Probing the Sun's inner core using solar neutrinos: a new diagnostic method

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel method to probe the Sun's inner core density using neutrino flux measurements and oscillation parameters, suggesting the core density may be significantly higher than standard model predictions.

Contribution

The paper develops a new diagnostic technique combining neutrino flux data and oscillation parameters to estimate the Sun's inner core density.

Findings

Inner core density exceeds standard solar model predictions by up to 25%.

Current measurements suggest a higher density, but confirmation requires reduced experimental errors.

Method provides a new way to test solar interior models using neutrino data.

Abstract

The electronic density in the Sun's inner core is inferred from the 8B, 7Be and pep neutrino flux measurements of the Super-Kamiokande, SNO and Borexino experiments. We have developed a new method in which we use the KamLAND detector determinations of the neutrino fundamental oscillation parameters: the mass difference and the vacuum oscillation angle. Our results suggest that the solar electronic density in the Sun's inner core (for a radius smaller than 10% of the solar radius) is well above the current prediction of the standard solar model, and by as much as 25%. A potential confirmation of these preliminary findings can be achieved when neutrino detectors are able to reduce the error of the electron-neutrino survival probability by a factor of 15.