1986/08/15 by S. P. Rosen, James M. Gelb · 5 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Neutrino Physics Research #Dark Matter and Cosmic Phenomena #Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena #Physics #Neutrino #Solar neutrino #Neutrino oscillation #Particle physics #Oscillation (cell signaling) #Solar neutrino problem #Mixing (physics) #Limit (mathematics) #Order (exchange) #Spectrum (functional analysis) #Quantum mechanics
paper · doi:10.1103/physrevd.34.969
openalex publication_date 1986/08/15 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
Mikheyev and Smirnov have observed that neutrino oscillations in the Sun can be greatly enhanced through the mechanism of Wolfenstein matter oscillations. We develop a qualitative understanding of this phenomenon in the small-mixing-angle limit and carry out extensive calculations in order to apply it to the solar-neutrino problem. Our simple theoretical model agrees remarkably well with the calculations. After determining those values of \ensuremathΔm2 and sin22theta in the small-mixing-angle limit for which the 8B plus 7Be neutrino capture rate in 37Cl is suppressed by a factor 2--4, we predict the corresponding capture rate for pp plus 7Be neutrinos in 71Ga. The gallium capture rate can range from no reduction to a factor of 10 reduction. We also determine the modified spectrum of 8B neutrinos arriving at Earth and discuss the importance of this spectrum as a means of choosing between oscillations and the solar model as the cause of the solar-neutrino problem, and also as a means of distinguishing between different sets of oscillation parameters.