61 research outputs found
Bi-large neutrino mixing and the Cabibbo angle
Recent measurements of the neutrino mixing angles cast doubt on the validity
of the so-far popular tri-bimaximal mixing ansatz. We propose a parametrization
for the neutrino mixing matrix where the reactor angle seeds the large solar
and atmospheric mixing angles, equal to each other in first approximation. We
suggest such bi-large mixing pattern as a model building standard, realized
when the leading order value of the reactor angle equals the Cabibbo angle.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figs. v2: matches version appearing in Phys.Rev.D, rapid
communication
Constraining nonstandard neutrino-quark interactions with solar, reactor and accelerator data
We present a reanalysis of nonstandard neutrino-down-quark interactions of
electron and tau neutrinos using solar, reactor and accelerator data. In
addition updating the analysis by including new solar data from SNO phase III
and Borexino, as well as new KamLAND data and solar fluxes, a key role is
played in our analysis by the combination of these results with the CHARM data.
The latter allows us to better constrain the axial and axial-vector electron
and tau-neutrino nonstandard interaction parameters characterizing the
deviations from the Standard Model predictions.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures, 2 tables, typo corrected in Figure 2, version
published in Phys. Rev.
Exact relativistic beta decay endpoint spectrum
The exact relativistic form for the beta decay endpoint spectrum is derived
and presented in a simple factorized form. We show that our exact formula can
be well approximated to yield the endpoint form used in the fit method of the
KATRIN collaboration. We also discuss the three neutrino case and how
information from neutrino oscillation experiments may be useful in analyzing
future beta decay endpoint experiments.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figure
Proceedings of the 2nd Workshop on Flavor Symmetries and Consequences in Accelerators and Cosmology (FLASY12)
These are the proceedings of the 2nd Workshop on Flavor Symmetries and Consequences in Accelerators and Cosmology, held 30 June 2012 - 4 July 2012, Dortmund, Germany
A_4-based neutrino masses with Majoron decaying dark matter
We propose an A_4 flavor-symmetric SU(3)xSU(2)xU(1) seesaw model where lepton
number is broken spontaneously. A consistent two-zero texture pattern of
neutrino masses and mixing emerges from the interplay of type-I and type-II
seesaw contributions, with important phenomenological predictions. We show
that, if the Majoron becomes massive, such seesaw scenario provides a viable
candidate for decaying dark matter, consistent with cosmic microwave background
lifetime constraints that follow from current WMAP observations. We also
calculate the sub-leading one-loop-induced decay into photons which leads to a
mono-energetic emission line that may be observed in future X-ray missions such
as Xenia.Comment: 16 pages, 6 eps figures. Minor corrections. To appear in Phys. Rev.
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
Are solar neutrino oscillations robust?
The robustness of the large mixing angle (LMA) oscillation (OSC)
interpretation of the solar neutrino data is considered in a more general
framework where non-standard neutrino interactions (NSI) are present. Such
interactions may be regarded as a generic feature of models of neutrino mass.
The 766.3 ton-yr data sample of the KamLAND collaboration are included in the
analysis, paying attention to the background from the reaction ^13C(\alpha,n)
^16O. Similarly, the latest solar neutrino fluxes from the SNO collaboration
are included. In addition to the solution which holds in the absence of NSI
(LMA-I) there is a 'dark-side' solution (LMA-D) with sin^2 theta_Sol = 0.70,
essentially degenerate with the former, and another light-side solution (LMA-0)
allowed only at 97% CL. More precise KamLAND reactor measurements will not
resolve the ambiguity in the determination of the solar neutrino mixing angle
theta_Sol, as they are expected to constrain mainly Delta m^2. We comment on
the complementary role of atmospheric, laboratory (e.g. CHARM) and future solar
neutrino experiments in lifting the degeneracy between the LMA-I and LMA-D
solutions. In particular, we show how the LMA-D solution induced by the
simplest NSI between neutrinos and down-type-quarks-only is in conflict with
the combination of current atmospheric data and data of the CHARM experiment.
We also mention that establishing the issue of robustness of the oscillation
picture in the most general case will require further experiments, such as
those involving low energy solar neutrinos.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figures; Final version to appear in JHE
Probing nonstandard neutrino-electron interactions with solar and reactor neutrinos
Most neutrino mass extensions of the standard electroweak model entail non-standard interactions which, in the low energy limit, can be parametrized in term of effective four-fermion operators νανβf¯f. Typically of sub-weak strength, ϵαβGF, these are characterized by dimensionless coupling parameters, ϵαβ, which may be relatively sizeable in a wide class of schemes. Here we focus on non-universal (NU) flavor conserving couplings (α=β) with electrons (f=e) and analyse their impact on the phenomenology of solar neutrinos. We consistently take into account their effect both at the level of propagation where they modify the standard MSW behavior, and at the level of detection, where they affect the cross section of neutrino elastic scattering on electrons. We find limits which are comparable to other existing model-independent constraints
Nature of 4FGL J1838.2+3223: a flaring `spider' pulsar candidate
An unidentified -ray source 4FGL J1838.2+3223 has been proposed as a
pulsar candidate. We present optical time-series multi-band photometry of its
likely optical companion obtained with the 2.1-m telescope of Observatorio
Astron\'omico Nacional San Pedro M\'artir, Mexico. The observations and the
data from the Zwicky Transient Facility revealed the source brightness
variability with a period of 4.02 h likely associated with the orbital
motion of the binary system. The folded light curves have a single sine-like
peak per period with an amplitude of about three magnitude accompanied by fast
sporadic flares up to one magnitude level. We reproduce them modelling the
companion heating by the pulsar. As a result, the companion side facing the
pulsar is strongly heated up to 11300400 K, while the temperature of its
back side is only 2300700 K. It has a mass of 0.100.05 and underfills its Roche lobe with a filling factor of
. This implies that 4FGL J1838.2+3223 likely belongs to
the `spider' pulsar family. The estimated distance of 3.1 kpc is
compatible with Gaia results. We detect a flare from the source in X-rays and
ultraviolet using Swift archival data and another one in X-rays with the
eROSITA all-sky survey. Both flares have X-ray luminosity of 10
erg s which is two orders of magnitude higher than the upper limit in
quiescence obtained from eROSITA assuming spectral shape typical for spider
pulsars. If the spider interpretation is correct, these flares are among the
strongest flares observed from non-accreting spider pulsars.Comment: 10 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of
the Royal Astronomical Societ
Probing light sterile neutrino signatures at reactor and Spallation Neutron Source neutrino experiments
We investigate the impact of a fourth sterile neutrino at reactor and Spallation Neutron Source neutrino detectors. Specifically, we explore the discovery potential of the TEXONO and COHERENT experiments to subleading sterile neutrino effects through the measurement of the coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering event rate. Our dedicated χ2-sensitivity analysis employs realistic nuclear structure calculations adequate for high purity sub-keV threshold Germanium detectors
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