Neutrino Oscillations at Low Energies

[Dovahkiin]

Hello,

I am in the process of learning about neutrino oscillations. I'm looking for some clarification as a google/forum search hasn't helped me. If someone could advise me or point me in the right direction that would be great!

So, if you have neutrinos at energies below the threshold energy for tau neutrino production (about 3.5 GeV), do their oscillation probabilities revert to the two neutrino case? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutrino_oscillation#Two_neutrino_case). The reason i ask this is because there isn't enough energy to make a tau lepton from a tau neutrino/neutron collision, so there is zero probability of that happening. I understand that the flavour of a neutrino can only be determined upon interacting, so am i right?

Any help is much apprectiated!

 

[AndyW]

Hi there,

Thank you for your question about neutrino oscillations. I can understand your confusion as neutrino oscillations can be a complex topic to grasp. To answer your question, yes, if neutrinos are below the threshold energy for tau neutrino production, their oscillation probabilities do revert to the two neutrino case. This is because, as you mentioned, there is not enough energy for a tau lepton to be produced from a tau neutrino/neutron collision. Therefore, the third neutrino flavor (tau) is no longer relevant in the oscillation probabilities.

However, it is important to note that even at lower energies, neutrino oscillations can still occur between the two remaining flavors (electron and muon). This is due to the phenomenon of mass mixing, where neutrinos of different flavors can mix and change into one another as they travel through space. This is why the concept of neutrino oscillations is so important in understanding the properties of these elusive particles.

I hope this helps clarify your understanding of neutrino oscillations. If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to ask. Good luck with your studies!