Solar Neutrino Limits on Decoherence

TL;DR

This paper investigates how solar neutrino observations can set limits on quantum decoherence effects during neutrino propagation, using open quantum system formalism to calculate transition probabilities and establish bounds on decoherence parameters.

Contribution

It introduces a model-independent method to constrain decoherence in neutrino oscillations using solar neutrino data within the open quantum system framework.

Findings

Limits on decoherence parameters: Γ₃ < 6.5×10⁻¹⁹ eV and Γ₈ < 7.1×10⁻¹⁹ eV at 3σ

Demonstrates how solar neutrino data can constrain quantum decoherence effects

Provides a pedagogical approach to analyzing decoherence without assumptions on solar neutrino physics

Abstract

The solar neutrino flux arrives at Earth as an incoherent admixture of mass eigenstates, and then solar neutrino detection constitute a blind probe to the oscillation pattern of the neutrino flavour conversion. Consequently, it is also impossible to probe, in a model independent approach, any new physics that leads to an enhancement of decoherence during the neutrino evolution, an effect that is present for instance in Open Quantum System formalism. However, such mechanism can also induce changes between mass eigenstates if an energy interchange between the neutrino subsystem and the reservoir is not explicitly forbidden. In this work the conversion probabilities between mass eigenstates in an Open Quantum System are calculated, and limits are stablished for these kind of transitions. We present our results in a pedagogical way, pointing out how far the analysis can go without any assumption on the neutrino conversion physics inside the Sun, before performing the full calculations. We obtain as limits for the decoherence parameters the values of $ \Gamma_3< 6.5\times 10^{-19}$ eV and $\Gamma_8< 7.1\times 10^{-19}$ eV at 3$\sigma$.