Issues

 / 

1977

 / 

October

  

Reviews of topical problems


Lepton mixing and neutrino oscillations

 a,
a Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, 6 Joliot-Curie Str., Dubna, Moscow Region, 141980, Russian Federation

The phenomenon of neutrino oscillations is reviewed. The case of mixing of two neutrinos (both Majorana and Dirac neutrinos) of masses $m_1$ and $m_2$ is considered in detail. It is shown that the mixing hypothesis is consistent with the existing data if $\vert m_1^2-m_2^2\vert\lesssim$ 1eV$^2$ (for maximal mixing). A discussion is given of possible experiments to search for oscillations of neutrinos from reactors, meson factories, and highenergy accelerators. Oscillations can be observed in these experiments if $\vert m_1^2-m_2^2\vert\gtrsim10^{-2}$eV$^2$. The prospects of searches for neutrino oscillations in experiments using cosmic neutrinos, and in particular solar neutrinos, are discussed in detail. Such experiments have a unique sensitivity as tests of the mixing hypothesis (in the case of solar neutrinos, mixing effects would be observed if $\vert m_1^2-m_2^2\vert\gtrsim10^{-12}$eV$^2$. The ``solar neutrino paradox'' is discussed in detail from the point of view of neutrino mixing. Neutrino oscillations are also considered in the case when there exist in nature $N$>2 types of neutrinos. Schemes involving the mixing of heavy leptons are discussed. It is shown in the framework of a specific scheme involving right-handed currents that for heavy-lepton masses of the order of several GeV the probabilities of processes such as $\mu\to e\gamma$ and $\mu\to3e$ can be close to the existing experimental upper limits. The probabilities of these processes are practically zero when only the neutrinos are mixed.

PACS: 14.60.Gh, 13.10.+q, 13.15.+g, 96.60.Kx
DOI: 10.1070/PU1977v020n10ABEH005465
URL: https://ufn.ru/en/articles/1977/10/b/
Citation: Bilen’kii S M, Pontecorvo B "Lepton mixing and neutrino oscillations" Sov. Phys. Usp. 20 776–795 (1977)
BibTexBibNote ® (generic) BibNote ® (RIS)MedlineRefWorks
TY JOUR
TI Lepton mixing and neutrino oscillations
AU Bilen’kii, S. M.
AU Pontecorvo, B.
PB Physics-Uspekhi
PY 1977
JO Physics-Uspekhi
JF Physics-Uspekhi
JA Phys. Usp.
VL 20
IS 10
SP 776-795
UR https://ufn.ru/en/articles/1977/10/b/
ER https://doi.org/10.1070/PU1977v020n10ABEH005465

Оригинал: Биленький С М, Понтекорво Б М «Смешивание лептонов и осцилляции нейтрино» УФН 123 181–215 (1977); DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.0123.197710b.0181

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