A new spin on neutrino quantum kinetics

Journal Article · Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · Physics Letters B

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physletb.2015.04.066· OSTI ID:1198653

Cirigliano, Vincenzo; Fuller, George M.; Vlasenko, Alexey

Recent studies have demonstrated that in anisotropic environments a coherent spin-flip term arises in the Quantum Kinetic Equations (QKEs) which govern the evolution of neutrino flavor and spin in hot and dense media. This term can mediate neutrino–antineutrino transformation for Majorana neutrinos and active-sterile transformation for Dirac neutrinos. We discuss the physical origin of the coherent spin-flip term and provide explicit expressions for the QKEs in a two-flavor model with spherical geometry. In this context, we demonstrate that coherent neutrino spin transformation depends on the absolute neutrino mass and Majorana phases.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• Grant/Contract Number: AC52-06NA25396
• OSTI ID: 1198653
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 1208658
• Journal Information: Physics Letters B, Journal Name: Physics Letters B Vol. 747 Journal Issue: C; ISSN 0370-2693
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Country of Publication: Netherlands
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS