Neutrino factory physics study status and an entry level scenario
The status of an ongoing neutrino factory physics study at Fermilab is described, together with a personal view of the parameters required for an entry-level neutrino factory. Recent measurements of atmospheric muon neutrino ({nu}{sub {mu}}) fluxes from the Super-Kamiokande (SuperK) collaboration have shown an aximuth-dependent {r{underscore}arrow} baseline dependent-depletion that strongly suggests neutrino oscillations of the type {nu}{sub {mu}} {r{underscore}arrow} {nu}{sub {mu}}. Since the atmospheric {nu}{sub e} flux is not similarly depleted, {nu}{sub x} cannot be {nu}{sub e}, and must therefore be either {nu}{sub {tau}}, or {nu}{sub s} (a sterile neutrino). These observations have inspired many theoretical papers, several neutrino oscillation experiments proposals, and much interest in the physics community. This interest is well motivated. Understanding the neutrino-mass hierarchy and the mixing matrix that drives flavor oscillations may provide clues that lead to a deeper understanding of physics at very high mass-scales and insights into the physics associated with the existence of more than one lepton flavor. Hence, there is a strong incentive to find a way of measuring the neutrino flavor mixing matrix, confirm and oscillation scheme (three-flavor mixing, four-flavor, n-flavor ?), and determine which mass eigenstate is the heaviest (and which is the lightest). This will require a further generation of accelerator based experiments beyond those currently proposed.
- Research Organization:
- Fermi National Accelerator Lab. (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Research (ER) (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-76CH03000
- OSTI ID:
- 750840
- Report Number(s):
- FERMILAB-Conf-00/016-T; TRN: US0001119
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: High Intensity Muon Sources, KEK, Tsukuba (JP), 12/01/1999--12/03/1999; Other Information: PBD: 1 Feb 2000
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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