Non-standard Neutrino Interactions Research Articles

Accessing new physics with an undoped, cryogenic CsI CEvNS detector for COHERENT at the SNS

We consider the potential for a 10 kg undoped cryogenic CsI detector operating at the Spallation Neutron Source to measure coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering and its sensitivity to discover new physics beyond the standard model (BSM). Through a combination of increased event rate, lower threshold, and good timing resolution, such a detector would significantly improve on past measurements. We considered tests of several BSM scenarios such as neutrino nonstandard interactions and accelerator-produced dark matter. This detector’s performance was also studied for relevant questions in nuclear physics and neutrino astronomy, namely the weak charge distribution of Cs and I nuclei and detection of neutrinos from a core-collapse supernova. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Searching for axial neutral current non-standard interactions of neutrinos by DUNE-like experiments

The increasingly precise neutrino experiments raise the hope for searching for new physics through studying the impact of Neutral Current (NC) Non-Standard Interactions (NSI) of neutrinos with matter fields. Neutrino oscillation experiments along with the Elastic Coherent ν Nucleus Scattering (CEνNS) experiments already set strong bounds on all the flavor elements of the “vector” NC NSI. However, “axial” NC NSI can hide from these experiments. We show how a DUNE-like experiment can probe these couplings by studying NC Deep Inelastic Scattering (DIS) events. We find that strong bounds can be set on the axial NC NSI of neutrinos with the u, d, and s quarks. We show that using both the near and far detectors, a DUNE-like experiment can significantly improve the present bounds on all the flavor elements.

PTOLEMY's test of generalized neutrino interactions: unveiling challenges and constraints

Unanswered questions surrounding neutrinos have motivated investigations into physics beyond the standard model (SM) of particle physics. In particular, generalized neutrino interactions (GNI) provide a broader framework for studying these effects compared to the commonly studied non-standard neutrino interactions. These interactions are described by higher dimensional operators while maintaining the gauge symmetries of the SM. Furthermore, the cosmic neutrino background, a predicted component of the SM and standard cosmology, has yet to be directly detected. To shed light on this elusive phenomenon, we conduct a comprehensive analysis of the relevant GNI, specifically focusing on their implications for the proposed cosmic neutrino detector PTOLEMY. We make an attempt to see the capabilities and the limitations of PTOLEMY in sensing GNI while remaining optimistic regarding PTOLEMY's experimental resolution. These interactions play a significant role in modifying the electron spectrum resulting from the capture of cosmic neutrinos on radioactive tritium. This work also explores how the presence of these interactions influences the differential electron spectrum, taking into account factors such as finite experimental resolution, the mass of the lightest neutrino eigenstate, the strength of the interactions, and the ordering of neutrino mass.

Studying lepton flavor violating μ decays with vector leptoquark

We study the charged LFV μ decays such as μ → e γ, μ → eee, and μ−eTi with a vector leptoquark (U 3) by considering the constraints from non-standard neutrino interaction (NSI) sector parameter ϵ e μ . We consider that these NSIs are attributed to the presence of leptoquarks to account for the difference in the experimental observations of δ CP measurement by NOvA and T2K. In our study, we obtained the branching ratios with uncertainties for three decay modes: B(μ→eγ)≤4.6−2.6+3.8×10−18,B(μ→eee)≤9.57−5.37+7.43×10−21,Bμ→eTi≤6.89−3.89+5.61×10−19. Our results show an improvement in the current limits, which can be explored in future experiments.

Decay process within the QCDSR approach* *Supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (12265010, 12265009) and the Project of Guizhou Provincial Department of Science and Technology (ZK[2021]024, ZK[2023]142)

In this paper, we investigate the charmed meson rare decay process using an approach based on QCD sum rules. First, the pion twist-2, 3 distribution amplitude (DA) moments and are calculated up to the tenth and fourth orders, respectively, in the QCD sum rules according to the background field theory. After constructing the light-cone harmonic oscillator model for the pion twist-2, 3 DAs, we obtain their behaviors by matching the calculated ξ-moments. Then, the transition form factors (TFFs) are calculated using an approach based on QCD light-cone sum rules. The vector form factor at the large recoil region is . Using the rapidly converging simplified series expansion of , we present the TFFs and corresponding angular coefficients in the whole squared momentum transfer physical region. Based on non-standard neutrino interactions, the decay can be related to the decay indirectly. Thus, we first describe the semileptonic decay process , differential decay widths, and branching fraction with . The differential/total predictions for forward-backward asymmetry, -differential flat terms, and lepton polarization asymmetry are also reported. The prediction for the branching fraction is .

Room for new physics in electron and neutrino scattering

ναe→νβe is studied to search new physics (NP). Both model dependent and independent approaches are used. Non-Standard Neutrino interactions (NSI) are invoked for the search of NP. The bounds on NSI parameter ɛ are found by using experimental data of LSND, LAMPF-E225, CHARM-II, BNL-COL and BNL-E734. The process is analyzed by using R parity violating Supersymmetry (⁄Rp SUSY) model which is proceeding through s-bosons exchange. Experimental data of LSND and LAMPF-E225 utilized for the identification of allowed region for non-universal SUSY parameters ∑jλ1j1. In the similar fashion, CHARM-II, BNL-COL and BNL-E734 data is exploited for the exploration of allowed and forbidden limits for ∑kλ21k and ∑jλ2j1. We also establish relationship between MI and SUSY coupling parameters.

Implications of NSI constraints from ANTARES and IceCube on a simplified Z′ model

Recently the neutrino experiments ANTARES and IceCube have released new constraints to the non-standard neutrino interaction (NSI) parameter ϵμτd (flavor off-diagonal). These new constraints are stronger than those obtained from a combination of COHERENT and neutrino oscillation data. In the light of the recent constraints from ANTARES and IceCube data on the NSI parameter ϵμτd, in this work, we study the new physics implications on the parameter space of a simplified Z′ model with lepton flavor violating (μτ) couplings. For a Z′ boson with a mass heavier than the τ lepton, our results show that ANTARES and IceCube can provide additional constraints to such a new physics scenario with μτ couplings, when compared to bounds from low-energy flavor physics. Moreover, these neutrino experiments can exclude a similar region than ATLAS experiment, showing the potential to provide complementary information to the one obtained from direct searches at the Large Hadron Collider. The impact of the expected sensitivity at DUNE and Belle II experiments is also studied.

Non universality of leptons as a source of new physics from non standard interactions of pseudoscalar mesons

The rare decays, K+→π+νν¯, B+→π+νν¯ and D+→π+νν¯, are investigated in the frame work of nonstandard neutrino interactions (NSI). It is claimed that NSI are arising due to non-universality of the leptons and bounds on NSI parameters ϵll′uL are determined. For this purpose, the branching ratios (Br) of these processes with in the Standard Model (SM) and beyond the SM are calculated by applying the non-universality of the leptons. The NSI in K+→π+νν¯ and B+→π+νν¯ proceed with u quark in the loop while other two with d quark in the loop. Very stringent 1 σ level constrains on non-standard parameters (ϵττuL and ϵτl′uL) are pointed out.

Global constraints on non-standard neutrino interactions with quarks and electrons

We derive new constraints on effective four-fermion neutrino non-standard interactions with both quarks and electrons. This is done through the global analysis of neutrino oscillation data and measurements of coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CEνNS) obtained with different nuclei. In doing so, we include not only the effects of new physics on neutrino propagation but also on the detection cross section in neutrino experiments which are sensitive to the new physics. We consider both vector and axial-vector neutral-current neutrino interactions and, for each case, we include simultaneously all allowed effective operators in flavour space. To this end, we use the most general parametrization for their Wilson coefficients under the assumption that their neutrino flavour structure is independent of the charged fermion participating in the interaction. The status of the LMA-D solution is assessed for the first time in the case of new interactions taking place simultaneously with up quarks, down quarks, and electrons. One of the main results of our work are the presently allowed regions for the effective combinations of non-standard neutrino couplings, relevant for long-baseline and atmospheric neutrino oscillation experiments.

Probing non-standard neutrino interactions with interference: insights from dark matter and neutrino experiments

Neutrino-electron scattering experiments play a crucial role in investigating the non-standard interactions of neutrinos.In certain models, these interactions can include interference terms that may affect measurements.Next-generation direct detection experiments, designed primarily for dark-matter searches, are also getting sensitive to probe the neutrino properties.We utilise the data from XENONnT, a direct detection experiment, and Borexino, a low-energy solar neutrino experiment, to investigate the impact of interference on non-standard interactions.Our study considers models with an additional U(1) B-L , including U(1), U(1) L e - L µ , and U(1) L e - L τ , to investigate the impact of interference on non-standard neutrino interactions. We demonstrate that this interference can lead to a transition between the considered non-standard interaction models in the energy range relevant to both the XENONnT and Borexino experiments.This transition can be used to distinguish among the considered models if any signals are observed at direct detection or neutrino experiments.Our findings underscore the importance of accounting for the interference and incorporating both direct detection and solar neutrino experiments to gain a better understanding of neutrino interactions and properties.

Analytic neutrino oscillation probabilities

In the work, we derive exact analytic expressions for (3+N)(3+N)-flavor neutrino oscillation probabilities in an arbitrary matter potential in term of matrix elements and eigenvalues of the Hamiltonian. With the analytic expressions, we demonstrate that nonunitary and nonstandard neutrino interaction scenarios are physically distinct: they satisfy different identities and can in principle be distinguished experimentally. The analytic expressions are implemented in a public code NuProbe, a tool for probing new physics through neutrino oscillations.

A direct detection view of the neutrino NSI landscape

In this article, we study the potential of direct detection experiments to explore the parameter space of general non-standard neutrino interactions (NSI) via solar neutrino scattering. Due to their sensitivity to neutrino-electron and neutrino-nucleus scattering, direct detection provides a complementary view of the NSI landscape to that of spallation sources and neutrino oscillation experiments. In particular, the large admixture of tau neutrinos in the solar flux makes direct detection experiments well-suited to probe the full flavour space of NSI. To study this, we develop a re-parametrisation of the NSI framework that explicitly includes a variable electron contribution and allows for a clear visualisation of the complementarity of the different experimental sources. Using this new parametrisation, we explore how previous bounds from spallation source and neutrino oscillation experiments are impacted. For the first time, we compute limits on NSI from the first results of the XENONnT and LUX-ZEPLIN experiments, and we obtain projections for future xenon-based experiments. These computations have been performed with our newly developed software package, SNuDD. Our results demonstrate the importance of using a more general NSI parametrisation and indicate that next generation direct detection experiments will become powerful probes of neutrino NSI.

Search for exotic interactions of solar neutrinos in the CDEX-10 experiment

We investigate exotic neutrino interactions using the 205.4−kg·day dataset from the CDEX-10 experiment at the China Jinping Underground Laboratory. New constraints on the mass and couplings of new gauge bosons are presented. Two nonstandard neutrino interactions are considered: a U(1)B–L gauge-boson-induced interaction between an active neutrino and electron/nucleus, and a dark-photon-induced interaction between a sterile neutrino and electron/nucleus via kinetic mixing with a photon. This work probes an unexplored parameter space involving sterile neutrino coupling with a dark photon. New laboratory limits are derived on dark photon masses below 1 eV/c2 at some benchmark values of Δm412 and g′2sin22θ14.Received 21 October 2022Revised 22 November 2022Accepted 17 May 2023DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.107.112002Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article’s title, journal citation, and DOI. Funded by SCOAP3.Published by the American Physical SocietyPhysics Subject Headings (PhySH)Research AreasExtensions of gauge sectorParticle astrophysicsParticle interactionsParticle mixing & oscillationsSolar neutrinosPhysical SystemsHypothetical gauge bosonsNeutrinosSterile neutrinosTechniquesDark matter detectorsNeutrino detectorsSolid-state detectorsParticles & FieldsGravitation, Cosmology & Astrophysics

Improved sensitivities of ESSνSB from a two-detector fit

We discuss the improvement of the sensitivity of ESSνSB to the discovery of CP violation and to new neutrino physics which can be obtained with a two-detector fit of the data of the near and far detectors. In particular, we consider neutrino non-standard interactions generated by very heavy vector mediators, nonunitary neutrino mixing, and neutrino oscillations due to the mixing of the ordinary active neutrinos with a light sterile neutrino.

Physics implications of a combined analysis of COHERENT CsI and LAr data

The observation of coherent elastic neutrino nucleus scattering has opened the window to many physics opportunities. This process has been measured by the COHERENT Collaboration using two different targets, first CsI and then argon. Recently, the COHERENT Collaboration has updated the CsI data analysis with a higher statistics and an improved understanding of systematics. Here we perform a detailed statistical analysis of the full CsI data and combine it with the previous argon result. We discuss a vast array of implications, from tests of the Standard Model to new physics probes. In our analyses we take into account experimental uncertainties associated to the efficiency as well as the timing distribution of neutrino fluxes, making our results rather robust. In particular, we update previous measurements of the weak mixing angle and the neutron root mean square charge radius for CsI and argon. We also update the constraints on new physics scenarios including neutrino nonstandard interactions and the most general case of neutrino generalized interactions, as well as the possibility of light mediators. Finally, constraints on neutrino electromagnetic properties are also examined, including the conversion to sterile neutrino states. In many cases, the inclusion of the recent CsI data leads to a dramatic improvement of bounds.

Non-standard neutrino interactions in light mediator models at reactor experiments

Compared to other neutrino sources, the huge anti-neutrino fluxes at nuclear reactor based experiments empower us to derive stronger bounds on non-standard interactions of neutrinos with electrons mediated by light scalar/vector mediators. At neutrino energy around 200 keV reactor anti-neutrino flux is at least an order of magnitude larger compared to the solar flux. The atomic and crystal form factors of the detector materials related to the details of the atomic structure becomes relevant at this energy scale as the momentum transfers would be small. Non-standard neutrino-electron interaction mediated by light scalar/vector mediator arises naturally in many low-scale models. We also propose one such new model with a light scalar mediator. Here, we investigate the parameter space of such low-scale models in reactor based neutrino experiments with low threshold Ge and Si detectors, and find the prospect of probing/ruling out the relevant parameter space by finding the projected sensitivity at 90% confidence level by performing a χ2-analysis. We find that a detector capable of discriminating between electron recoil and nuclear recoil signal down to a very low threshold such as 5 eV placed in reactor based experiment would be able to probe a larger region in parameter space compared to the previously explored region. A Ge (Si) detector with 10 kg-yr exposure and 1 MW reactor anti-neutrino flux would be able to probe the scalar and vector mediators with masses below 1 keV for coupling products sqrt{g_{nu }{g}_e} ∼ 1 × 10−6 (9.5 × 10−7) and 1 × 10−7 (8 × 10−8), respectively.

Probing the non-standard neutrino interactions using quantum statistics

Using the well established principles of Lorentz invariance, CP and CPT symmetry, and quantum statistics we do a model-independent study of effects of possible non-standard couplings of (Dirac and Majorana) neutrinos. The study is sensitive to the different quantum statistical properties of the Dirac and Majorana neutrinos which, contrary to neutrino-mediated processes of lepton number violation, could lead to observable effects not suppressed by the small ratios of neutrino and heavier particle masses. For processes with a neutrino-antineutrino pair of the same flavor in the final state, we formulate the “Dirac Majorana confusion theorem (DMCT)” showing why it is normally very difficult to observe the different behaviour of both kinds of neutrinos in experiments if they have only the standard model (SM)-like left-handed vector couplings to gauge bosons. We discuss deviations from the confusion theorem in the presence of non-standard neutrino interactions, allowing to discover or constrain such novel couplings. We illustrate the general results with two chosen examples of neutral current processes, Z rightarrow nu , {overline{nu }} and {mathcal {P}}_i rightarrow {mathcal {P}}_f , nu , {overline{nu }} (with {mathcal {P}}_{i,f} denoting pseudoscalar mesons, such as B,K,pi ). Our analysis shows that using 3-body decays the presence of non-standard interactions can not only be constrained but one can also distinguish between Dirac and Majorana neutrino possibilities.

Constraining nonstandard interactions with coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering at the European Spallation Source

The European Spallation Source (ESS), currently under construction in Sweden, will provide an intense pulsed neutrino flux allowing for high-statistics measurements of coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CE{\nu}NS) with advanced nuclear recoil detectors. In this paper, we investigate in detail the possibility of constraining non-standard neutrino interactions (NSIs) through such precision CE{\nu}NS measurements at the ESS, considering the different proposed detection technologies, either alone or in combination. We first study the sensitivity to neutral-current NSI parameters that each detector can reach in 3 years of data taking. We then show that operating two detectors simultaneously can significantly improve the expected sensitivity on flavor-diagonal NSI parameters. Combining the results of two detectors turns out to be even more useful when two NSI parameters are assumed to be nonvanishing at a time. In this case, suitably chosen detector combinations can reduce the degeneracies between some pairs of NSI parameters to a small region of the parameter space.

Non-unitary three-neutrino mixing in the early Universe

Deviations from unitarity in the three-neutrino mixing canonical picture are expected in many physics scenarios beyond the Standard Model. The mixing of new heavy neutral leptons with the three light neutrinos would in principle modify the strength and flavour structure of charged-current and neutral-current interactions with matter. Non-unitarity effects would therefore have an impact on the neutrino decoupling processes in the early Universe and on the value of the effective number of neutrinos, N eff. We calculate the cosmological energy density in the form of radiation with a non-unitary neutrino mixing matrix, addressing the possible interplay between parameters. Highly accurate measurements of N eff fromforthcoming cosmological observations can provide independent and complementary limits on thedepartures from unitarity. For completeness, we relate the scenario of small deviations fromunitarity to non-standard neutrino interactions and compare the forecasted constraints to otherexisting limits in the literature.

How to identify different new neutrino oscillation physics scenarios at DUNE

Next generation neutrino oscillation experiments are expected to measure the remaining oscillation parameters with very good precision. They will have unprecedented capabilities to search for new physics that modify oscillations. DUNE, with its broad band beam, good particle identification, and relatively high energies will provide an excellent environment to search for new physics. If deviations from the standard three-flavor oscillation picture are seen however, it is crucial to know which new physics scenario is found so that it can be verified elsewhere and theoretically understood. We investigate several benchmark new physics scenarios by looking at existing long-baseline accelerator neutrino data from NOvA and T2K and determine at what sensitivity DUNE can differentiate among them. We consider sterile neutrinos and both vector and scalar non-standard neutrino interactions, all with new complex phases, the latter of which could conceivably provide absolute neutrino mass scale information. We find that, in many interesting cases, DUNE will have good model discrimination. We also perform a new fit to NOvA and T2K data with scalar NSI.