What is Neutrino oscillation: Definition and 26 Discussions

Neutrino oscillation is a quantum mechanical phenomenon in which a neutrino created with a specific lepton family number ("lepton flavor": electron, muon, or tau) can later be measured to have a different lepton family number. The probability of measuring a particular flavor for a neutrino varies between three known states, as it propagates through space.First predicted by Bruno Pontecorvo in 1957, neutrino oscillation has since been observed by a multitude of experiments in several different contexts. Notably, the existence of neutrino oscillation resolved the long-standing solar neutrino problem.
Neutrino oscillation is of great theoretical and experimental interest, as the precise properties of the process can shed light on several properties of the neutrino. In particular, it implies that the neutrino has a non-zero mass, which requires a modification to the Standard Model of particle physics. The experimental discovery of neutrino oscillation, and thus neutrino mass, by the Super-Kamiokande Observatory and the Sudbury Neutrino Observatories was recognized with the 2015 Nobel Prize for Physics.

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  1. ohwilleke

    B Where Can I Find The New Daya Bay Results?

    On May 31, 2022, the Daya Bay experiment announced in a press release that they had made a new ultra-precise measurement of the neutrino oscillation parameter theta13 (but did not provide the half line of text necessary to fully summarize the new result). The press release also doesn't provide...
  2. A

    I Understanding Neutrino Oscillation and Mixing | Explained for Beginners

    If we have a beta decay where a solar neutrino is produced: a proton converts into a neutron ,emitting a W. the W decays into an anti electron and a neutrino. So in the end of the chain we have a neutrino that will travel through space and oscillate. Neutrino Oscillation happens because of...
  3. R

    A Computer simulation of neutrino physics research

    I am researcher in computational condensed matter physics. Now, I want to start research on neutrino physics using simulation. Please anybody guide me how to start: I mean which software to use and from where to get experimental data and then simulate. Thank you,
  4. T

    I Difference of resonant and non-resonant neutrino oscillation

    Hello Just wondering what the difference is between resonant and non-resonant neutrino oscillations. Are resonant neutrino oscillations called Mikheyev-Smirnov-Wolfenstein? Thank you
  5. P

    I Neutrino oscillation with very low energy neutrinos

    This question just occurred to me recently. Assuming the different neutrinos (electron, muon, tau) do not have the same mass, then if their energy is very low, such that they are moving non-relativistically, an oscillation must substantially change the velocity (to conserve momentum). It seems...
  6. DeldotB

    Neutrino Oscillation: Solving for x,t

    Homework Statement Suppose that two neutrinos are created in the sun - call the states |{ \nu_1}\rangle and |{ \nu_2}\rangle . (Among many other things) I am asked to show that once the neutrinos have propigated a distance x after a time t, the states satisfy: |{ \nu_1}(x,t)\rangle =...
  7. E

    Neutral meson vs. neutrino oscillations

    Hello, I need to research online about the difference between neutral meson and neutrino oscillations. However I've found this difficult. I haven't found anywhere any comments on the differences between the two. The only thing which comes to mind is that the mesons can interact in their mass...
  8. ChrisVer

    Neutrino Oscillation in matter

    Hi, I have some problem in deriving \Delta m_M^2 as given in eq.35 here: http://www.slac.stanford.edu/econf/C040802/papers/L004.PDF When I tried to derive the eigenvalues of H_M (eq.33) I got: m^2 = (\cos 2 \theta -x)^2 + \sin^2 2 \theta which is only one eigenvalue. Any help? In...
  9. Greg Bernhardt

    How Do Neutrino Oscillations Reveal the Nature of Neutrinos?

    Definition/Summary There are three masses of neutrino (they are unknown, but the differences of their squares is known approximately). There are three flavours of neutrino: electron- muon- and tau-, and a neutrino when it is created must be one of those three flavours. Each flavour is a...
  10. T

    Can the Neutrino Oscillation Formula be Simplified Using a Trivial Proof?

    Hi all! I am not sure how to prove mathematically that the expression for the probability that a neutrino originally of flavor α will later be observed as having flavor β P_{α \rightarrow β}=\left|<\nu_{\beta}|\nu_{\alpha}(t)>\right|^2=\left|\sum_{i}U_{β i}^*U_{α i}e^{-iE_it}\right|^2 (1) can...
  11. R

    Why do neutrinos always have a specific flavor when detected?

    Hi, this is probably pretty simple but it's puzzling me... In neutrino oscillation, you produce and detect neutrinos with a specific flavour (e,μ,τ) but they travel as mass eigenstates (1,2,3). The flavour eigenstates are just linear superpositions of mass eigenstates: nu_e = U_e1 nu_1 +...
  12. S

    Question about Neutrino oscillation

    i would like to ask a few questions about Neutrino oscillation 1) How can i calculate/obtain the mass eigenstates and weak eigenstates of neutrino if we can get those, then how come we cannot obtain the mass eigenvalues. 2) why we know the relation between mass eigenstates and weak...
  13. Doofy

    Neutrino oscillation - CP violation obscured by matter effect?

    In long baseline neutrino oscillation experiments, it is possible to investigate the extent of any CP violation by looking at the difference between the rate of neutrino oscillating vs. anti-neutrinos oscillating, ie. we take \Delta P = P(\nu_\alpha \rightarrow \nu_\beta) -...
  14. Doofy

    Has the CP violating phase Delta in neutrino oscillation been measured at all?

    If I'm not mistaken, measuring the \delta_{CP} from the PMNS matrix may be done by comparing P(\nu_{\alpha} \rightarrow \nu_{\beta}) to P(\overline{\nu_{\alpha}} \rightarrow \overline{\nu_{\beta}}) , where P(\nu_{\alpha} \rightarrow \nu_{\beta}) - P(\overline{\nu_{\beta}} \rightarrow...
  15. Doofy

    Solar neutrino oscillation experiments - how do they extract the parameters?

    In oscillation experiments that use solar neutrinos, it seems that the mixing angle \theta_{12} and the mass squared difference \Delta m_{12}^2 can be determined from comparing measurements of the neutrino flux to theoretical models of what the Sun should be emitting. However, I am...
  16. Doofy

    Neutrino Oscillation: Mass Differences

    In neutrino oscillation the probability a neutrino changing its flavour depends on the difference between the squares of the masses of the neutrino mass eigenstates. For example, the squared-mass difference between the mass states \nu_{1} and \nu_{2} is denoted \Delta m^2_{12} . However, I...
  17. Doofy

    P, CP and CPT symmetry in neutrino oscillation? (quick question)

    Just a quick question about notation really here. In neutrino oscillation we can calculate a probability of an oscillation occurring between two flavour eigenstates - invariably denoted P(\nu_{\alpha} \rightarrow \nu_{\beta}) . I've got some confusion about what happens to this when we apply...
  18. thenewmans

    Pion decay and neutrino oscillation in OPERA

    I hope you don’t mind me asking this OPERA question here but I think it’s more of a QM question. I just watched NOVA Ghost Particle and it got me thinking. The only problem is that my brain isn’t strong enough to hold all that I’m reading about this experiment. From what I gather, the CERN...
  19. N

    Neutrino Oscillation: Explaining the Solar Neutrino Problem

    I've been reading about the solar neutrino problem. I heard that if the neutrinos had mass, then they could "oscillate" between all three types. Whatever. I'll buy it. But here are two things I don't get: Why do they need mass to oscillate (is it because having different masses is the...
  20. alemsalem

    Is neutrino oscillation a violation of a conservation law?

    Neutrinos are emitted with corresponding leptons (e, mu ,tau) and that's a conservations law(?) what about when neutrinos oscillate into each other is that a violation of that law? also is there a corresponding oscillation in the other leptons and other particles?? Thanks :wink:
  21. U

    How does neutrino oscillation imply that neutrinos have mass?

    Sorry if this qs been asked before, i couldn't find one similar.
  22. D

    Solve Neutrino Oscillation Unit Conversion Problem

    Homework Statement I doubt that my problem is supposed to be in the Advanced Physics forum, but the subject is advanced. Okay, my problem is pretty stupid. The assignment is deriving a probability using some approximations and such, for 2-neutrino oscillation. I can do the entire calculation...
  23. D

    Neutrino Oscillation <-> Neutrino Mass

    Wikipedia says that the phenomenon of Neutrino Oscillation implies that the neutrino has a non-zero mass (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutrino_oscillation" ). Why is that? Why is it that Neutrino Oscillation can only exist, if neutrinos do have mass?
  24. S

    Neutrino oscillation and Mass

    I have many doubts about neutrinos..can someone explain me? 1. All neutrinos and anti neutrinos have different masses..and if the neutrinos oscillate, how the difference in mass is justified? is there any violation of energy conservation? 2. If neutrinos which are leptons oscillate, then...
  25. U

    Understanding Neutrino Oscillation: Explaining Flavor & Mass States

    I don't really understand why neutrino oscillation occurs so I looked it up on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutrino_oscillation I went to the "Theory, graphically" section and it gives quite a good explanation. However, there are a few details I don't get. It says: "This...
  26. D

    Neutrino Oscillation Survival Probability

    Homework Statement I'm lost at how to derive the probability of a neutrino species surviving an oscillation. After performing calculations, I can't seem to get it into the nice tidy form 1-\sin^{2}2\theta\sin^{2}\left(\frac{\Delta m^{2}t}{4p}\right) Homework Equations Whatev...
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