Neutral current neutrino oscillation via quantum field theory approach

TL;DR

This paper revisits neutral current neutrino oscillations using quantum field theory, showing that oscillation patterns depend on detector distance and coherence, independent of source uncertainty.

Contribution

It provides a quantum field theory analysis of neutral current neutrino oscillations, highlighting conditions for coherence and oscillation visibility.

Findings

Oscillation pattern ceases beyond coherence length.

Neutrino-antineutrino coherence is maintained regardless of source uncertainty.

Oscillation can be observed if both neutrino and antineutrino are detected.

Abstract

Neutrino and anti-neutrino states coming from the neutral current or $Z_0$ decay are blind with respect to the flavor. The neutrino oscillation is observed and formulated when its flavor is known. However, it has been shown that we can see neutrino oscillation pattern for $Z_0$ decay neutrinos provided that both neutrino and anti-neutrino are detected. In this paper, we restudy this oscillation via quantum field theory approach. Through this approach, we find that the oscillation pattern ceases if the distance between the detectors is larger than the coherence length, while both neutrino and antineutrino states may be coherent. Also the uncertainty of source (region of $Z_0$ decay) does not have any role in the coherency of neutrino and antineutrino.