Search Results (20 total)

We study three-flavor collective neutrino transformations in the dense-neutrino region above the neutrino sphere of a supernova core. We find that two-flavor conversions driven by the atmospheric mass difference and the 13-mixing angle capture the full effect if one neglects the second-order difference between the ν_μ and ν_τ refractive index. Including this “mu-tau matter term” provides a resonance at a density of ρ≈3×10⁷  g cm^-3 that typically causes significant modifications of the overall ν_e and ν̅ _e survival probabilities. This effect is surprisingly sensitive to deviations from maximal 23-mixing, being different for each octant.

We calculate the yield of high energy neutrinos produced in astrophysical sources for arbitrary interaction depths τ₀ and magnetic field strengths B. We take into account energy loss processes like synchrotron radiation and diffusion of charged particles in turbulent magnetic fields as well as the scattering of secondaries on background photons and the direct production of charm neutrinos. Meson-photon interactions are simulated with an extended version of the SOPHIA model. Diffusion leads to an increased path length before protons leave the source of size R_s and therefore magnetized sources lose their transparency below the energy E∼10¹⁸  eV(R_s/pc)(B/mG)τ₀^1/α, with α=1/3 and 1 for Kolmogorov and Bohm diffusion, respectively. Moreover, the neutrino flux is suppressed above the energy where synchrotron energy losses become important for charged particles. As a consequence, the energy spectrum and the flavor composition of neutrinos are strongly modified both at low and high energies even for sources with τ₀≲1.

In the dense-neutrino region at 50–400 km above the neutrino sphere in a supernova, neutrino-neutrino interactions cause large flavor transformations. We study when the multiangle nature of the neutrino trajectories leads to flavor decoherence between different angular modes. We consider a two-flavor mixing scenario between ν_e and another flavor ν_x and assume the usual hierarchy F_νe>F_{ν̅ e}>F_νx=F_{ν̅ x} for the number fluxes. We define ϵ=(F_νe-F_{ν̅ e})/(F_{ν̅ e}-F_{ν̅ x}) as a measure for the deleptonization flux which is the one crucial parameter. The transition between the quasi-single-angle behavior and multiangle decoherence is abrupt as a function of ϵ. For typical choices of other parameters, multiangle decoherence is suppressed for ϵ≳0.3, but a much smaller asymmetry suffices if the neutrino mass hierarchy is normal and the mixing angle small. The critical ϵ depends logarithmically on the neutrino luminosity. In a realistic supernova scenario, the deleptonization flux is probably enough to suppress multiangle decoherence.

We analyze the possibility of probing nonstandard neutrino interactions (NSI, for short) through the detection of neutrinos produced in a future galactic supernova (SN). We consider the effect of NSI on the neutrino propagation through the SN envelope within a three-neutrino framework, paying special attention to the inclusion of NSI-induced resonant conversions, which may take place in the most deleptonized inner layers. We study the possibility of detecting NSI effects in a Megaton water Cherenkov detector, either through modulation effects in the ν̅ _e spectrum due to (i) the passage of shock waves through the SN envelope, (ii) the time dependence of the electron fraction, and (iii) the Earth matter effects; or, finally, through the possible detectability of the neutronization ν_e burst. We find that the ν̅ _e spectrum can exhibit dramatic features due to the internal NSI-induced resonant conversion. This occurs for nonuniversal NSI strengths of a few %, and for very small flavor-changing NSI above a few×10^-5.

Recent measurements of resonance terms suggested the extension of the existing technique to measure magnet strengths from turn-by-turn beam position monitor data. This article describes the algorithm to infer the magnet strength from the variation along the ring of the resonance terms and reports on the first measurement. Both the algorithm and the software written for the analysis of the data can be particularly useful in the commissioning period of an accelerator in order to find magnets with wrong strengths or polarities as well as magnets with large magnetic errors.

The influence of linear betatron coupling due to constant-in-time skew quadrupolar fields on the transverse emittances is discussed using both a simplified model of a smooth circular accelerator and a more realistic strong-focusing lattice with localized sources of coupling (thin lens). New formulas for the coupled transverse emittances are derived that include the initial emittances, the coupling strengths, and the tune distance from the resonance. By using the more powerful Lie algebra and the resonance driving terms formalism, equivalent formulas are derived that provide a better understanding of some counterintuitive effects, otherwise not understandable in the smooth approximation. The new formulas have been tested both numerically and experimentally by using data of the CERN Proton Synchrotron showing a remarkable agreement.

Driving Term experiments have been performed both at small [PS (Proton Synchrotron) Booster] and large accelerators [SPS (Super Proton Synchrotron)] at CERN. The theory of how to measure driving terms is reviewed. A wealth of SPS experiments is shown together with a successful comparison with model calculations. The PS Booster studies aimed at optimizing the machine performance by measuring and correcting selected driving terms.

We calculate the yield of high-energy neutrinos produced in astrophysical sources with negligible magnetic fields varying their interaction depth from nearly transparent to opaque. We take into account the scattering of secondaries on background photons as well as the direct production of neutrinos in decays of charm mesons. If multiple scattering of nucleons becomes important, the neutrino spectra from meson and muon decays are strongly modified with respect to transparent sources. Characteristic for neutrino sources containing photons as scattering targets is a strong energy-dependence of the ratio R⁰ of ν_μ and ν_e fluxes at the sources, ranging from R⁰=ϕ_μ/ϕ_e∼0 below threshold to R⁰∼4 close to the energy where the decay length of charged pions and kaons equals their interaction length on target photons. Above this energy, the neutrino flux is strongly suppressed and depends mainly on charm production.

The current final focus systems of linear colliders have been designed based on the local compensation scheme proposed by Raimondi and Seryi. However, there exist remaining aberrations that deteriorate the performance of the system. This paper develops a general algorithm for the optimization of beam lines based on the computation of the high orders of the transfer map using MAD-X and Polimorphic Tracking Code. The algorithm is applied to the CLIC beam delivery system.

One of the robust features found in simulations of core-collapse supernovae (SNe) is the prompt neutronization burst, i.e., the first ∼25 milliseconds after bounce when the SN emits with very high luminosity mainly ν_e neutrinos. We examine the dependence of this burst on variations in the input of current SN models and find that recent improvements of the electron capture rates as well as uncertainties in the nuclear equation of state or a variation of the progenitor mass have only little effect on the signature of the neutronization peak in a megaton water Cherenkov detector for different neutrino mixing schemes. We show that exploiting the time structure of the neutronization peak allows one to identify the case of a normal mass hierarchy and large 13-mixing angle ϑ₁₃, where the peak is absent. The robustness of the predicted total event number in the neutronization burst makes a measurement of the distance to the SN feasible with a precision of about 5%, even in the likely case that the SN is optically obscured.

Betatron coupling is usually analyzed using either matrix formalism or Hamiltonian perturbation theory. The latter is less exact but provides a better physical insight. In this paper direct relations are derived between the two formalisms. This makes it possible to interpret the matrix approach in terms of resonances, as well as use results of both formalisms indistinctly. An approach to measure the complete coupling matrix and its determinant from turn-by-turn data is presented. Simulations using methodical accelerator design MAD-X, an accelerator design and tracking program, were performed to validate the relations and understand the scope of their application to real accelerators such as the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider.

Recently, resonance driving terms were successfully measured in the CERN SPS and the BNL RHIC from the Fourier spectrum of beam position monitor (BPM) data. Based on these measurements a new analysis has been derived to extract truly local observables from BPM data. These local observables are called local resonance terms since they share some similarities with the global resonance terms. In this paper we derive these local terms analytically and present experimental measurements of sextupolar global and local resonance terms in RHIC. Nondestructive measurements of these terms using ac dipoles are also presented.

ac dipoles in accelerators are used to excite coherent betatron oscillations at a drive frequency close to the tune. If the excitation amplitude is slowly increased to the desired value and slowly decreased back to zero there is no significant emittance growth. The aim of this article is to study the adiabaticity of the ramping process of an ac dipole as a function of the different parameters involved.

A detailed statistical analysis of beam position monitors (BPM) performance at RHIC is a critical factor in improving regular operations and future runs. Robust identification of malfunctioning BPMs plays an important role in any orbit or turn-by-turn analysis. Singular value decomposition and Fourier transform methods, which have evolved as powerful numerical techniques in signal processing, will aid in such identification from BPM data. This is the first attempt at RHIC to use a large set of data to statistically enhance the capability of these two techniques and determine BPM performance. A comparison from run 2003 data shows striking agreement between the two methods and hence can be used to improve BPM functioning at RHIC and possibly other accelerators.

A future galactic SN can be located several hours before the optical explosion through the MeV-neutrino burst, exploiting the directionality of ν-e scattering in a water Cherenkov detector such as Super-Kamiokande. We study the statistical efficiency of different methods for extracting the SN direction and identify a simple approach that is nearly optimal, yet independent of the exact SN neutrino spectra. We use this method to quantify the increase in the pointing accuracy by the addition of gadolinium to water, which tags neutrons from the inverse beta decay background. We also study the dependence of the pointing accuracy on neutrino mixing scenarios and initial spectra. We find that in the “worst case” scenario the pointing accuracy is 8° at 95% C.L. in the absence of tagging, which improves to 3° with a tagging efficiency of 95%. At a megaton detector, this accuracy can be as good as 0.6°. A TeV-neutrino burst is also expected to be emitted contemporaneously with the SN optical explosion, which may locate the SN to within a few tenths of a degree at a future km² high-energy neutrino telescope. If the SN is not seen in the electromagnetic spectrum, locating it in the sky through neutrinos is crucial for identifying the Earth matter effects on SN neutrino oscillations.

ac dipoles in accelerators are used to excite coherent betatron oscillations at a drive frequency close to the tune. These beam oscillations may last arbitrarily long and, in principle, there is no significant emittance growth if the ac dipole is adiabatically turned on and off. Therefore the ac dipole seems to be an adequate tool for nonlinear diagnostics provided the particle motion is well described in the presence of the ac dipole and nonlinearities. Normal forms and Lie algebra are powerful tools to study the nonlinear content of an accelerator lattice. In this article a way to obtain the normal form of the Hamiltonian of an accelerator with an ac dipole is described. The particle motion to first order in the nonlinearities is derived using Lie algebra techniques. The dependence of the Hamiltonian terms on the longitudinal coordinate is studied showing that they vary differently depending on the ac dipole parameters. The relation is given between the lines of the Fourier spectrum of the turn-by-turn motion and the Hamiltonian terms.

We study neutrino oscillations and the level-crossing probability P_LSZ in power-law potential profiles A(r)∝rⁿ. We give local and global adiabaticity conditions valid for all mixing angles ϑ and discuss different representations for P_LSZ. For the 1/r³ profile typical of supernova envelopes we compare our analytical to numerical results and to earlier approximations used in the literature. We then perform a combined likelihood analysis of the observed SN 1987A neutrino signal and of the latest solar neutrino data, including the recent SNO CC measurement. We find that, unless all relevant supernova parameters (released binding energy, ν̅ _e and ν̅ _μ,τ temperatures) are near their lowest values found in simulations, the status of large mixing type solutions deteriorates considerably compared to fits using only solar data. This is sufficient to rule out the vacuum-type solutions for most reasonable choices of astrophysics parameters. The LOW solution may still be acceptable, but becomes worse than the SMA-MSW solution which may, in some cases, be the best combined solution. On the other hand the LMA-MSW solution can easily survive as the best overall solution, although its size is generally reduced when compared to fits to the solar data only.

We discuss limits on neutrino-Majoron couplings both from laboratory experiments as well as from astrophysics. They apply to the simplest class of Majoron models, which covers a variety of possibilities where neutrinos acquire mass, either via a seesaw-type scheme or via radiative corrections. By adopting a general framework including CP phases, we generalize bounds obtained previously. The combination of complementary bounds enables us to obtain a highly nontrivial exclusion region in the parameter space. We find that the future double beta project GENIUS, together with constraints based on supernova energy release arguments, could restrict neutrino-Majoron couplings down to the 10^-7 level.

We study neutrino oscillations and the level-crossing probability P_LSZ=exp(-γ_nF_nπ/2) (LSZ stands for Landau-Stückelberg-Zener) in power-law-like potential profiles A(r)∝rⁿ. After showing that the resonance point coincides only for a linear profile with the point of maximal violation of adiabaticity, we point out that the “adiabaticity” parameter γ_n can be calculated at an arbitrary point if the correction function F_n is rescaled appropriately. We present a new representation for the level-crossing probability, P_LSZ=exp(-κ_nG_n), which allows a simple numerical evaluation of P_LSZ in both the resonant and nonresonant cases, and where G_n contains the full dependence of P_LSZ on the mixing angle ϑ. As an application we consider the case n=-3 important for oscillations of supernova neutrinos.

Neutrino masses arising from the spontaneous violation of ungauged lepton-number are accompanied by a physical Goldstone boson, generically called a Majoron. In the high-density supernova medium the effects of Majoron-emitting neutrino decays are important even if they are suppressed in vacuo by small neutrino masses and/or small off-diagonal couplings. We reconsider the influence of these decays on the neutrino signal of supernovae in the light of recent Super-Kamiokande data on solar and atmospheric neutrinos. We find that Majoron-neutrino coupling constants in the range 3×10^-7≲g≲2×10^-5 or g≳3×10^-4 are excluded by the observation of SN 1987A. Then we discuss the potential of Super-Kamiokande and the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory to detect Majoron-neutrino interactions in the case of a future galactic supernova. We find that these experiments could probe Majoron-neutrino interactions with improved sensitivity.