Present and Future Neutrino Physics
Coordinators: Graciela Gelmini, Danny Marfatia, Thomas Weiler, Walter Winter
Scientific Advisors: Sandip Pakvasa
The recent discovery of a non-zero mixing
angle θ13 by reactor neutrino disappearance experiments has initiated the precision era of lepton flavor physics. Therefore it is timely to identify strategies to determine the remaining parameters of the three active neutrinos, such as the neutrino mass hierarchy and the leptonic Dirac CP phase. Furthermore, weak but ubiquitous hints for sterile neutrinos need to be assessed. In the astrophysics domain, the IceCube discovery of neutrino events at the highest neutrino energies yet measured (~PeV) may have initiated neutrino astronomy as a new discipline for research. The pointing nature of neutrinos, and their negligible absorption, should allow them to reveal the sources of the highest energetic cosmic rays. Furthermore, the flavor distribution of these neutrinos may possibly implicate the dynamical properties of these cosmic accelerators. This Neutrino Program aims to review the current status of neutrino physics at this decisive moment for experimental neutrino physics, and to identify the prospects and challenges for the future. The potential of emerging technologies will be studied.
Specific topics include neutrino oscillations; nature of neutrino mass; absolute neutrino mass scale; models for neutrino masses and mixings; neutrino physics beyond the Standard Model; and neutrinos as messengers for the sources and dynamics which generate ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays.
Specific topics include neutrino oscillations; nature of neutrino mass; absolute neutrino mass scale; models for neutrino masses and mixings; neutrino physics beyond the Standard Model; and neutrinos as messengers for the sources and dynamics which generate ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays.