[eBook Code] Solar Neutrino Physics (eBook Code, 1st)

1 Introduction 1

2 Solar Structure and Evolution 3

2.1 Equations of Stellar Structure and Evolution 3

2.1.1 Mechanical Structure 3

2.1.2 Energy Conservation and Transport 5

2.1.2.1 Energy Transport by Radiation and Conduction 5

2.1.2.2 Criterion for Dynamical Instability 7

2.1.2.3 Energy Transport: Convection 9

2.1.3 Changes in Chemical Composition 11

2.1.3.1 Convective Mixing 11

2.1.3.2 Changes in Chemical Composition: Atomic Diffusion 12

2.1.3.3 Changes in Chemical Composition: Nuclear Reactions 15

2.1.3.4 Changes in Chemical Composition: Putting Everything Together 16

2.1.4 Full Set of Equations and Boundary Conditions 17

2.2 Constitutive Physics 18

2.2.1 Equation of State 18

2.2.2 Radiative Opacities 21

2.2.3 Nuclear Reaction Rates 25

2.3 Calibrating Standard Solar Models 31

2.3.1 Observational Constraints 31

2.3.1.1 Age, Mass, Radius, and Luminosity 31

2.3.1.2 Surface Composition 32

2.3.2 Adjusting the Free Parameters 35

2.4 Standard Solar Models 36

2.4.1 Previous and Future Evolution 36

2.4.2 The Sun Today: An Overview 39

2.5 Solar Neutrinos 42

2.6 Helioseismology 48

2.6.1 Overview 48

2.6.2 Global Structure Inversions 51

2.6.3 Other Constraints 53

2.7 Solar Abundance Problem 54

2.8 Uncertainties in SSMs 58

2.8.1 Uncertainties in SSM Inputs 58

2.8.1.1 Nuclear Reaction Rates 58

2.8.1.2 Microscopic Diffusion 59

2.8.1.3 Radiative Opacities 59

2.8.1.4 Solar Radius, Luminosity, and Age 59

2.8.1.5 Solar Composition 59

2.8.1.6 Equation of State 60

2.8.2 Global Uncertainties in SSMs 60

2.8.2.1 Nuclear Reaction Rates 61

2.8.2.2 Constitutive Physics 61

2.8.2.3 Element Abundances 62

2.9 Solar Models Beyond the SSM 62

2.9.1 Nonstandard Solar Physics 63

2.9.2 Nonstandard Particle Physics 65

3 Neutrino Physics 69

3.1 Neutrinos in the Standard Model 69

3.2 Neutrino Oscillations 75

3.3 Matter Effects 80

3.4 Neutrino Oscillation Experiments 84

3.4.1 Atmospheric Neutrinos 84

3.4.2 Long Baseline Accelerator Neutrinos 92

3.4.2.1 Long Baseline Experiments and 𝜃₁₃ 97

3.4.3 Reactor Neutrinos 100

3.5 Conclusions and Open Questions 109

3.5.1 What is the Absolute Neutrino Mass Scale? 111

3.5.2 Are Neutrinos Majorana or Dirac Particles? 120

3.5.3 What is the Neutrino Mass Ordering and How Large is CP-𝛿? 127

3.5.4 Are There Sterile Neutrinos? 135

4 Solar Neutrino Experiments 139

4.1 Introduction 139

4.2 The ³⁷Cl Experiment 141

4.3 Kamiokande-II/III 145

4.4 The ⁷¹Ga Experiments 153

4.5 Super-Kamiokande 162

4.6 SNO 169

4.7 Borexino 178

4.8 Summary and Open Questions 191

5 Future Solar Neutrino Experiments 195

5.1 SNO+ 196

5.2 JUNO and LENA 199

5.3 Hyper-Kamiokande 204

5.4 DUNE 206

References 209

Index 221