Tests of electron flavor conservation with the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory

Journal Article · Fri Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1996 · Physical Review, D

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.54.5417· OSTI ID:388432

Bahcall, J N ^[1]; Lisi, E ^[1]

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1. Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, New Jersey 08540 (United States)

We analyze tests of electron flavor conservation that can be performed at the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO). These tests, which utilize {sup 8}B solar neutrinos interacting with deuterium, measure (1) the shape of the recoil electron spectrum in charged-current (CC) interactions (the CC spectrum shape), and (2) the ratio of the number of charged-current to neutral current (NC) events (the CC/NC ratio). We determine standard model predictions for the CC spectral shape and for the CC/NC ratio, together with realistic estimates of their errors and the correlations between errors. We consider systematic uncertainties in the standard neutrino spectrum and in the charged-current and neutral current cross sections, the SNO energy resolution and absolute energy scale, and the SNO detection efficiencies. Assuming that either matter-enhanced or vacuum neutrino oscillations solve the solar neutrino problems, we calculate the confidence levels with which electron flavor nonconservation can be detected using either the CC spectrum shape or the CC/NC ratio, or both. If the SNO detector works as expected, the neutrino oscillation solutions that best fit the results of the four operating solar neutrino experiments can be distinguished unambiguously from the standard predictions of electron flavor conservation. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}

• OSTI ID: 388432
• Journal Information: Physical Review, D, Journal Name: Physical Review, D Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 54; ISSN PRVDAQ; ISSN 0556-2821
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

66 PHYSICS
CHARGED CURRENTS
CONSERVATION LAWS
ELECTRON SPECTRA
ELECTRONS
ENERGY RESOLUTION
FLAVOR
LEPTON NUMBER
NEUTRINO OSCILLATION
STANDARD MODEL
SUDBURY NEUTRINO OBSERVATORY
TESTING