Confronting the stochastic neutrino mixing mechanism with the sterile neutrino hypothesis as a solution to the short baseline neutrino anomalies

Author(s)

Zavanin, E. M. ^[1] ; Guzzo, M. M. ^[1] ; de Holanda, P. C. ^[1] ; Peres, O. L. G. ^{[1, 2]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Campinas, Inst Fis Gleb Wataghin, BR-13083859 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[2] Abdus Salam Int Ctr Theoret Phys, I-34100 Trieste - Italy

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Physical Review D; v. 91, n. 11 JUN 16 2015.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

We compare the solutions to the short baseline neutrino anomaly based on oscillations to sterile neutrinos and the stochastic neutrino mixing mechanism (SNMM) through an analysis of the present neutrino data. The SNMM suggests worse fits than a 3 + 1 sterile neutrino model, although it cannot be discarded by present data. We propose an experiment to distinguish between both solutions, based on placing a Li-8 source inside a 5 kton-yr detector (like SNO). We studied the sensitivity of such an experiment, which makes it possible to discriminate within 2 sigma the SNMM from the 3 + 1 sterile hypothesis for some particular values of the relevant parameters in 5 kton-yr of running. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/16389-1 - Neutrino phenomenology
• Grantee: Orlando Luis Goulart Peres
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 14/23980-3 - Studying non-standard interactions and the anomalies
• Grantee: Eduardo Marcio Zavanin
• Support type: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 13/02518-7 - Extended Pontecorvo mechanism
• Grantee: Eduardo Marcio Zavanin
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate