher than the one of diploids. Although IGF-II and MSTN immunoreactivity was detectable in different tissues and organs, no differences between diploids and triploids were observed. The spatial localization of IGF-I, IGF-II and MSTN proteins detected in this study is in agreement with previous findings on the distribution of these proteins in diploid larvae and fry. The highest IGF-I immunoreactivity observed in triploids suggests a possible involvement of ploidy in their growth performance
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