Implications of combined solar-neutrino observations and their theoretical uncertainties.

Abstract

Constraints on the core temperature (T_c) of the Sun and on neutrino- oscillation parameters are obtained from the existing solar neutrino data, including the recent GALLEX and Kamiokande III results. (1) A purely astrophysical solution to the solar neutrino problem is strongly disfavored by the data: the best fit in a cooler Sun model requires an 8% reduction in T_c, but the chi-sqaured test rejects this hypothesis at 99.99% C.L., suggesting new neutrino physics. (2) Assuming the Standard Solar Model (SSM) and MSW oscillations, the MSW parameters are constrained to two small regions: one in the non-adiabatic region and the other in the large-mixing region. The non-adiabatic solution gives a considerably better fit. For nu_e oscillations into sterile neutrinos, the allowed region (90%) is constrained to non- adiabatic oscillations. As long as the SSM is assumed, the neutrino mixing angles are at least four times larger, or considerably smaller, than the corresponding quark mixing angles. (3) Allowing both MSW oscillations and a non-standard core temperature, a) the experiments determine the core temperature at the 5% level, yielding a value consistent with the SSM prediction. b) When T_c is used as a free parameter, the allowed MSW region is broadened: a cooler Sun (T_c=0.95) allows mass and mixing implied by the SUSY SO(10) GUT, while a warmer Sun (T_c=1.05) allows parameter space suggested by intermediate-scale SO(10) GUTs. Superstring-inspired models are consistent with all solutions. (4) From the narrowed parameter space, we predict the neutrino spectral shape which should be observed in SNO. Throughout the calculation we use the latest Bahcall-Pinsonneault SSM, and include nuclear and astrophysical uncertainties in a simplified, but physically transparent way.