7 research outputs found
Neutrino Physics at the Turn of the Millenium
Recent solar & atmospheric nu-data strongly indicate need for physics beyond
the Standard Model. I review the ways of reconciling them in terms of 3-nu
oscillations. Though not implied by data, bi-maximal nu-mixing models emerge as
a possibility. SUSY with broken R-parity provides an attractive way to
incorporate it, opening the possibility of testing nu-anomalies at high- energy
colliders such as the LHC or at the upcoming long-baseline or nu- factory
experiments. Reconciling, in addition, the LSND hint requires a fourth, light
sterile neutrino, nus. The simplest are the most symmetric scenarios, in which
2 of the 4 neutrinos are maximally-mixed and lie at the LSND scale, while the
others are at the solar scale. The lightness of nus, the nearly maximal
atmospheric mixing, and the solar/atmospheric splittings all follow naturally
from the assumed lepton-number symmetry and its breaking. These basic schemes
can be distinguished at neutral-current-sensitive solar & atmospheric neutrino
experiments such as SNO. However underground experiments have not yet proven
neutrino masses, as there are many alternatives. For example flavour changing
interactions can play an important role in the explanation of solar and
contained atmospheric data and could be tested e.g through \mu \to e + \gamma,
\mu-e conversion in nuclei, unaccompanied by neutrino-less double beta decay.
Conversely, a short-lived numu might play a role in the explanation of the
atmospheric data. Finally, in the presence of a nus, a long-lived heavy nutau
could delay the time at which the matter and radiation contributions to the
energy density of the Universe become equal, reducing density fluctuations on
smaller scales, thus saving the standard CDM scenario, while the light nue,
numu and nus would explain the solar & atmospheric data.Comment: Invited talk at 2nd International Conference on Non-Accelerator New
Physics (NANP-99), Dubna, June 28 - July 3, 199
Neutrino masses: From fantasy to facts
Theory suggests the existence of neutrino masses, but little more. Facts are
coming close to reveal our fantasy: solar and atmospheric neutrino data
strongly indicate the need for neutrino conversions, while LSND provides an
intriguing hint. The simplest ways to reconcile these data in terms of neutrino
oscillations invoke a light sterile neutrino in addition to the three active
ones. Out of the four neutrinos, two are maximally-mixed and lie at the LSND
scale, while the others are at the solar mass scale. These schemes can be
distinguished at neutral-current-sensitive solar & atmospheric neutrino
experiments. I discuss the simplest theoretical scenarios, where the lightness
of the sterile neutrino, the nearly maximal atmospheric neutrino mixing, and
the generation of & all follow
naturally from the assumed lepton-number symmetry and its breaking. Although
the most likely interpretation of the present data is in terms of
neutrino-mass-induced oscillations, one still has room for alternative
explanations, such as flavour changing neutrino interactions, with no need for
neutrino mass or mixing. Such flavour violating transitions arise in theories
with strictly massless neutrinos, and may lead to other sizeable flavour
non-conservation effects, such as , conversion in
nuclei, unaccompanied by neutrino-less double beta decay.Comment: 33 pages, latex, 16 figures. Invited Talk at Ioannina Conference,
Symmetries in Intermediate High Energy Physics and its Applications, Oct.
1998, to be published by Springer Tracts in Modern Physics. Festschrift in
Honour of John Vergados' 60th Birthda
Biodiversité en Océanie, un besoin urgent d'action, Nouméa 2019
La diversité du vivant en Océanie est riche, exceptionnelle à bien des égards, mais de plus en plus vulnérable face à la diversité des risques d'origine naturelle ou anthropique. Un encadrement juridique effectif et efficace de la protection, de l'accès et de la valorisation de cette biodiversité nécessite de prendre en compte la pluralité des situations sociales, politiques, économiques, culturelles et juridiques. Bien que tous les États et territoires du Pacifique disposent d'une législation environnementale, plus ou moins élaborée, force est de constater, comme le montre le rapport 2019 de l'IPBES, que la dégradation de la biodiversité se poursuit