2003/07/31 by P. C. de Holanda, A. Yu. Smirnov · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #Dark Matter and Cosmic Phenomena #Neutrino Physics Research #Particle physics theoretical and experimental studies #astro-ph #hep-ex #hep-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevd.69.113002
published as Phys.Rev.D69:113002,2004 · Figures 5 and 6 modified, shorter version will be published in PRD
arxiv created 2004/03/29 · openalex publication_date 2004/06/02 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
The Homestake result is about \ensuremath∼2\ensuremathσ lower than the Ar-production rate, QAr, predicted by the large mixing angle (LMA) Mikheyev-Smirnov-Wolfenstein solution of the solar neutrino problem. Also there is no apparent upturn of the energy spectrum (R\ensuremath≡Nobs/NSSM) at low energies in SNO and Super-Kamiokande. Both these facts can be explained if a light, \ensuremathΔm012\ensuremath∼(0.2--2)\ifmmode×\else\texttimes\fi10^\ensuremath-5eV2, sterile neutrino exists which mixes very weakly with active neutrinos: sin22\ensuremathα\ensuremath∼(10^\ensuremath-5--10^\ensuremath-3). We perform both the analytical and numerical study of the conversion effects in the system of two active neutrinos with the LMA parameters and one weakly mixed sterile neutrino. The presence of sterile neutrino leads to a dip in the survival probability in the intermediate energy range E=(0.5--5)MeV thus suppressing the Be, or/and pep, CNO, as well as B electron neutrino fluxes. Apart from diminishing QAr it leads to decrease of the Ge-production rate and may lead to the decrease of the BOREXINO signal as well as the CC/NC ratio at SNO. Future studies of the solar neutrinos by SNO, SK, BOREXINO, and KamLAND as well as by the new low energy experiments will allow us to check this possibility.