Lepton Masses in a Minimal Model with Triplet Higgs Bosons and S3S_3 Flavor Symmetry

Viable neutrino and charged lepton masses and mixings are obtained by imposing a $S_3 \times Z_4 \times Z_3$ flavor symmetry in a model with a few additional Higgs. We use two $SU(2)_L$ triplet Higgs which are arranged as a doublet of $S_3$, and standard model singlet Higgs which are also put as doublets of $S_3$. We break the $S_3$ symmetry in this minimal model by giving vacuum expectation values (VEV) to the additional Higgs fields. Dictated by the minimum condition for the scalar potential, we obtain certain VEV alignments which allow us to maintain $\mu-\tau$ symmetry in the neutrino sector, while breaking it maximally for the charged leptons. This helps us to simultaneously explain the hierarchical charged lepton masses, and the neutrino masses and mixings. In particular, we obtain maximal $\theta_{23}$ and zero $\theta_{13}$. We allow for a mild breaking of the $\mu-\tau$ symmetry for the neutrinos and study the phenomenology. We give predictions for $\theta_{13}$ and the CP violating Jarlskog invariant $J_{CP}$, as a function of the $\mu-\tau$ symmetry breaking parameter. We also discuss possible collider signatures and phenomenology associated with lepton flavor violating processes.Comment: 29 pages, 5 figures. Version to be appeared in PRD. Phenomenology of Lepton flavor violation and possible collider signatures of this model have been include

On Probing theta_{23} in Neutrino Telescopes

Among all neutrino mixing parameters, the atmospheric neutrino mixing angle theta_{23} introduces the strongest variation on the flux ratios of ultra high energy neutrinos. We investigate the potential of these flux ratio measurements at neutrino telescopes to constrain theta_{23}. We consider astrophysical neutrinos originating from pion, muon-damped and neutron sources and make a comparative study of their sensitivity reach to theta_{23}. It is found that neutron sources are most favorable for testing deviations from maximal theta_{23}. Using a chi^2 analysis, we show in particular the power of combining (i) different flux ratios from the same type of source, and also (ii) combining flux ratios from different astrophysical sources. We include in our analysis ``impure'' sources, i.e., deviations from the usually assumed initial (1 : 2 : 0), (0 : 1 : 0) or (1 : 0 : 0) flux compositions.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figures. Added discussion on experimental errors. To appear in PR

Confusing Sterile Neutrinos with Deviation from Tribimaximal Mixing at Neutrino Telescopes

We expound the impact of extra sterile species on the ultra high energy neutrino fluxes in neutrino telescopes. We use three types of well-known flux ratios and compare the values of these flux ratios in presence of sterile neutrinos, with those predicted by deviation from the tribimaximal mixing scheme. We show that in the upcoming neutrino telescopes, its easy to confuse between the signature of sterile neutrinos with that of the deviation from tribimaximal mixing. We also show that if the measured flux ratios acquire a value well outside the range predicted by the standard scenario with three active neutrinos only, it might be possible to tell the presence of extra sterile neutrinos by observing ultra high energy neutrinos in future neutrino telescopes.Comment: 22 pages, version to appear in Phys. Rev.

Turbulent Supernova Shock Waves and the Sterile Neutrino Signature in Megaton Water Detectors

The signatures of sterile neutrinos in the supernova neutrino signal in megaton water Cerenkov detectors are studied. Time dependent modulation of the neutrino signal emerging from the sharp changes in the oscillation probability due to shock waves is shown to be a smoking gun for the existence of sterile neutrinos. These modulations and indeed the entire neutrino oscillation signal is found to be different for the case with just three active neutrinos and the cases where there are additional sterile species mixed with the active neutrinos. The effect of turbulence is taken into account and it is found that the effect of the shock waves, while modifed, remain significant and measurable. Supernova neutrino signals in water detectors can therefore give unambiguous proof for the existence of sterile neutrinos, the sensitivity extending beyond that for terrestial neutrino experiments. In addition the time dependent modulations in the signal due to shock waves can be used to trace the evolution of the shock wave inside the supernova.Comment: 28 pages, 11 figure

Probing the deviation from maximal mixing of atmospheric neutrinos

Pioneering atmospheric muon neutrino experiments have demonstrated the near-maximal magnitude of the flavor mixing angle $\theta_{23}$. But the precise value of the deviation $D \equiv 1/2 - \sin^2 \theta_{23}$ from maximality (if nonzero) needs to be known, being of great interest -- especially to builders of neutrino mass and mixing models. We quantitatively investigate in a three generation framework the feasibility of determining $D$ in a statistically significant manner from studies of the atmospheric $\nu_\mu,\bar\nu_\mu$ survival probability including both vacuum oscillations and matter effects. We show how this determination will be sharpened by considering the up-down ratios of observed $\nu_\mu$- and $\bar\nu_\mu$-induced events and the differences of these ratios in specified energy and zenith angle bins. We consider 1 Megaton year of exposure to a magnetized iron calorimeter such as the proposed INO detector ICAL, taking into account both energy and zenith angle resolution functions. The sensitivity of such an exposure and the dependence of the determination of $D$ on the concerned oscillation parameters are discussed in detail. The vital use of matter effects in fixing the octant of $\theta_{23}$ is highlighted.Comment: Version to appear in PR

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

Research and development work on substitute electrical resistance alloys for heating elements

From the start of the Second Five- Year Plan great emphasis has been laid on production and utilisation of electric power in various industrial and domestic appliances. Electric heating is thus gradually repla- cing solid-fuels, gas and oil heating . Increasing application of electric heat with all its attendant advantages will fail to register full impact unless suitable electrical heating elements , having long high temperature service life are indigenously avai- lable at reasonable cost

Hadron energy response of the Iron Calorimeter detector at the India-based Neutrino Observatory

The results of a Monte Carlo simulation study of the hadron energy response for the magnetized Iron CALorimeter detector, ICAL, proposed to be located at the India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) is presented. Using a GEANT4 modeling of the detector ICAL, interactions of atmospheric neutrinos with target nuclei are simulated. The detector response to hadrons propagating through it is investigated using the hadron hit multiplicity in the active detector elements. The detector response to charged pions of fixed energy is studied first, followed by the average response to the hadrons produced in atmospheric neutrino interactions using events simulated with the NUANCE event generator. The shape of the hit distribution is observed to fit the Vavilov distribution, which reduces to a Gaussian at high energies. In terms of the parameters of this distribution, we present the hadron energy resolution as a function of hadron energy, and the calibration of hadron energy as a function of the hit multiplicity. The energy resolution for hadrons is found to be in the range 85% (for 1GeV) -- 36% (for 15 GeV).Comment: 14 pages, 10 figures (24 eps files