Does the type of matter a neutrino passes through affect its flavor probability?

In summary: Although the evidence is far from conclusive, it seems to suggest that the type of matter a neutrino passes through does not have an effect on it's probability of being a certain flavor/colour.
  • #1
fbsthreads
36
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What do people think of the idea that the type of matter a neutrino passes through can affect it's probability of being a certain flavour/colour.

eg, through rock it is more likley to be one colour,
through air it is more likley to be another colour.
 
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  • #2
Neutrinos don't have a color. I don't see any reason the flavor should depend on the material its passing through.
 
  • #3
neutrinos do not interact with mass. Electron neutrinos, tau neutrinos and muon neutrinos are all non interacting neutrinos that pass through matter with no effect. Maybe one neutrino in a billion will interact and this interaction will be very small.
 
  • #4
Neutrinos interact only with the weak forces, which is why they don't interact much at all. Since they have no charge, they cannot interact with the electromagnetic fields, nor with strong forces. They are said to interact slightly with electrons. The first detector that was built to detect neutrinos used heavy water as a way of detecting them. When a neutrino would hit the deterium, the neutron would be transformed into a proton and separate from the hydrogen (also a proton). This in turn would release a flash of light which can be detected using photo-multiplier tubes (PM tubes). I believe that this kind of detection only works for electron neutrinos, but doesn't work for muon or tau neutrinos. Out of a whole day of detecting using that detector, only about 5 or 10 neutrinos interacted to cause a flash of light.
 
  • #5
ArmoSkater87 said:
The first detector that was built to detect neutrinos used heavy water as a way of detecting them. When a neutrino would hit the deterium, the neutron would be transformed into a proton and separate from the hydrogen (also a proton). This in turn would release a flash of light which can be detected using photo-multiplier tubes (PM tubes).

this is not the firs neutrino detector. The first one was build usin a large tank of [tex] {C_2}{Cl_4} [/tex]
the neutrinos would come into the tank and interact with the cleaning fluid by making radioactive Argon atoms in the tank. This is how they measured how many neutrinos passed though. The heavy water neutrino test came a lot later.
 
  • #6
And if I recall correctly from my (admittedly shallow) researching of the "neutrino paradox", results from both detectors agree with the idea that neutrinos fluctuate randomly, and the chances of detecting one in any of the three states is roughly equal;1/3. This would seem to suggest that the type of material used to detect a neutrino does not effect the probability of that neutrino being in anyone of the three potential states.

Far from conclusive, but it's the only evidence we have, AFAIK.
 
  • #7
Nenad said:
this is not the firs neutrino detector. The first one was build usin a large tank of [tex] {C_2}{Cl_4} [/tex]
the neutrinos would come into the tank and interact with the cleaning fluid by making radioactive Argon atoms in the tank. This is how they measured how many neutrinos passed though. The heavy water neutrino test came a lot later.

Alrite, agreed. Although i don't see how Argon could in any way be "radioactive"...its a nobel gas with not such a large atomic number.
 
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  • #8
LURCH said:
And if I recall correctly from my (admittedly shallow) researching of the "neutrino paradox", results from both detectors agree with the idea that neutrinos fluctuate randomly, and the chances of detecting one in any of the three states is roughly equal;1/3. This would seem to suggest that the type of material used to detect a neutrino does not effect the probability of that neutrino being in anyone of the three potential states.

Far from conclusive, but it's the only evidence we have, AFAIK.

I believe you recall correctly. I recall something similar...scientists were detecting 1/3 of what they expected, which lead them to believe that they were detecting only one of the 3 flavors.
 

What are Matter Altering Neutrinos?

Matter Altering Neutrinos are subatomic particles that have the ability to change from one type of neutrino to another as they travel through matter. They are a type of fundamental particle that interacts very weakly with other particles.

How do Matter Altering Neutrinos alter matter?

Matter Altering Neutrinos have the ability to change their flavor or type as they interact with matter. This can happen through a process called neutrino oscillation, where the neutrino changes between its three different types: electron, muon, and tau. This change in flavor can also affect the interactions of the neutrino with other particles.

What is the significance of Matter Altering Neutrinos?

Matter Altering Neutrinos are significant because they provide a window into the fundamental forces and particles that make up our universe. Their ability to change flavors and interact weakly with matter can help us understand the nature of the universe and its building blocks.

How are Matter Altering Neutrinos detected and studied?

Matter Altering Neutrinos are detected through large and specialized detectors, such as the Super-Kamiokande detector in Japan. These detectors use different techniques, such as detecting the light produced by neutrino interactions or measuring the energy and direction of the particles produced by the interactions. Scientists also use sophisticated computer simulations and models to study the behavior of Matter Altering Neutrinos.

What are the potential applications of Matter Altering Neutrinos?

Currently, there are no direct applications of Matter Altering Neutrinos. However, the study of these particles can provide insights into the behavior of matter and antimatter, which can have practical applications in fields such as energy production and medical imaging. Additionally, understanding the properties of Matter Altering Neutrinos can help us better understand the universe and its origins.

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