Neutrino Mixing and Oscillations in Quantum Field Theory: A Comprehensive Introduction

We review some of the main results of the quantum field theoretical approach to neutrino mixing and oscillations. We show that the quantum field theoretical framework, where flavor vacuum is defined, permits giving a precise definition of flavor states as eigenstates of (non-conserved) lepton charges. We obtain the exact oscillation formula, which in the relativistic limit reproduces the Pontecorvo oscillation formula and illustrates some of the contradictions arising in the quantum mechanics approximation. We show that the gauge theory structure underlies the neutrino mixing phenomenon and that there exists entanglement between mixed neutrinos. The flavor vacuum is found to be an entangled generalized coherent state of SU(2). We also discuss flavor energy uncertainty relations, which impose a lower bound on the precision of neutrino energy measurements, and we show that the flavor vacuum inescapably emerges in certain classes of models with dynamical symmetry breaking.

NuFIT: Three-Flavour Global Analyses of Neutrino Oscillation Experiments

In this contribution, we summarise the determination of neutrino masses and mixing arising from global analysis of data from atmospheric, solar, reactor, and accelerator neutrino experiments performed in the framework of three-neutrino mixing and obtained in the context of the NuFIT collaboration. Apart from presenting the latest status as of autumn 2021, we discuss the evolution of global-fit results over the last 10 years, and mention various pending issues (and their resolution) that occurred during that period in the global analyses.

Small 𝜃13 and solar neutrino oscillation parameters from μ − τ symmetry

Exchange [Formula: see text] symmetry in the effective Majorana neutrino mass matrix does predict a maximal mixing for atmospheric neutrino oscillations asides to a null mixing that cannot be straightforwardly identified with reactor neutrino oscillation mixing, [Formula: see text], unless a specific ordering is assumed for the mass eigenstates. Otherwise, a nonzero value for [Formula: see text] is predicted already at the level of an exact symmetry. In this case, solar neutrino mixing and scale, as well as the correct atmospheric mixing arise from the breaking of the symmetry. I present a mass matrix proposal for normal hierarchy that realizes this scenario, where the smallness of [Formula: see text] is naturally given by the parameter [Formula: see text] and the solar mixing is linked to the smallness of [Formula: see text]. The proposed matrix remains stable under renormalization effects and it also allows to account for CP violation within the expected region without further constrains.

Aspects of high scale leptogenesis with low-energy leptonic CP violation

Using the density matrix equations (DME) for high scale leptogenesis based on the type I seesaw mechanism, in which the CP violation (CPV) is provided by the low-energy Dirac or/and Majorana phases of the neutrino mixing (PMNS) matrix, we investigate the 1-to-2 and the 2-to-3 flavour regime transitions, where the 1, 2 and 3 leptogenesis flavour regimes in the generation of the baryon asymmetry of the Universe ηB are described by the Boltzmann equations. Concentrating on the 1-to-2 flavour transition we determine the general conditions under which ηB goes through zero and changes sign in the transition. Analysing in detail the behaviour of ηB in the transition in the case of two heavy Majorana neutrinos N1,2 with hierarchical masses, M1 ≪ M2, we find, in particular, that i) the Boltzmann equations in many cases fail to describe correctly the generation of ηB in the 1, 2 and 3 flavour regimes, ii) the 2-flavour regime can persist above (below) ∼ 1012 GeV (∼ 109 GeV), iii) the flavour effects in leptogenesis persist beyond the typically considered maximal for these effects leptogenesis scale of 1012 GeV. We further determine the minimal scale M1min at which we can have successful leptogenesis when the CPV is provided only by the Dirac or Majorana phases of the PMNS matrix as well as the ranges of scales and values of the phases for having successful leptogenesis. We show, in particular, that when the CPV is due to the Dirac phase δ, there is a direct relation between the sign of sin δ and the sign of ηB in the regions of viable leptogenesis in the case of normal hierarchical light neutrino mass spectrum; for the inverted hierarchical spectrum the same result holds for M1 ≲ 1013 GeV. The considered different scenarios of leptogenesis are testable and falsifiable in low-energy neutrino experiments.

Effect on Jarlskog Determinant Above the GUT Scale Within Four Flavor Neutrino Framework

We study the Planck scale effects on Jarlskog determiant in the four flavor framework. On electroweak symmetry breaking, quantum gravitational effects lead to an effective SU(2) × U(1) invariant dimension-5 Lagrangian including neutrino and Higgs forces, which perturbed the neutrino mass term and produce an extra terms in the neutrino mass matrix. We consider that gravitational interaction is independent from flavor and compute the Jarlskog determiant due to Planck scale effects. In the case of leptonic sector, the strentgh of CP violation is measured by Jarlskog determiant. We applied our approach to study Jarlskog determinant in the four flavor neutrino mixing above the GUT scale.

Search for signatures of sterile neutrinos with Double Chooz

We present a search for signatures of neutrino mixing of electron anti-neutrinos with additional hypothetical sterile neutrino flavors using the Double Chooz experiment. The search is based on data from 5 years of operation of Double Chooz, including 2 years in the two-detector configuration. The analysis is based on a profile likelihood, i.e. comparing the data to the model prediction of disappearance in a data-to-data comparison of the two respective detectors. The analysis is optimized for a model of three active and one sterile neutrino. It is sensitive in the typical mass range $${5 \times 10^{-3}}\,\mathrm{eV}^2 \lesssim \varDelta m^2_{41} \lesssim {3 \times 10^{-1}}\,\mathrm{eV}^2 $$ 5 × 10 - 3 eV 2 ≲ Δ m 41 2 ≲ 3 × 10 - 1 eV 2 for mixing angles down to $$\sin ^2 2\theta _{14} \gtrsim {0.02} $$ sin 2 2 θ 14 ≳ 0.02 . No significant disappearance additionally to the conventional disappearance related to $$\theta _{13} $$ θ 13 is observed and correspondingly exclusion bounds on the sterile mixing parameter $$\theta _{14} $$ θ 14 as a function of $$ \varDelta m^2_{41} $$ Δ m 41 2 are obtained.

Model independent analysis of Dirac CP violating phase for some well-known mixing scenarios

In this paper, we present a model independent analysis of Leptonic CP violation for some well-known mixing scenarios. In particular, we considered modified schemes for bimaximal (BM), democratic (DC), hexagonal (HG) and tribimaximal (TBM) mixing for our numerical investigation. These model independent corrections to mixing matrices are parametrized in terms of complex rotation matrices [Formula: see text] with related modified PMNS matrix of the forms [Formula: see text] where [Formula: see text] is a complex rotation in [Formula: see text] sector and [Formula: see text] is unperturbed mixing scheme. We present generic formulae for mixing angles, Dirac CP phase [Formula: see text] and Jarlskog invariant [Formula: see text] in terms of correction parameters. The parameter space of each modified mixing case is scanned for fitting neutrino mixing angles using [Formula: see text] approach and the corresponding predictions for Leptonic CP phase [Formula: see text] and Jarlskog invariant [Formula: see text] has been evaluated from allowed parameter space. The obtained ranges are reported for all viable cases.